2003 Dodge Grand Caravan Sport 3.3L ohv from North America

Summary:

Smooth, quiet and reliable, with a few quirks

Faults:

Since leasing this van in April 2003, only a few of things have gone wrong, including the sway bar breaking, and small creaks and rattles when ever going over bumps in the road.

Transmission servicing at 55000km.

New brake pads and shoes at 55000km.

General Comments:

Since leasing this vehicle we have had very little problems with it. Driving from Toronto to New York the van is quiet, and smooth, and you can easily reach 150km without even knowing it.

Styling, while subjective, on this van is quite sleek, and creates very little wind noise.

The engine, while smooth, is not quite up to the standards of the others in its class, in terms of acceleration. If you get the chance, opt for the bigger 3.8L engine.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 24th July, 2005

5th Feb 2006, 21:18

As far as acceleration goes the 3.3L is just fine in my 2005. Compared to my 4.8L Chevy truck its pretty darn good. I'm curious of if your afraid to use the gas pedal at todays fuel prices, that might be the cause of it.

8th Aug 2007, 16:23

It'a nice van, but I've had a very small problem that turned out to be a big one, and thanks to powertrain I was covered.

The van only has 97,000 km & I just bought it 2 months ago.

Long story short, the belt tensioner was giving this rattling noise. The dealer at first thought it was the alternator; after changing it they said it was the AC compressor, then the power steering, and then finally they said it was the tensioner.

And it also was affecting the performance of the van.

2003 Dodge Grand Caravan from North America

Summary:

Disappointing

Faults:

Since the day I drove the van off the lot, it has been "home to visit" one too many times...It's a good thing I bought the extended warranty, or this vehicle would have been the ultimate bank breaker for me and my family... It started at 25000 km with the transmission "missing" went accelerating, which diagnostics keep advising as "nothing wrong"; the steering column assembly has been completely replaced; the brakes and rotors have been replaced; the entire front end rack and pinion (?) has been replaced; there is an ongoing mystery with the A/C - it provides cold air when it feels like it and they can't figure out why this is not working properly... I am just soo sorry I bought and not leased this vehicle... would love to hear from anyone else experiencing A/C problems (the mechanics can't seem to solve this problem and we are literally melting away)...help!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 21st June, 2005

4th Aug 2005, 21:42

My 2001 Caravan is in the shop right now with a/c problems narrowed down to a warped pivot flap. Where the climate control box is, w/the heater core behind these two flaps, is the location of this problem. A new "box" that houses all of this is supposed to fix this problem of cool air on the passenger side and warm air on the driver side. The funny thing is there were six in stock which tells me that other people are having the same problem. A combined time of about 15 hours to take out and replace this part and around $250 for this box. How this happened, I don't know. What I do know is that there is nothing cheap about any trouble in the dash area. I am disappointed in the design of the Caravan, but on the other hand love to drive it.

2003 Dodge Grand Caravan SE from North America

Summary:

I would never buy another Caravan

Faults:

The heater only gives heat to the upper area of the van not to the feet.

General Comments:

I've had it in the shop over one month and no one has been able to recalibrate it to work the way it is supposed to.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 26th November, 2004

19th Jun 2005, 17:46

I have that same heating problem with my 2005 Grand Caravan. My feet always freeze on the driver's side in the winter. This is my 6th Grand Caravan and the only one that has had this problem.

11th Oct 2005, 12:35

Six GC's!!! That's amazing. You must be a very loyal guy with a lot of $$$; or work for Dodge. Could not have kept the same one for more than 5 yrs.

Pete and Repete were on a bridge. Pete jumped off, who was left?

Repete.

OK. Pete and Re.. Duh!