Warranty Bulletin D-22-17 - 2017 - 2023 (Current) Chrysler Pacifica (RU) and 2013 - 2016 Chrysler Town & Country/ 2013 - 2020 Dodge Caravan (RT) - Corrosion - Complete Hood Panel Warranty Claim Simplification (Rev. B)
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2013 Dodge Grand Caravan body problems
severe 17 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,500 · see body across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
17
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,500
1crash
2injuries
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering body on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
FCA Caribbean Warranty Bulletin ID-22-23 - 2017 - 2023 (Current) Chrysler Pacifica (RU) and 2013 - 2016 Chrysler Town & Country/ 2013 - 2020 Dodge Caravan (RT) - Corrosion - Complete Hood Panel Warranty Claim Simplification (Rev. B)
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Warranty Bulletin D-22-17 - 2017-2023 (Current) Chrysler Pacifica (RU) and 2013-2016 Chrysler Town & Country/ 2013-2020 Dodge Caravan (RT) - Corrosion Complete Hood Panel Warranty Claim Simplification (Rev. A)
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗FCA Caribbean Warranty Bulletin ID-22-23 - 2017-2023 (Current) Chrysler Pacifica (RU) and 2013-2016 Chrysler Town & Country/ 2013-2020 Dodge Caravan (RT) - Corrosion Complete Hood Panel Warranty Claim Simplification (Rev. A)
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Aluminum Body Panel Corrosion Repair Aluminum corrosion or bubbling along the leading edge of hood, hinges or other exterior surface areas of the hinges, doors, fenders, swing gates or liftgates. NOTE: **Verify current warranty policy to determine if digital imaging pre authorization is required or Pre Approval is required from Regional Office depending on market.** This bulletin involves inspecting and if necessary removing corrosion and refinishing the suspect aluminum panels on the vehicle, hood, door, fenders, hinges, swing gates or liftgate panels.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The dominant complaint across 13 of 17 narratives is a sliding door that gets stuck closed and locked, unable to open by key fob, interior buttons, exterior handle, or manual force. Owners report the latch mechanism or lock seizes without warning—sometimes at 200 miles, sometimes at 200,000 miles. Several describe a loud buzzing from the door, and one owner noted automatic locking kicking in around 25 mph. With children as regular passengers, owners cite emergency egress as a real concern if a crash or fire occurs with a trapped occupant.
A separate but equally serious defect involves the automatic door closing unexpectedly on people leaning into the vehicle, causing bruising and a closed head injury in two reported incidents. One owner's door opened and closed independently while parked, then eventually froze shut.
Another reports the door immediately closing again right after being fully opened, with only adult force stopping it—a pinch hazard for children. One owner also flagged subframe rust at 60,000 miles requiring replacement, and a roof spoiler fell off during driving. No manufacturer response or recall activity is documented in any narrative.
Same Dodge Grand Caravan body reports on nearby years: 2011 · 2012 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016
Failure modes owners describe
Sliding door stuck closed and locked
Driver or passenger side sliding door freezes in locked position and cannot be opened or unlocked by any method (key fob, door buttons, manual handle, center console switch, side pillar switch). Door latch mechanism or lock appears to seize.
When: Occurs at various mileages from 200 miles to 200,000 miles; many times the failure appears suddenly without warning while vehicle is parked.
Symptoms owners cite: Door will not open using key fob; Door will not open using interior door handle; Door will not open using exterior door handle; Door will not unlock using overhead/center console button; Door will not unlock using driver's door control buttons; Manual lock slide in handle does not move; Loud buzzing sound from door mechanism; Door automatically locks at around 25 mph; No physical damage visible to door
Repairs/costs cited: Multiple owners report this is an expensive repair; one dealer was unable to replicate the problem during diagnosis
Sliding door fails to retract after being closed
Automatic sliding door fails to retract properly when closed and strikes a person leaning through the doorway, resulting in injury.
When: At 70,000 miles and at 2,000 miles (rental vehicle)
Symptoms owners cite: Door failed to retract after being closed; Door struck person leaning into vehicle; Erroneous closure without warning
Repairs/costs cited: One incident resulted in bruising requiring no medical attention; another incident resulted in closed head injury requiring medical care and CAT scan. Neither vehicle was diagnosed or repaired.
Sliding door opens or closes without command
Door opens or closes independently without driver action, or closes immediately after being fully opened despite control inputs. Creates entrapment and pinch hazard.
When: At 80,000 miles and during normal operation; one door eventually failed to open electronically or manually after intermittent independent opening
Symptoms owners cite: Driver's side sliding door opens independently while stationary; Door immediately begins to close after reaching fully open position; Pressing door opening switch does not stop door from closing; Only adult force prevents door from fully closing; Eventually door fails to open electronically or manually after initial failures
Subframe rust
Subframe exhibits significant rust corrosion at 60,000 miles requiring welding and replacement.
When: At 60,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Visible rust on subframe
Repairs/costs cited: Independent mechanic diagnosed that subframe needed to be welded and replaced; vehicle was not repaired
Roof spoiler detachment
Roof spoiler piece becomes detached and falls off during driving.
When: While driving rental vehicle
Symptoms owners cite: Spoiler piece flew off vehicle while in motion
Synthesized from 17 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 0 most recent
Had body trouble with your 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the body problem on the 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan?
It's a meaningful issue. 17 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,500.
At what mileage does the body typically fail?
Across the 14 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most body failures cluster between 60,000 and 130,000 miles, with the median around 87,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 60,000; a quarter make it past 130,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,500 for body 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.
Are there any recalls related to body?
No active recalls currently cover body issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2013/Dodge/Grand Caravan.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.