RecallRepo

1998 Dodge Caravan Recalls

Recalls on record Updated July 2026

The 1998 Dodge Caravan has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 4,165,076 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 840 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the power train. Last updated July 5, 2026.

Recall campaigns

AIR BAGS 04V480000 2004-10-06 955,344 affected
Defect

ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG MAY BECOME DISABLED DUE TO A FAILURE OF THE CLOCKSPRING, WHICH IS LOCATED IN THE HUB OF THE STEERING WHEEL.

Consequence

THIS CONDITION WILL MANIFEST ITSELF THROUGH ILLUMINATION OF THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP, AND COULD EVENTUALLY RESULT IN A DRIVER'S AIR BAG OPEN CIRCUIT, IF THE PART IS NOT REPLACED IN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLY ON ALL COVERED VEHICLES WITH 70,000 MILES OR LESS. FOR THOSE VEHICLES WITH MORE THAN 70,000 MILES, DAIMLERCHRYSLER WILL OFFER AN EXTENDED LIFETIME WARRANTY UNDER WHICH IT WILL REPLACE THE CLOCKSPRING AT NO CHARGE IF IT FAILS. DAIMLERCHRYSLER WILL ALSO REIMBURSE OWNERS…

AIR BAGS 02V293000 2002-11-07 1,500,521 affected
Defect

ON CERTAIN MINI VANS, THE CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLY MAY HAVE BEEN WOUND INCORRECTLY DURING THE VEHICLE ASSEMBLY PROCESS.

Consequence

THIS CONDITION WILL MANIFEST ITSELF THROUGH ILLUMINATION OF THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP, AND COULD EVENTUALLY RESULT IN A DRIVER'S AIR BAG OPEN CIRCUIT, IF THE PART IS NOT REPLACED IN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLY ON ALL VEHICLES WITH 70,000 MILES OR LESS. AN EXTENDED LIFETIME WARRANTY WILL ALSO BE PLACED ON THIS COMPONENT FOR ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES, REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE. DAIMLERCHRYSLER WILL ALSO REIMBURSE OWNERS WHO HAVE PAID TO HAVE THE CLOCKSPRING REPLACED ON THEIR VEHICLES. …

SEAT BELTS 02V076000 2002-03-08 545,311 affected
Defect

ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, SOME TRIM MATERIAL CAN LOOSEN AND DROP INTO THE REAR OUTBOARD SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY, CAUSING THE SEAT BELT TO BECOME INOPERATIVE.

Consequence

IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TRIM WITH FOAM BLOCKERS AND INSPECT AND REPLACE ALL 3RD ROW SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 3, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT…

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 00V268000 2000-09-13 1,163,000 affected
Defect

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS BUILT WITH 3.3L AND 3.8L ENGINES HAVE FUEL RAILS WITH NITROLE RUBBER O-RING SEALS THAT CAN DEGRADE OVER TIME. FUEL LEAKAGE FROM THE UNDERHOOD FUEL INJECTION FUEL RAIL COULD RESULT, INCREASING THE LIKELIHOOD OF A VEHICLE FIRE.

Consequence

FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SEAL ON THE VEHICLE FUEL RAILS TO PREVENT EXTERNAL LEAKAGE OF FUEL FROM THE FUEL RAIL CROSSOVER TUBE, SHOULD THE EXISTING O-RINGS CONTINUE TO DEGRADE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JANUARY 25, 2002. DUE TO THE LARGE QUANTITY OF VEHICLES INVOLVED IN THIS CAMPAIGN, THE OWNER NOTIFICATION WILL BE…

CHILD SEAT 97V231000 1997-12-15 900 affected
Defect

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER MINIVANS EQUIPPED WITH INTEGRATED CHILD SEATS. THE SHOULDER HARNESS RESTRAINT WEBBING WAS INCORRECTLY ROUTED AROUND THE METAL REINFORCEMENT BAR ON THESE SEATS.

Consequence

THE CHILD SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE ROUTING OF THE SHOULDER BELT WEBBING AND ANY FOUND INCORRECT WILL BE PROPERLY ROUTED.

Complaints by component

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
82
1crashes2fires
AIR BAGS
59
4crashes5injuries1deaths
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
46
1crashes
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
42
1fires
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
32
18crashes18injuries
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
28
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
24
11fires
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
19
2crashes1fires
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
19
3crashes
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
18
2crashes1fires3injuries
Total complaints840

What owners report

Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.

“Airbag light on no turn signals and no reverse lights due to failed airbag clockspring”

AIR BAGS · reported 2019-01-10

“Airbag light on no turn signals and no reverse lights due to failed airbag clockspring”

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · reported 2019-01-10

“Airbag light on no turn signals and no reverse lights due to failed airbag clockspring”

EXTERIOR LIGHTING · reported 2019-01-10

“Tl* the contact owned a 1998 dodge caravan. While driving approximately 30 mph, the contact's vehicle crashed into a second vehicle. The front end was severely damaged. The driver's side air bag did not deploy. The passenger side air bag deployed although no passenger was present in the vehicle.…”

AIR BAGS · reported 2018-11-29

“The indicator lamp air bag is on continuously. I drive a vehicle all the time, and my trip 50% highway and 50% city.”

AIR BAGS · reported 2017-12-03

“Tl* the contact owns a 1998 dodge caravan. While driving various speeds, the power steering seized without warning. The failure was persistent. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the serpentine belt failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was…”

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS · reported 2016-04-12

“Tl* the contact owns a 1998 dodge caravan. The contact stated that when driving on wet roads, the power brakes and steering failed. The failure recurred several times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the pulley needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not…”

STEERING · reported 2015-11-12

“Tl* the contact owns a 1998 dodge caravan. The contact stated that when driving on wet roads, the power brakes and steering failed. The failure recurred several times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the pulley needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not…”

SERVICE BRAKES · reported 2015-11-12

Defect investigations

Investigation EA01007 Opened 2001-02-21 · closed 2002-11-22

AIR BAG CLOCKSPRING

There is no summary currently available

Investigation EA04013 Opened 2004-06-04 · closed 2005-05-25

DRIVER AIR BAG CLOCKSPRING FAILURE

THE DRIVER AIR BAG CLOCKSPRING CAN DEVELOP AN OPEN-CIRCUIT CONDITION RESULTING IN NONFUNCTIONAL DRIVER-SIDE FRONTAL AIR BAG, HORN, CRUISE CONTROL (IF EQUIPPED), AND/OR STEERING WHEEL RADIO CONTROL (IF EQUIPPED).IN ITS OCTOBER 5, 2004 LETTER TO NHTSA, DAIMLERCHRYSLER STATED THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL AND…

Investigation EA99013 Opened 1999-06-11 · closed 2001-08-10

POST COLLISION FUEL SYSTEM

Investigation PE02004 Opened 2002-01-16 · closed 2002-03-11

REAR SEAT BELT MALFUNCTION

THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED JANUARY 16, 2002, BASED ON SEVEN REPORTS ALLEGING THE THIRD ROW SEAT BELT RETRACTORS FAILED ON CERTAIN 1997 AND 1998 MODEL YEAR CARAVAN AND VOYAGER VEHICLES.THE REPORTS INDICATED A TAR LIKE SUBSTANCE ENTERED THE RETRACTOR MECHANISM, THUS CAUSING THE RETRACTOR TO JAM OR BIND.IN THIS…

Investigation PE99010 Opened 1999-02-03 · closed 1999-06-11

POST-COLLISION FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY

There is no summary currently available

Investigation RQ00008 Opened 2000-03-09 · closed 2002-03-18

DC MINIVAN FUEL INJECTOR RAIL LEAK

There is no summary currently available

Investigation RQ04001 Opened 2004-01-28 · closed 2004-06-04

DRIVER AIR BAG CLOCKSPRING FAILURE

COMPLAINTS REPORT AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES, AND THIS MAY BE ACCOMPANIED WITH A NON-FUNCTIONING HORN AND/OR CRUISE CONTROL (IF EQUIPPED).THIS IS INDICATIVE OF AN OPEN-CIRCUIT CLOCKSPRING FAILURE (RESULTS IN NON-FUNCTIONING DRIVER'S AIR BAG), SIMILAR TO THE FAILURE CONDITION THAT WAS THE SUBJECT OF…

Sources & methodology

Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1998 Dodge Caravan as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.