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Dodge/Plymouth/Chrysler Minivan Problems & Solutions

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Comments

  • tsu670tsu670 Member Posts: 293
    I just checked the old rusty lines the shop saved for me, and nowhere is there a section that is braided. Was there a special option package or something on your Caravan? Also, can you give us an idea where the location of the rust was in relation to, say, the front or rear wheel? The rust on our lines occurred a foot or two ahead of the rear wheel where the lines go over the gas tank.

    Between your comments on your '99 and Shipo's remarks about his '98, I wonder if Chrysler has known about this problem for a while and has been trying different things to fix it.

    BTW, I received a letter and prepaid mailing label from NHTSA to send in the old lines. Will mail them tomorrow.
  • vankingsvankings Member Posts: 16
    The location of the braided segments on the 1999 Caravan is just to the rear of the ABS module on the left hand side. If you look at the brake lines just below where the drivers seat is, you should see the ABS module. My brake lines run from the ABS module down the left side of the frame over the gas tank to the rear wheels.

    What year is your Caravan? Did you get the whole brake line from the shop or only a part of it?

    I do not know if the braided segments were a special feature, however, I was told that the 1996 models did not have this brake line cofiguration. I also understand that this brake line design was discontinued in 2001.

    If you trace your brake lines from the ABS module, you will see that they are secured with a rubber type bracket. In many places the brake lines can rub together and wear the anti rust protection off of the lines.

    I am quite sure that Chrysler knows all about this brake line safety problem. Chrysler denies any knowledge of brake line bursts and refuses to give the consumer any information.

    Hope this is some help to you.
    vankings
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    I found it (or them) on both of our vans. Nestled down below the master brake cylinder and along the firewall I was able to get a glimpse of at least a single braided brake line on the 1998 and two braided lines on our 2003. Now that I know that I have these same braided lines, the question is, "What do I do about them?"

    Our 1998 is rapidly approaching 100,000 miles (I'm projecting sometime between late October and mid November) and has spent each of its seven winters split between the NYC and Boston metro areas. Not necessarily a recipe for a long corrosion free life. The 2003 will be hitting the 50,000 mile right about that time as well although I'm thinking it's not as much of an issue.

    I suppose the first order of business is to get the 1998 up on a lift where I can get a closer look at the lower end of the braided section as well as its transition to the steel line. Since I'm going to have the combined 90K and the 100K service sessions done some time in the next month or two and since I was going to have what I believe to be a hydraulic engine mount/vibration damper replaced at that time, maybe it would be a good time to have the braided brake lines replaced and the full brake system flushed.

    Any suggestions from those of y'all that have already seen the century mark on their vans?

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • pfutzpfutz Member Posts: 7
    Hi bbmom;

    Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. I'm not sure if I have an internal short in the radio - I know my extended warranty states that it excludes the radio. So, I may be out of luck. Not sure though why the internal short surfaces when the battery is jumped. Thanks again.
  • tsu670tsu670 Member Posts: 293
    From this discussion, it almost sounds like there are two separate corrosion issues with DC brake lines. One is near the ABS module near the front wheel, the other above the gas tank near the rear wheel, both along the port side of the vehicle.

    Vankings, to answer your question above, I'm the one with the '96 T&C that originally posted this topic. The shop replaced both rear lines, routing them along the side of the rail so they don't go over the gas tank. Ken
  • 97xpresso97xpresso Member Posts: 249
    Stock AM/FM Cassette units were recalled 2001 model year for placement of shield to keep water (condensation from ac ducts) out, which caused shorts and possible fires.
  • briman2kbriman2k Member Posts: 20
    Does anybody know if a 2002 barebones Caravan have any security?

    I want to add a remote starter to it and I need to know if I need to get a security bypass kit also..

    Thanks!
  • faverrfaverr Member Posts: 1
    Hi,

    I have a Grand Caravan with 5600 miles on it and it has an alignment problem. The car pulls right. The shop that just did my alignment says that the right front camber reading is out of spec and there is no way to adjust it. Does anyone know if they are correct, that no ways exists to adjust the camber on this vehicle? This van was modified for wheelchair accessibility, so the floor between the axles has been dropped 10 inches. Does this sound like it might be the cause of the problem with the camber? Do you think that fixing this problem would be covered under the Dodge warranty? Does this present a safety issue? The shop said there are after-market parts available to adjust this. Would you recommend or not recommend an after-market fix like this?

    Thanks.

    --Rob
  • osmandlosmandl Member Posts: 1
    Hi all,

    My 2001 T&C Limited AWD Speedo stopped working today. All other gauges work fine. This happened to my wife a few months ago, but corrected itself later that day. Today it quit again, it does move a tad when the van is started, however the needle then just stays in the area below 0 mph.

    Any thoughts on what could be happening??

    Thanks!!

    Daron
  • dootdogdootdog Member Posts: 3
    The engine quietly shut off at about 45mph. No roughness or sputter. Just stopped firing. It won't restart.

    Checked electrical connections before getting the dashboard codes, so now all I get is "12", telling me that the battery was disconnected (my blunder).

    No spark at distributor. Coil-to-distributor wire seems fine. Coil looks intact and its primary & secondary resistances seem fine.

    Fuel pressure seems high enough, so no blockage there, nor loss of power to fuel pump.

    Injectors might not be getting any power either, though.

    Tried starting with MAP unplugged from power. No luck.

    What should I try next? Would a bad computer (SMEC2, I think) still give me the "12" at the dashboard when checking codes?
  • petras2petras2 Member Posts: 104
    my 96, 3.8 had asimiliar problem twice in 100k miles, every 50k the pcm, (powertrain control module) went bad causing engine to suddenly quit with no warning...techs could not find an underlying problem for the pcm going bad...good luck with yours...
  • techmechtechmech Member Posts: 3
    For Norwegians: Kan plukke frem Snap-on'en og scanne bilen din her i Oslo.
  • maglitejunkiemaglitejunkie Member Posts: 1
    hello this is a god send
    My wife's Dodge Caravan was giving her major headaches, cutting off and then starting back up days after.
    We took it to the dealer and he said that it was the BCM cost $1000.00
    Well after they replaced the BCM they blew out the PCM which they are saying we are liable for, they blew the device and are saying that its our fault and that they have to replace the part they blew with our money.
    That does not sound like a fair exchange to me need some help on this one because I'm not biting on there negligence.
    Any ideas would ne helpful..
    thanks
  • dootdogdootdog Member Posts: 3
    "every 50k the pcm, (powertrain control module) went bad "

    Thanks for the reply. I don't think my '93 3.0L has one of those. I'm not even sure "powertrain" was an auto industry buzzword yet when it was built.

    I did check the entire wire harness that clips to the coil, sensors, injectors, transmission & alternator. The insulation on the injector wires had melted & fused, but I pulled them apart, rewrapped them, and tested them all for electrical continuity. Still no start.

    I'm suspecting, like your problem, it's a sensor or computer control problem. I'm not sure what the auto shutdown relay (ASD) affects on this year & model, or even which relay is the ASD, since they all 5 look very much alike and their wires all bunch together.

    Anyone know if a broken timing belt would trigger the computer to shut power to the engine?

    I hope I can get a shop to test & replace the faulty part without towing the whole van in.
  • kcarter3kcarter3 Member Posts: 16
    I have had my 2001 in the shop at least 6 times. I now have 85000 miles and its still on
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Please post messages in English only - thanks.
  • donmahdonmah Member Posts: 1
    Am going to make first change of shocks and struts on 97 Caravan. Van has 148,000km, has been used for moving in the past. Leaf springs are rusty, look kind of flat.

    Is it recommended to change these things or am I wasting time, money?
  • pfutzpfutz Member Posts: 7
    Thanks for the tip. What I don't understand - is when I call Chrysler and give them my VIN # they say there have been no recalls or customer alerts for my vehicle.
  • badgerfanbadgerfan Member Posts: 1,565
    I doubt if you need to change the leaf springs, unless the van seems to be sagging lower in the back. Usually there is plenty of steel in these rear leaf springs to accommodate some corrosion. There are a lot of Dodge minivans running around older than yours in my area, upper Midwest where a lot of road salt is used, and I doubt if replacement leaf springs are required for most.

    You could ask the opinion of the shop replacing the rear shocks, but of course some shops will want to replace them whether needed or not, so take their opinion with a grain of salt also.
  • moose57moose57 Member Posts: 2
    I have a 91 Grand Caravan, the horn does not work. When I press the horn switch, I hear a clicking noise near the fuse box. I do not locate a fuse for the horn . . . is there a relay somewhere? If so, where is it and would that be the problem? Would appreciate any assistance.
  • bbmombbmom Member Posts: 4
    Hi. I am bball mom.. the original poster. Perhaps my radio was replaced because of the recall. Not sure. I did buy the super/duper extended warranty but was shocked that the radio was covered. I checked Chrysler recalls on internet and did notice the radio shorting//water condensation recall. Since I did not have to pay for the new radio ($400 according to dealer), I did not ask alot of questions about it.
    Good luck.
  • rosey3rosey3 Member Posts: 1
    I have owned my van for 6 years....in this time it has done this particular thing only 4 times over 4 years.....always in the summer. While I am driving the engine just quits, it has always started again if I leave it for 10-15 minutes, it will not always start before that time allotment, it does not show that it it over heated, although it is always very hot under the hood at these times. Chrysler does not seem to know what the problem is nor can my personal mechanic find out what is causing this.....can any one help me.....this makes me feel very unsafe driving it, it did this the other day while I was driving 55km, no power steering then, and virtually no brakes. My fear is it will do it while I am driving highway speeds. Thanks for any help. I did have the fuel pump replaced last year, not for this reason, but needless to say it is still doing it, so it must not have to do with the fuel pump.
  • wawilliawawillia Member Posts: 2
    Same symptoms for my 1996 Chryler Town & Country. Stalls mainly in hot summer days. It's in the shop as I type. It stalled and won't restart. The mechanic says he can't get the ECM to talk. Another message board says M.A.P. sensor may be the cause. My mechanic says a bad MAP sensor may cause it to stall but it should restart. My isn't restarting. Last month I thought the problem was caused by the starter and for $375 for a new starter I now find out that wasn't the cause. I suspect it is a component in one of the computers (ECM or BCM) that is overheating. Poor design.
  • questmorequestmore Member Posts: 1
    I fixed a problem like that by forcing some water into the pickup tube in the reservoir; it seemed to prime the pump. Good luck! :D
  • jdrules23jdrules23 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1999 Dodge Caravan and yesterday while driving the oil light came on and I lost all steering and the speedometer went down to zero. I coasted to the side of the rode and after letting it sit for a couple of minutes was able to restart the car and drive for a few miles before the oil light came on again and the car did the same thing. The oil has been recentley changes and the radio lights and all electrical stuff stills works while this happens PLease help before I take it to the mechanic????
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    Sounds like two problems at once. If this is a high mileage '97, I'd strongly suspect the Camshaft Position Sensors for causing the engine dying problem. The goofy light problem could be the Central Timer Module. Both are somewhat common problems on the '97-'99 models.

    Of course, there could be a bad connection somewhere, too. A punky ASD Relay, Speed or Distance Sensor, or bad spark plugs, plug wires and ignition components can cause problems as well.

    Regards,
    Dusty
  • johnbenderjohnbender Member Posts: 17
    I have posted several times on this board since purchasing my 2001 Voyager and the fact is that I wish I found this board before I purchased the vehicle. I have never before in my life seen a vehicle with so many problems. I have owned the vehicle for a total of 4 months now and when I first purchased it, the vehicle had just about 50,000 miles on it. I have found that most vehicles with only 50,000 miles on it will still last a good 50,000 miles before any major repairs are needed. Well, in the last four months here are all the repairs I have done and their cost.
    1. Brakes and rotors - Cost $400 (I expect to repair brakes about once a year or so, this repair I thought was no big deal. However, the brakes are already wearing and will need replaced again within a few months. After reading comments on this board, I see that this is common with Chrysler minivans, the brakes will only last 6 months to one year.)
    2. Battery Cost $75
    3. Brake Light Switch Cost $20 ( would have cost $200, but I installed it myself. According to most mechanics I spoke with, (including the dealership) this is an item you should never have to replace and certainly not on a vehicle that only has 50,000 miles on it.)
    4. Air Conditioner compressor pump Cost $800 (the part alone can only be purchased through the dealer and costs $500. According to a popular car magazine all Dodge / Chrysler minivans have this problem. Apparently the compressors just do not last and need replacing about every 2 years)
    5. Various bearings, belts, and filters replaced Cost $200
    6. Check engine light needed repair because it kept coming on for no reason Cost $65 to reset it.
    And to top it off, now the Master Brake Cylinder needs replacing. Those are just the major problems we have experienced. There are also several other little problems we have encountered, for instance the plastic paneling over the sliding doors keeps falling off. Before we purchased the vehicle we had it checked by a mechanic and we did the carfaqs check on it. Of course we found no faults or red flags so we went ahead and purchased the vehicle. We thought we would be purchasing a nice reliable vehicle that would last for years. We also researched it online and couldn't find any major recalls or any major problems. However, shortly after we purchased the vehicle and we encountered the brake light switch problem is when we found this board. Like I said I wish I found this board beforehand. In the past 4 months it has averaged out that we are spending $400 a month in repairs. I believe that this vehicle has many, many faults that outweigh it's advantages. And according to anyone I have talked to and according to all the posts on this board, I believe that these vehicles are poorly made. Also, talking with various mechanics while my vehicle has been in the shop being repaired, most have said it is common knowledge in auto shops that Dodge and Chrysler minivans have many faults. Most mechanics say their transmissions are also faulty and go out too soon. Thankfully we have a warranty on the engine and transmission, so if they go out they should be covered. But, I tell you from my experience with this vehicle, I would never buy another Dodge or Chrysler vehicle and especially not a Voyager. I would not reccomend that anyone purchase a Voyager or any other Dodge/Chrysler minivan. I would strongly suggest you take a hard look at all other minivans and options on the market.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    While it is certainly unfortunate that you've had so many problems with your (second hand?) Voyager, your rant is both unwarranted and filled with personal opinion that bear little resemblance to the facts regarding the reliability of DC minivans.

    My wife and I own two GCs, and we know many other folks who own any number of flavors of DC minivans. As a rule these vans have been nothing short of stellar as far as reliability. Regarding your various complaints:

    1) Brakes and rotors, the worst mileage we've gotten from a set was a little over 30,000 miles (lots of driving in and around NYC), and our 2003 had over 45,000 miles (with an easy 5,000 left on the pads) when I did the brakes on both of them earlier this summer. Regarding the cost numbers you posted, I'm at a loss as to explain them because I was able to do the front brakes on both of our vans for less than $150 combined (new rotors and pads for both). As for your comments about brakes lasting only 6 months to a year, yeah, I suppose that could be true if you were driving at the rate of 5,000 miles per month.

    2) The battery. Geez, you've never had to replace the battery on a car before? I'm thinking that four years on an OEM battery is pretty damn good, regardless of what manufacturer built the car.

    3) Brake light switch. It's a fact of life, switches fail. Both of ours are original, however, if either fail I certainly wouldn't use it as an indictment against the vehicle or the company. It failed, you fixed it, move on.

    4) A/C compressor. Both of our vans have the original A/C compressor, one is over seven years old and has nearly 100,000 miles on it, the other is over two years old and has nearly 50,000 miles on it. So much for only lasting two years.

    5) Four years on the life of belts and bearings? I'm not hearing anything earth shattering here either.

    6) With the advent of the ubiquitous OBD-II (On Board Diagnostics), all cars from every manufacturer occasionally get the "Check Engine Light". Reasons for this are quite numerous with the most common being a loose gas cap (which by the way is self-correcting once the cap has been retightened and driven for a tank of gas or so).

    7) Master brake cylinder. The fact is that brake fluid absorbs water, water that can eat away at brake components. That's why many manufacturers recommend that you fully flush your entire braking system every other year. My bet is that your van didn't have that service done.

    8) Your "poorly made" comment is pretty funny. On the whole, my bet is that the DC vans are the best made in the world, Honda and Toyota not withstanding. In our neighborhood the owners of the DC vans have a MUCH higher level of satisfaction than the Odyssey owners.

    9) Your comments about mechanics making bad comments about these vans is also seeming to be a little bit of an exaggeration. I'm a former mechanic and as such, I usually chat it up with those who I hire to perform work on my cars, and so far at lease, I've never heard anyone mention anything bad about the DC vans except for the transmissions. Which brings me to your next point...

    10) ...the transmissions. These transmissions require proper care and feeding. Going the cheap route and using anybody except the dealer for transmission service is roughly akin to playing Russian Transmission Roulette. Entirely too many non-dealership service based personnel wrongly believe in the concept of "universal filters" and "universal fluids" or "compatible fluids". Wrong! Use the dealership for transmission service or be prepared to replace your transmission.

    11) Recommending the DC minivans to others. Our 1998 will cross the 100,000 mile threshold in the next month or two. Other than routine maintenance I've spent considerably less than $100 for unscheduled repairs, ditto our 2003. The sum and total of said repairs are as follows:

    a) Replace the battery on the 1998 at about 45,000 miles. Got a Sears DieHard Gold.
    b) Replace the battery on the 2003 at about 45,000 miles. Got a Sears DieHard Gold.
    c) Replace the drivers' side door light switch at about 88,000 miles.

    That's it. Guess what? I have no problem in recommending DC vans to any and all who ask.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • vchengvcheng Member Posts: 1,284
    MY van is a 1999 Dodge Grand Caravan Sport, now with 81000 miles. It has been more reliable than my other much more expensive cars from "premium" brands. It is still my vehicle of choice for long journeys.

    The only repairs covered under warranty were the battery vacuum tray and the EGR valve. Otherwise, I have routinely maintained it, perhaps fairly meticulously, and it has rewarded my family with cheap, reliable and comfortable transportation, exactly what is was designed to do.
  • masterpaul1masterpaul1 Member Posts: 421
    I third Shipo's comments. We have a 01 DGC EX with over 64K that we bought used back in September 2003. The only none maintenance problems we had was to replace both front power window motor regulators right after purchase, (Covered under warranty) and replace the gas cap in 2004.

    Although, unfortunate that you have had so many problems with your used 01 Plymouth Voyager, you did buy it used. Do you know how the previous owner/s took care of it? How about their driving habits? All this should be taken into account when you purchase a used vechicle. (Not to mention why they traded it in.)

    Regarding what you said about having to replace the battery. (I'm assuming this was the original battery being replaced). It was about time for it to be replaced. Most batteries need replacement every 4 yrs. (Depending on where you live weather wise). We replaced our battery in our 01 DGC just mid 2004 when in for a routine oil change.

    I'm not sure on our van when the brake pads were replaced before we bought it. But, we have not had to replace our pads yet and still have around 50 % pad life left. (We have put on over 27K on our van since ownership).

    Our trans. was serviced at 34K and 56K and no problems.

    Our air conditioning works well when over 90 degrees outside, keeping me and my family cool. You might want to check with your Daimlerchrysler dealer about this, but I was told by our dealer that we have a 75K extended warranty on the air conditioning compressor. (Although for us it doesn't matter since we have a bumper to bumper warranty to 75K or May 2007).

    I am very pleased with our van. It has been very reliable and fun to drive. I make sure that all scheduled maintenance is done, rather by me doing it or our dealer. Good luck with your van. :shades:
  • johnbenderjohnbender Member Posts: 17
    Certainly you are entitled to your opionon as am I. All I am doing is letting the consumers know the facts before buying. Here's the link to the Consumer Automotive guide regarding Voyagers. It lists the benefits as well as the known problems. http://auto.consumerguide.com/Auto/Used/reviews/full/index.cfm/id/2489/act/usedcarreviewsh- owall/
    If you check out the problems section you will notice they mention the brakes and air conditoner compressor as both being known problems. If your Caravan is running great then I am happy you have a good running vehicle. Two other people I know both have Caravans as well and both have encountered similar problems with air conditionoing compressors, transmission, and brakes. Caravans do seem more reliable then Voyagers though. Like I said it's no big deal to replace batteries, brakes, tires, etc due to normal maintenace. However, at 50,000 all mechanics I have spoken to have said the same thing about the brake light switch, the a/c compressor, and the master cylinder...those should all last much longer then they have. And as far as the brakes wearing quickly, check out previous posts on this same forum and you will notice a lot of the same complaints. As far as mechanics go, yes they all have their own opinons about which vehicles are better as well, but when I have 3 different mechanics from 3 different places all say the same thing, then I listen to what they have to say. Even the mechanic at the dealership said the brake light switch should never have gone out and he admitted the air conditioner compressors do not last as long as they do on other vehicles. Most of our work and parts we have had done through the dealership except for the brake light switch which I installed myself and the brakes which were done by a local shop. Our brakes are still under warranty so we will have them replaced free of charge, but we have only driven about 3,000 miles on them so far. The brake pads came directly from the dealership, so they are not an inferior product. The delearship wanted to charge $200 to install the brake light switch, which took all of 15 minutes to do. Like I said though, I am glad you have had nothing but reliable transportation from your vehicle. But in my opinon and I have owned many, many vehicles over the years, and I have never seen a vehicle with only 50,000 miles on it have so many problems. Compared to someone I know who owns an Oddesy, our problems are overwhelming. He has over 100,000 miles on the Oddesy and he has never had the check engine light come on, he never had to replace a bad a/c compressor, brake light switch, or any of the other stuff. He even still has the original stock battery in the vehicle. The only maintence he has had to do is tires, brakes, and oil changes. Whereas all the folks I know who have Caravans and Voyagers have had a lot more time in the shop, including major repairs such as transmission and engine problems. The problems I had listed are just the major repairs we have done in 4 months. We have also done many minor repairs to the interior and exterior that were due to faulty equiptment. For instance the molding over the doors kept falling off and needed latches to be replaced on them, the plastic guard on the windshield wipers also keep coming off and needed to be replaced, a platic insert near the hood needed to be repaired etc. All those things added up together just let me know that the vehicle is poory made...in my opinon. Our vehicle was inspected prior to us buying it and has never been in an accident and according to carfaqs only had one previous owner. So when we purchased it we thought it would be buying a nice reliable vehicle. So far it has been nothing more then a waste of time and money.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    "All I am doing is letting the consumers know the facts before buying."

    Uh-huh, well right, wrong or misguided, your so called "facts" are anecdotal and backed up by your biased anger. As such, they should be taken with a very large grain of salt.

    Specific to your post, you said, "If you check out the problems section you will notice they mention the brakes and air conditoner compressor as both being known problems."

    Regarding the A/C: There was a reference to the A/C compressor failing if folks didn't use the rear controls. Weird, but it is what it is. I’ve never known an owner of a DC minivan that needed to replace the compressor. Did they always use the rear controls? I have no idea.

    Regarding the brakes: Sorry, but I read the entire page you provided a link to and there wasn't one single reference to any known problems with the brakes. I've seen a number of posts here recently regarding the brakes, however, as far as I can tell they are from folks who were incorrectly equating brakes that generate lots of dust with low quality brake pads, which if you are at all automotively aware you know is simply not the case. The fact is that every German built car sold here in the United States (and many others as well) has a difficult time driving 200 miles without suffering from noticeable brake dust build up. Saying that dust producing brake pads are of low quality is pretty silly, it is like saying that the very dusty brake pads that came on my 530i were cheap. Yeah, they were so cheap that when a motorcyclist pulled out directly in front of me on the Autobahn doing about 50 mph while I was doing more like 130, said motorcyclist lived to tell the tale, barely (like by one foot). The simple truth of the matter is that the higher the performance of the brake pad, the greater the amount of brake dust generated.

    All in all, I think that you are understandably angry about your purchase of a used (and probably poorly maintained and maybe even abused) vehicle and instead dealing with the issues that are inevitably going to pop up on such a vehicle, you are trying to pass the blame. The real fact of the matter is that DC minivans are considered to be some of the most reliable minivans on the market and most folks are able to easily drive them to well over 100,000 miles with just basic maintenance.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • johnbenderjohnbender Member Posts: 17
    Masterpaul, I am glad to hear you have the full bumper to bumper warranty. Naturally when you buy a used vehicle the thought always goes through your mind that you may have purchased a lemon, but when I heard other folks with the same complaints then it makes me think that isn't the case. For instance recently I met somebody who owns a 2002 Voyager. They bought the vehicle new in 2002 and it has only about 45,000 miles on it, but when we got to talking it turns out they had quite a few of the same problems we had. Their a/c compressor needed to be replaced. Thier check engine light also came on for no reason and needed to be reset and they too had problems with their Master Brake Cylinder. Most of their problems began occurring when the vehicle hit 40,000. They also had a few more problems that I haven't encountered yet, but needless to say they fell the same way I do about the Voyagers. They don't plan on purchasing another one anytime soon.
    But, I am glad to hear that you haven't had any of those problems, and I hope you never do. Luckily you have a full warranty so you should be alright. By the way, according to the delearship out here the a/c compressor isn't covered in most warranties and they only give you a one year 15,000 mile warranty on a new one. One of the reasons we bought our vehicle from the delearship in the first place was because it does have a warranty as well. But wouldn't you it, all the stuff that has gone wrong so far has not been covered by the warranty.
  • just4fun2just4fun2 Member Posts: 461
    You said that you took the van to a mechanic to have it inspected before you purchased it. Didn't this mechanic know what the other mechanics knew about this type of van and give you a heads-up warning about what problems you might be facing?
  • johnbenderjohnbender Member Posts: 17
    Obviously if the mechanic who inspected it let us know what the other mechanics said, then we would not have purchased it. But actually the mechanic who inspected it did mention the fact that Dodge / Chrysler transmissions were notorios for going out early. He said a lot of mechanics still do not understand that their transmissions need to use the Dodge transmission fluid only and he said we just needed to have the transmission serviced regually by the Delearship and since it has the warranty on the transmission he said we shouldn't worry about that anyway. But right after we purchased it we had the delearship do all the routine servies including the transmission checkup, brake inspection, and fluid replacement.
  • johnbenderjohnbender Member Posts: 17
    Shipo, while I appreciate and respect your opinion, I just disagree with what you said. As to the post, of course my opinon is biased, as is yours. Obviously we both have different experiences with our vehicles, so our opinons are different as well. If you had all the problems we had with ours, then maybe you would feel differently, same as if we had the good experience you had with your vehicles, then we would feel differenlty. The facts about the bad a/c compressors are posted not just on that link, but on several other pages that review the vehicle as well. It is a known problem with the vehicles, which is why I pointed that out. Maybe that link will help others who have the same problem. As far as the brakes go, you must have my post mixed up with someone else, I didn't mention anything about the brake dust or the brakes being cheap. All I said is that we had bought the brake pads directly from the delear, so they are supposed to be the high quality ones. Now after only 3,000 miles they are already worn and need to be replaced. As far as maitenace we have had almost all our work done exclusivley at the dealer as to not void the warranty. While I am glad that you say most Dodge minivans are reliable and last well over 100,000 miles, I am just letting you know that I do not personally know a single person who owns a Dodge or Chrysler Minivan with over 100,000 on it that hasn't had to have the engine or transmission completely replaced. I know 3 people who own Dodge or Chrysler minivans and all 3 of them have had their transmissions rebuilt and one had their engine rebuilt.Thankfully we haven't had any problems with the transmission or the engine, but it is something that I know will happen and probably sooner then later. Honestly I am happy that you have had no major probelms with your vehicles, but then again you do not have the same vehicle as we do either. True the engine in the Voyager and Caravan are pretty much the same, but the rest of the vehicles are built differently and can have different problems. From what I have seen though in my expereince they do tend to have similar problems with the ac compressor, transmission and brakes. I myself am mechanically inclined, maybe not as much as you, but when I was younger I did all the work on my own vehicles and I actually worked in a couple automotive shops. Now admittably I don't know too much about brakes, but when it comes to engines and such I am quite experienced. So, my opinon is not just based on complete anger, it is also based on my experience and research. Since we purchased this vehicle I have done so much research on it, it has become quite ridiculus. This board is about Dodge / Chrysler Minivan problems, which is why I posted here. This is the forum where you are supposed to post your problems you are having and that's what I did. Like I said, I appreciate your opinon and I hope you do not encounter any of the problems we have.
    Best Regards
  • just4fun2just4fun2 Member Posts: 461
    If your brakes need to be replaced in 3000 miles, there is a problem with the brake system or maybe the driver riding the brakes. If the rear brake are not adjusting as they wear the front brakes will be doing all of the work when you stop. You might have a brake caliper/slide not releasing, but you definately have a problem with your brake system that needs to be addressed before putting on new parts again.
  • johnbenderjohnbender Member Posts: 17
    Thanks for the tip Just4fun. We actually took the van into the shop today to have the brakes replaced and the master cylinder. They said there is a problem with the brakes because they appear to be melting. The said the pads are heating up which is causing them to wear too quickly. The also said they do not know what is causing this to happen so they are going to keep it and examine it some more. Well, I called the delearship as well to see if they knew what would cause the brakes to heat up and they had no clue either. They said unless you drive it up and down a mountain everyday then they shouldn't do that. Fortunately the shop is going to fix the problem for free because the brakes are still under warranty. But I'd appreciate it if you have any advice on what could be causing the brake pads to heat up and melt away. I am not that experienced with brakes and I have never heard of that happening before and we certainly do not drive our van up and down a mountain everyday, as we live in the city.
  • dennisctcdennisctc Member Posts: 1,168
    Compared to someone I know who owns an Oddesy, our problems are overwhelming. He has over 100,000 miles on the Oddesy and he has never had the check engine light come on, he never had to replace a bad a/c compressor, brake light switch, or any of the other stuff. He even still has the original stock battery in the vehicle. The only maintence he has had to do is tires, brakes, and oil changes.

    I had a 1983 Cavalier and put 190k very trouble free miles on it, worst thing was starter. I had to replace brakes, belts, battery etc...Sold it in 1991 with original clutch in it still! I've had 2 Dodge Caravans - 1996 and 1999, as company car. I abused them, and never had problems with either - putting 70k miles on each.

    I for one am tired of hearing about "superior" Honda and Toyota Minivans. One just need to check out this forum to hear similar problems with the imports - engine and tranny replacements. Just recently in Honda problem area, Honda had to install an entire engine in an Odyssey with only 600 miles! There's problems with AC condensers, power door, brakes...you name it! The 2005 Oddys are a mess with problems and recalls. To top it off, price out a comparable Oddy and Caravan...the Dodge wins handily!!

    If you considering buying used, for the price of one used Oddy, you could probably buy 2 Dodges.

    Ok, so my point is.........taking a breath.......you can get a lemon in any make! Buying used is risky regardless of make....a carfax report doesn't tell the whole story of the car.
  • just4fun2just4fun2 Member Posts: 461
    I just want to be sure that I'm understanding you. The dealership didn't do the brake job, it was a brake shop? If the brake shop and not the dealer did the brake job, how do you know that the brake pads came from the dealer? The brake pads might not be made from the correct material for your van causing too much heat build up. The reason that I am asking about the pads, I once did a brake job (pads/rotors) on my Buick and the brakes overheated within 2 miles of driving. Turned out to be the wrong pad material. I wouldn't expect much help from the dealership when it comes to answering your questions about your problems if they aren't getting paid to do so

    Could be a bad master cylinder that is causing your problem. I just hope that they aren't just throwing parts on hoping that this or that will fix the problem. I hate to warn you, but with enough heat to melt the brakes that soon you might be looking at replacing the wheel bearing sooner than expected. Just keep in mind that if the wheel bearings need early replacement it was probably brought on by the part that caused your brakes to melt.
  • johnbenderjohnbender Member Posts: 17
    Thanks for the info just4fun2. We purchased the brake pads directly from the delearship ourselves and then had another shop install them. The only reason we had another shop install them is because the dealer was too busy and couldn't get around to doing them for about a week. The dealer warrantied the brake pads and the shop warrantied the work, so those are being replaced free of charge. I don't think the dealer would sell us the wrong brake pads, so I can't imagine the pads being the problem, unless somehow they were just defective. The shop is also in the process of examing the vehicle to see if there is some other problem that is causing the pads to heat up. We trust the guys at the shop, as we've known them for years and had them work on other vehicles in the past without any problems. While searching online I did find somebody else with the same problem, they said their pads were getting hot and grinding down to nothing in a short period of time. They had posted a message on one of those mechanic repair boards looking for an answer, but they haven't received a response yet. The post was a couple months old, so I am guessing they probably won't receive a response. Anyway, right now we are just twiddling our thumbs waiting for the shop to figure out what the problem is. If they can't find out what's wrong then we'll have to schedule a visit to the delearship, but from talking with them, it sounds like they don't have a clue what's wrong either.
  • got2knowgot2know Member Posts: 4
    I've never posted anything to a forum before so please bare with me....I have a 99 caravan, which so far has been a really reliable van.

    Today I noticed a smell when I turned on the ac....either like something's burning or a sulfer smell....has anyone had this problem or know what could be causing it..any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
  • 97xpresso97xpresso Member Posts: 249
    Unlesss your 2001 Voyager is a 4 cyl, your AC compressor is warrantied 7 years or 70,000 miles which ever comes first, regardless of ownership. Why did you pay for this repair?
  • johnbenderjohnbender Member Posts: 17
    Not according to the 2 delearships in our area. We bought the compressor at the delearship and had the delearship install it. They said the compressor was not covered and in fact they said it is a part that is not covered under most warranties. As it is we only have a warranty on the engine and transmission though. Also the new one they installed only has a one year 15,000 mile warranty on it. So if it goes out after a year, it will not be covered again. And to top it off neither one of the delears in our area had the part instock so we had to drive 100 miles to get pick up the compressor ourselves and then take it back out to the dealership out here for them to install it. They claimed that even though the dealership that was only 100 miles away had the part in stock that it would take them over a week to have it delivered here. That's another problem we have had with the delearships out here is they have been very unhelpful.
  • johnbenderjohnbender Member Posts: 17
    If you have a link to a website or some paperwork showing that the a/c compressor is supposed to be under warranty for 70,000 miles, please forward it my direction though, so I can take it to the delearship and see about getting a refund.
    Thanks
  • johnbenderjohnbender Member Posts: 17
    I have seen other similar posts on this board about this problem. If you do a search for it, I'm sure it will pull up those posts. But from what I remember I heard several people say they needed to basically deodorize thier a/c by using a lysol spray in it. Like I said, you may want to seach the forum if you haven't already, but I know I have seen this same problem posted on here before.
    Best of luck
  • got2knowgot2know Member Posts: 4
    Thanks for the info...but I'm going to contact the dealer now. I went to try the ac again today to see how it was "doing", and instead of a smell the whole thing cuts off and goes back on by itself. I checked all of my paperwork and it should still be covered THANK GOD, the van has less than 50,000 miles on it. Thanks again for the input.
  • 97xpresso97xpresso Member Posts: 249
    I don't have a scanner, and I can't type, but I will highlite the letter sent to affected vehicle owners: "This letter is to inform you that the warranty period on your minivan's AC compressor has been extended to 7 years or 70,000 miles, which ever comes first." It then states applies only to certain 2001, 2002 and 2003 DC, DGV, CV, and C T&C minivans equipted with a 6 cyl engine. It gives the reason for the extension, and then states: "If you have already experienced an A/C compressor failure and have paid to have it repaired, you may send your original receipts and/or other adequate proof of payment to the folowing address for reinbusment:

    DAIMLERCHRYSLER
    P.O. Box 610027
    Port Huron, MI 48061-0207
    ATTENTION: Reimbursment

    Good Luck, I'm sure there's more info out there, and this applies to the compressor, parts and labor, but no other A/C components
  • gmilnergmilner Member Posts: 1
    The dodge dealer wants 4 hours to install a fuel sender. I think it`s a pretty easy job and I told them I would bring the vehicle in with very little fuel in the tank. It`s covered under warranty. I think I`m getting jerked around here.
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