Used 2009 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT 4dr Minivan (3.8L 6cyl 6A) Consumer Reviews
NO MAS!
We tried to love it, but just couldn't deal with the dealer (white Bear lake, Mn) who guessed on every repaired needed. Long story short, we bought the van used. clean carfax. great the first week. second week was a disaster. van would die 3-5 times daily was exiting the hwy. while operating at 30mph the van would become very sluggish, then die when coming to a stop. replaced spark plugs, MAP sensor, throttle body didn't change a thing. brought in to the dealer to figure it out. diagnosed that the WIN module was faulty and needed to be replaced.(not part of the recall) asked why its sluggish, dealer didn't know. finally just gave up and traded it in for a Honda. People be advised, stay away!
200K update/4.0 engine
Update! AC issues that are hard to pinpoint. Removed dash and replaced AC core and hoses. Relay assembly under the hood was replaced. Still not cold like it was. Dealer did not do timing belt assembly as instructed at 100K. At 130K the tension assembly broke. Durning the fix we discovered the dealer faked the whole belt change after being told to R&R everything (water pump, tension assembly and belt). Local dealer screwed us out of our lifetime warranty by refusing to do the 5 year inspection on one van and failing to admit they did it on another. Very dishonest practices. Really enjoyed the van when new but the start issues have plagued this vehicle for years and numerous recalls. Plan on new tires every 25k (buy cheap tires) and brake pads on a regular basis. Bought two and one has had transmission issues since new. Solid 4.0 so far. Weak radiator connection points and will never buy another Dodge product although I like the way the drive. Toyota is more dependable, and they actually fix their recalls properly. Bought the extended warranty and needed it bad. Company dishonored the extended warranty--- Class action lawsuit on-going. Company is a group of thieves! Do not buy their nice-looking products. Looks are not everything in life. Start issue was fixed with a neutral switch replacement on transmission
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- SE Passenger MinivanMSRP: $5,80046 mi away
- SE Passenger MinivanMSRP: $7,99570 mi away
- SE Passenger MinivanMSRP: $4,999142 mi away
I wish I could recommend it... but I can't
Bought the 3.8L SXT version, only have 33k on it. Having the transmission rebuilt right now. My wife drives this van around our small town, and we take weekend trips. It's well taken care of. We've had to have ALL the brakes replaced three times now, the tires are pretty much shot because of the brake problems, and there is a bad motor mount, and now the transmission. The engine is great, and the features and interior are phenomenal, but with the brake problems and now the transmission, clearly the build quality leaves much to be desired. That's why a Toyota is 20k more...
#Knewbetter on 09 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT 4.0L
Bought used 2009 only a few months ago with less than 100K; looks great, but not reliable. Has developed a serious electrical problem, besides three EGR valves in three months also (OEM Chrsyler part, mucho $$, MUST be used in EGR replacement); had the WIN Fob Chrysler recall work completed shortly after purchase also and since then vehicle has had difficulty starting; has stranded my wife more times than I can count in past few months. Replaced the battery and starter, didn't help. No one knows what it is and I refuse to replace TIPM while "fishing" for electrical problems. Blogs seem to point towards Neutral Safety Switch, but its "fishing" again. Fishing becomes expensive when Chrsyler can't pinpoint its electrical problems. Sometimes it will start if you shift to Neutral, sometimes it won't. Van looks great, but it is not reliable for family transportation certainly. 2nd Row Sliding Door wiring harness recall was ineffective, have wiring frayed and broken and a sliding door that no longer opens or windows the rolls up or down with Fob. Radio is now locking up and turning itself off and on. Think twice before biting... price might be affordable for a reason because your going to make your local mechanic very happy with all the service you'll give him. Had a 99 Dodge Caravan and drove it for 5 years with no problems, loved it; this one, not so much. Look elsewhere unless you are a mechanic or have a good friend who is a mechanic. I tried to save money in this purchase, I've not and now it has become a burden; the question every trip is, will we make it to our appointment on time or even at all? Its been an emotional roller coaster not knowing when its going to start or not and of course, each time it gets to service via TOW... it starts. I think there might be a Gremlin in their electrical system. Stay clear unless you have time and money to waste, your salesman doesn't have to drive it everywhere, you do and with your kids inside too.
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Family Hauler
We have the 4.0 engine and it performs great. This van is the only way to travel with your family. However, Dodge needs to get some thing right. The brake rotors started going bad at 15,000 miles and Dodge would not honor the warranty. They wanted $100 to fix their problem. Next, the Bridgestone tires on the van are garbage (nearly worn out at 20,000 miles). The air conditioner fan motor goes out after a while (however it will work after stopping the van and restarting a short while later). The radio conked out in the first year. A good vehicle with some minor changes would be a great vehicle. Dodge needs to step up and cover their mistakes.