2011 Dodge Grand Caravan: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
530 NHTSA owner complaints · 4 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
The fifth-generation Grand Caravan ran from 2008 to 2020 with few changes, and its record is steady — transmission and electrical complaints at a moderate level, scoring in the 70s and 80s — apart from the 2016 model year, which carries 1,155 complaints for reasons the record attributes mainly to the six-speed transmission and the air-conditioning system. The 2017–2020 years are among the cheapest reliable people-carriers on the site. 2011 specifically: a year the record favours — 530 complaints, score 73/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used minivans compared: Odyssey, Sienna, Pacifica, Grand Caravan and Town and Country, including 2011 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 530 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 35.33
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The contact owned a 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, turned off, and unoccupied, the front driver’s side of the vehicle near the driver’s door caught fire. The contact extinguished the fire. No fire or police report was filed. The front driver’s side of the vehicle was consumed by the fire. The contact believed the failure was due to an electrical malfunction located in …
Odometer Fraud. The contact stated that while considering purchasing a 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan, the odometer mileage was 101,000 but the registration information indicated that in 2022 the odometer mileage was 125,000. The vehicle was a private sale.
The manufacture date is after the expiration date for example the manufacturer date is 2024/07/15 The expiration date is 2024/07/12 Both car seats that I have are this way along with the bases.
Recalls: 4 campaigns (3 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 14V234000 | Electrical System | Chrysler Group, LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Chrysler Town and Country and Dodge Grand Caravan vehicles manufactured August 25, 2010, through October 31, 2013. The affected vehicles may experience overheating of the vent window switch in the driver's door armrest. |
| 11V315000 | Steering:Column | CHRYSLER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011DODGE JOURNEY, JEEP WRANGLER, CHRYSLER 200, CHRYSLER 200 CONVERTIBLE, DODGE AVENGER, DODGE NITRO, JEEP LIBERTY, DODGE CALIBER, JEEP COMPASS, JEEP PATRIOT, DODGE GRAND CARAVAN AND CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY VEHICLES. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH A MISSING OR INCORRECTLY INSTALLED STEERING COLUMN… |
| 17V376000 | Air Bags:Frontal | Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2011-2012 Dodge Grand Caravan vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the driver's frontal air bag may unexpectedly deploy if the air bag wiring harness gets chafed within the steering wheel and short circuits. |
| 25V876000 | Equipment Adaptive/Mobility:Wheelchair Restraints/Securement:Latch/Anchor: | Rollx Vans (Rollx) is recalling certain GMC Yukon, Sierra, Chevrolet Express 2500, Ford Transit, E-250, Toyota Sienna, Sienna Hybrid, Honda Odyssey, Chrysler Town and Country, Voyager, Pacifica, Dodge Grand Caravan, and Ram Promaster vehicles equipped with QRT-Deluxe and QRT-Max wheelchair restraints. Please refer to Rollx's recall report for specific model… |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a minivan of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 20 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,100 · EPA range 280 mi
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Electrical System332 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Fuel/Propulsion System127 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Engine92 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Power Train43 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Unknown Or Other40 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Service Brakes27 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
Other Dodge Grand Caravan years
Dodge Grand Caravan years to avoid, and the best years to buy →
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Electrical System (332 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 73/100, computed from 530 NHTSA complaints and 4 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan's most common problem?
332 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan sit in the Electrical System group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement: about 3.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $540–$1,310 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan cost to run per year?
About $6,261 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $31,305 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for the 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan, 3 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 07/05/2014. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other minivans of about the same age.
What will a 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 530 complaints, 4 recalls on record
- 530 NHTSA complaints on record (35.3/yr of exposure) — in line with a typical year of this model (34.5/yr)
- 4 recall campaigns, 3 touching safety-critical systems