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severe Owners of the 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan have filed 26 NHTSA complaints about the airbags, typically surfacing around 69,000 miles at roughly $1,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See airbags across all vehicles →
| Model year | airbags complaints |
|---|---|
| 2009 Grand Caravan | 15 |
| 2010 Grand Caravan | 18 |
| 2011 Grand Caravan | 12 |
| 2012 Grand Caravan | 11 |
| 2013 Grand Caravan (this page) | 26 |
| 2014 Grand Caravan | 36 |
| 2015 Grand Caravan | 21 |
| 2016 Grand Caravan | 19 |
| 2017 Grand Caravan | 15 |
Of the 26 airbags complaints filed for the 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 50,000-75,000 mi.
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
Among the 11 model years of Dodge Grand Caravan in our records for airbags problems, this one ranks #2 by owner-complaint volume.
No new NHTSA airbags complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 3 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
An air bag that does not deploy, or deploys improperly, may increase the risk of injury.
Active headrests in 2013 Grand Caravans fire forward without warning or collision, sometimes while parked or sitting at traffic lights. Owners describe plastic brackets inside the headrest breaking under constant spring pressure, causing forceful strikes to the head and neck. Replacement costs run $500–$900, with some parts on extended back-order. Chrysler extended the warranty to 10 years for this defect, but coverage windows have expired for older cases.
Front airbags fail to deploy during documented crashes at speeds ranging from 10 to 45 mph. Owners have sustained fractures, concussions, back injuries, and whiplash in impacts that should have triggered deployment. In one severe case, a vehicle launched 20 feet in the air and flipped upside down—airbags never fired. In another, a semi-truck rear-impact caused seven vehicle spins and continuous concrete barrier strikes; airbags deployed but deflated immediately. Manufacturer investigations concluded deceleration rates were insufficient to trigger deployment, despite the violence of impacts.
Curtain and squib airbags deploy spontaneously without collision in at least one modified BraunAbility van. Passenger-side airbags fire while the vehicle is in normal operation, creating risk to small-framed occupants.
Airbag warning lights illuminate intermittently or stay on continuously with no clear fault, and occupancy-detection errors trigger the light when seats are empty. Confusion exists over whether vehicles have outstanding airbag recalls; some owners report recalls flagged by diagnostic tools but Chrysler denies recalls in their files.
Same Dodge Grand Caravan airbags reports on nearby years: 2011 · 2012 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016
Front or passenger seat active headrests deploy suddenly without a collision event. Owners report the plastic bracket holding the spring-loaded mechanism fails due to constant pressure from the internal springs, causing the headrest to fire forward and strike occupants. One lawsuit alleges the plastic component is cheap and cracks prematurely under 75 pounds of constant spring pressure.
When: Occurs with no warning; mileage varies. One case at 500+ miles after a long drive; others while parked in driveways or sitting at traffic lights.
Symptoms owners cite: Headrest deploys suddenly without collision; Forceful forward strike to head and neck; No warning lights or messages before failure; Plastic bracket fractures and breaks down
Repairs/costs cited: $500–$900 for headrest replacement; some owners report parts on back order for extended periods.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: FCA issued a special coverage warranty extension to 10 years for active headrest defects. Some repairs covered under this program; coverage window has expired for older cases, leaving owners responsible for diagnostics and repairs.
Front airbags fail to deploy during frontal impact crashes despite sufficient severity. Owners sustain injuries including fractures, concussions, back injuries, and hip injuries that likely would have been mitigated by proper airbag deployment. In one case, a semi-truck rear-impact collision caused seven vehicle spins and continuous concrete barrier strikes; airbags deployed but immediately deflated. In another, a tire blowout caused a vehicle to launch and overturn; airbags did not deploy.
When: Occurs during impact events at various speeds (10 mph to 45 mph). Mileage at failure ranges from 2,000 to 190,000 miles.
Symptoms owners cite: No airbag deployment during frontal impact; Airbags deploy but immediately deflate; Occupant injury (fractures, concussions, back injuries, whiplash); Vehicle totaled in incidents
Codes mentioned: NHTSA Campaign 13V291000 (Air Bags), NHTSA Campaign 13V283000 (Electrical System, Air Bags)
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicles were totaled. Manufacturer inspection found no problem in at least one case, despite documented collision. One dealership stated airbags would have deployed at greater speeds, contradicting the severity of actual impacts.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer conducted investigation and concluded rate of deceleration was insufficient to trigger airbags, offering no further assistance. Recalls issued under campaign numbers 13V291000 and 13V283000 related to electrical system and airbag defects.
Curtain and squib airbags fire without any collision event. In one case, a modified BraunAbility van with lowered suspension had passenger-side curtain and thorax airbags deploy while the vehicle was being used normally. Dealership identified a tiny hole in the frame (from previous curb scrape damage) that allegedly exposed the sensor, but the timing and causation remain unclear and disputed. No collision occurred at the time of deployment.
When: Occurred while picking up a passenger; BraunAbility-modified vehicle with prior frame damage from curb scrape.
Symptoms owners cite: Curtain and squib airbags deploy without collision; No warning lights or messages prior to failure; Potential risk to small-framed or disabled passengers
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership identified exposed sensor from prior frame damage; recommended insurance claim but owner declined to avoid putting others at risk.
In multi-occupant impacts, airbags deploy selectively rather than across all seats. Driver-side airbags fail to deploy during a driver-side impact while passenger-side airbags deploy; one rear-end collision resulted in side-impact scenario where no airbags deployed despite occupant injury.
When: Occurs during specific impact angles and speeds (20–35 mph).
Symptoms owners cite: Only some airbags deploy during impact; Driver-side airbags fail to deploy during driver-side impact; Side-impact airbags do not deploy during side impact; Occupant injury (bruising, knee pain, whiplash)
Codes mentioned: NHTSA Campaign 13V283000 (Electrical System, Air Bags)
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicles totaled. No diagnostics performed in at least one case.
Airbag warning light illuminates intermittently, stays on continuously, or blinks during driving without known airbag fault. Light triggers randomly or correlates with vehicle occupancy detection errors (illuminates when passenger seat is empty). In some cases, the light remains on despite no documented airbag defect. No clear pattern of causation provided in narratives.
When: Occurs randomly while driving or at stops. One case correlates with direct sunlight. Another case mentions light linked to weight-sensing occupancy detection.
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light on continuously or intermittently; Light blinks at certain speeds; Light correlates with empty passenger seat; Light goes on and off randomly
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers notified and service scheduled; no repair details provided in narratives. One case mentions confusion over whether a recall is listed for the vehicle.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: One owner reports Blue Driver diagnostic tool identified airbag recall, but Chrysler/Dodge help desk denies recall in file and charges for diagnostics despite recall claim.
Synthesized from 26 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 30 MPH, another vehicle crashed into the rear driver’s side moving the vehicle approximately 5ft. The air bags failed to deploy. As a result, the contact and his son sustained soreness in the neck. Medical attention was required. A police report was filed. The vehicle was damaged and towed to a tow…
On 12/10/22 the passenger side curtain and squib airbags deployed with no collision of any kind. I was picking up my disabled partner, who is under 5' and under 90 lb. I believe she would have been at significant risk of harm were she already in the van. On 12/12/22, I took the van to where we purchased it. The van is BraunAbility modified with an accessible ramp, the back seats removed, and it…
It's a meaningful issue. 26 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
Across the 18 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most airbags failures cluster between 37,783 and 98,000 miles, with the median around 69,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 37,783; a quarter make it past 98,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Yes — 1 active recall(s) cover airbags issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.