2006 Dodge Grand Caravan Body & Structure Problems

Your driver's side sliding door is stuck in the locked position and won't unlock using the door lock switch, console switch, key fob, or manual unlocking. A passenger became trapped and had to exit through a different door. The fix will likely involve inspecting and repairing or replacing the door lock mechanism or actuator.

Your sliding door lock actuator has frozen, making the sliding door completely unable to open or close. This means you won't be able to use that door for getting in or out of your vehicle if needed.

*TAKATA RECALLS" MY SLIDING SIDE DOORS ON BOTH SIDES SCRATCHES THE SIDES OF MY VAN ON THE EXTERIOR.

RUSTING BODY PANELS CAN RESULT IN SEVERE SAFETY ISSUES IN NEAR FUTURE, EVEN WITH GREAT CARE, SOME VEHICLES ARE PRONE TO THE RUSTING BODY PANELS. THE 4TH GENERATION (GRAND) CARAVAN ISN'T THE EXCEPTION WHICH HAD EXCESSIVELY AGGRESSIVE RUST FORMING ON THE BODY PANELS. MY GRAND CARAVAN CURRENTLY HAS JUST OVER 65000 MILES WITH RUST FORMING ON MAJOR PANELS. I PERSONALLY TOOK OVERLY ATTENTION TO THE VEHICLE MAINTAINING AND CARING BY WAXING AND WASHING THE VEHICLE THE PROPER WAY, YET THE VEHICLE IS PILING WITH MORE AND MORE RUST EACH WEEK. ON THE ROAD, I HAVEN'T GOT TO SEE THE DODGE CARAVAN THAT HAS NO RUST WHAT SO EVER. THEREFORE, THE RUSTING HAS TO BE THE MOST CONCERNING ISSUE FOR THE CARAVAN OWNERS.

WAS DRIVING ABOUT 35 MPH AND SLIDING DOOR CAME OPEN WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION AND DOORS WERE LOCKED AND CHILD LOCK WAS ENGAGED ON THAT SIDE. IT HAS ALSO HAPPENED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AS WELL ON THE INTERSTATE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.

COMING FROM A CHRISTIAN CAMP DRIVING ON THE 5 SOUTH IN CASTAIC LAKE THE REAR RIGHT TIRE PART OF THE OUTER LAYER CAME OFF THEN IT WENT FLAT THIS IS TIRES 215-75R 15.I SHOW TO FIRESTONE THE TIRE THEY DID NOT HONOR THE WARRANTY ,THEN I HAD TWO MORE TIRES BLOWN IT WAS A TOTAL OF THREE IN LESS THAN A YEAR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE SLIDING DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE SLIDING DOOR HAD TO BE UNLOCKED MANUALLY IN ORDER FOR THE DOOR TO OPEN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SIDE DOORS WOULD OPEN AND CLOSE WITHOUT THE BUTTON BEING DEPRESSED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE DOORS WERE NOT UNDER RECALL. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN, BUT THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 170,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. RANDOMLY, THE DOORS ALSO DO NOT CLOSE. UPDATED 10/24/2012 *JS

AIR CONDITIONING FAILED AROUND 50,000 MILES. HAD SYSTEM RECHARGED AND STARTED TO FAIL AGAIN IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS. BY THAT TIME, WEATHER STARTED TO BECOME COLD. BY 80,000 MILES (FOLLOWING SUMMER), TOLD THAT THE REAR AIR EVAPORATOR PART WAS LEAKING AND WHILE DODGE DID NOT "RECALL" THE PART, THEY EXTENDED THE WARRANT TO I THINK - 75,000 MILES. THE PART TOOK ABOUT 2 MONTHS TO COME IN AND COST OVER $1,600 TO INSTALL. I WAS NEVER GIVEN NOTICE OF THE "EXTENDED WARRANTY." DRIVER SIDE AUTOMATIC DOOR NO LONGER WORKS FOR THE SECOND TIME (FIRST AROUND 50,000 SECOND TIME AROUND 75,000). RACK AND PINION NEEDED REPLACEMENT AROUND 90,000 MILES. THAT COST AROUND $1,500. FUEL GAUGE IS ABOUT 1/4 TANK OFF IN THE BAD DIRECTION. CAN NO LONGER TRUST GAUGE UNDER HALF A TANK. PAINT STARTED TO PEEL AND METAL UNDERNEATH RUST AROUND 50,000 MILES. *TR

2006 DODGE CRAND CARAVAN REAR POWER SLIDING DOORS. INITIALLY WOULD NOT UNLOCK WITH ELECTRIC LOCKS. NOW DOORS OPEN/CLOSE PARTIALLY ABOUT 10 INCHES FROM THE CLOSED POSITION. *TR

THE AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOOR ON THE 2006 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SXT STOPPED THE CLOSING CYCLE WITHIN 6 INCHES OF BEING CLOSED. DUE TO THE CYCLE STOPPING, THE DOOR DID NOT REVERSE THUS TRAPPING A 3 YEAR OLD BETWEEN THE DOOR AND THE FRAME. THE DRIVER HAD TO WALK AROUND THE VAN AND MANUALLY PUSH THE DOOR OPEN THE FREE THE CHILD. THE DOOR HAS NOT FULLY CLOSED USING THE AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOOR FEATURE SINCE THIS OCCURRED. *TR

2006 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SXT. SLIDING DOORS ARE INCONSISTENT WITH OPERATION AND CREATE CONCERN FOR A QUICK EXIT IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. THE SLIDING PASSENGER DOORS EITHER WILL NOT OPEN WITH THE REMOTE KEY SET OR WILL NOT OPEN ENTIRELY WITH ANY OF THE DOOR RELEASE BUTTONS ON THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS IMPACTED BOTH THE DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE SLIDING DOORS. INABILITY TO OPEN THESE DOORS WITHOUT SUPPORT OF AN ADULT HAS CREATED CONCERN FOR A QUICK EXIT IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION FOR ALL PASSENGERS. TO OPEN THESE DOORS WITHOUT SUPPORT OF THE AUTOMATIC DOOR OPENING SYSTEM IS ALSO VERY HARD. THE DOORS ARE HEAVY AND OFTEN TAKE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO HOLD THE (BLACK) RELEASE BUTTON DOWN TO OPEN THE DOOR(S). MY CHILDREN DO NOT HAVE THE STRENGTH TO DO THIS ON THEIR OWN DUE TO THIS MECHANICAL FAILURE. THE BUTTON WHICH YOU SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO PUSH AND AUTOMATICALLY OPEN THE DOORS (FROM EITHER THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT OR THE BACK TWO REAR PASSENGER BUTTONS ARE NOT FUNCTIONAL). FROM MY RESEARCH, OF THE DODGE MINI-VANS, I'M FINDING THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THIS RESEARCHED TO DETERMINE THE NEED FOR SAFETY RECALL ACTION. IF A 9 YEAR OLD CHILD AND CHILDREN IN THEIR EARLY TEENS CANNOT OPEN THESE DOORS ON THEIR OWN, THIS PRESENTS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. WE PURCHASED THIS CAR NEW IN 2006 AND 3 YEARS LATER, THE PROBLEM STARTED IMPACTING BOTH DOORS. I WILL ATTEMPT TO BRING THE MINIVAN INTO DODGE TO INSPECT BUT THE INFORMATION I'VE GATHERED HAS PROVEN INCONSISTENT OUTCOMES WITH DEALER REPAIRS AND EVEN MORE CONCERNING, AN INABILITY TO FIX THIS ISSUE ON A PERMANENT BASIS. *TR

MY 2006 GRAND CARAVAN DOES NOT CONSISTENTLY ALLOW THE SLIDING POWER DOOR ON BOTH SIDES CLOSE MORE THAN 1/2 OR 3/4 OF THE WAY. ADDITIONALLY, IF IT DOES CLOSE IT WILL INTERMITTENTLY WILL NOT CYCLE FULLY TO FULLY SECURE THE DOOR. AS A RESULT THE POWER MECHANISM WHICH SEALS THE DOOR WILL CYCLE OVER AND OVER UNTIL SOMEONE MANUALLY OPENS THE DOOR AND THEN PULLS IT SHUT. *TR

2006 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOOR OPENS APPROXIMATELY 8 INCHES; THEN STOPS. MUST MANUALLY OPEN THE REMAINING DISTANCE. SAME INCIDENT WHEN CLOSED. DOOR AUTOMATICALLY CLOSES UNTIL ABOUT 8 INCHES FROM "FULLY CLOSED". MUST MANUALLY CLOSE DOOR REMAINING DISTANCE. *TR

I OWN A 2006 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WITH ONLY 48,000 MILES ON IT. THE POWER SLIDING DOORS HAVE STOPPED OPERATING PROPERLY. THE DOORS WILL CLOSE ABOUT EIGHT INCHES AND THEN OPEN BACK UP WITHOUT CLOSING ALL THE WAY. TONIGHT THE DOOR HAS OPENED AND WILL NOT CLOSE MANUALLY OR ELECTRICALLY. SO MY VAN IS IN MY DRIVE WAY WITH THE DOOR WIDE OPEN AND WILL BE THERE ALL NIGHT UNTIL I FIGURE IT OUT TOMORROW. MANY PEOPLE THAT I KNOW WITH THESE VANS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AFTER A FEW YEARS OF OWNING THEM. SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE. IT IS NOT SAFE TO LEAVE A VEHICLE OUTSIDE WITH THE DOOR OPEN ALL NIGHT. I CAN NOT GET THE DOOR TO CLOSE NO MATTER WHAT I DO. CHRYSLER/DODGE SHOULD HAVE IMPLEMENTED A SAFETY MECHANISM THAT WOULD ALLOW AN OWNER TO BE ABLE TO MANUALLY CLOSE THE DOOR IF IT MALFUNCTIONED. THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS PROBLEM, ISSUE A RECALL AND FIX THIS PROBLEM FOR THE MANY, MANY CUSTOMERS THAT HAVE BOUGHT THEIR PRODUCTS THROUGH OUT THE YEARS. *TR

I OWN A 2006 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WITH APPROX 40K, I HAVE NEVER HAD DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS WHICH SEEMS ODD BUT MY MAIN COMPLAINT IS ONE OF MY POWER SLIDING DOORS WONT OPEN WHEN I PRESS THE BUTTON ON MY KEY OR THE BUTTON ON THE DASH, IT SEEMS TO NOT BE UNLOCKING. IF YOU MANUALLY UNLOCK THE DOOR FROM THE INSIDE AND THEN PRESS THE BUTTON THEN THE DOOR OPENS FINE. I SEE NUMEROUS OTHER PEOPLE ON LINE WITH THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM WHICH MAKES ME WONDER WHY DODGE HAS DONE NOTHING. *TR

AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS ON REAR SLIDING DOORS WITH POWERED DOOR CLOSURES. THE CAM THAT ALLOWS THE DOOR LOCK/UNLOCK CIRCUIT TO COMPLETE GETS OUT OF POSITION AND BLOCKS THE LOCK/UNLOCK FROM OCCURRING. HAPPENS WHENEVER AN OBJECT BLOCKS THE DOOR FROM CLOSING. DOOR WILL NOT LOCK/UNLOCK VIA BUTTONS FOR 16 ATTEMPTS IN A ROW, REGARDLESS OF TIME BETWEEN INTERRUPT AND ATTEMPT TO LOCK/UNLOCK. COULD HAMPER VEHICLE EVACUATION. *TR

PASSENGER SIDE SLIDING DOOR LOCK WILL NOT WORK WITH POWER SWICTHS AT 38000 MILES. *TR

2006 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN, DRIVER'S SIDE SLIDING DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE USING ANY METHOD: POWER BUTTONS, KEYLESS REMOTE OR MANUALLY PULLING LOCK KNOB. ALL OTHER DOORS AND LOCKS FUNCTION AS NORMAL. THE PROBLEM BEGAN APPROXIMATELY 1 WEEK AGO BUT WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM. HAVE SEEN SEVERAL OTHER POSTINGS ON FIXYA.COM WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS ON CARAVAN MODEL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT PRESSED THE POWER DOOR BUTTON TO UNLOCK THE SLIDING DOORS. WHEN HER CHILD ATTEMPTED TO EXIT THE VEHICLE, THE DOORS SLAMMED SHUT AND ALMOST SEVERELY INJURED THE CHILD. SECONDLY, WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO UNLOCK THE TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE, IT WOULD ONLY OPEN SPORADICALLY. THE DEALER WOULD NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 24,000.

MY 9 YEAR OLD SON REACH BACK INTO MY 2006 DODGE CARAVAN SXT AND WAS HIT BY THE DOOR. IT IS AN AUTOMATIC DOOR THAT IS SUPPOSED TO STOP AND RETRACT WHEN THERE IS ANY OBSTRUCTION IN IT'S PATH. IT DID NOT STOP. IT PINNED HIM AGAINST THE SIDE RAIL AND HE RECEIVED BRUISES ON HIS ARM. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE WHILE PULLING THE LIFT GATE DOWN MANUALLY, THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND PUSHED THE BUTTON THAT AUTOMATICALLY BRINGS THE LIFT GATE DOWN UNAWARE THAT HIS WIFE WAS PULLING THE LIFT GATE DOWN MANUALLY. THE LIFT GATE JERKED UP HITTING THE CONTACT IN THE FACE CAUSING THE CONTACT'S FOUR BOTTOM TEETH TO GO THROUGH THE BOTTOM LIP. THE CONTACT WENT TO THE HOSPITAL RESULTING IN THREE STITCHES TO THE BOTTOM LIP. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN ALERTED.