DODGE GRAND CARAVAN · model year

1990 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

69 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1990DODGEGRAND CARAVAN carries 69 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 2 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1990 GRAND CARAVAN is power train:automatic transmission with 20 filings, followed by fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system (4) and power train:manual transmission (3). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 20 investigation files overlapping the 1990 GRAND CARAVAN, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

69
Complaints
1
Crashes
2
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

69 filings

Crashes Reported

1 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION20
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM4
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION3
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY3
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS2
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL2
STRUCTURE:BODY2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY2
UNKNOWN OR OTHER2
EXTERIOR LIGHTING1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY1
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE1

Recent Complaints

20080601FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

CAR KIND OF SPUTTERED AND THEN CONTINUALLY RUNNING GOOD. AS IF IT ALL OF A SUDDEN WAS SHORT ON GAS. HAPPENED A COUPLE OF TIMES BEFORE THE ENGINE DIED. THIS HAPPENED TWICE. ONCE IN WISC., LUCKILY ONLY A FEW BLOCKS FROM A DODGE DEALERSHIP. THEY REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. AGAIN IN ARKANSAS, HAD THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED BY AN INDEPENDENT ON A SUNDAY. STILL HAD PROBLEMS. WOULD RUN A FEW BLOCK AND DIE. ABOUT 4-5 TIMES. WAITED UNTIL MONDAY WHEN DODGE DEALERSHIP OPENED, TOOK IT TO THEM. THEY SAID A WIRE RUNNING TO THE FUEL PUMP RAN OVER THE TRANSMISSION, WOULD RUB AGAINST IT RUBBING IT BARE AND SHORT OUT THE FUEL PUMP. THIS EVENT HAPPENED OUT IN THE BOONDOCKS ABOUT 15-20 MILES. CELL PHONE DIED, FORTUNATELY A STATE PATROL/ SHERIFFS CAR HAPPENED BY AND WAS ABLE TO GET US A TOW TRUCK. THIS WAS ON A SATURDAY LATE DAY. WAS TOWED INTO THE NEAREST TOWN WHERE WAS ABLE TO GET A FUEL PUMP FROM A JOBBER ON SUNDAY, HAD AN INDEPENDENTS MECHANIC INSTALL IT, BUT STILL CAR WOULD NOT RUN RIGHT. ON

Mileage: 173,178

20080519POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION DROPPED ALL BUT 2ND AND 1ST GEAR WAS TOLD AT TRANSMISSION SHOP IT IS KNOW TO DO THAT... *TR

20070124FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL

FUEL RAIL FAILED WHILE DRIVING THE VAN. I STARTED TO SMELL RAW GASOLINE IN THE CLOSED CABIN, I WAS ABOUT TO PASS MY MECHANICS SHOP, SO I PULLED IN TO SEE WHERE THE SMELL WAS COMING FROM. MY MECHANIC AND I WERE BOTH SURPRISED TO SEE THE FUEL RAIL HAD FAILED IN TWO PLACES, AT THE SAME TIME!!!, CAUSING THE RAW GASOLINE TO BE SPRAYED ALL OVER THE HOT ENGINE, (3.3L). I AM SURPRISED AT HOW MANY COMPLAINTS THERE ALREADY ARE HERE ON THIS DATA BASE ABOUT THIS VERY SAME PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A RECALL, AND REPAIR PARTS AVAILABLE, BUT THERE WAS NOT!!! THE NEW FUEL RAIL IS $302.00 PLUS TAX, PLUS MY MECHANIC NEEDS 1.9 HOURS OF SHOP TIME TO INSTALL IT, (AT $75.00/HR) PLUS TAX, PLUS A UPPER PLENUM GASKET SET, ($30.00). THAT BRINGS THE TOTAL TO OVER $500.00, HEAVEN FORBID IF MY VAN HAD ACTUALLY CAUGHT ON FIRE, AND I LOST EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING THAT I HAD IN OUR FAMILY VAN! I HAVE ALWAYS HAD GREAT MAINTENANCE DONE AND HAVE ALL OF THE RECORDS. THIS WAS NOT A PROBLEM WITH ABUSE OR A

Mileage: 186,000

20030225FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

THE FUEL INJECTION LEAKED FUEL IN TWO POSITIONS.*JB

Mileage: 154,000

20021125POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD A PROBLEM TRANSMISSION SINCE IT WAS DRIVEN AWAY FROM THE DEALERSHIP. THE "LURCHING" MOTION MADE BY THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALER IMMEDIATELY AND REPEATEDLY. THE DEALER INSISTED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS NORMAL AND REFUSED TO REPAIR IT. IN OCTOBER 1991 THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE WE WERE IN TENNESSEE AND WITNESSED BY THE DODGE DEALERSHIP IN SIEVERVILLE, TN. UPON RETURN TO FLORIDA. THE DODGE DEALER IN CORAL SPRINGS REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION. (OR SO WE WERE TOLD) THE 2ND TRANSMISSION WORKED FOR 5 YEARS AND HAD TO BE REPLACED IN SEPTEMBER OF 1996. THAT TRANSMISSION WAS A PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY BUT THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR IT. WHILE IN WASH. DC IN JULY 1997, THE CAR WOULD NOT DOWNSHIFT. THE ENGINE KEPT RACING AND ONLY STOPED WHEN I TURNED OFF THE CAR. THE DODGE DEALER IN WDC SAID THAT BY TURNING OFF THE ENGINE WE CLEARED THE COMPUTER AND THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. THE THIRD TRANSMISSION WAS EVENTUALLY REPLACED AND NOW I HAVE HAD TO

20020726EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:ACCESSORY SCISSOR/SCREW/BOTTLE JACK/LIFT

THREADED COMPOSITE BLOCK FAILED ON CAR JACK WHILE JACKING UP RIGHT FRONT PORTION OF MINI VAN WHILE OPERATOR WAS SERVICING RIGHT FRONT TIRE. DEFECT CAUSED COMPLETE AND IMMEDIATE FAILURE OF JACK AND CAR FALLING TO GARAGE FLOOR.*AK

20020404FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY

FUEL RAIL WAS LEAKING. MECH SAID THIS WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS-COULD HAVE CAUSED FIRE.VEHICLE TOO OLD FOR RECENT RECALL, WHICH COVERS VEHICLES FROM 1995-2000, BUT HAS THE SAME PROBLEM.PAID $630.76 ON 1/13/01 FOR NEW FUEL RAIL AND O-RINGS. MECH SAID TODAY (3/30/02) THAT MY CAR HAD SAME PROBLEM THAT HE HAD RECENTLY FIXED ON RECALLED VEHICLE. *AK

20010501POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

MINI VAN NEEDS FIFTH TRANSMISSION. ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION REPLACED ON 10/25/91.

20010327VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ALONG AND RIGHT SIDE BACK PUSHED OUT WINDOW AND SHATTERED IT. ALSO, AIR CONDITIONING WAS RUNNING AT TIME. DEALERS HAD NO RESPONSE TO HOW IT COULD HAVE HAPPENED.*AK

20010123POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

A FAULTY ULTRADRIVE TRANSMISSION CAUSED THE MINIVAN TO SHUDDER/VIBRATE AND LOOSE ALL GEARS WHILE DRIVING. NLM

20001020POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

A604 TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHIN 3000 MILES AFTER PURCHASE. COMPLETELY REBUILT IN OCT., 1997. MILEAGE AT FAILURE, APPROX. 82,000. PRIOR HISTORY UNKNOWN. TRANSMISSION AGAIN FAILED AT A LITTLE OVER 122,000 MILES. AGAIN, COMPLETELY OVERHAULED. SPOKE WITH MANAGER OF TRANSMISSION SHOP, WHO INFORMED ME OF COUNTLESS FAILURES OF THIS TRANSMISSION TYPE, AND THAT ALTHOUGH IT WAS GOOD FOR HIS BUSINESS, HE KNEW OF MAJOR DESIGN FLAWS WITHIN THE A604, AND ITS SUCCESSOR, A606. IN FACT, HE HAD THREE OTHER VEHICLES, WITH MILEAGES RANGING FROM 32,000 TO 65,000, ALL WITH THE SAME FAILURES. THIS VEHICLE HAS ALSO HAD THE HALF-AXLES REPLACED, THREE TIMES ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, TWICE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE, AND SEEM TO BE RELATED TO THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS TRANSMISSION ON THE INTERNET, IT IS READILY APPARENT THAT CHRYSLER/DODGE HAS A FUNDAMENTAL, KNOWN LATENT DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OF THIS TRANSMISSION. I HAVE SPENT MORE ON THE TRANSMISSION OVERHAULS ($3000) AND THE HALF-AXLES ($1000) THA

20000630STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THE DOOR HAS FALLEN OUT OF ITS' TRACK. MECHANICS AT MY SHOP CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT IS CAUSING IT TO DO THIS. SUGGESTED I CONTACT DODGE TO SEE IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM OR IF IT IS JUST AN ANOMOLY OF MY VAN. THEY CAN'T EVEN TELL IF SOMETHING IS WORN OUT AND REQUIRING REPLACEMENT. *AK

20000426POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

A FAULTY ULTRADRIVE TRANSMISSION CAUSED THE CONSUMER VEHICLE TO SHUDDER/VIBRATE AND LOOSE ALL TRANSMISSION GEARS WHILE DRIVING. NLM

20000412POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT UP AFTER STOPPING. THE VEHICLE WENT IN TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT AND OUR MECHANIC HAS DISCOVERED THAT THERE IS QUITE A WAITING LIST FOR THE CASE BECAUSE THERE SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH INTERNAL CRACKS ON THIS CASE. MOST MECHANICS DON'T EVEN WANT TO WORK ON THEM. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY ONE MECHANIC THAT THEY WORK ON THESE TRANSMISSIONS MORE THAN ANY OTHERS. *AK

20000319POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 66,000 MILES. I AM THE THIRD OWNER. I WAS TOLD THAT DODGE WAS HAVING TROUBLE, BUT FIGURED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED WITH THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION. I WAS TOLD THAT I HAD A VERSION # 6 SOLENOID & COMPUTER. IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT I UPDATE TO A VERSION # 10. THE COST TO REPAIR IS $ 1,900. I AM JUST FINDING OUT THAT DODGE IS STILL HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THIS 1990 TRANSMISSION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. LEROY J. HERSH. *AK

20000310POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY TRANSMISSION DROPPED INTO A LOW GEAR AND HAD TO BE RESET BY RESTARTING VEHICLE. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AND THE SECOND TRANSMISSION HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. *AK *ML

20000309ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY

RADIATOR LEAKED. YH

20000309POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY

TRANSAXLE NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY. YH

20000309ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

WATER PUMP FAILURE CAUSED NOISE YH

20000309VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

REAR WINDOW WASHER PUMP FAILED. YH

Compare 1990DODGEGRAND CARAVAN to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1990 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN have?
The 1990 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN has 69 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1990 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN?
The most-complained component for the 1990 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 20 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM and POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION.
Is the 1990 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.