2005 Dodge Grand Caravan User Reviews

Pros

Lots of room

Cons

Bad brakes, AC went out, electrical problems, rust holes, leaks oil; all at 50,000 miles

Purchased As Used

We bought our 2005 Grand Caravan in 2007 with 48,000 miles on it. It seemed really nice at the time of purchase.
We had two Dodge Caravans in the past and had no problems with them so we figured this would be a no brainer.
A month after we bought the 2005 the brakes needed replacement, typical wear for 48,000 miles. I've been in the auto repair business for 20 years and did the work myself. I found the rear brake rotors were rusted onto the emergency brake shoes. The shoes had been dragging in there for who knows how long. Bad design I guess.
Next the power locks stopped working. I took it to the dealer and was told that this is common and Chrysler does not know what causes it. The service tech removed the fuse for 30 seconds and replaced it. The locks started working again. He told me to do that when the locks stop working. Great fix.
The first hot day of summer I discovered that the AC didn't blow cold anymore. A leak check showed all but one line was leaking. I replaced the lines and recharged the system, now it works. AC lines are expensive.
This spring I saw a rust hole starting on the right lower quarter panel. 52,000 miles is well within the rust through warranty. I took it to the dealer and was told that since I live in the rust belt, I should expect this. The dealer and Chrysler Corp refused to repair the rust. Thanks.
I noticed that the van was using about a quart of oil every 1000 miles or so. I found the valve covers and PCV valve were leaking. The parts were cheap, but it took 6 hours to do the repair. This is because you have to take half the van apart to get to the rear valve cover. The dealer charges $90 an hour for labor. Do the math.
The latest issue is that the van does not like to run when it's raining. It will stall out randomly and, if it feels like it, it will let you start it again. Most of the time, it doesn't feel like it. Once again the dealer was no help. All they had to offer was that they knew this was a common issue, but had no way to fix it.
I spoke to a friend who runs a garage, he told me that he has seen the wiring harness go bad from battery acid leaking onto it. The engine controller computer is mounted below the battery, as is all the wiring going from the fuse box to the ECU. A leaky battery ( like the one I replaced shortly after buying the van) will drip acid into the harness. This acid can find it's way through the tape and onto the wires.
This is exactly what happened to my van. I unwrapped the harness going to the ECU and found the wires wet with green residue on them. I found three wires had been eaten almost through. Once I repaired the wires, the van ran better again, but needed a new ECU.
The van has 52,800 miles on it now. I have never had a vehicle with this low of mileage have this many problems. I've spent about $2,000 making repairs on this van. That's with me doing all the labor. I can only imagine what it would have cost having it done by a mechanic or a dealer.
There is no excuse for this.
I can only imagine what repair adventures await me in the near future.
I was a die hard Mopar guy until I bought this van. The problems it's had and the poor service offered by the Chrysler dealer network and Chrysler Corp have left me bitter.
I won't miss them when they're gone.
I'll never buy another Chrysler product ever again.