1993 Dodge Caravan Problems and Recalls (941 Complaints)
The most-reported problem on the 1993 Dodge Caravan is Brakes (33% of 941 owner reports). There are 10 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Brakes — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 941 complaints · 10 recalls
What problems show up on the 1993 Dodge Caravan?
307 of 941 filings named Brakes (33% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.
Second is Seat belts (106 reports).
There are 10 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Steering, Wheels, Brakes, Seat belts, Glass / wipers / cameras, and Body / frame. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.
The 1992 has 907 reports on file; this year has 941. Older years collect more reports just by being on the road longer. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.
What owners reported
System named most often: Brakes 307 complaints · 32.6% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
- Crashes 67
- Fires 7
- Injuries 83
- Deaths 1
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Which systems owners named
Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.
“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.
View component data as a table
| System / Component | Complaints | Share of Reports | Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) | 307 | 32.6% | 8 crashes · 0 fires |
| Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) | 106 | 11.3% | 2 crashes · 0 fires |
| Body / frame (STRUCTURE) | 74 | 7.9% | 5 crashes · 0 fires |
| Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) | 73 | 7.8% | 1 crashes · 0 fires |
| Steering (STEERING) | 68 | 7.2% | 1 crashes · 0 fires |
| Engine (ENGINE) | 65 | 6.9% | 0 crashes · 1 fires |
| Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) | 42 | 4.5% | 1 crashes · 0 fires |
| Airbags (AIR BAGS) | 31 | 3.3% | 25 crashes · 0 fires |
| Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) | 29 | 3.1% | 1 crashes · 4 fires |
| Unclassified NHTSA leftover | 846 | 89.9% | 61 crashes · 5 fires |
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
When reports and recalls showed up
When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.
- Campaign 95I001001 was reported 81 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 95I001005 was reported 81 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 96V099000 was reported 521 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 97V148000 was reported 908 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 97V149000 was reported 908 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 99V189000 was reported 1,514 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 99V213000 was reported 1,641 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 00V305000 was reported 1,947 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
| Date | Record type | Count | Record identifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995-Q1 | Owner reports | 40 | |
| 1995-Q2 | Owner reports | 79 | |
| 1995-Q3 | Owner reports | 74 | |
| 1995-Q4 | Owner reports | 66 | |
| 1996-Q1 | Owner reports | 50 | |
| 1996-Q2 | Owner reports | 39 | |
| 1996-Q3 | Owner reports | 37 | |
| 1996-Q4 | Owner reports | 22 | |
| 1997-Q1 | Owner reports | 16 | |
| 1997-Q2 | Owner reports | 45 | |
| 1997-Q3 | Owner reports | 25 | |
| 1997-Q4 | Owner reports | 22 | |
| 1998-Q1 | Owner reports | 14 | |
| 1998-Q2 | Owner reports | 14 | |
| 1998-Q3 | Owner reports | 18 | |
| 1998-Q4 | Owner reports | 17 | |
| 1999-Q1 | Owner reports | 16 | |
| 1999-Q2 | Owner reports | 13 | |
| 1999-Q3 | Owner reports | 27 | |
| 1999-Q4 | Owner reports | 20 | |
| 2000-Q1 | Owner reports | 24 | |
| 2000-Q2 | Owner reports | 18 | |
| 2000-Q3 | Owner reports | 36 | |
| 2000-Q4 | Owner reports | 23 | |
| 2001-Q1 | Owner reports | 36 | |
| 2001-Q2 | Owner reports | 15 | |
| 2001-Q3 | Owner reports | 19 | |
| 2001-Q4 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2002-Q1 | Owner reports | 16 | |
| 2002-Q2 | Owner reports | 8 | |
| 2002-Q3 | Owner reports | 9 | |
| 2002-Q4 | Owner reports | 8 | |
| 2003-Q1 | Owner reports | 12 | |
| 2003-Q2 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2003-Q3 | Owner reports | 9 | |
| 2003-Q4 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2004-Q1 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2004-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2004-Q4 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2005-Q1 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2005-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2005-Q3 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2006-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2006-Q4 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2007-Q1 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2007-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2008-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2009-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2010-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2010-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2011-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2012-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2013-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2014-Q3 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2015-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2016-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2017-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 93V098000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 95I001001 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 95I001005 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 96V099000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 97V148000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 97V149000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 99V113000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 99V189000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 99V213000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 00V305000 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | EA94005 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | PE94024 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | EA94028 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | PE96008 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | PE96035 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | EA96027 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | DP97001 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | PE97013 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | EA97005 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | EA97020 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | RQ99004 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | RQ00011 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | DP03002 |
Safety Recalls (10)
Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.
In short, these campaigns were filed about Steering, Wheels, Brakes, Seat belts, Glass / wipers / cameras, and Body / frame.
-
Recall campaign 00V305000
Steering
- Report date
- Component:
- Steering (STEERING)
- Consequence:
- IF THE STEERING WHEEL SEPARATES FROM THE CENTER HUB ATTACHMENT TO THE STEERING COLUMN, LOSS OF CONTROL CAN OCCUR INCREASING THE RISK OF AN ACCIDENT.
- Remedy:
- DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE STEERING WHEEL FOR CRACKS AND ANY WHEELS WITH CRACKS WILL BE REPLACED. ALL OTHER VEHICLES WILL HAVE A REINFORCEMENT PLATE INSTALLED TO PREVENT STEERING WHEEL SEPARATION IN THE EVENT CRACKING OCCURS.
-
Recall campaign 93V098000
Wheels
- Report date
- Component:
- Wheels (WHEELS)
- Consequence:
- POOR NUT-TO-WHEEL CONTACT DURING INSTALLATION CAN LEAD TOPOSSIBLE LOSS OF A WHEEL, RESULTING IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT.
- Remedy:
- THE ROAD AND SPARE WHEELS WITH THE MALFORMED LUG NUT SEAT CONFIGURATION WILL BE REPLACED.
-
Recall campaign 95I001001
Safety recall 95I001001
- Report date
- Component:
- Unclassified NHTSA leftover
- Consequence:
- IF THE LIFTGATE LATCH OPENS, OCCUPANTS CAN BE EJECTED RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED RISK OF INJURY OR DEATH.
- Remedy:
- CHRYSLER DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LIFTGATE LATCH WITH A NEW STRONGER LATCH ASSEMBLY WITHOUT CHARGE. CHRYSLER BEGAN NOTIFYING OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 1995.
-
Recall campaign 95I001005
Safety recall 95I001005
- Report date
- Component:
- Unclassified NHTSA leftover
- Consequence:
- IF THE LIFTGATE LATCH OPENS, OCCUPANTS CAN BE EJECTED RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED RISK OF INJURY OR DEATH.
- Remedy:
- CHRYSLER WILL REPLACE THE LIFTGATE LATCH WITH A NEW STRONGER LATCH ASSEMBLY WITHOUT CHARGE. CHRYSLER BEGAN NOTIFYING OWNERS DURING DECEMBER 1995.
-
Recall campaign 96V099000
Brakes
- Report date
- Component:
- Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
- Consequence:
- IF THIS CONDITION OCCURS, THE ABS FUNCTION COULD BE LOST AND REDUCED POWER ASSIST WOULD BE EXPERIENCED DURING VEHICLE BRAKING INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
- Remedy:
- DEALERS WILL TEST THE VEHICLE'S ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM AND REPAIR THE VEHICLES IF NECESSARY. ALSO THE WARRANTY ON ALL ABS COMPONENTS WILL BE EXTENDED TO 10 YEARS OR 100,000 MILES (EXCEPT FOR THE BRAKE ACTUATOR PISTON ASSEMBLY AND THE PUMP-MOTOR ASSEMBLY WHICH WILL HAVE A LIFETIME COVERAGE). OWNERS WILL ALSO BE REIMBURSED FOR PREVIOUS ABS COMPONENT REPAIR COSTS.
-
Recall campaign 97V148000
Seat belts
- Report date
- Component:
- Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
- Consequence:
- IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
- Remedy:
- DEALERS WILL INSTALL A COVER RETAINING CLIP TO THE STALK MOUNTED BUCKLE COVER TO PREVENT DISLOCATION OF THE BUCKLE COVER.
-
Recall campaign 97V149000
Seat belts
- Report date
- Component:
- Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
- Consequence:
- IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
- Remedy:
- DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ANCHOR HOOK RETAINING CLIP WITH A REVISED PROFILE CLIP AND A COVER PLATE.
-
Recall campaign 99V113000
Safety recall 99V113000
- Report date
- Component:
- Not available in the source record
- Consequence:
- INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT CAN INJURE A FRONT SEAT OCCUPANT.
- Remedy:
- DEALERS WILL PERFORM AN ELECTRONIC DIAGNOSTIC CHECK. ANY SHORT CIRCUITS IDENTIFIED IN EITHER THE DRIVER'S OR PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG INITIATOR WIRE CIRCUIT WILL BE REPAIRED.
-
Recall campaign 99V189000
Glass / wipers / cameras
- Report date
- Component:
- Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY)
- Consequence:
- THIS COULD ALLOW THE DRIVE ARM TO DISENGAGE FROM THE SHAFT LEADING TO A LOSS OF WIPER FUNCTION. THE DRIVER'S VISIBILITY WOULD BE IMPAIRED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
- Remedy:
- DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LEFT HAND SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER PIVOT ASSEMBLY.
-
Recall campaign 99V213000
Body / frame
- Report date
- Component:
- Body / frame (STRUCTURE)
- Consequence:
- PERSONAL INJURY COULD OCCUR IF THE BOLTS BREAK ALLOWING THE LIFTGATE TO FALL SUDDENLY.
- Remedy:
- DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR LOOSE FASTENERS, IF THE FASTENERS ARE LOOSE, THE STRUT (AND INTEGRAL BOLTS) WILL BE REPLACED. IF THE BOLT SHOWS EVIDENCE OF TORQUE, THE BOLT WILL BE REMOVED, LARGER WASHERS WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING WASHER AND THE BOLT WILL BE REINSTALLED AND HAND TIGHTENED TO THE TARGET TORQUED.
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
What owners actually wrote
Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Showing 10 of 941 complaints · page 1 of 38
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TIE RODS WENT IN THE FRONT. BRAKE PADS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC I LOST THE BRAKES. PULLED OVER AND CALLED TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED IN. MECHANIC SAID THE MASTER CYLINDER NEEDED REPLACEMENT BUT BECAUSE ABS BRAKES, A NEW CYLINDER CANNOT BE FOUND. DODGE STOPPED MAKING THEM BECAUSE THEY WERE FAULTY.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR WHEN IT WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO CHECKED THE DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES. THE CODES WERE CLEARED AND THE DEALER PERFORMED A MODULATOR CIRCUIT TEST AND ADDITIONAL TESTING. IF THE RESISTANCE WAS BELOW 5 OHMS, THE CAB ABS MODULE, DUAL PRESSURE SWITCH, AND THE ACCUMULATOR MAY NEED TO BE RECHECKED OR THE PARTS MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF THE MANUFACTURER WOULD BE ABLE TO SUPPLY THE PARTS TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WOULD NOT RELEASE THE VEHICLE UNTIL IT GOT REPAIRED DUE TO THE FAILURES WITH THE BRAKE SYSTEM. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD BE REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 96V099000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) AND NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: EA94028 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 240,000.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I JUST FOUND OUT, THAT A RECALL THAT WAS SUPPOSE TO BE REPLACED YEARS AGO, AS NOT REPLACED, JUST LOOKED AT. THE ABS ON THIS VAN IS KNOWN TO BE DEFECTIVE, AND HAS A LIFETIME WARRANTY ON THE VAN. I CONTACTED DODGE, AND THEY REFUSE TO FIX IT, AND TELL ME THEY CANT DIAGNOIS IT BECAUSE THEY DONT HAVE A TOOL. WITH IS BS. THEY OFFER TO BUY THE VAN AT BELOW MARKET VALUE, LIKE 1/3 OF WHAT ITS WORTH. THIS IS A LOW MILEAGE, SPECIAL EQUIPMENT HANDI CAP VAN, WORTH ATLEAST 6K... THEY OFFER 1951. I IM MOSTLY UPSET BECAUSE UPON THE ORIGINAL RECALL, IT WAS NOT REPLACED, AND WAS LEFT ALONE WITH THE ORIGINAL DEFECTED PART. I THINK THAT IS FRAUD, AND AGAINST WHAT A RECALL IS ABOUT. PLESE CHECK INTO THIS, OR ADVISE WHAT CAN BE DONE.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD TO BE DEPRESSED FIRMLY IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND THE ABS WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE ABS PUMP FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEED, THE BRAKES FAILED MAKING IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 169,000. UPDATED 10/23/2014*LJ UPDATED 05/21/2015 *JS
CrashFireInjuryDeath
WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE, AT RANDOM TIMES THE ABS SYSTEM WARNING LIGHTS TURN ON AND THEN I HAVE NO BRAKES. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO SEVERAL REPAIR SHOPS, SEEN VARIOUS MECHANICS AND DEALERSHIPS AND IT CONTINUES TO BE A SERIOUS PROBLEM. NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO SOLVE OR FIX THE PROBLEM. AS A SENIOR CITIZEN, I AM NOT IN A POSITION TO PURCHASE A NEWER VEHICLE, THUS I CONTINUE TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE. I AM AFRAID THAT I MAY NOT BE AS FORTUNATE WHEN THE BRAKES GO OUT AGAIN. *TR
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 40 MPH WHEN THE ABS AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND UNTIL THE PEDAL REACHED THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE BRAKES WORKED NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE HE FOUND THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN: 96V099000 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE RECALL REPAIR HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY DONE ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE NOT NOT BE INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 145,000.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED WHEN APPLIED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE IT WAS STATED THAT THE BRAKE ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THE PAINT JOB IS DEFECTIVE. THE PAINT HAS PEELED AND THE VAN IS RUSTING. *TR
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED UNTIL COMPLETELY FAILING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER REPAIRED THE FAILURE PREVIOUSLY BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 40,000.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems on the 1993 Dodge Caravan?
Owners named Brakes most often — 307 of 941 reports (33%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.
Are there recalls for the 1993 Dodge Caravan?
NHTSA lists 10 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Steering, Wheels, Brakes, Seat belts, Glass / wipers / cameras, and Body / frame. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.
What should I inspect before buying a 1993 Dodge Caravan?
Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop check pads, rotors, fluid and whether the pedal feels firm. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.
Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?
No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.
Estimated Ownership Cost
EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates
Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Adjacent Model Years
Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Methodology & Data Integrity
Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.