1996 Dodge MINI RAM VAN: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
5 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
37,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1996 model year. Data updated: . 1 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 5 complaints (20.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 1 | 20.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 1 |
| Steering | 1 |
| Structure:Body:Door | 1 |
| Tires:Sidewall | 1 |
| Tires:Tread/Belt | 1 |
| Vehicle Speed Control:Cruise Control | 1 |
| Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer | 1 |
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 1; Steering: 1; Structure:Body:Door: 1; Tires:Sidewall: 1; Tires:Tread/Belt: 1; Vehicle Speed Control:Cruise Control: 1; Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 4 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 1 |
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2016 | 1 |
1996: 1; 2001: 1; 2003: 1; 2005: 1; 2016: 1
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10004664 · 2003-01-27 (January 27, 2003)
DURING SUMMER CRUISE CONTROL SHUT OFF BETWEEN 18 AND 25 MILES. *AK CRUISE CONTROL WAS OPERATIVE WHEN OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES ARE COOL. DEALER CANNOT FIND PROBLEM. *TT
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10004664 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10111912 · 2005-02-21 (February 21, 2005)
I HAVE HAD TO EITHER REPLACE OR REPAIR TWO OF MY HANKOOK MILAGE PLUS TIRES SINCE I PURCHASED THEM SIX MONTHS AGO. THE LATEST INCIDENT OCCURING ON 2/21/05. I HAVE BOTH TIRES THE ONE THAT WAS REPLACED AND THE I HAD TO HAVE REPAIRED.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10111912 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10916786 · 2016-10-18 (October 18, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 DODGE MINI RAM VAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING SHAFT FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO VEER TO THE SIDES. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AND INFORMED THAT THE STEERING SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, HOWEVER THE PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE PART WAS DISCONTINUED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000...UPDATED 11/17/16 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED HE REPAIRED THE STEERING HIMSELF BY REMOVING THE STEERING SHAFT AND REP…
Owner-reported narrative. 37,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10916786 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 502832 · 1996-03-22 (March 22, 1996)
WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON UPON STARTING VEHICLE. *SD
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 502832 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 894799 · 2001-08-21 (August 21, 2001)
ENGINE FAILURE, ENGINE WAS REPLACED FOR FOUR TIMES BY DEALER. REASON FOR FAILURE WAS UNKNOWN. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 894799 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.
Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
5 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
| Component | 1985 | 1988 | 1989 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1999 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 1100.0% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 150.0%ODI 487731BATTERY EXPLODED INTO PIECES, UPON ATTEMPTING TO START VEHICLE. *SD | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages:Hatchback/Liftgate:Lock | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 1100.0% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 1100.0%ODI 484904REAR LATCH RECALL REPAIRS REFUSED DUE TO PART UNAVAILABILITY. (OTHER VEHICLE ON 479690) *SKD | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Tires:Tread/Belt | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 120.0%ODI 10111912I HAVE HAD TO EITHER REPLACE OR REPAIR TWO OF MY HANKOOK MILAGE PLUS TIRES SINCE I PURCHASED THEM SIX MONTHS AGO. THE LATEST INCIDENT OCCURING ON 2/21/05. I HAVE BOTH TIRES THE ONE THAT WAS REPLACED AND THE I HAD TO HAVE REPAIRED. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Electrical System:Horn | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 1100.0%ODI 8023072CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND NO WARNING THE HORN WILL OPERATE INTERMITTENTLY DURING WINTER WEATHER. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS |
| Electrical System:Wiring | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 150.0%ODI 480907CONTINUOUS ELECTRICAL WIRING PROBLEMS, RESULTED IN FIRE. *SKD | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 1100.0% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 120.0%ODI 894799ENGINE FAILURE, ENGINE WAS REPLACED FOR FOUR TIMES BY DEALER. REASON FOR FAILURE WAS UNKNOWN. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER.*AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
| Component | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | Too few reports for a range | 37,000 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 10916786 · 37,000 miTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 DODGE MINI RAM VAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING SHAFT FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO VEER TO THE SIDES. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AND INFORMED THAT THE STEERING SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, HOWEVER THE PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE PART WAS DISCONTINUED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000...UPDATED 11/17/16 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED HE REPAIRED THE STEERING HIMSELF BY REMOVING THE STEERING SHAFT AND REP… |
Complaint and recall timeline
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-10 (partial) | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
1997: 0 complaints · 1999: 0 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
| Component | Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | Steering | Structure:Body:Door | Tires:Sidewall | Tires:Tread/Belt | Vehicle Speed Control:Cruise Control | Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure:Body:Door | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Tires:Sidewall | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1ODI 10111912I HAVE HAD TO EITHER REPLACE OR REPAIR TWO OF MY HANKOOK MILAGE PLUS TIRES SINCE I PURCHASED THEM SIX MONTHS AGO. THE LATEST INCIDENT OCCURING ON 2/21/05. I HAVE BOTH TIRES THE ONE THAT WAS REPLACED AND THE I HAD TO HAVE REPAIRED. | 0 | 0 |
| Tires:Tread/Belt | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1ODI 10111912I HAVE HAD TO EITHER REPLACE OR REPAIR TWO OF MY HANKOOK MILAGE PLUS TIRES SINCE I PURCHASED THEM SIX MONTHS AGO. THE LATEST INCIDENT OCCURING ON 2/21/05. I HAVE BOTH TIRES THE ONE THAT WAS REPLACED AND THE I HAD TO HAVE REPAIRED. | — | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control:Cruise Control | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 |
| Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
0 patterns with matching reports.
No narratives match the published patterns.