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Dodge/Plymouth/Chrysler Minivan Problems & Solutions

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Comments

  • hayneldanhayneldan Member Posts: 657
    See post #349 inChrysler 300M owners problems and solutions.The correct spelling of the Japaneese window motors is Denso.
  • ckmnacckmnac Member Posts: 12
    We have a 98 Grand Caravan and the fans do not come on to cool the engine when it gets too hot. It hasn't been too much of a problem as long as we turn on the heat when it starts to get hot but we are going on a long trip and want to get it fixed. The garage said it will be $15-20 to find the problem (not too bad IMO) but are saying it is most likely a sensor or computer problem. Does anyone have an idea of how much it might cost to fix either one of these problems?
  • jhougejhouge Member Posts: 2
    Just got my "new" 94 Voyager.
    The CC is not working.
    Can't see any broken fuses..
    Any tips to get it fixed?

    -Jan, Norway
  • masterpaul1masterpaul1 Member Posts: 421
    It's kind of hard to say without more info. about your problem. Please describe in detail what the problem is. Is it overheating? Does the cooling fans come on when you turn on the air conditioner? Have you had the engine running at normal temp., put the van in park and with the hood up, observe that the fans are not coming on and the temp. gauge is approaching the high normal range? :shades:
  • cahelmstercahelmster Member Posts: 1
    I'm having the same problem with the same model and year vehicle. A relative that works on cars looked at my van this past weekend and said that the fan relay needs to be replaced. I've found one at Advance Auto Parts for around $60. http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?mfrcode=GPS&mfrpartnumber=415330&parttype=6- 00&ptset=A I think they are pretty easy to replace but I have no idea where the relay is located. Any ideas?
  • patti2patti2 Member Posts: 1
    We have a 2001 Grand Caravan Sport which won't start, but all electricals are going like crazy. Wipers go, speedometer reads and varies, lights flash. Looks like from other postings this had been battery related issue for a T&C. Is this a similar issue to yours ? Any ideas about what would make this happen ?
  • masterpaul1masterpaul1 Member Posts: 421
    Although we had the battery replace in our 01 DGC EX last year and didn't experience any of the problems relating to battery replacement mentioned here in Town Hall. I believe that what you are describing, from what I have read here in Town Hall, is the battery needing to be replaced. :)
  • bostonian5bostonian5 Member Posts: 1
    I bought the relay on Sunday for $75 at the dealer and the former tech now working parts couldn't even tell me where it was exactly but that it is "likely under the battery tray somewhere".

    Well, to a degree, that is true. After removing the battery and hunting it down, I found it. It resides about 10 inches below the battery tray on the inner body metal. No need to take out the battery, just remove the entire air cleaner assembly in full including the filter housing (one body bolt at the top on radiator rail, pegs in vertical holes at the bottom come right out).

    My problem now is that I still have the problem of the fans never running. I couldn't find my alligator clips to run the fans test direct to battery as mentioned in my Haynes manual with no diagrams either.

    I still have the trouble code 35 after disconnecting the battery so I'm stumped. I went looking for a Chilton's to see if they had more but the Boston Public Library has essentially no Chilton's on Chrysler Product Minivans after 1990. There was one in a remote branch but that was too much trouble.

    Now, if anyone can help ME at this stage, I'd appreciate it. I'm still going to test the fans but two dying at once sounds a bit unlikely unless they rely on the same wiring that failed if that is the problem...

    Thanks,

    Dick
    :mad:
  • cruisrcruisr Member Posts: 1
    OK, how do you get the inside rear panel off to access the fuel door for the Dodge Caravan? I need to replace my fuel door (it broke off), and I looked in the service manual, but the first step just says "remove inside rear panel". It does not say how to do that.
  • peterson33peterson33 Member Posts: 24
    I hope someone can clear this up for me... The Edmunds maintenance guide says that I should change the overrunning clutch and read carrier fluid every 21,000 miles and the transfer case fluid every 15,000 miles. I called my 5 star dealer and they say those items do not apply to my van. I have a 2003 Dodge Grand Caravan ES 3.8 v6, front wheel drive only.
  • ckmnacckmnac Member Posts: 12
    It turns out ours is the relay as well and for whatever reason has to be replaced as a unit. It is only $105 to fix so we told him to go ahead. I did see them for that same price ($60) but since our trip is this Friday it is easier to let the garage fix it than try and mess with it ourselves.
  • ckmnacckmnac Member Posts: 12
    Hi, I just saw your post after posting that the garage diagnosed the problem as being the relay. The van only overheated one time (after going through an automatic car wash and then sitting at a drive-thru) because after that I watched the temperature gauge all the time and the second it started to go up I would flip the heat on. The first time we noticed the fans not coming on was when we were jumping another car and the gauge started to go up and no fans came on (though you could hear them trying to from time to time). Like I said we do know the problem now but I thought I would share in case anyone else is having the same problems.
  • benw2benw2 Member Posts: 1
    Easy...There is another fuse panel under the hood... About 12 inches from the front on the driver side...About 10" long, 4 " thick. Pop the cover, replace the 20a fuse, and you're off...
  • markgaylemarkgayle Member Posts: 1
    Chrysler recalled many vans for the ClockSpring (switch behind the steering wheel). Call Chrysler.
  • badgerfanbadgerfan Member Posts: 1,565
    Sounds to me like those maintenance items might apply to AWD Grand Caravans. I think your dealer is correct.
  • pfutzpfutz Member Posts: 7
    My T & C Van's battery required a jump. Once I jumped it, it started but the radio won't turn on. The equilizer lights simply blink. Do I need to somehow "reset" the radio?
  • jhougejhouge Member Posts: 2
    Since the horn is working and airbag light stays off, could it still be the clockspring?
  • petras2petras2 Member Posts: 104
    my 96 gc with 3.8, 100k miles, engine quit suddenly today, very similiar to a problem i had 50k miles ago...turned out to be a bad powertrain control module then and i think it may be bad again...anyone else having problems with these modules lasting only 50k miles? any underlying cause that may be causing them to go bad so frequently? thanks
  • petras2petras2 Member Posts: 104
    hi...we experienced similiar problems on our 96 gc...all 3 times it turned out to be a bad battery...with all the electrical accesories on this model, i think batteries just don't last more than 2-3 years...
  • tsu670tsu670 Member Posts: 293
    Sorry if this issue has already been posted (I did a search and didn't see anything). Please understand I'm not trying to alarm anyone, but both rear brake lines rusted and burst on our '96 T&C. The brake light had come on previously, so I took it in for inspection at local brake shop. It was when the mechanic stepped hard on the brake that DOT-3 fluid spilled out all over the service bay deck. Both lines failed at a point where they are routed over the gas tank. I asked them to save and return both bad lines, then filed a report with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Also filed a report with DC.

    Someone from DOT called today and said they were investigating similar complaints, and would I mind sending them the old brake lines? They are mailing out a FedEx label with prepaid shipping. If you're curious, Chrysler replied to my e-mail as follows: "Comments like yours are one way to learn of problems that may develop and improvements desired by customers. The information received is used in product development and quality analysis. Thank you again for your email."

    Anyway, my humble suggestion for '96 Chrysler Grand minivans: if the brake light comes on, you should stop driving immediately and check for fluid dripping off the rear brake lines. It might drip down the gas tank near the filler neck. DON'T DRIVE IT if you see leaks; have it towed. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that if you continue driving the vehicle in that condition, very soon whatever brake fluid remains in the master cylinder will be depleted after pressing enough times on the brake pedal, and only the emergency brake will be available. By the way, for what it's worth, our T&C has less than 82,000 miles. This incident is an anomaly. The van has generally served us very well.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    This situation can either be considered a problem with the vehicle design, or it can be considered insufficient maintenance. The fact is that brake fluid absorbs water. Period, full stop, the end. I used to turn a fair wrench on cars back in the 1970s, and any car that has gone more than two to three years (depending upon climate and driving style) on DOT-3 is going to have cloudy brake fluid. Leave it in there for four to five years and there is going to be a bunch of rusty sludge in the brake lines. Many auto makers, BMW for one, specify a complete brake system flush every two years. That may be a bit excessive, however, experience has suggested to me that three years is probably good for most cars.

    I've had the brake fluid flushed on both of our Caravans every third year, and folks, if you could see how cloudy the fluid has become during that period, you would never consider leaving it in there for much longer. FWIW, I just did a brake job for a neighbor's 2001 Honda Odyssey with about 48,000 miles, and yup, same drill, I bled the brakes and out came the sludge that used to be brake fluid. So, from my perspective, a 1996 T&C with the factory fill of DOT-3 went 9 years..., WAAAAY beyond the call of duty. I'm thinking that you're lucky it went that long.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • tsu670tsu670 Member Posts: 293
    Thanks for the comments, Dale, but nowhere in the original posting did it say the brake fluid was the original factory fill of DOT-3. Also, the fluid that was expelled to the deck did not contain any rust or sludge. After the brake lines were repaired, the system was bled and the fluid that came out was clean.

    The technician that did the repair was surprised how the rear brake lines ran alongside a rail for awhile, then turned upwards and ran over the gas tank where salt could collect and corrode them. It is this design issue that is of interest to the gentleman who called from NHTSA.

    Just curious, but in your '98 Grand Caravan do the rear brake lines take the same route over the gas tank (near the tank filler neck)? Thanks. Ken
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    I'll slide underneath tonight when I get home at take a look-see. I'll report back later.

    So, your brake lines corroded from the outside? Yikes, I've never seen that one before.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • masterpaul1masterpaul1 Member Posts: 421
    Just curious. Don't they make the brake lines out of a non rust metal now? :D
  • pfutzpfutz Member Posts: 7
    Were you ever able to fix this problem? I am experiencing the same thing.
  • dayalaitodayalaito Member Posts: 1
    Petras,

    did you figure out if that was the issue, as my 91 gc 3.3 dies on me as well , it driveing me crazy :sick: it just shuts off on me while im driving , i have to pull over and put it in park and hopefully it will start up again.....
  • theburltheburl Member Posts: 1
    Had the same problem for over a year and still no resolve until one day got so mad that I hit the dash on top right by the transmission selector and Voila', the gauges came on and started right up. No joke.

    Did some investigating and found out that what is happening is the anti-theft is not releasing control of the pcm because the pcm is not fully initiallizing due to a failed power on test. Sounds complicated but ultimately the problem is traced to a bad connector on the back of the Speedometer cluster. I took the dash board out (about 1 hour) reseated the connector, reinstalled (1 hour), and problem is much less frequent now (once every 6 month) which is solved with a hit on the dash.

    Dealer says the wiring harness needs replacing but that is a joke.

    Take care and good luck.
  • petras2petras2 Member Posts: 104
    the shop didn't get a chance to look at it yet..maybe tomorrow... after it stalled, we had no luck getting it restarted, it cranks ok...it ran fine for 5 years after we had the module replaced last time... back then it was around $350 P+L...
  • tsu670tsu670 Member Posts: 293


    Yes, I believe the lines are stainless steel, but that material is not 100% rust proof, just rust resistant. Some exhaust systems (pipes) come from the factory made of stainless steel, but eventually they corrode, too.

    I have a digital picture that I'd love to post, but not sure how to do that here. "Help" panel suggests that photos need to be part of a website (URL) that can be linked to. Photo is on my hard drive. Is there a way I can just copy and paste the image?
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Okay, I just crawled out from underneath our 1998 GC and yes, the brake lines join at the center of the axle beam and rise up together toward a unibody frame member, and from there forward over the top of the fuel tank. They reappear from over the tank under the left side sliding door along the fore/aft unibody frame member and from there head up toward the engine compartment.

    I was able to get up underneath the car well enough to shine a flashlight rearward above the fuel tank which afforded me a pretty good view of most of the run of the brake lines. Even after seven complete winters spent exclusively in the north east (NYC and Boston metro areas), I was unable to detect a single spot of corrosion anywhere on the brake lines.

    Hmmm, I'm wondering if Chrysler changed the material for said brake lines between 1996 and 1998. Doesn't hardly seem likely as brake lines have been made of pretty tough stuff for decades but I suppose it's possible.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • gteachgteach Member Posts: 1
    There is a fan control module, it looks very similar to an old Delco ignition module. It is usually located on drivers side of engine compartment near the front, sort of under the battery tray area. It is a warranty item. there is a recall on this. Go to Chryslers web page or call the local dealer with your VIN # to find out if it is covered, The part is around 70 bucks I think.
  • peterson33peterson33 Member Posts: 24
    I did a quick search and didn't find anything, so...

    I have a 2003 Dodge Grand Caravan ES with 31,000 miles. Knock on wood, it has been very trouble free. I want it to stay that way so I asked my dealer if they recommend an auto trans service at 30,000. They said yes. They flush the fluid out and do not change the filter - cost is $140.

    Dodge sends me service coupons every few months and they usually have one for an "Automatic Tranmission Tune-up service drain/replace" for $119 (was $89 on my jan 05 coupon). The coupon says they change the filter, install new fluid, make nec adjustments, etc...

    I asked the tech advisor about the coupon and he said that it is not good for the "flush" service. I'd be interested in anyone's advice/experience. It's situations like this that make me think I should not listen to the dealer and just go by the manufacturer's service guidelines. Should I do the "flush", should I do the "drain" and get the filter replaced? Should I say the heck with it for now?
  • 97xpresso97xpresso Member Posts: 249
    At 31,000 miles I would not get the trans flushed, especially if they are NOT going to change the filter? Under normal usage the owners manual says no trans service is needed for "life" of vehicle, but does require a pan drop, new filter and refill at 48,000 when used under "severe" conditions. I do not drive my van under severe conditions, but I will go for the pan drop, filter and refill at about 48-50,000 miles for my peace of mind, I will never get it flushed. Also never get fluid changed at any location but a DC dealership.
  • tsu670tsu670 Member Posts: 293
    Yep, sounds like the same routing of the lines on our '96 T&C. I was wondering the same thing about the brake line material. Maybe the lines on our van came from a bad batch or something. We previously owned 2 other Chrysler-made minivans without any such problems. One was a '94 Grand Caravan LE with 72k miles before someone ran a red light and totaled it (no injuries); the other a '90 Grand Voyage SE that we drove for 15 years and 150k.

    I hope my original post doesn't panic anyone. I wouldn't have said anything except the guy from NHTSA (DOT) said they had received similar complaints and were investigating the matter, so there must be some validity to the problem. It won't stop us from buying another Chrysler minivan, however. In fact, my wife is trying to use this incident as an excuse to get a new one with Stow 'n Go! I get this kind of nervous chuckle every time she says that... :blush:
  • petras2petras2 Member Posts: 104
    the shop did confirm that again it was a bad powertrain control module,,,they're sending it to an electronics shop in hopes of repairing it...only the dealer sells new ones...he thinks the underlying cause of them going bad is a bad coil so i'll replace that too....good luck with yours....
  • ginnygginnyg Member Posts: 1
    2001 grand caravan windows radio ac take 30 seconds up to 5 minutes to work when I start the van. Occasionally they will all work when I just turn the ignition key. Just noticed the malfuntion indicator light came on the dash. Can anybody help me?
  • jgablejgable Member Posts: 2
    How did the repair go? I have same exact problem and would like to know if fix was successful.
  • dougt2dougt2 Member Posts: 3
    Hi All

    1998 GC, 140K, stalls on slow (<10 mph) right hand turns, otherwise runs normal. Owned since new, no wrecks. Replaced plugs and wires, still stalls. Any ideas?

    thanks
    doug
  • hayneldanhayneldan Member Posts: 657
    Check battery connections, make sure they are tight.
  • bbmombbmom Member Posts: 4
    Yes, the dealer said the radio had an internal short in it. I had an extended warranty and the dealer replaced the entire radio. Good luck with your problem.
  • vankingsvankings Member Posts: 16
    We had a brake line burst on our 1999 Dodge Caravan. The brake lines were original equiptment on the vehicle. We had a brake job done with 31K miles and we now have 47K miles on the car.
    If you check your brake lines you will see that the solid line is made of steel and it is welded to a stainless steel flex segment. The welding of dissimilar metals can cause crevice corrosion which can cause a brake line burst without warning.
    I just sent the following letter to NHTSA;

    Dr. Jeffrey W. Runge
    National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Administrator
    400 7th Street, SW
    Washington, DC 20590

    August 22, 2005

    Dr. Runge,

    A review of the NHTSA complaint site indicates that Daimler Chrysler Corporation has a very serious safety defect or nonconformance that could result in a serious injury and or death. Daimler Chrysler has been notified of this defect/nonconformance on several occasions and continues to deny the problem.

    The metal brake lines on the 1999 Dodge Caravan, Plymouth Voyager, and Chrysler Mini-Vans are welded with dissimilar metals. They have braided stainless steel flex segments that are welded to steel brake lines. This welding of dissimilar metals could cause corrosion of the steel brake lines and results in a brake line burst which occurs without any warnings.

    We found five (5) complaints to NHTSA, on the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) Complaint Site pertaining to the corrosion of Chrysler supplied brake lines which resulted in brake line bursts. There may be more that we didn't locate.
    Ref: ODI Complaint Numbers - 10112174, 10121461, 10023409, 10087291, and 10125674.
    Complaint Numbers 10103217, 10044433, and 10017536 may also be related to this same problem.

    This complaint is very personal to us because my wife experienced a brake line burst in our 1999 Dodge Caravan. If the brake line burst occurred in heavy traffic and or at highway speed, it could have resulted in her death or serious injury. Ref: ODI Complaint # 10121461.

    We notified Daimler Chrysler Corporation on several occasions by telephone and emails concerning this serious safety defect/nonconformance. They were apologetic about the mishap, however, they stated (1) that they had never had a complaint concerning brake line burst on any of their vehicles, (2) they had never issued a Service Bulletin or Recall, and (3) they could do nothing for me because the vehicle was out of warranty.

    We are appalled by Daimler Chrysler's lack of concern on this serious safety issue and we believe that their lack of corrective action is criminal.

    We am also upset because NHTSA, has had several complaints on this safety related defect/nonconformance and no action has been taken.

    Do we have to have a DEATH before Daimler Chrysler Corporation or NHTSA investigates this serious safety defect or nonconformance?

    What is the LIFE EXPECTANCY of these brake lines?

    How do you stop a vehicle in heavy traffic or at highway speeds?

    Is the consumer or manufacturer, responsible to prove that these brake lines are defective or nonconforming?

    The Safety Recall Compendium issued by NHTSA (3rd Release, June 2001) clearly requires that,

    When to Report (49 U.S.C. & 30118 and 49 CFR Part 573.5 b)
    A manufacturer who has determined that a safety defect or noncompliance exists, must report such a determination to NHTSA within 5 working days. A manufacturer need not have identified the cause, scope, or remedy in order to make a determination that a safety defect or noncompliance exists, at least in some vehicles or items of motor vehicle equipment. If part of the information which is required to fully describe the recall is unknown, notification to the agency must still be made with the existing information within 5 working days. The remaining information is to be provided as it becomes available.

    Who Should Report (49 U.S.C. & 30102 AND 30118: 49 CFR Parts 573.3 and 579)
    Each manufacturer of a motor vehicle has recall responsibility for any safety-related defect or any noncompliance determined to exist in a vehicle or in any item of original equipment. The manufacturer of an item of motor vehicle equipment in which a safety defect or noncompliance is determined to exist (1) is responsible for notifying the vehicle manufacturer and (2) with respect to an item of replacement equipment (including tires), has recall responsibility for the equipment containing the safety defect or noncompliance. (49 CFR Part 579 "Defect and Noncompliance Responsibility".)

    We understand that Daimler Chrysler Corporation has the same type brake line configuration in the 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000 models of their Dodge Caravan, Plymouth Voyager, and Chrysler Town & Country, Mini-Vans.

    We also understand that a change was made on the 2001 models that removed the welded Stainless Steel Flex segment from the brake lines.

    We have copies of emails sent to Daimler Chrysler Corporation concerning this complaint and also emails with their replies to us.

    We also have a section of the original brake line that was removed from my 1999 Dodge Caravan. It can be made available to your testing facilities to analyze the cause of the defect/nonconformance. Ref: attached picture.

    Please keep us informed as to your progress on this serious safety defect/nonconformance.
    image
  • hayneldanhayneldan Member Posts: 657
    Please note ALL cars/vans come with dual master brake cylinders. This means that should a brake line or wheel cylinder or caliper piston fail, the vehicle still has braking on at least two wheels.
  • vankingsvankings Member Posts: 16
    That is what they say, however, when we had a brake line burst we had no warning and the pedal went to the floor. The duel master cylinder failed to engage and the brake warning light never came on.
    Maybe the duel master cylinder failed to engage because both lines burst at the same time. The duel master cylinder is great if it works!
  • hayneldanhayneldan Member Posts: 657
    While driving our Ford Taurus on the highway on the way to school, our youngest son ran over a truck tread carcass, and it flew up and broke the PLASTIC brake line to the rear wheels. The pedal did go down considerably, but not to the floor. He had enough braking to bring the car to a stop from 55 MPH on the sholder and call for help. The car was towed fom the highway to the dealer. Can't figure out what happened in your case.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    "If you check your brake lines you will see that the solid line is made of steel and it is welded to a stainless steel flex segment."

    Hmmm, not mine. I just checked the master cylinder end of the brake lines on both our 1998 and our 2003 3.8 GCs as well as the rear end of our 1998 (gas tank and back). Under fairly close inspection I didn't find a single place where two dissimilar types of metal were welded together. In fact, I didn't find a single place where there were any welds at all. The only place where I saw a transition from a "flex" format to "standard" tubing format was running off the master cylinder end on both vans (just one of the two lines), and in both cases the metal was the same material for the entire length simply with a section that was formed/extruded differently (the "flex" section).

    Maybe I didn't look in the correct spot. Was it the front or the rear braking circut? Where exactly am I supposed to look for the welds? When you wrote "They have braided stainless steel flex segments that are welded to steel brake lines.", did you really mean "Braided" lines? I ask because I've never seen a single braided high pressure line anywhere on either of our Caravans.

    FWIW, the master cylinder ends were quite different between the two vans. That said, based upon my quick "look-see" the differences were due to the fact that the 2003 has the full ABS and Traction Control treatment while the 1998 only has ABS.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • vankingsvankings Member Posts: 16
    Shipo, how do I post a photo of this brake line? Can I send you an email with the picture to show you just what I am talking about?

    vankings
  • vankingsvankings Member Posts: 16
    This is a photo of the original equipped brake line that was removed from my 1999 Dodge Caravan, Note that all of the corrosion occurs next to the welded stainless steel flex segment and the balance of the steel line is in good condition.

    image
  • wbeerswbeers Member Posts: 1
    98' Plymouth Grand Voyager front passenger floor gets soaked when it rains or go through a car wash. Have re-sealed the rubber gasket at bottom of windshield with a sealant, with no improvement. I know it's not the a/c drain tube being plugged, because I unplugged it, and it only happens when it rains. The dealer said it could be a plugged drain for the plastic cowling where the windshield wipers rest. Has anyone else had this problem and solved it? And does anyone know where the drain for this cowling is located?
    Thanks.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Where exactly in the braking system is this braided line? Throughout my various examinations of the braking systems of our two GCs, I've never seen any such braided cables.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • vankingsvankings Member Posts: 16
    They are connected to the ABS Module and are connected to the two rear brake lines that run along the left frame.
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