1992 Dodge Grand Caravan: common problems

Owners of the 1992 Dodge Grand Caravan filed 255 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and seat belts. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 255
involving a crash: 14

What fails most often

1 Service brakes 25% of all complaints
2 Seat belts 24% of all complaints
3 Powertrain 15% of all complaints
4 Structure 13% of all complaints
5 Visibility 7% of all complaints
6 Engine and cooling 6% of all complaints
7 Air bags 4% of all complaints
8 Electrical system 3% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Service brakes: 65 complaints (25% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Seat belts: 60 complaints (24% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Powertrain: 37 complaints (15% of all).
Structure: 33 complaints (13% of all).
Visibility: 17 complaints (7% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 255 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

seat belts43 · 17%
transmission slipping14 · 5%
brake failure8 · 3%
windows, sunroof7 · 3%
airbags did not deploy6 · 2%
stalls while driving6 · 2%
warning lights, check engine6 · 2%
vibration5 · 2%
smoke, burning smell, fire4 · 2%
steering or power steering problems4 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Service brakes	65	2
Seat belts	60	2
Powertrain	37	0
Structure	33	0
Visibility	17	0
Engine and cooling	16	0
Air bags	10	9
Electrical system	7	0
Latches, locks, linkages	7	0
Seats	7	2
Steering	7	1
Suspension	7	1
Equipment	6	1
Fuel system	5	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

Upon impact, both air bags did not deploy. No injuries were reported abs light appeared on the dashboard, and remained on until the vehicle was turned off. Consumer drove vehicle to dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that a part of the abs module needed replacing.
Service brakes · crash · 2004-03-09 · NHTSA complaint #10061744
While driving, consumer made a right turn. The turn was completed successfully, but the steering wheel would not recover, resulting in a collision. Dealer diagnosed failure of the spindle and control arm.
Steering · crash · 2003-07-30 · NHTSA complaint #10031480
My husband was rear-ended by a car at approximately 30mph in our 1992 dodge grand caravan. The back of the drivers seat collapsed. Fortunately he was not hurt, but he could easily have lost control of the vehicle.
Seats · crash · 2002-12-13 · NHTSA complaint #10000014
Insured had a head on collision, insured wasn't wearing a seat belt, air bag didn't deploy. Insured sustained injuries to his ribs and hand, [ref].
Air bags · crash · 2002-04-26 · NHTSA complaint #6900757
This incident was reported by family of the driver. Vehicle had been modified for use by a disabled person. Steering system was controlled by an "electronic mobility system (model ds2000)".
Equipment · crash · 2002-01-11 · NHTSA complaint #8001980
Driver'a air bag failed to deploy, and seat belt retractor failed to catch. Consumers head hit windshield, knocking out two teeth, and arms were injured. The vehicle has not been examined to determine cause of problem. Please provide any additional information / documentation.
Seat belts · crash · 2002-01-04 · NHTSA complaint #8001519
Air bags deployed but, driver's seat belt became detached from the harness bolt. Driver and passengers injured.
Seat belts · crash · 2000-02-17 · NHTSA complaint #857145
Consumer was involved in a rear end collision and the air bag did not deploy. Dealer has not been contacted.
Air bags · crash · 1998-10-22 · NHTSA complaint #829302

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

199611
199775
199840
199937
200033
200118
200214
20037
200410
20055
20061
20083
20092
20171

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 1,604 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 4% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Grand Caravan has 375 complaints (36 years in the data). This year has 255, below average.

What to check before buying

Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1992 Dodge Grand Caravan?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, seat belts, powertrain. Total complaints: 255. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (17%), transmission slipping (5%), brake failure (3%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1992 Dodge Grand Caravan?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 1992 Dodge Grand Caravan from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 1992 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.