16 Dodge Grand Caravan results
2005 Dodge Grand Caravan OWNER RATINGS & REVIEWS
Kassi
Onalaska, Wisconsin
Really like dodge
OK so when I bought it I needed a minivan now not so much so I guess I don't like it as much as before however still very good van I have had it for almost 4 years now. I don't believe I have had to fix anything as of yet other than the brake light twice. I used it to haul my great danes around I took out the middle seat and there was plenty of room I think at one time I had 4 great danes in there when taking them to the dog park. Great gas mileage in my opinion. Very reliable.
ALW
Riverside, Maryland
Disappointing Developments in Dodge Grand Caravan
I purchased the Dodge Grand Caravan when pregnant with my second child. My husband and I quickly realized that we needed more space, especially since we travel extensively to and from our home state to visit family and friends. Upon looking at many dealerships, we decided that the Grand Caravan seemed to fit most of our criteria, as well as providing a reasonably decent price point. We ended up purchasing a used vehicle, as we were a young family, and were saving as much money as we could in preparation for our newest addition.
Unfortunately, it become quite obvious that this particular vehicle was definitely not the gem we hoped it to be. The bucket seats in the middle row are quite lovely, however, the same type of seat is found in the driver and passenger seats. Being only 5'2", I found that the seat actually sits too far off of the floor, leading to my legs dangling and causing a lot of discomfort when having to drive far distances. The seat adjustments do not allow for the seat to be tilted far enough forward to adjust for my height. There is a constant tilt backwards on the seat.
There have been many problems with the electrical system as well. The entire dashboard will shut off, leaving the driver with no indication of how fast they are going, if they have gas, what gear they are in, etc. When this first happened, my husband did some digging and discovered that this problem had been reported to Dodge, and they deemed it a non-safety hazard, thus not requiring them to issue a recall. This was entirely unacceptable to us.
The automatic sliding doors on the vehicle have also stopped working, as well as the locking mechanism. I, more often than not, have to unlock the drivers door with my key, and then reach around though the back to unlock the sliding door from inside before I can open it for my kids to climb inside.
This van also lacks an internal switch or button for unlocking the hatch for access to the trunk. The only way to open it is with the physical key, and/or the key fob. The trunk can't be unlocked if the key is in the ignition, and the driver has to remove the keys and press the key fob buttons or pass the keys to the person who is trying to get into the trunk. I can understand the safety reasoning behind not allowing it to be opened with the vehicle is on, but it can't be unlocked even if the keys are just sitting in the ignition.
The body of the vehicle has not stood the test of time either. It is rusting quite extensively, along the entire frame. The van makes the most awful sounds, and makes one quite embarrassed to be driving said vehicle. This vehicle is also known to eat through breaks and rotors all of the time as well. We were unaware of this prior to the purchase, but quickly found out that they needed replaced every single year. Through research we learned this was a very common problem.
As for the positive attributes of the vehicle, we absolutely love the stow-and-go feature. There is ample room for our family, and the storage capacity with the folding-flat seats makes travel a total breeze. Whether you are just driving to the grocery store, transporting the dance team, or making a cross-country trek, you will find plenty of room for luggage, souvenirs, and or the gazillion baby items one needs to travel with an infant (i.e., Baby swings, exersaucers, pack n' plays, etc). Traveling for Christmas (with the department store you bought for gifts) has been a completely painless process with the packing capabilities. I am almost afraid to purchase a different style of vehicle when the time comes, because of how easy this van has made traveling!
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