Is the 2006 Dodge Caravan a bad year?
173 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Caravan years.
Keep it
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2006 Dodge Caravan are in line with other Caravan years.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2006 Caravan owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 74,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 30 (17%) | 42k–96k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Air bags | 27 (16%) | 42k–108k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Steering | 27 (16%) | 38k–87k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Engine | 26 (15%) | 38k–84k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Exterior lighting | 16 (9%) | 56k–113k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Latches and locks | 16 (9%) | 47k–81k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 15 (9%) | 72k–137k miles · around this mileage | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 13 (8%) | 31k–74k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Body structure | 8 (5%) | 44k–84k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 13 (8%) | 8k–65k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Brakes | 11 (6%) | 20k–60k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Equipment | 6 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Speed control | 6 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 74,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 173 complaints: 12 mention a crash · 2 mention a fire · 11 report an injury · 5 say the car was towed.
1 complaint was filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Mar 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
I have a 2006 Dodge caravan; it too shut down on me while going down the hwy at 70MPH and all three of my children were in the van.
The van silently stalls. So far it has only happened at low speeds. When this happens it becomes very hard to steer and brake.
The vehicle lost oil pressure. The vehicle had to be towed. It was found that the front seal had failed resulting in loss of 4 quarts of oil.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 74,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2006 Dodge Caravan: 6
When the hitch is loaded to the maximum rating, the hitch may fracture or break at the bend location where the main body of the hitch meets the hitch muffler strap. If the area in question fractures or breaks, this could cause an unstable driving condition, possibly resulting in a crash.
The front crash sensors may crack under certain environmental conditions and allow water to enter into the sensor. This can cause the sensor to become inoperative and illuminate the airbag warning light. These sensors were added to enhance the performance of the airbag system in certain frontal crashes. If the front crash sensors become inoperative, the driver is immediately alerted by illumination of the airbag warning light and the vehicle should be promptly serviced.
These headlamps fail to conform to the lower beam photometry requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment. Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
Certain curved tempered replacement glass manufactured by hangzhou safety glass ltd and supplied to safelite by auto temp inc., identified as DOT-430, and sold for use on certain domestic and foreign vehicles may not break into small pieces as expected of tempered glass and fails to conform to federal motor vehicle… In the event of a vehicle crash, the occupant(S) may be seriously injured by shattered glass.
On certain vans and sport utility vehicles, the front windshield wiper motor armature shaft may break. During certain operating conditions, loss of front windshield wiping capability could occur, and the driver's vision could be obscured which could result in a crash.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Dodge: 18
Repair instructions Dodge sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2006 Dodge Caravan. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Service Four Piece Oil Pan Gasket All Cummins Equipped Vehicles ONLY The replacement oil pan gasket can be a four piece gasket rather than a single piece gasket
KEY, Master If replacing the key/FOBIK on a WJ, KJ, TJ, or PT Cruiser, use the "AC" NIC level part number
The park lamps remain illuminated when both headlamps are on and then off, or both headlights fail to illuminate while park lamps remain illumnated after…
Dodge/chrysler: behavior of headlamp switch function may impact lighting systems such as overload spike of electrical systems…
NHTSA defect investigations: 5
Engine Stall After Refueling
Loss of headlight illumination
Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion Audit
Front air bag crash sensor failure
Front air bag crash sensor failure
Neighbouring years
2005 Caravan: 537 complaints, keep it · 2007 Caravan: 81 complaints, keep it.
Every Dodge Caravan year
2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · All Caravan years side by side
Other Dodge models: Dodge Avenger · Dodge Caliber · Dodge Challenger · Dodge Charger · Dodge Dakota · Dodge Dart · Dodge Durango · Dodge Grand Caravan · Dodge Intrepid · Dodge Journey · Dodge Magnum · Dodge Neon · Dodge Nitro · Dodge Ram · Dodge Ram Quad Cab · Dodge Sprinter 2500 · Dodge Stratus. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2006 Dodge Caravan a bad year?
173 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Caravan years. At 74,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Dodge Caravan?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: electrical system (30), air bags (27), steering (27), engine (26), exterior lighting (16).
How many recalls does the 2006 Dodge Caravan have?
6 recall campaigns list this model year: Equipment (NHTSA 10E034000), Air bags (NHTSA 10V-008), Exterior lighting (NHTSA 08E048000), Exterior lighting (NHTSA 08E039000) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.