The front airbags malfunctioned and deployed while parking the vehicle. The driver was injured with burn marks and bruised on legs due to the lower area airbag deploying rapidly. The van was towed to the nearest Dodge dealership for further inspection. The incident was documented with police and a case number was provided. The incident was also documented with manufacturer(Dodge) and have a…
2018 Dodge Grand Caravan airbags problems
critical 12 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Complaints
12
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
1crash
1injury
1fatality
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners report four distinct airbag problems. First, spontaneous airbag deployment without impact: drivers have experienced front and rear airbags firing during slow parking maneuvers, while coasting in a lot, even crossing railroad tracks at 6 mph. No warning light precedes these events. The force of deployment has damaged vehicles and caused burn marks and bruising on occupants. Second, an intermittent airbag warning light that comes and goes regardless of driving or impact, sometimes accompanied by a chime. Multiple dealership visits—including replacements of the driver-side airbag and wiring harness—have not resolved the issue. Third, active head restraints deploying unexpectedly during normal driving, causing loud noise and neck/shoulder injury; dealers report inability to reset these and quote significant replacement costs. Fourth, one fatal collision report indicates front airbags failed to deploy during a small-overlap accident. Across these cases, dealers and the manufacturer have been notified, and police reports filed in several incidents. No recalls or technical service bulletins are mentioned by owners.
Same Dodge Grand Caravan airbags reports on nearby years: 2015 · 2016 · 2017
Failure modes owners describe
Spontaneous/Unintended Airbag Deployment (Front & Rear)
Driver and passenger front airbags, side-impact airbags, and rear seat airbags deploy without collision or impact. Incidents occur during low-speed maneuvers (crossing railroad tracks at 6 mph, reversing/coasting in parking lot, parking) and stationary conditions. No warning lights precede deployment in most cases. Owners sustain injuries including burn marks and bruising from rapid inflation.
When: At 50,000 miles, 113,626 miles, and during low-speed parking/coasting maneuvers; one case at 5,700 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Airbags deploy without collision or impact event; No warning light illuminated prior to deployment; Driver and passenger front airbags deploy simultaneously; Rear seat airbags also deploy; Occupant injury: burn marks, bruising, neck pain; Vehicle damage: sliding door damage from airbag force
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs completed. One quote cited: $1,093 parts plus labor for active head restraints replacement.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified in at least two cases; cases documented as pending inspection by Dodge. Police reports filed in multiple incidents.
Intermittent Airbag Warning Light
Airbag indicator light illuminates and extinguishes intermittently on dashboard, independent of vehicle motion or impact. Light remains on when doors are open or during driving. May be accompanied by dashboard chime. Occurs regardless of whether van is stationary or moving.
When: At 37,690 miles and earlier in service life; one case at 5,700 miles with active head restraints deployment flagged
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light blinks on and off; Light remains illuminated when doors open; Light remains illuminated while driving; Dashboard chime sounds intermittently; No actual airbag deployment
Repairs/costs cited: Driver-side airbag replaced twice at two different dealerships; driver-side wiring harness replaced once. Seatbelt replaced at one dealership (separate issue). Multiple dealership visits unsuccessful in resolving light.
Active Head Restraint (AHR) Unintended Deployment
Active head restraints in front seats deploy without rear-end collision or impact trigger. Headrest airbags activate unexpectedly, causing loud noise and occupant injury. One case describes headrest 'exploding' during normal driving. Owners report dealer inability to reset or repair; replacement required at high cost.
When: At 5,700 miles (flagged with airbag light); during normal driving in another case
Symptoms owners cite: Front headrests activate/deploy without collision; Loud explosive noise from headrest; Occupant injury: neck pain, nausea, dizziness; Headrest mechanism inoperable after deployment; Dashboard airbag warning light illuminates
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer unable to reset deployed headrests; full headrest replacement required at significant cost to owner. Parts cost quote: $1,093 plus labor.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: One case documented with manufacturer (Dodge) and pending inspection.
Front Airbag Deployment Failure (No-Deploy in Collision)
Front airbags fail to deploy during a reported small-overlap vehicle accident. Driver was unrestrained. Resulted in driver fatality. This represents a critical safety failure—airbags did not function when impact demands warranted deployment.
When: Small-overlap collision event; mileage not provided
Symptoms owners cite: Front airbags do not deploy during impact; Vehicle involved in small-overlap accident; Occupant unrestrained and fatality resulted
Synthesized from 12 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
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Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan?
It's a serious issue. 12 complaints have been filed, including 1 reports involving a crash and 1 fatality(ies). We've classified it as critical based on NHTSA's reported outcomes.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Based on the 12 complaints filed, airbags issues most often appear around 49,715 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
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.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags 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/2018/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.