Dodge Caravan Locks & Hardware
The Dodge Caravan and Grand Caravan are reliable partners for carting the family and their gear. For the security of your passengers and your property, you want to know that you can trust the door locks on your minivan. If you need to replace Dodge Caravan locks and hardware, OEM and aftermarket options can be found.
When should you replace locks on your Dodge minivan?You usually know when these parts need to be replaced because they stop responding to the key fob. They may not unlatch at all, or they may respond very slowly when you hold down the button on the fob. Of course, you want to confirm that the problem isn’t just the battery in the fob before you begin replacing other parts.
It’s also possible for the mechanisms on a Grand Caravan to become physically damaged. For example, you may close the door on an object, or a child may jam something into a keyhole that can’t be removed. Anytime you think something may be wrong with the door locks on your Dodge Grand Caravan, check the mechanisms carefully.
What parts of Dodge Caravan locks can be replaced?There are three major categories of locking hardware that can be replaced on the Dodge Caravan and Dodge Grand Caravan: cylinders, actuators, and latches.
Cylinders: These are the traditional parts in the handles of the doors and lift gates that the key is manually inserted into. They can be damaged by accidents, tampering, or excessive wear. If the handles are still in good shape, you can just replace the locks on any of the doors. They can be found in chrome or black to coordinate with the trim of your minivan.
Actuators: The actuators are the internal parts that latch and unlatch in response to the electronic signals from the fob. Your Dodge Caravan or Dodge Grand Caravan likely requires different styles of actuators for the front and sliding door locks. If it has a power lift gate, that will require yet another type. The actuators for the driver and passenger sides are different from each other, too, but many replacements are designed to be convertible for either side.
Latches: Latches on lift gates seem particularly susceptible to damage. It’s easy to accidentally whack the latch when you’re loading or unloading cargo. Once it’s bent or damaged, you risk the gate springing open unexpectedly while you’re driving. Replacement lift gate latches are available for most models of the Caravan and Grand Caravan.