Rusted out oil pan

We have a 1998 Grand Caravan purchased new. At around 38K miles the oil
pan began leaking....dripping actually... due to external rust. Gasket was
fine.
Yesterday the dealer replaced the pan at 50K miles as it began to leak
badly.

The service manager was noncommittal on whether this was a chronic problem,
but it seems strange to me.
Other than the oil pan, the rest of the vehicle has no rust at all.

Of course this isn't a warranty item, but I was curious whether anyone else
has experienced this with such a relatively low mileage vehicle.
And no, there were no dents or crash damage, and the vehicle is hardly ever
driven on a gravel road.

Mike

 

Sometimes if you park on a dirt driveway for a long period of time the mostiure
is more intense. If the pan had gotten scratched at one time, a cut, then the
rust would set in...

Jake

 

Buddy has a 98 or 99 ford van and it did the same thing, rusted all over
the outside and started leaking.

Maybe with yours if it is leaking from the inside out you have a small
head gasket leak?

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