Used 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan Consumer Reviews
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Liked it so much I traded for another.
Dennis Voorhees, 11/22/2015
updated 05/30/2017
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
60 of 63 people found this review helpful
I have had 3 minivans since 1989 A Ford Areostar, a Dodge Caravan, Chevy Venture. The Venture was used and a disaster. Dumped a lot of money into it and just got tired of doing so, so I bit the bullet and bought a 2012 Program GC SXT in December 2012. The 2012 van was red and had 28000 miles on it. I drove it to 91,500 miles in just a month under 3 years. Not one lick of problems. A couple recalls though, but nothing serious. Replaced the front brakes at 90k miles, and 1 set of tires at 55k. Replaced the air filter once and did oil changes and tire rotations every 5k miles. I did replace the battery, twice though, as I had an aftermarket back up camera installed that didn't shut off the monitor, which ran down the battery a couple times. It was awhile before I caught the problem. It was quite comfortable on long trips, I drove many 12+ hour days with no issues. I was so happy with this van that I decided to trade it for another nearly identical Red 2015 SXT. The main reason was the 12 was nearing 100k miles, I had another year of traveling planned, and the 6 year 100k warranty was about to expire. I could trade to a 3 year newer with lots lower miles for nearly the same payment. I hope this one will be as trouble free, as the 12. I'm a retired, but active guy, that appreciates the utility of the MiniVan. I highly recommend them. UPDATE on the 2015. I purchased it was 22000 miles on the Odometer, It now has 62000 trouble free miles. The tires were replaced at 48k. That's it. Still performs like the 2012, and I maintain it like I did the 2012. I still travel quite a bit and this vehicle suits my needs. The other day I had lunch with 3 other old guys from work I had not seen in several years. All 4 of us were driving 5th generation Dodge Caravans. They are the new Lincoln I recon.
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A lot for the money
homerkc, 11/25/2012
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
18 of 18 people found this review helpful
We have 3,500 mi. on our van and it has exceeded many expectations. We took a 2000 mi trip shortly after buying (only 500 break-in miles) and saw 28mpg on the interstate. We can get 20mpg around town (suburban driving) if we watch what we're doing. Very comfortable seats and ride, plenty of power, and the flexibility of the stow n go always amazes. For a very reasonable mid-20s price, it's a lot of car that can do a lot of things (like haul 2 new exterior doors from Home Depot) without any fuss. Once you have had that capability at your disposal, it would be hard to give it up.
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan for sale near you
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- Crew Passenger MinivanMSRP: $6,895103 mi away
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Engine heads are brain dead
Rick, 08/27/2016
updated 08/31/2020
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
18 of 18 people found this review helpful
Been waiting for my vehicle to be repaired now for 3 weeks. Dealership says parts are not available. 6 cyl engine needed new heads, rockers, lifters and other stuff. Car has 97,000 miles. This is the second time to have head replaced (first time at 46,000) . Obviously a bad engine design or bad install with the previous head or possibly the head is simply brain dead. It does say something about the supply chain if the dealerships can not get the replacement parts. Obviously many more failures than anticipated. No recall on the engine but the dealership said the warranty has been extended out to 10 years/150,000 miles for the heads which, I assume, is their way of telling me that the head will fail again in 50,000 miles. Figure I'll have it repaired again around 145,000 if history is my guide. I believe they have some serious issues with the 6 cylinder engine but simply won't admit it. 08/28/2017 Update. Car now has 119,000 miles on it. So far the new head appears to be working fine. Proof will be when the car has another 25,000 miles since they seem to fail every 50,000 miles. 08/29/2018 Update. Car now has 134,000 miles on it. No problems yet with the new head. Dealership called several times asking if I wanted to trade it in on something new. Told them no, I normally keep cars at least 10 years since I don't like to carry any debt and it takes time to save up the money for a new one. Update: 8/29/2020 Car now has 156,000 miles. Seems I can sense a mis-fire every now and then but I have not yet taken it into a shop for a diagnosis. Still trying to get another 2 years out of it. We'll see if I'm successful.
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Love it
nateo2, 04/03/2014
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
30 of 33 people found this review helpful
I dont know why people complain about this van ours has 54,000 miles and never had a single problem besides the brakes squealing put better quality rotors on it and have not squealed since has plenty of power and we think its very comfortable all around great van
Very Disappointed..........
jcarndt, 02/09/2013
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
29 of 34 people found this review helpful
Purchased new in July of 2012. . I owned a '99 Caravan Sport and it was great. This one is not. When I test drove this one it seemed pretty good. Smooth ride, very quiet, lots of power. 60 days after purchase, the front brakes started squealing. Fixed by dealer. 60 days later, I noticed a clattering/rubbing sound from engine compartment at low speed. Frequency of the noise increased and decreased in time with RPM's. Dealer service manager said it was "normal" for that model year, and they have no idea what it is. So I'm screwed. Clunking/rattling from rear end, one of the heater controls has stopped working. Less than 5000 miles, and it sounds and feels like an old truck...... never again
Eating my words.....Sell or Don't buy!
trafficfdr2, 11/01/2014
updated 05/01/2017
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
42 of 50 people found this review helpful
This is an update to a review I wrote when I bought this van used. Nothing but problems. Great concept but loses all around. The problem with the newer Pentaster 6 cylinder engine has has the heads rebuilt, but they won't acknowledge a recall. They will fix it after it breaks. Recall on rear window switch, dlr disconnected it Chylr has no solution for it. No rear windows. Really! On a minivan. Brakes are garbage and so are the OEM tires, mine separated. Side rear sliders rub on fenders, no fix, gas cap broken=bad gas mileage. And the piece de resistance the drivers window leaks so when it is rolled down the smell that punches you in the face is unbearable. No solution there either. Update:2016 Sold it, lost a lot of money. Nothing but problems. #buyahondaodyssey, end of sentence.
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Value, Design, Utility
fdby, 07/08/2013
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
10 of 11 people found this review helpful
I just bought a 2012 Grand Caravan SXT with 36k miles. So I can't say much about reliability yet. So far I'm impressed with the seating, much improved in 2011 over the previous Stow'n'Go. The DOHC variable-valve-timing engine is very nice and powerful (but still uses 87 octane gas), though I can't imagine it will be as trouble-free, tough, and durable as the old OHV 3.3L dinosaur. Handling is very good. The standard suspension is no longer mushy, but feels more like the old Sport option, yet is quite compliant. Power doors all around work well, but seem pointless to me, as does the key-in-fob arrangement. Fit'n'finish is so-so. There are some very clever options inside.
Good Value for the money at the lower priced models
floridaflyer, 06/01/2012
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan American Value Package 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
10 of 11 people found this review helpful
We bought our 2012 Grand Caravan back in February and four months later we have 5000 miles on it. We are enjoying it, my wife is more comfortable driving the minivan than my car and she really likes the stow-n-go seating. We have been getting better gas mileage (seeing 21 mpg city and 27 mpg highway, my calculations, not the display on the dash which reads a little higher) than the EPA sticker says and that's with running the A/C. I do keep the Econ Button on all the time, except when I am accelerating up this one onramp that is uphill. When I turn off the A/C and the Econ Button for that ramp, it has great acceleration, with the Econ Button on it suppresses the shifts/acceleration.
Grand Caravan Crew rocks!
Barry P, 01/31/2016
updated 08/03/2017
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan Crew 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
17 of 20 people found this review helpful
At 65 I have had many cars and trucks and vans, many models. I have 101K miles on this van and it still looks and runs great. Diver seat could travel back a couple more inches for comfort though. I am 6'2". Rolling on third set of tires, second battery, and has had regular maintenance, washing, waxing. Trans sometimes bangs from reverse to drive, but all these miles and we are still sailing fine. Everyone loves the inside console and storage areas, and the night time ceiling lighting is cool. Elec seats, tilt/tele wheel, heated seats even in rear, heated steering, rear a/c, USB ports, etc, etc. 02/02/17 Now, at 67, I still drive this van... and still love it! 08/02 Traded in for 2017 Pacifica van.
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paid a gamble and...paid dearly & Sold it
trafficfdr, 06/15/2013
updated 12/19/2016
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
28 of 34 people found this review helpful
Bought a 12 DGC SXT certified used rental vehicle, biggest mistake ever. I have never owned a vehicle with so many problems and recalls. Do not buy this vehicle, I lost a lot of money in maintenance and sold it at a loss for my families safety. Anything else is better. I went back to Honda.
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Chrysler's core design quality is slipping...
buddhanature, 03/25/2014
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan R/T 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
9 of 10 people found this review helpful
35,000 miles, Owned for 2 years from new. Dealer sales-lady lied about UConnect and rebate for multi-vehicle purchase. Wouldn't reimburse us either. Drove to Florida from Michigan twice. Cruise control problem - didn't use. Transmission hard shift when first taking off. Used to own '94 Voyager minivan, '03 Intrepid and '98 Sebring convertible. This vehicle has more design problems than the older ones I owned. Had transmission reprogrammed - still bad (even had 3 Chrysler quality engineers ride with me and they said this is normal operation for this vehicle.),wind shear problem, heater blower motor has only low speeds. Original tires only lasted 25,000 miles before no traction in snow.
Enormously disappointed in 2012 Dodge Caravan
dogleg1, 11/03/2012
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan R/T 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
18 of 22 people found this review helpful
I bought a new caravan about a month ago. Previously I have owned four Dodge Caravans and liked them. This one has power to burn but the overall quality and design features are very poor in my experience. The accelerator pedal is hard to control and evidently can't be adjusted. The ride is hard and you feel every little bump in the road. The seats are hard too ,I would call them cheap, cheap. When the front seats are pushed back the support frame sticks out and you hit your legs on it. It doesn't come with fender splash guards and the tires throw dirt on the car. I put them on the first few days I had it. The motor and road noise is very bad. Poor sound proofing. More to be said later.
Edmunds appraisal is way off
stevemcqueen, 01/28/2014
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan Crew 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
I recently sold my 2012 Grand Caravan Crew. It priced out at $17,600 on Edmunds used car appraisal to a private party. I advertised it on AutoTrader for 4 months at $14,500 and the best offer I got in 4 months was $13,500 and I took it. I do not think Edmunds takes into account the huge number of fleet Grand Caravans coming off lease from Hertz, Avis, etc. So if you pay what Edmunds says it is worth, you will lose $3,000 to $4,000 right off the bat on resale.
couldnt ask for more
joecerio, 08/15/2013
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan American Value Package 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
16 of 20 people found this review helpful
Ok I waited 1 year before posting review. Bought vehicle new in august 2012. Trans recall was right on. fixed prob. sat radio still doesn't work. Other than that this van is perfect in every sense. I am getting good gas mileage, comfort, storage, and hauling capabilities. There seems to be some very picky people out there. This van was way less than the others I checked them all out before buying. Ride may seem a little stiff but for what van can do well worth it. if you want a really smooth ride shell out 60k and get a Cadillac. In my opinion great vehicle for the money. will get another. This is my 4th dodge van. And next body change god willing and the creek don't rise I will get anothe
Jalopy
Family Guy, 04/16/2018
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
7 of 8 people found this review helpful
Side skirts fell off driver and passenger seat. Washer fluid nozzles physicaly blasted off hood. Tail gate interior light falls out when lifted. Seat belt buckle stopped working. This is supposed to be a dependable family vehicle, which it is not.
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And you thought owning a Ford was bad guess again
Cindy Watson, 08/20/2016
updated 08/23/2017
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
12 of 15 people found this review helpful
Impressive rental then I bought one. Never again! Too many recalls & constant repairs- left bank 2 cylinder head recall without it for 5 days being replaced has to complain and got approval rental car for one day, rear quarter vent window switch recall P25/NHTSA 14V-234 took forever to get inventory to dealer , brakes -front pads and rotors @ 12,000, rear pads & rotors @ 31,840, front and rear pads and rotors @ 46,378, front pads & rotors @ 63,281, rear pads & rotors @ 72,300, possibly front again but asking local service why needed again only after 9,000 miles, cold air blowing out vents when set at heat (star notice possible fix soon) & radio shuts off on own and clears all the settings @ 17,200, recall M38 reprogram power train control module, power door sliding module reprogram @ 16,500. Moisture in front headlights @37,232 -fogging fine and if droplets replace service bulletin-08-086-13, New tires 37,232. Ever since left cylinder replaced has no power to deal with minor inclines in local city driving. Apparently the brakes designed cannot accommodate what the van really needs. First and last Doge I will ever own. I owned 5 Fords prior different types but nothing this bad except the Windstar due electrical or computer issue with engine never able to figure out. My second and last van I will own. Another recall safety related air bag deployment due to wires steering wheel harness.
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Very comfortable cruiser
homerkc, 10/03/2012
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
We've had the SXT van for a month, incl. one 2000 mi. trip, and it is great! We saw 28mpg on the highway (both by the dash display and by calculation at fill-up), 18-20 in town. For a van with the comfort and flexible space it offers, the mileage is terrific. It's also nice to drive; not too 'floaty' over bumps, good steering feel. And the power from the pentastar engine is strong. All in all, I'd buy another without question.
Death trap
Shelly , 01/20/2021
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
Our van would just cut out and die. No breaks, lights, gas, and the steering would lock up randomly. Did it a few times while I was going 70 down the highway, so scary. We took it in over and over and they couldn't find the problem. We also had the small problem of the keys falling out of the ignition while we were driving. The battery was going dead on a monthly basis even after replacing it. Ended up taking it back to the dealership, wast of time, money and almost deadly more than once.
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I love my 2012 Grand Caravan Crew, but there were some problems.
cindywilliams, 10/19/2012
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan Crew 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
13 of 17 people found this review helpful
I love my 2012 GC Crew. It was a lease/repo/rental vehicle that was rushed from Texas to Alabama. I hadn't drove it but two days, and would hesitate while backing up, and would jerk during shifting. It had a piece on the passenger side vent missing, the power sliding doors needed oiled as they were sluggish. It also needed a good detail cleaning. I put it in the shop last week and they said it had broke motor mounts. Everything is fixed but the mounts, I should get it back this Monday. There is no way a 2012 model should have broke motor mounts. I love the van, but I just wish it would be problematic. The manager said if I wasn't happy with it next then he can put me in something else.
Save Your Money Keep Driving when you see the Dodge?Chrysler logo
dsm35, 07/12/2014
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan R/T 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
22 of 30 people found this review helpful
Wow what can a consumer say about a vehicle that after 7 years of pmts will be close to 40k. The engine had to be rebuilt at around 22k miles started going out about 10k miles TOO MANY deficiencies to mention. Seriously folks these people DON'T LIKE YOU They want YOUR MONEY. You get what you get with Dodge/Chrysler B.S. 24/7 Great commercials on T.V. Too Bad they Produce POS daily. Mistake Waste of Money
HORRID
horrid, 04/07/2014
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan Crew 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
15 of 21 people found this review helpful
I have went round and round with the dealership and Dodge manufacturing. My van sqeals during the winter, the brakes are horrible, and the transmission is horrible. Two different times I put my car into park (yes I made sure it was in park) and it started rolling and my brakes would not work. My daugher was terrified! The first winter I had this van it was fine, the second winter it started sqealing very loud; you could hear it from inside. My stransmission jerks all of the time and when at a stop my car rattles like it is going to die. Just so you know, I get my car serviced every few months. I have had it in the shop, but they saythey are aware of the issues but not recalls until resolutio
Hate This Van More Every Day
dogleg1, 04/24/2013
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
9 of 12 people found this review helpful
After over seven months driving this van I can't wait to get rid of it. It has to be the roughest ride ever and the road and motor noise comes right into the car.You feel every little bump: it rides like a lumber wagon. Chrysler and the dealer (Mac Lang in Ontario , Canada) don't care. The new suspension system is a design failure. Chrysler needs to redesign this van and rebate the current owners. What a rip-off. Previously I owned five Caravans and liked them fine. Not this one.
Nice Van
mrbe1, 02/19/2012
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan American Value Package 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
9 of 12 people found this review helpful
Great price for this van. It has a comfortable Ride and handling. So far reliability has been good. I have 9,900 miles on the van and no problems.
I was always an SUV believer, until now.
cindra471, 04/04/2012
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan Crew 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
5 of 6 people found this review helpful
I just bought my first Mini Van. I thought I never would. But, after seeing all the bells and whistles I get in this baby, I'll probably never go back to a SUV. The price for what you get is unbeliveable. I'd only be able to get a base model SUV for the price I got the CREW Model. Oh, and the gas savings, you can't be it. This little van has everything you can think of and then some. I can't say enought about this van. If you're considering you won't be sorry. I'm very pleased with my purchase, did I mention I traded a Cadillac for this, I don't miss the Cadillac at all!!!
Great Van (especially for the money)
ryan4904, 04/01/2012
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan R/T 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
5 of 6 people found this review helpful
Bought this van 2 months ago and it has been great so far. I certainly didn't expect to own a van at the age of 29, but with the kids and the dog, it was necessary. First of all the, the van looks great, inside and out, way better than the other minivans in the class. We test drove the Dodge, Toyota, and Honda minvans, and didn't notice too much of a difference in ride quality, although maybe the Toyota was a little smoother. But then again maybe the only reason I noticed was because I read the reviews ahead of time and expected it. This van is great, and a comparable Honda or Toyota with all the same features costs about $7K or $8K more (the Toyota salesman acknowledged that).
Great utility vehicle
Al, 10/09/2016
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
5 of 6 people found this review helpful
With 4 drivers in the household, we needed another car to replace our aging 2002 Caravan when it finally gave up the ghost. Even though our kids are grown and we no longer need the extra seating, we had a great experience with our 2002 and I have gotten spoiled by the utility and cargo space of a minivan, so we opted for another Caravan. We got lucky and found a great low mileage car that was exceptionally clean for a reasonable price. While, as my daughters remind me, its not the most stylish vehicle on the road, it is totally practical, and a great choice for them to use to get to work AND gives me a vehicle I can use to haul lumber and supplies for my weekend warrior DIY projects.
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Exellent value
sea1967, 11/01/2012
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan American Value Package 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Lots of features for the money. Rides well, gas mileage is good for such a large vehicle. Good power and acceleration.
Engine can pull biggest u-haul cross country
Parley, 03/29/2019
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Great van. We love the stow n go seats. When the seats are down it can hold most things you could put in a truck. Then the seats fold up and I can carry my family. We also pulled the biggest u-haul trailer full of stuff from Utah to Michigan with no problems. Like most any car it needs some maintenance and some repairs. We've been very happy with it.
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OK for a van, but problematic areas are expensive.
Vitamin X, 03/27/2021
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan American Value Package 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I bought my 2012 Grand Caravan used with just over 100k miles on it. It was great for a van for the first year I owned it. Took it from Ohio to Gatlinburg and back with no issues. After the first year however lots of things started to fail. The first was the rear brakes. Both calipers seized and had to replace rotors, pads, calipers. Then the alternator went and the engine developed a tick. The alternator was replaced twice by the original owner and 6 months after I replaced the alternator I had to replace it again. As well as the front calipers, rotors, and pads. The TIPM started to fail as well. The fuel pump relay went bad and a new TIPM would have been 1200 so I just bypassed it. At 146k miles... the engine is blown. I've done regular oil changes and I've never seen an oil leak. Bad core design. Won't buy a Chrysler vehicle again.
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It is a Minivan
objectivejoe, 01/11/2013
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan American Value Package 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
3 of 4 people found this review helpful
So far, a reliable and powerful vehicle.
Great value..
robfromde, 07/19/2012
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan American Value Package 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
4 of 6 people found this review helpful
This model GC reminds me of the older Dodge minivans. It is basic, but with many nice features, and a great power train. It drives more "truck-like", but I like that. The vision outwards is excellent all around, and the driver's seat is high, so you look down at the hood, not that deep sinking position as before. For around $22k, you get a real auto with a real engine and lots of room for people and cargo. It is backed by a 100k mile warrantee.
I never could get the check engine light off
Daniel Delgado, 03/08/2020
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan Crew 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
4 of 6 people found this review helpful
I bought an used one with 120K miles and since then I kept getting code after code. 1. I changed the gasoline evaporator. The code was cleared but I got a new one afterwards. 2. I got like 7 codes which I cleared after changing bank 2 O2 sensors. 3. I got a oil and coolant leak which after changing the oil coolant filter housing. After all this I got the P219B code which nobody knew how to fix it. Finally I had to sell it. It was a pain in the ass. Good looking interior, sound system and space though
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I thought we were in the 21st century
jb36, 12/10/2012
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
9 of 16 people found this review helpful
I'm forced to drive this thing quite often due to my work. I think it's despicable. Interior feels cheap, especially the seat fabric, steering feels barely connected at highway speed, there's very small but constant pitch motion in the rear when there's no load in the back. Brake, like steering is over-servoed, and transmission. It's not a very smooth shift to begin with, but it gets worse and worse as you drive on for a long time, like over 4hrs. It's big sure, and pretty useful, but it's not very clever either. People buy this not because it's cheap - it's not THAT cheap. People buy this I think just because they haven't really tried anything else. It's a throw away.
Just what our family needs....
mikesr11, 11/14/2011
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
12 of 22 people found this review helpful
We have owned a windstar, and odyssey in the past, this 2012 grand caravan has them beat. This van has everything we need without breaking the bank. The SXT package is well equipped for our daily needs. The van drives more SUV like, and seems a bit wider than our 04 odyssey. The stow away seats are amazing, and are easily labeled: 1,2,3,4 so anyone who is not familiar with the van can follow the steps to put them into the floor. The stereo has excellent sound quality and is voice activated. The black seats look really nice and modern, and I prefer not having the 8 seats, and keeping the traditional captains chairs in the middle- Its much easier for the kids to get around this way.
Outstanding family vehicle!
califamily, 12/19/2012
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
5 of 9 people found this review helpful
We bought ours as our first minivan, coming SUVs, this was a big change. I've been watching the 3.6l closely and it seems great in all vehicles so far. The engineering in this thing is genius, the top loading oil filter makes my life in the garage SO much easier! The level of attention and brilliance transfers to every part of the vehicle. We have 26k on ours so far and loved every minute. 0 problems. It's drivetrain is super smooth, it took a little getting used to but within the first day of ownership, any doubts that we had made the right decision were banished! This is an absolutely amazing family vehicle. We drive the competitors and this was by far most comfortable and most functional.
Worst Minivan Ever
facelessdrone, 01/04/2012
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
34 of 74 people found this review helpful
Spent 8 days and 1500 miles with this turkey as a rental. My 1993 Chevy Lumina APV anteater was way better. Extremely poor in many respects. Transmission constantly in wrong gear. Lugs and won't downshift when trying to accelerate, then suddenly shifts 3 gears and overrevs. Jerky throttle response causes tires to chirp at any sharp intersection even at slow speeds. Instrument panel lights come on, misleading you into thinking the headlights are actually on. There is an "Econ" button; I could never tell what it did since performance was unaffected. The button to turn off stability control is at the bottom right of the instrument panel so a child can turn it off. Smart move, Dodge.
Dealer can't explain check engine light!
MJ, 09/07/2016
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan American Value Package 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
4 of 8 people found this review helpful
We bought this car used at 3 years/66,400 miles. Within a couple of months, the check engine light came on. I left it with the dealer and, after keeping it for three days, they said the gas was too rich, but they didn't know what to do about it. Now, at 94,000 miles, the check engine light is still on and it's not running well. I called the dealer and they wanted me to schedule an appointment for three weeks later. If the first problem had been fixed, we might have noticed the check engine light come on for the second problem in time to schedule that appointment while it was still running. The only reason I might have scheduled the appointment was to use the warranty, but warranties are useless if I have to wait three weeks to get it in. It is cheaper to pay for the repairs than to rent a car during that time. The dealers think they are the best repair shop around because they have such a long wait. In my opinion, the best businesses are those that provide quality work AND run their shops efficiently so that they have adequate staff and facilities to handle the demand. The demand for their work is brand-based; I can't imagine any other reason why someone would want to be without a car for three weeks while they wait for the dealer to repair it. Another problem we had was the plastic thing that hangs below the bumper kept coming loose. The dealer boasted about storage space, but the flip side to that is the low clearance. Also, I don't know which trim I have; it's not important to this review. BTW, what does my height and weight have to do with my review?
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
the crew is fantastic
beddannarz, 10/11/2012
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan Crew 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
I just bought a 2012 Crew in Black, It has so many features and great details, how awesome is the sliding door windows rolling down like a car. Satellite radio free for a year cool. all power including the 2 rear doors. and my wife swore she would never drive a van I bought this for her and she willingly traded in her suv.
trans
johnnyredknife, 12/27/2011
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan American Value Package 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
35 of 86 people found this review helpful
I drove my 2012 Grand Caravan twice before having it towed back to the dealer. The trans was leaving a trail of fluid from the grocery store to my driveway where it ended with a puddle. The dealer said he ran it all day and could not find a leak. I suggested adding fluid. Mike called back claiming the pump and axle seals were leaking. A trans can't be run dry without sustaining damage. It was exacerbated by running it all day, but Chrys' Limited Warranty only paid for seals, fluid and labor rather than replacing the unit. So I have an unrealible traffic hazard that I can't wait to get rid of. I would not recommend this for anyone interested in safety.
Worst interior ergonomics ever!
joeb316, 11/01/2011
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan Crew 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
30 of 77 people found this review helpful
Do not buy this car unless you intend to use both feet to operate the accelerator and the brake. The brake pedal is approximately 1" closer to the driver than the accelerator pedal, making for the most annoying driving experience I've ever had. In addition, the third row seating's headrests significantly obscure views out the rear view mirror and the automatic shift selector is in the most awkward place I've ever seen.
2012 Dodge Caravan Crew
Randy , 07/21/2024
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan Crew 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
We have been very pleased with the reliability of this van. Other than the routine maintenance we have had no issues with it.