2015 Dodge Grand Caravan Engine Problems

The 3.6L Pentastar engine for this year has been shown to be highly problematic. We have had the #2 and now the #1 cylinder heads fail, causing misfires, poor engine performance and complete failure. We’ve also had multiple injectors fail, #2 (twice), 4 & 5. The engine failure is a safety issue and has been proven as such.

Unknown: engine slips, got mechanic to look at it and he showed me where a part of the camshaft is ground down to almost nothing. He says it doesn't work like it is supposed, he has worked on many dodge vehicales that have this problem, and I need a new camshaft. Which entails taking timing chain off and an expensive repair.

Check Engine Light put out a code for Catalytic Converter failure and Emissions status is Red. The catalytic converter is responsible for converting harmful exhaust gases into less harmful ones, and a failing converter can lead to a check engine light.

The contact owns a 2015 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormal sound. The contact stated while stopped at a stop light, the vehicle intermittently stalled. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The contact made the dealer aware of the failure; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

The transmission on this van and pretty much after replacing it the hydraulic lifters are going out. I started to hear a noise and when the guy did my brakes and rotors he left me know that this is a very common issues with the Dodge vans and I feel like Dodge is making these vehicles unsafe as it can cause the engine to just stop and you can be on the highway and as I have kids in the car sometimes. Hydraulic lifters in all years of the dodge caravan causes major issues please have them fix this and they should have to do a recall on these and fix the lifters because they definitely are doing it on these vans. If people are driving and they don’t hear the noise it can be so unsafe.

The contact owns a 2015 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who replaced the thermostat and spark plugs; however, the check engine warning light illuminated. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 153,000.

Misfire cylinder 2

Check engine light came on and took to local mechanic. P0302 code, car has 113,000 miles so new plugs and coils. Drove car for two days and light came back on with same code. Mechanic was confused as to why it was occurring and we did some research to see this seems to be a somewhat common occurrence. Cylinder head needs to be replaced. These seems to be the same issue that was covered under service bulletin 09-002-14 REV. B but was not extended to include newer models that are experiencing the same issue. Apparently Chrysler did not fix the original issue it seems and will not update the service bulletin. Contacted the dealer from which we purchased the vehicle, Len Stoler Inc. 1001 Baltimore Boulevard, Westminster MD 21157. Upon talking to the service manager and explaining the issue I was told that the dealer nor Chrysler had any fiduciary responsibility and there was nothing they could do to help.

Premature failure of valve lifters and damage to exhaust and intake camshafts. Engine had 59074 miles on it and used appropriate Valvoline synthetic blend oil since approx 15,000 miles. Valve train started ticking and got progressively louder in less than a two week period. Engine oil system was flushed and reserviced with appropriate Valvoline synthetic blend oil once again. Valve ticking got progressively louder and the vehicle went in for repairs. Valve Lifters had premature bearing failure on multiple Lifters causing excessive wear on both the Exhaust and Intake Camshafts as well as the Valve Lash Adjusters. The vehicle was outside of the warranty window. Cost for repairs was $2,272.34. I was informed by the garage who did the repairs that this is a ongoing problem with the Pentar 3.6L

It’s not wanting to switch gears so when I’m trying to accelerate at times it will not accelerate.

- Check engine light - code: P0302 (Misfire Cylinder) - This is a converted wheelchair mini-van and I am in a wheelchair. Break-down on freeway would leave me stranded. - Apparently this #2 cylinder problem was part of a recall for 2011-13 Pentar 3.6L engines and from what I have read online the problem still persist and in 01/2022 a class action lawsuit has been filed against FCA for this exact problem (See attached). - I have taken the van into both the dealer and independent service center - Heads need replacing due to known bad cylinder head problem with these engines. - Check engine light came on in 03/2022 and I paid to have plugs and head gasket replaced only for the P0302 light to come immediately back on. Took back in and 2nd experienced tech confirmed head problem and instructed me to go to dealer; dealer confirmed head problem but said no recall available as of yet. Dealer quoted repair cost to heads of $5,145!!!

Light came on (not flashing) took to Auto Zone for a diagnostic which the ASE Certified Technician said the error code was PO301 cylinder 1 misfire was detected and it was the #1 spark plug and it needed new one. However the spark plugs are not scheduled for maintenance until 100 k miles and my van is just over 60 k and I had my dealership do the 60k maintenance in March but didn’t include the spark plugs. We had a mechanic from out of town look at it per our dealership as we were out of town. He reset the code on 6-1-2021and it came back on after 7 days for two weeks it went off and came back on again on 6-11 and went off on the 14th. Today is the 15th of June, 2021.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED OIL WAS DISCOVERED ON THE FLOOR OF THE GARAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SCREW ON OIL FILTER ADAPTER HAD FAILED CAUSING OIL TO LEAK FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED. THE LOCAL DEALER JAMES DODGE LOCATED AT 13007 WICKER AVE, CEDAR LAKE, IN 46303 AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH NO WARNING THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND STARTED TO BLINK THEN THE VEHICLE STARTED TO JERK AND IT WAS LOOSING POWER AND WOULD NOT GO OVER 20 ON THE CITY STREET.

TOOK CAR TO DEALER THIS IS WHAT WAS FOUND. REPLACE INTAKE CAM EXHAUST CAMSHAFT 24 ROCKERS AND 24 LIFTERS (FOUND CYLINDER 3 ROCKER INTAKE AND EXHAUST COMING APART DAMAGING INTAKE AND EXHAUST CAMSHAFT) I WAS TOLD THIS IS DUE TO WEAR AND TEAR. THE CAR IS ONLY 6 YEARS OLD $2,700.00 DOLLAR REPAIR.

RECENTLY MY VAN HAS STARTED SHUTTING OFF AUTOMATICALLY FOR NO REASON WHILE IT SHOULD STILL BE RUNNING. SOMETIMES IT JUST SHUTS OFF AND THEN RESTARTS AND OTHER TIMES IT HAS SHUT OFF AND I HAVE HAD TO RESTART IT WITH THE KEY. THERE IS NO SPECIFIC THING THAT TRIGGERS THE ISSUE AND IT HAS HAPPENED WHILE SITTING STILL, AFTER PUTTING IT IN PARK, AND WHILE TURNING GOING DOWN THE ROAD. I LOOKED UP ANY RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE BUT THERE WERE NON. HOWEVER, THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE MINI VAN.

BLEW HEAD GASKET IN MOTION - CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CODE PO302 FAULTY VALVE CYLINDER #2

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE JERKED, LUNGED FORWARD, AND LOST POWER WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS RELEASED. ALSO, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED A TUNE UP. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR A SECOND DIAGNOSTIC TEST, WHICH DETERMINED THAT THE HEAD GASKET FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V139897 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) P0302- CYLINDER 2 MISFIRE AS A POSSIBLE SOLUTION; HOWEVER, THE TSB WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE 2015 EXTENDED WARRANTIES. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO BILL HARRIS CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP (2100 S BANEY RD, ASHLAND, OH 44805, (419) 951-0292) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 594-45294. THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING A PHONE CALL FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 110,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT HEARD A KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. THE NOISE BEGAN APPROXIMATELY ONE WEEK AGO. IN JUNE OF 2017, THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY PAT MCGRATH DODGE/JEEP/CHRYSLER IN CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA FOR A FAILURE RELATED TO THE LIFTERS ON THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. IN FEBRUARY OF 2018, THE SAME DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT PISTON NUMBER SIX FAILED. FOR THE RECENT FAILURE, THE SAME DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE HEAD ON THE OTHER SIDE NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL TICKING NOISE PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ROCKER ARM, CAMSHAFTS, AND HYDRAULIC LIFTER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 142,000.