2009 Dodge Caravan: Problems & Reliability
AVOID2009 Dodge Caravan: AVOID — 118 owner complaints, 3.3× the Caravan median year by raw count.
CarWhere's verdict score for the 2009 is 1.96, where 1.00 is a typical Caravan year once complaints are weighted for severity and spread over time on the road; the avoid line is 1.60, so this year clears it by 0.36. Most complaints are about non-critical systems; only 30% are severe (crash, fire, injury or a safety-critical system).
Sources: NHTSA owner complaints (ODI), recall campaigns and manufacturer service bulletins, CarWhere verified buyer prices · Model years 2009–2020 compared · Updated 2026-11-07 · By CarWhere Research · Methodology
118
NHTSA complaints
3.3×
vs. median Caravan year
50
Service bulletins
2
Recall campaigns
2009 Dodge Caravan recalls
2 recall campaigns on federal record for the 2009; the campaign list is on NHTSA's record for the 2009 Dodge Caravan.
2009 Dodge Caravan service bulletins
The manufacturer has filed 50 technical service bulletins with NHTSA for the 2009 — fewer than the 114 of the median Caravan year from 2009 to 2020. Coded bulletins most often cover structure (15), electrical system (13), powertrain / transmission (10). Bulletins are repair instructions for dealer technicians, not recalls.
The 2009 vs. the year before and after
The 2010 that followed fell by more than half (118 → 0), so the 2010 has the lighter record so far.
| Model year | Verdict | Complaints | Bulletins | Recalls | Avg. buyer-paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 (this page) | AVOID | 118 | 50 | 2 | — |
| 2010 Caravan | TOO FEW REPORTS | 0 | 62 | 2 | — |
Prices are averages of CarWhere verified buyer transactions (shown when 3+ deals exist for the year). Full year-by-year table: Dodge Caravan years to avoid.
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FAQ
Is the 2009 Dodge Caravan reliable?
2009 Dodge Caravan: AVOID — 118 owner complaints, 3.3× the Caravan median year by raw count. CarWhere's verdict score for the 2009 is 1.96, where 1.00 is a typical Caravan year once complaints are weighted for severity and spread over time on the road; the avoid line is 1.60, so this year clears it by 0.36.
What are the most common 2009 Dodge Caravan problems?
The 2009 Dodge Caravan has 118 NHTSA owner complaints and 50 manufacturer service bulletins on file; the component breakdown is on NHTSA's record for this model year.
How many recalls does the 2009 Dodge Caravan have?
2 recall campaigns on federal record for the 2009 Dodge Caravan. Recall completion is VIN-specific, so check the exact car.
How do I check a specific 2009 Dodge Caravan before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report for the exact VIN — recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for this model year, the original window sticker where the manufacturer publishes one, and a market price check from verified buyers. One-time purchase, no subscription.
Sources & method
Complaint, recall and service-bulletin counts for the 2009 Dodge Caravan come from NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation; the verdict is CarWhere’s severity-weighted, time-on-road-adjusted score compared with the model’s own median year. The live complaint feed was unavailable at render, so the complaint count is the verdict engine’s stored count. Complaints are owner allegations, not verified defects. Full methodology.