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1996 Dodge Caravan reliability record

NHTSA consumer complaints and recall campaigns for the 1996 Dodge Caravan from the dataset labeled 2026. The source file does not provide an exact snapshot date. Use the reported issues to guide further checks; these counts do not establish failure rates or repair costs.

NHTSA source snapshot · 2026Consumer reports are not verified defects Official source
NHTSA complaints
2,178
Dataset year: 2026; snapshot day not provided
Top problem area
AIR BAGS
196 complaints
Recalls on record
0
none on record
Reported harm
74 reported crashes · 102 injuries · 9 deaths · 66 fires

How this record compares

raw NHTSA counts, not defect rates

Counts are not adjusted for vehicles sold, time in service or reporting frequency. A larger count does not establish a higher chance of failure, and these comparisons do not set the maintenance budget in our calculator.

Complaint rank

#71

of 4,194 vehicle records

Vs Dodge median

+1,823

median 355 across 271 Dodge records

Vs 1994-1998

+1,933

median 245 complaints in 551 records

Top component share

9%

Air Bags: 196 complaints

What owners report fails — 1996 Dodge Caravan

  • AIR BAGS 196
  • POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION 138
  • ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN 111
  • VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 103
  • FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY 99

Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 1996 Dodge Caravan

Build a separate budget with your purchase price, insurance quote, mileage and maintenance estimate. Complaint counts do not enter that calculation. Unknown local taxes and fees stay listed as costs to confirm.

Open TCO calculator

These are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 1996 Dodge Caravan units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Dataset year: 2026; exact snapshot day not supplied. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).

Frequently asked questions

Is the 1996 Dodge Caravan reliable?

NHTSA has 2,178 consumer complaints on record for the 1996 Dodge Caravan. The most-reported problem area is air bags (196 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 1996 Dodge Caravan units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.

What are the most common problems with the 1996 Dodge Caravan?

Owners most often report problems with: air bags (196), power train:automatic transmission (138), electrical system:horn (111), vehicle speed control (103). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.

How much does it cost to own a 1996 Dodge Caravan?

This complaint dataset does not measure repair prices or predict a maintenance budget for the 1996 Dodge Caravan. Use your purchase price, insurance quotes, fuel use and a maintenance estimate in the separate five-year cost calculator. It does not convert complaint counts into repair costs, and any unknown taxes remain excluded and clearly listed.

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