Dodge/Plymouth/Chrysler Minivan Problems & Solutions

lonallen · August 2005

So did the BCM with the wrong mileage fix the issue?

I have a 94 T&C and the instrument clusted started blinking intermittently. It is getting worse and it appears to be more so when you put a load on the electrical system (ie. open a door (enterior lights come one), turn on the headlights, operate power windows, etc).

Lon Allen

awhetzel · August 2005

Please give me more information--you are the first one who has responded with a possible answer to this months-old problem with our van! What exactly went wrong with your van, and how much did it cost to fix it? Thanks in advance!

crewdog1 · August 2005

I'm not 100% positive on this, but I have a 2004 T&C, and after one month of ownership, 36k on the ticker, started to have similar concerns. Intermittent windows inop, alarm activation, and one time Instrument cluster WOW. Researched the service manual electrical diagrams, and found that the common point for all of the listed components was connector 9 at the Integrated Power Module. The Windows were in cavity 8, The Liftgate cavity 9, and BCM was cavity 6. The Accessory relay, which controls the radio is also at this connector, I beleive. I noticed that the female connector ends were very loose, tightend these 3 days ago, and have not had a recurrence...

Dave

shiredoc · August 2005

I bought a 97 Dodge GC 3.8 last month and am now experiencing the exact same problem. Wondering if any headway was made in solving the problem. Appreciate any info.

mveit · August 2005

Pete inquired about the engine.
It runs great, uses about 1 quart of oil between oil changes.
It always passes the annual smog check fine.
We drove it 1,300 miles last weekend on vacation and it was a champ.

I spoke to a transmission shop and the only advice they said was to
have the transmission serviced and they might be able to tell if there is
high wear based upon the fluid/sediment. The transmission seems to
be working just fine. Went up/down the Owayhee mountains and costal
mountains perfectly.

Thanks all. I'm still not decided.

mveit · August 2005

I have a 96 3.3 DC with 156,000 miles on it and just put a fuel pump in it.
We had a transaxle replaced at about 100K because the seal went bad,
it never made clicking noises when we turned (which is a common symptom
of CV/transaxle problems) or had steering wheel wobble, it just leaked and
was a bit messy. We just drove our van for 1300 miles up and down mountains
this last week on vacation, and the transmission seems to be in good shape.
I'd say that unless you have been pulling heavy things, that you probably are
good for a few more years, especially since it seems that you are going a bit
light on the miles per year. We are now starting to notice a bit of a wobble in
the steering wheel at up to 35 mph, which I think is likely a CV/transaxle. We are thinking about selling it now. Our shocks seem to be pretty well at their life too.
I am hoping to maybe get one more year out of it.

aleeeeaaa · August 2005

I ran the codes and came back with these:
24 Throttle position sensor voltage to high or low
14 Map voltage to high or low
13 Slow change in map idle signal or no change in map from start to run
15 no veicle speed signal
51Oxygen sensor stays below center
11 No ignition reference signal
25 Automatic idle speed motor circuit
34 speed control colenoid circuits
From the above info, what could be the problem?
Replies to this message:

pandeyrs · August 2005

On my 98 Plymouth Gr. Voyager (3.3 L with 80K miles), check engine light had come on a couple of times in the past and went away. This time it is not going way and transmission is getting stuck in lower gears, so that to get to 50 mph the engine revs to approx. 4.5 K. It happend one day, after abour 5 min, driving normally, I felt a transmission thump while stopped at a red light and transmission stopped going to D3 D4. After the van was parked for 3-4 hours, it started normally and again the same thing happened. The vehicle had started with the check engine light on, on both instances. This thing had happened once over a month ago and it went away on its own and everything was back to normal. Any one has any idea as to what might be going on. Could check engine light on may tell the transmission to stop shifting properly. Any help would be appreciated. I am worried that it may be sign of major and costly repairs.

Thanks

Claires · August 2005

pandeyrs, you might also want to check with the folks in the "Check Engine" Light discussion -- they might have some ideas.

gino45 · August 2005

The rear wiper and rear windshield washer pump do not seem to work on my 2001 Caravan. I've checked the fuses and they are ok. I believe the problem to be electrical since both the washer pump and wiper do not work. Is there a relay that connects these two items? Anyone have any suggestions?

hayneldan · August 2005

The wiper is fused from fuse 11, 20 amp and the washer is fused from fuse 33, 15 amp. Info from 03 wiring shop manual. If those are OK, check relay marked Accessory relay.

tgray · August 2005

Hi Selena760-
I am having the same problem with my 2000 Grand Caravan...It has happened twice and is currently in the "blinking light" mode you describe.
The first time I called my dealer service department after checking owner's manual (nothing) and online Chrysler Customer Service (no references). Dealer service guy had never heard of this problem. After several minutes on hold, he said he didn't think there was any reset button and that they usually just take the unit out and send it to the manufacturer,etc. Its hard enough to take time to schedule critical service I really didn't want to spend the time and money to take it in, just to find out it was something simple &/or easy &/or cheap that even I could have fixed if I had known (such as a reset button). I tried to find a way into the back of the dash or under the changer with no success. So I just enjoyed the magic of my iPod through the cassette or radio feed as those stupid lights continued to mock me with the constant blinking. I tried every combination of keys, buttons, and sequences ( such as pushing all the load/eject buttons at the same time, with the engine on/off/ , the radio on/off, the key in off/on/accessories mode), thinking it might reset like a cell phone accidently placed in "lock" mode (don't ask).
I finally concluded that a disc must be jammed in the mechanism. I took an old CD and place it just inside the feed slot and felt the edge of a disc. I gently nudged it up and down and in until the disc finally moved and it the unit began working. Not a very elegant or technical solution, but it worked perfectly for several months and then recently went out again. I tried the same technique as mentioned above but it has yet to work for me. In both cases, the problem occurred when the battery was low and the car and accessories almost - but not quite - started. I think the changer starts to shuffle and then the lack of juice catches the mechanism and you end up with a jam.
Anyway, I too am back to square one again with regards to the changer, and it took several hours of searching to find this site and your post regarding this issue. But there is an up side...those flashing lights keep my mind from focusing on the nonworking seat heaters that cost over $1200 each and appear to be a common problem with this vehicle, or the clunking right front suspension problem, or the dash board lights that dim or brighten for no apparent reason, or the driver door window that rolls down as designed, but occasionally won't roll up (like when your 16 year old daughter uses it for her driver's license exam in a February downpour). Fortunately, the dealer that has thoughtfully investigated these problems at $90 an hour nd has assured me that nothing is wrong (except, of course, the seat heaters at $1200 each), so I can relax and enjoy the new Lee Iacocca commercials:

"Remember, if you can find a better car... Buy it!

Please let me know if you find out any thing about the CD changer problem...I will do likewise. Good Luck!

-tgray">

P.S. This is my 3rd Dodge vehicle and 2nd Grand Caravan, so either I'm a loyal consumer or a slow learner.

P.S.S. I wonder if I can get the "Employee Discount" on the heated seats?

bonadento · August 2005

The symptoms were the same as what you described. The van would be cruising just fine, and suddenly it would flutter, run rough, sometimes stall (but usually not). I would have to play with the pedals to keep it running. A hard acceleration would perhaps make the engine run smoother, but would not really increase the speed. The transmission seemed to shift hi-low constantly. My van was a 4 cyl, and my guess is yours is a 6. But the symptoms sound so exact that I had to let you know.
The ignition coil is (was) less than $50 dollars, and is easily replaced by anyone. All you need is a wrench to remove the coil. No adjustments, just remove and replace.

tbyfield · August 2005

We, too, have the same problem. Our 2003 Dodge Caravan has had three sets of brakes within the last two years, the lastest being replaced in July 05. About 50% of the time when braking, we hear the loud grinding noise. It sounds like there are no pads at all. It's going back in the shop today to be looked at. The grinding is so loud that heads turn. Does anyone have suggestions?

gino45 · August 2005

I checked the fuses and the relay and they seem to be OK. Dealer mentioned that it could be the body control module. Has anyone had to replace their module due to a rear wiper not functioning? I am trying to avoid changing this part due to the expense ($500).

plano_texas · August 2005

Well.... yes and no.

It turned out that the used BCM came from a caravan that was equipped with an alarm system (mine does not have an alarm). Although the original problem appeared to be fixed, the system was completely confused by the different BCM firmware. The dealer installed the correctly programmed new BCM, and the problem is gone.

Lessons:
1. My mechanic tells me that other mechanics have reported the exact same problem on Caravans, Voyagers, and Town & Country vans. Chrysler knows there is a flaw on these vans but refuses to acknowledge it.

2. Be very careful when replacing Caravan parts with parts from other used vehicles.

3. The BCM contains the odometer mileage memory.

4. Not all BCMs are identical. Replacing a BCM with an unidentical unit will cause lots of problems.

Best of Luck!

plano_texas · August 2005

My 1998 Caravan had the same problem when it was less than 6 months old. At first we could manage to start the van by turning the steering wheel and working the key in/out. Eventually, one day, it just would not turn. The dealer had to send a tow truck to pick up the van, and the lock assembly was replaced (while the van was still under warranty).

This van has been nothing but trouble from day one.

happyface · August 2005

I've got 96 with 151K miles. I had a leak like you described and some stop leak fixed it. Yours probably just needs a new radiator like mine. Any little clogging throws off cooling....Basically the radiator size is perfectly matched to the van and runs at 100% capacity when it's new. Radiator.com will find a shop in your area. They quoted me $475 for part and labor ($189 parts). I found a local guy who would charge me $120 labor. Good luck.

If you are keeping the van for a few years replace radiator. If not, use stop leak.

badgerfan · August 2005

Sam55 may need a new radiator, but no way can you state that any radiator is sized "perfectly matched" to the van and runs at 100% capacity when new.

All cooling systems better be well oversized to take into account some worst case situations, like idling in the desert with the AC on and 115 degree F ambient conditions! Under all other operating conditions, this radiator would be considered oversized.

A partially clogged radiator may reduce cooling capacity, but unless you are under the most extreme conditions, it will not show up as inadequate.

Sam55 may have a pinhole leak that only leaks under pressure, and if it is at the top of the system, may only be spewing steam, thus no puddle on the ground. Any good shop will pressure test the cooling system and should be able to diagnose the problem.

It also could be something like the plastic overflow tank has a leak, or worse, a the headgasket problem allowing coolant to get into the oil or into a cylinder, but then you would likely have some other serious issues going on.

shipo · August 2005

My personal cooling system was horribly over capacity for the first half (outbound leg) of one particular trip, and horribly under capacity for the return leg. This trip dates back to when ATMs were not universal (1990). A few days before this fateful trip I had pulled into the Mammoth Lakes, California Goodyear tire store needing brakes (trust me, the Sierra Nevadas are not a place to drive a car without good brakes), and for some reason they would only do the job for cash and none of the ATMs in town were on the network that supported my ATM card. Fortunately there was a bank in Bishop (about 45 miles away) that would honor my card and since it was a beautiful August day, I hopped on my bike and rode down (literally) to Bishop. On the way down I actually coasted at a minimum speed of 55 mph for over 20 minutes, and even though it was August, I got rather cold.

Once there, I got my money, consumed a half of a bottle of water and headed back up toward Mammoth Lakes. For those of you who dont know the area, Bishop sits at something just a little over 4,000 above sea level, and Sherwin Summit (the nominal half way point) is something over 7,000, with my destination being a couple thousand feet above that. I was half way up the climb to Sherwin Summit and realized that I was, A) HOT,

nearly out of water, and C) not going to make it to the townlet of Toms Place (just past the summit) without a considerable infusion of water. Just about that moment, a large motor home (with what can only be described as an enormous radiator) pulled off the road a few hundred yards up the road to cool off its engine. I quickly rode up to its side door, knocked and asked for some water. While talking to the couple who were vacationing from the mid-west I drank an entire gallon of water.

My thirst sated, I continued up to Toms Place where I stopped again, bought a quart of milk, two quarts of water, an ice-cream cone and a beer, all of which I happily consumed on the spot. ;-)

As for our two Caravans, the cooling system proved to be insufficient only once, and that was climbing a very steep, narrow, winding road up a mountain in 100 degree weather with the A/C blasting.

Best Regards,
Shipo

bogie5 · August 2005

I have a 01 caravan SE with the same problem. The mechanics found that the flaps that are operated by a motor are warped where they hinge or secure. This is in the climate control box/heater core box. sure enough it was warped, you could see about a quarter inch difference and since there is a heater core behind those, the loose fit of the flaps let hot air in on the drivers side and partially on pass. If and I mean IF they are right I will post again, the part came in today and being installed in the morning. Heres the catch, 7 hrs to take apart, 8 hrs to put back. the part is about 250.00 but with shop labor will run about 1400.00 if they get it right the first time.

paredesg · August 2005

My mom is having problems with her minivan. Whenever she stops, some kind of alarm starts to make noise, and immediately stop once she takes her foot of the gas. I don;'t think she has an alarm on the car, so we have no clue what the problem could be. If anyone can help, please do.

Kirstie_H · August 2005

A magazine writer would like to talk with car owners who have experienced auto repair fraud or incompetence. Please send your name, contact info and a few lines briefly telling your story to jfallon@edmunds.com no later than Friday, August 12, 2005.

kfdsan · August 2005

I have a 1996 GC. As with most owners, I have just had the transmission rebuilt, 147,000 miles also new solenoid. After getting it back, about 4 days in, the transmission stopped shifting properly. I contacted my mechanic, and have sent it back to him, he says that everything is working properly with transmission. He says it must be something electrical. This makes some sense, as when it stops shifting, you can turn off the van and restart, and then it will shift again for a while. Also been told it could be electrical short from plug wires. Any ideas on what it could be, or what to try?

gtc · August 2005

I know this is a response that way too late but...

It takes time to figure these things out.

I had serpentine belts last less that five miles. I bet I have use ten in two years. It started after a visit to the dealer to replace the alternator. It was under the warranty.

This is a 97 grand caravan 3.3 liter motor. I have no idea if this applies to any other year but I'd bet it does. Anyway...

The Alternator has a spacer behind it. This spacer is as thick as a washer. When the mechanic installed the alternator he assumed this was a washer not a spacer. What this did was offset the alternator pulley by one rib on the serpentine belt This moved the alternator 1/16 or so away from the engine and closer to the side of the car. What happened was the belt would ride up onto the edge of the alternator pulley and then shred. Dealerships are great huh? If you look at the car (if you still have it) you may find the spacer is just below the bolt head not between the alternator and bracket where it belongs.

Maybe the designer is the person who initially polished the Hubble mirror, it was a washer that screwed that up.

Hope this help

sully68 · August 2005

I just has the same problem this evening the clicking sound was coming from a relay under the dash. I wiggled the relay and the car started, does any one know if this means the relay simply needs to be replaced or does it point to another problem.

vanisdead · August 2005

I bought a Grand Caravan with a 3.8 Liter 7/25/05. It ran good for seven days. Then I got in it and turned the key and nothing happened 8/1/05. It has been at a dealer 100 miles from home because we were on Vacation when this happened. (Camping with 3 kids and no trans is not good). The dealer has been getting parts shipped in overnight but it still won't start. More parts coming in Monday 8/8/05. One week after they started. I will keep you posted.

mcamphr · August 2005

I too have a stuck door. Any remedies!

Thanks
96 grand voyager owner

mcamphr · August 2005

I have 96 Grand Caravan with a stuck driver's side rear sliding door. I can't get it to open. I already checked the locking actuator and it is functioning. All the linkages appear to be in the right positions and are moving freely. I pulled off the interior door panel and the rear qtr panel. Tried opening and closing the fuel door and disconnecting the battery but I still can't get it open. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated - with three small boys we really got used to having two sliding doors and we really don't want to take it to the dealer to get it open.

Thanks,

Campdavis@charter.net

mcamphr · August 2005

I got it open! Yea! I had the panel off from the inside and drepress the button to open and gave it a swift kick and it popped right open. Of course, being the thorough troubleshooter that I am I checked the latches (1. door latch and 2. the fuel overlock - prevents the door form opening while the fuel door is open) the steel bar that protrudes about an inch and a half seemed slighty bent so I closed the door and prompty got it stuck again. Well this time it was a breeze to open with another kick. I then went to the hardware store and bought a torx bit set for 13.00 and took off the bar side of the fuel door latch. Lo and behold that fixed the problem. Although, I will be able to open the door now while the fuel door is open. But, I think I will just flip the child restraint switch so the door can't be opened from the inside on the driver's side. I'm sure that a used or new latch wouldn't be too expensive but I'm just going to do without. Lesson is don't slam the door when you are mad!

dustyk · August 2005

Judging by your symptoms and the sequence, I don't believe your ECM was defective.

Because of the year and your symptom set, my suggestion would be to replace the battery. The unexplainable illumination of various instrument indicators is telling me the battery is marginal, a typical scenario on Chrysler products. I'm surprised your local shop hasn't run across this before.

Best regards,
Dusty

smilen · August 2005

I am having some issue with my 2001 t & c. When the AC is running for a long time the floor board on the passenger side gets wet. Have you ever had that problem?

vanisdead · August 2005

They said they changed the battery.

vanisdead · August 2005

Sorry I thought you replied to my problem on a 2005.

bogie5 · August 2005

never had any moisture on floor boards, though pryor to our problems we had alot of vapor out of our vents. I also read that to fix my problem should only be about 700 dollars in laber.

tmaan · August 2005

97 3.3L radiator cooling fans do not come on at all. Checked fuse by battery, it's ok.
Connectors ok. Is there a relay I'm missing here somewhere? No mention of a relay under the cover in the fuse/relay box.
Thanks in advance for any advice,
Tim

kmcoleman · August 2005

what did you find out about the car? mine is doing the exact same thing and they are stating i need a new bcm for $1,000.00 any information would help.

kmcoleman · August 2005

I HAVE A 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SE WITH 108,000 MILES. THE CAR STARTS WHEN IT FEELS LIKE IT. MY CONTROL CLUSTER GOES OUT AND THE CAR WONT START. AFTER MUCH FRUSTRATION I AM BEING TOLD IT IS MY ALARM SYSTEM THAT IS MALFUNTIONING WITHIN MY BODY CONTROL MODULE AND THEY SAY IT CANNOT BE BYPASSED OR FIXED, BUT THE BCM NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. ANY SUGGESTIONS? DOES ANYONE KNOW IF THERE HAVE BEEN ANY RECALLS ON THIS?

97xpresso · August 2005

Check out post #3084. Common problem on early build 2001's

mickeyb2 · August 2005

I have a 98 grand caravan with 310000 kilometer, and I have an on going problem with the front disc brakes being applied while driving. This usually happens while driving at a slow speed. ( 0-50km per hour) Last year I had the dealer replace the ABS controller. The problem only seems to occur during the summer months. When this problem happens the only temporary fix is to pull over and stop the vehicle and push down on the brake pedal as hard as possible several times. This seems to reset the brakes for a while. Also the ABS warning light and the check engine soon light seem to come on and off inermittly. Any suggestions with this problem would be greatly appreciated.
mickey.breda@lincsat.com

Claires · August 2005

Hi, kmcoleman,

To see the recall notices and TSBs for the Grand Caravan SE, go to http://edmunds.com and click the "Tips" tab at the top of the screen. On the next screen, click the "Maintenance Guide" link. Fill in the information about your vehicle and voila.

By the way, typing in all caps makes it look like you're shouting, so it's best to take your caps lock key off when you post.

ahoydave · August 2005

On my 1999, I found it mounted on the inside wall of the engine compartment on the driver's side near the bottom of the radiator. It is a solid state module on the 1999 and cost $80+ at the dealer and $38+ on the internet. Good luck.

lxpatel · August 2005

A friend of mine also had the same trouble, but his was 97 chrysler town & country Lxi. One other thing, does your temp gauge go up near H. If not why bother. I think these things are designed to have the cooling fans run only when it is hot and the vehicle is standing still, which is when they usually turn on. If it is moving, i dont think you will be able to tell whether it is on or off.

Any way, on my friends vehicle, the gauge went near H only while standing still, and it returned to normal once the car was moving. On his the harness that connects to the relay was bad, which i think was near the cooling fan. Dealer had diagnosed the relay to be working fine.

hope this helps.

masterpaul1 · August 2005

On today's vechicles, the cooling fans will run even when you are not moving and the temp. gauge should not be moving up and down. If so then you have a problem in the cooling system some where. The cooling fan's are connected to a temp. sensor that detects the temp. of the coolant as it flows thru the engine. When the coolant reaches the temp. the sensor is set for, a signal will be sent to the cooling fans to turn on. When the coolant temp. goes below the temp. sensor setting, the sensor sends a signal to the cooling fans to turn them off.

badgerfan · August 2005

I might add that there was a recall of that era DC minivans on the cooling fan controls, at least on our 1996 Caravan. It may have applied to the 97 model year as well. Might be worth your effort to see if the recall was in effect on your 1997 and if so, did your van had the recall fix performed on it

kurta · August 2005

We have a 1999 Plymouth Voyager SE (3.3 engine) with just under 100K miles on it. We did a major service recently at the beginning of the summer (including changing out the platinum plugs). Ever since, we've had worsening idle when the A/C is on. It runs okay for a few seconds, then the RPMs plunge, then surge, then normal again; the severity of the roughness, and the frequency of the plunge/surge cycle, are increasing. The service dept where we have always taken the car suggests the compressor itself is failing; I suspect something simpler and cheaper, like a belt adjustment. Any insight from anyone here?

KurtA

seanwood · August 2005

I've had a variety of issues. Unfortunately my garage can't recreate any of the problems I'm having.
Sometimes the car will start but none of the gauges will work. My alarm light, seatbelt and ABS lights stay on and I get goofy readings from the trip computer.
Sometimes the car will start but won't continue running. The RPMs stay at 0 and then the car just dies. After about 12 hours it will crank right up.
One garage got some kind of sensor reading that the transmission was not engaging. So they disconnected it, drove around the block in the hope that it would reset and they got bupkis.
At other times, I may go over a speed bump and the car will just die but crank up again as soon as I put it in neutral and turn the key.
It's wacky and getting very frustrating.
BTW, this is a '97 T&C.

hayneldan · August 2005

Sounds like you have a poor ground connection.

Claires · August 2005

Hi, shawnd,

I don't, but I'm hopeful that one of the experts posting in this Forum will have some insight for you. I don't know if this helps, but it looks like one of our members hit on a solution to a similar problem last month, and other members found it useful. Click this link to read the post:

Re: 1997 Grand Caravan no power to instrument panel and gauges [dougt2] by phantom3 Jul 01, 2005 (10:30 am)

real123 · August 2005

My 98 Gr Vgr driver window stopped functioning suddenly. All other windows work fine. There is no motor sound at all when pulling on the switch. Anyone have experince with this?

Thanks.

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