The 1993 Dodge Caravan has 5 recalls, the most serious involving airbags that can deploy without warning when the ignition is turned on, as well as a steering wheel that can physically separate from the steering column, leaving the driver with no directional control.
On the airbag side, a wiring short to ground can trigger the driver and/or passenger airbag to fire unexpectedly the moment the key is turned, striking front seat occupants without any crash occurring. The steering concern affects vans equipped with either 2-spoke luxury wheels or 4-spoke sport wheels from certain production periods: the steel armature inside the steering wheel can crack at the point where it attaches to the steering column, causing the wheel to break free entirely. A driver gripping a detached steering wheel has no ability to steer the vehicle.
There is also a wheel retention issue on vans with 15-inch wheels, where the lug nut seating surface is shaped incorrectly. This prevents the lug nuts from making full, centered contact with the wheel during installation, and the wheel can work loose and separate from the vehicle while driving.
The remaining two recalls both address the rear liftgate latch, covering models with and without a remote release. In a collision, the latch can pop open, and an open liftgate in a crash removes the barrier keeping rear occupants inside the vehicle. Whether or not the van has a remote release, the fix is the same: replacement of the liftgate latch assembly.
