NHTSA/EPA public records retrieved through July 2026. Next scheduled review: 2027-01-19. Report v1.0.
2017 Dodge Grand Caravan
Model-year general report. Individual vehicle specs may vary depending on factory options.
Configuration matched
Vehicle configuration matched using available VIN and public vehicle data.
Public Reporting Summary
No signal was computed for this vehicle. The sections below present official NHTSA and EPA records as retrieved, with coverage and limitations disclosed explicitly, including 4 VIN-identity mismatches caught and excluded, and a build-date-vs-model-year nuance resolved via a manufacturer warranty bulletin.
- Sliding door operation via handle, interior switch, and remote (this validation's largest pattern)
- Front head restraint security and any signs of prior repair
- Sudden stalling or failure to restart during a test drive
- Whether this vehicle was ever converted for wheelchair accessibility (determines recall applicability)
- VIN verification given this validation's own finding of 4 identity-mismatched complaints in the source data
Available Records
Data Coverage
Coverage depth varies by data category, manufacturer reporting, and US market volume.
VIN-Decoded Configuration
Factory configuration decoded from VIN 2C4RDGBG6HR000001
- Model Year
- 2017
- Make
- DODGE
- Model
- Grand Caravan
- Trim
- SE
- Body Type
- Minivan
- Engine
- 3.6L Pentastar V6
- Fuel Type
- Gasoline (Regular Unleaded)
- Drive Type
- FWD/Front-Wheel Drive
- Assembly Plant
- Windsor, Ontario, Canada
- Country of Origin
- Canada
VIN decoding vs. vehicle history: decoding identifies how this vehicle left the factory (trim, engine, drivetrain, plant). It does not reveal accidents, title brands, odometer readings, or service history — those require a separate vehicle-history report and cannot be derived from the VIN pattern alone.
Reported Issue Patterns
Recurring themes grouped from public owner-complaint records. Patterns describe reporting activity, not how often issues occur across all vehicles.
Reported Impact & Context
This validation's largest pattern (163 of 406 complaints, 40.1%) and among the most thoroughly officially corroborated findings in this project. A closed federal investigation (PE21016, 364 complaints system-wide) resulted in a 15-year/150,000-mile warranty extension for sliding door lock actuators. The investigation's own dataset entry is nominally labeled 'MY2016,' but Chrysler's own warranty bulletin (D-21-15/X98) explicitly extends coverage through 2017 for the Grand Caravan specifically -- this report relies on that more precise, more current source. No crash or injury was flagged among these complaints, consistent with the investigation's own finding.
Owner-Reported Symptoms
- One or both sliding doors fail to open or close using the handle or remote/key fob
- A loud buzzing noise from the door during lock/unlock operation, often preceding failure
- Passengers sometimes need to exit through other doors, a window, or the rear hatch
What to inspect
Operate both sliding doors multiple times using the handle, interior switch, and remote. Ask whether the actuators were ever replaced under Chrysler's warranty extension program.
Reported Impact & Context
18 of 406 complaints (4.4%). The front seat head restraint suddenly deploys with no crash or rear impact. Officially investigated (PE19014, explicitly naming MY2010-2019 Grand Caravan) with a described engineering root cause and a confirmed 10-year/unlimited-mileage extended warranty program explicitly covering 2012-2017.
Owner-Reported Symptoms
- The head restraint suddenly and loudly deploys/pops open with no crash or impact
- Occurs while parked, driving, or after the vehicle has sat unused
What to inspect
With a passenger present, confirm the front head restraints are securely seated and show no looseness or prior deployment repair.
Reported Impact & Context
27 of 406 complaints (6.6%). Recall 18V524000 (PCM voltage regulator) is plausibly related, but several complainants explicitly state their VIN was checked and found excluded from the recall's notified population despite a matching symptom.
Owner-Reported Symptoms
- Sudden stall while driving, including at a stop, on an incline, or turning
- Failure to restart
What to inspect
Drive at varying speeds, including a stop on an incline, and watch for sudden stalling or failure to restart.
Complaints & Statistics
How complaint filings for this model year are distributed over time and by system.
Complaint Filing Distributions
Statistical profile of formal complaints submitted to federal highway safety databases.
History: Annual Complaints
Volume of complaints filed on this model year by calendar year.
| Calendar year | This vehicle |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 9 |
| 2019 | 42 |
| 2020 | 74 |
| 2021 | 77 |
| 2022 | 65 |
| 2023 | 50 |
| 2024 | 41 |
| 2025 | 33 |
| 2026 | 13 |
Category Distribution
Complaint concentration grouped by primary mechanical/electrical systems.
Safety Recalls
Recall campaigns registered with federal regulators for this model year.
A recall listed for a model year may not apply to every individual vehicle. Use the official NHTSA VIN-specific recall lookup to confirm campaigns on a specific car.
Recall Summary
The powertrain control module may be equipped with a voltage regulator chip in the circuit board that may fail, causing a stall or a no start condition. Explicitly names both Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country.
Potential Consequence
A vehicle stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the powertrain control module, free of charge. Chrysler's number for this recall is U87.
Recall Summary
Certain Vantage Mobility International-modified 2016-2019 Dodge Grand Caravan vehicles. The fuel pump gasket may deteriorate, allowing fuel to leak. Applies ONLY to Vantage-converted wheelchair-accessible vehicles, not standard Grand Caravans.
Potential Consequence
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Vantage will provide parts and reimbursement for repair facilities to replace the fuel tank gasket.
Recall Summary
Certain vehicles equipped with Rollx Vans' QRT-Deluxe and QRT-Max wheelchair restraints. The retractors may not lock, preventing the wheelchair from being properly secured. Applies ONLY to Rollx-converted vehicles.
Potential Consequence
An unsecured wheelchair can move during transit, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy
Rollx will inspect and replace the retractors as necessary.
Manufacturer Service Guidance
Service guidance the manufacturer issued to authorized service centers for specific components or conditions.
Each entry means the manufacturer issued service guidance related to a component or condition. Guidance covers diagnostics, repairs, software updates, and product improvements — it is not, by itself, evidence of a defect.
Guidance Summary
'Active Head Restraint - Select 2012-2017 Dodge Grand Caravan/Chrysler Town & Country.' Directly corroborates PE19014 and explicitly confirms 2017 model year coverage.
Applicable Configurations
2012-2017 Grand Caravan
The manufacturer issued service guidance related to this component or condition.
Guidance Summary
'Driver and Passenger Sliding Door Power Lock Actuators - 2015-2017 Dodge Grand Caravan (RT) and 2015-2016 Chrysler Town & Country (RT).' Confirms 2017 Grand Caravan coverage -- one year further than Town & Country's coverage.
Applicable Configurations
2015-2017 Grand Caravan
The manufacturer issued service guidance related to this component or condition.
Guidance Summary
Current (2025) bulletins continuing the sliding-door warranty-extension program, confirming the repair remains replacement of the door lock actuator(s).
Applicable Configurations
All configurations
The manufacturer issued service guidance related to this component or condition.
Guidance Summary
A recurring, multiply-revised bulletin addressing engine oil leak/consumption complaints on the Pentastar V6.
Applicable Configurations
3.6L Pentastar
The manufacturer issued service guidance related to this component or condition.
Safety Ratings & Investigations
NHTSA laboratory crash-test ratings and federal safety investigations.
Federal Crash Ratings
Driver-Assist Features to Verify
- Electronic Stability Control
Confirm each equipped feature operates without warnings during the test drive.
Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) Status
PE19014 (Active Head Restraint) explicitly lists MY2010-2019 Grand Caravan and directly corroborates this report's second-largest pattern. PE21016 (sliding doors) is nominally labeled MY2016 in the investigations dataset, but this report treats it as applicable to 2017 based on a manufacturer warranty bulletin that explicitly extends coverage through 2017 for the Grand Caravan specifically. The Safety Ratings API's InvestigationCount=1 corresponds to PE19014 only -- a correct reflection of the dataset's own MY2016 label for PE21016, not a discrepancy.
Active Head Rest (AHR) Inadvertent Deployment
Investigated 128 initial consumer complaints alleging the Active Head Rest inadvertently deployed without a crash, across multiple FCA models including MY2010-2019 Dodge Grand Caravan (explicitly named in FCA's own IR response). ODI's detailed analysis of the worst-case population found no validated serious crash or injury despite extensive field exposure.
Sliding Doors Inoperative
Investigated 364 complaints alleging one or both sliding doors on MY2016 Grand Caravan or Town and Country could not be opened. Nominally labeled MY2016 in the investigations dataset, but the resulting warranty extension covers vehicles built through January 9, 2017, and a manufacturer bulletin explicitly extends coverage through MY2017 for the Grand Caravan. No crashes or injuries were identified.
Limitations & Data Integrity
What this report cannot tell you, and where the data comes from.
Report Limitations
- This report compiles official NHTSA and EPA public records for the 2017 Dodge Grand Caravan 3.6L. It does not assess, guarantee, or verify the actual condition of any individual vehicle.
- Complaint counts reflect reporting activity, not a failure rate.
- 4 of 410 complaints (1.0%) showed a VIN-identity mismatch (2 off-year, 1 cross-make/model, 1 undecodable) and were excluded from this report's statistics.
- Investigation PE21016's dataset label (MY2016) required cross-referencing a manufacturer bulletin to responsibly extend its applicability to MY2017 -- a disclosed judgment call, not an unambiguous fact.
- 2 of the 3 recalls retrieved for this vehicle apply only to vehicles converted by specific third-party wheelchair-accessibility upfitters, not to standard Grand Caravans.
- This report does not compute or imply a Reported Issue Signal, reliability score, or purchase recommendation. Always obtain a professional pre-purchase mechanical inspection before finalizing a used-vehicle purchase.
Data Source Attribution
NHTSA vPIC (Vehicle Product Information Catalog)
Vehicle Identity / ConfigurationSingle model/engine confirmed; VIN decoding used for identity-integrity verification, catching 4 mismatches.
Limitations: None material.
NHTSA Complaints API (complaintsByVehicle)
Owner Complaints410 complaints; 406 (99.0%) verified as genuine after excluding 4 VIN-identity mismatches.
Limitations: Nested 'products' schema required adjusted parsing.
NHTSA Recalls API (recallsByVehicle)
Safety Recalls3 recalls; only 1 is a genuine manufacturer recall.
Limitations: Does not distinguish manufacturer recalls from third-party upfitter campaigns in the API response itself.
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — Investigations dataset (FLAT_INV)
Safety Investigations2 relevant actions; a build-date-vs-model-year nuance required manufacturer-bulletin cross-referencing for one.
Limitations: Investigation dataset's own model-year label was insufficient on its own for PE21016.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings API
Safety Ratings4-star overall; exact cross-verification on complaints/recalls.
Limitations: Single FWD-only configuration.
US EPA fueleconomy.gov API
Fuel Economy2 configurations (standard, FFV), corroborating the single-engine finding.
Limitations: None material.
NHTSA Manufacturer Communications (Technical Service Bulletins) bulk dataset
Service Guidance102 documents (smallest in this project); 4 individually cited, including 2 currently-active warranty-extension programs.
Limitations: Only a curated sample was individually detailed.
Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
A practical, phase-by-phase companion built from the reported patterns above. Progress is saved on this device only.
Inspection Progress
Check items off as you inspect. Progress and notes are saved on this device only — no account needed.
Before meeting the seller
Ask about sliding door failures or buzzing noises
This validation's largest pattern (163 of 406 complaints, 40.1%), officially investigated and covered by a warranty extension explicitly naming 2017.
Any history of a sliding door failing to open/close, or a buzzing noise during lock/unlock.
Ask whether the sliding door actuators were replaced under warranty
A confirmed, currently-active warranty program directly covers this exact model year.
Documentation of a warranty-covered sliding door actuator replacement.
Confirm recall 18V524000 (PCM) status
The most plausible official corroboration for the stall pattern.
VIN-specific NHTSA recall lookup showing completion.
Ask whether this vehicle was ever converted for wheelchair accessibility
2 of the 3 recalls retrieved apply only to vehicles converted by specific third-party upfitters, not standard Grand Caravans.
Evidence of a wheelchair-accessibility conversion and, if present, which company performed it.
Confirm the parking brake holds on an incline
A severe complaint describes a parked, unoccupied vehicle rolling backward and dragging the exiting driver approximately 50 feet.
The vehicle should not move after being parked and shifted into Park on a slope.
Ask about prior collisions, airbag deployment, or fire/electrical incidents
This validation found 10 severe complaints, including airbag non-deployment in 2 separate crashes and 2 separate electrical fires from rear power outlets.
Any insurance claim, collision repair, or fire-damage documentation, and a direct answer about prior airbag deployment.
Cold startup
Check front head restraints for security and prior repair
18 of 406 complaints describe inadvertent Active Head Restraint deployment; officially investigated with a confirmed warranty program.
A head restraint that feels loose, has visible plastic damage, or shows signs of prior repair.
Check for engine oil leaks and scan for DTC P06DD
A recurring bulletin series addresses Pentastar oil filter adapter leaks and oil pump relief valve failure.
Oil staining near the oil filter adapter.
During the test drive
Operate both sliding doors multiple times
Direct functional test for this validation's dominant pattern.
A door that will not open/close, or a loud buzzing noise during operation.
Watch for sudden stalling or failure to restart
27 of 406 complaints describe sudden stalling; recall 18V524000 is plausibly related, though several owners report VIN exclusion despite matching symptoms.
Sudden stall, failure to restart, or loss of power.
Test the rear-seat power outlets
2 severe complaints describe a fire originating at a rear power outlet.
Excessive heat or intermittent function at the rear 12V/USB outlets.
Test-Drive Plan
A structured driving sequence covering the phases where reported conditions for this model are most observable:
Operate both sliding doors
Handle, interior switch, and remote should all function without a buzzing noise.
Accelerating through varying speeds, including a stop on an incline
Sudden stalling or failure to restart.
During the drive
Rear-seat power outlets should not run excessively hot or cut in and out.
Questions for the Seller
Copy these targeted questions to ask the seller by message or in person. They address the reported patterns for this model range:
"Has either sliding door ever failed to open or close, or made a buzzing noise when locking/unlocking?"
Why ask: This validation's largest evidence-backed pattern.
"Have the sliding door lock actuators ever been replaced under Chrysler's warranty extension program?"
Why ask: A confirmed, currently-active warranty program directly covers this exact model year.
"Was this vehicle ever converted for wheelchair accessibility?"
Why ask: Determines whether 2 of the 3 retrieved recalls apply at all.
"Has this vehicle ever been in a collision where an airbag did or did not deploy, or had any fire, smoke, or electrical incident?"
Why ask: This validation's most severe complaint patterns.
For Your Mechanic
Engine oil system
Check for leaks near the oil filter adapter and scan for DTC P06DD.
General pre-purchase inspection
Brakes, suspension, and undercarriage.
Documents to Verify
Read this before acting on the report
- Complaint volume does not prove failure prevalence.
- This report does not predict whether an individual vehicle will experience a problem.
- This report does not replace a professional pre-purchase inspection.