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Dodge/Plymouth/Chrysler Minivan Problems & Solutions

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  • jnovicejnovice Member Posts: 3
    Thanks for the thoughts, Shipo. I have completed the change as described by changing back to 10w30 and I'm waiting for the results. I plan to change oil and filter again at 1000 miles. I'm thinking about going back to 10w 40 from the 10w30 that I have changed to. I also am planning to go to a high efficiency filter at that time. I did remember that just prior to the low oil alarm coming on, the RPM's dropped to about 500. I discounted that as not a part of the problem. Thanks again for your info.
  • gino45gino45 Member Posts: 52
    I asked for Monroe's at Can Tire and they gave me Wagners (rotors). According to them, they both have the same product number. The parts guy said that Wagner makes Monroe brakes parts. I got the Wagners for $59 CDN. Can't complain about that. I held off from buying the Monroe pads since I am debating on whether to put on Ceramic pads instead. The ceramic's are about $20 more than the Monroe's, which I believe are semi-metallic. Have you ever put on ceramic pads? Would I get considerable more mileage out of them than regular semi-metallic pads?
  • indyhoundindyhound Member Posts: 2
    My 2002 Dodge Caravan is dropping into a "fail-safe mode" (not sure if that's the correct wording). This is indicated by the service engine light and the van will not exceed around 2K RPM. Also, the squares around the gear letters light up and stay there. It appears to happen when it is raining heavy or a substancial snow. After it dries the van runs fine but the service engine light stays on. Dodge can't tell me what the code means exactly. Anyone else experience this?
  • bryaninoregonbryaninoregon Member Posts: 7
    recently purchased a used 98 dgc w/95xxx mi. anyway the the rear heater/ac will only blow out of the very back outlets, not the ones right behind the front seats. does anyone have any idea whats up with this?
  • almokalmok Member Posts: 1
    Any luck with the mechanism yet? I just had the identical situation happen last Friday. My 1997 Town & Country had a flat and the tire wouldn't release, so I went to the 96 Caravan to get the spare and it was stuck too! Finally borrowed the spare from a LHS, but I still have two stuck spares. Tried the up and down thing with both of them and got under and pulled , turned, shook and cussed, all to no avail.
  • mrbizness1mrbizness1 Member Posts: 93
    On my 98 the heat only blows out on the r/s forward of the rear wheel well across from the first row of rear seats. If you adjust the air to the cold position it only comes thru the upper outlets.
    The very rear vent is an air inlet and should always be clear so incoming air is not restricted which can cause the fan motor to burn out.
  • iwantpepsiiwantpepsi Member Posts: 2
    I am having a groaning issue with my 2003 T&C LXi. I took it to a dealer and they replaced :

    Left front hub bearing
    both front sway bars, links and bushings

    the power steering reservior (it was leaking)
    power steering return lines

    Well after all that the cars is still whining/groaning at slow speeds and worstens in the damp weather. Of course the shop had it today (sunny and 75) and claims that they canot replicate the noise. I really want to scream. :mad:
  • iwantpepsiiwantpepsi Member Posts: 2
    My 2003 is visiting the shop for this exact sound. I keep telling the guy that it sounds like to heavy pieces of metal rubbing; he can't replicate the sound.

    My Mother had this same sound in a 1997 Lumina and it ended up being a bolt in her rear axel that sheared in half.
  • dogleg1dogleg1 Member Posts: 4
    sometimes I get no heat. Suddenly it will decide to come on. When I rotate the heat control I hear the valve working or trying to. Any ideas as to what I can do to resolve this ? Thanks.
  • aprendizaprendiz Member Posts: 17
    Where is located the "radiator fan relay" for a Chrysler Voyager 2000, L2,4. My fans do not works (individually tested -ok)
  • vchengvcheng Member Posts: 1,284
    ... left front wheel well after removing the liner.
  • disneymomdisneymom Member Posts: 3
    Hi! I have a Grand Caravan that has had nothing but problems. It does have almost 120,000mi but the problems started well before it even hit 50k. The brakes have always been an issue. It loves to eat brake pads. The newest brake issue is a horrible shaking when the brakes are applied. This is even after the brake pads, calipers, and rotors and been replaces. What could this be and how expensive is it to fix (ball park)?
  • disneymomdisneymom Member Posts: 3
    What would I be looking for? I'm sorry. I'm totally mechanical stupid.
  • aprendizaprendiz Member Posts: 17
    Thanks, I found it. It don't work, either is u/s or receive not command to change position from PCM, no way for me to know for sure. I will try changing it.
  • willemwillem Member Posts: 16
    The Monroe's are (semi) metallic pads. I've never used ceramic pads on any vehicle. Very curious whether you're happy with that, and how long they will last!
    You realize that the harder the pad,the longer they last, but the quicker your rotors are finished :)

    Willem
  • willemwillem Member Posts: 16
    It doesn't sound like a complicated problem or so, but if you're not mechanically inclined, bring your van to your mechanic or the dealer :)

    Willem
  • motoringmamamotoringmama Member Posts: 35
    I had new front brakes pads put on my Gr.Caravan last May. Just in the last month they have begun to squeal every time I apply them. It seems to be the worst after I've driven for about 20 minutes or so. I returned to the place that put them on, as they have a 25 year warranty supposedly. The guy showed me the pads all the way around and they still looked real good. He said they had at least 90 percent left on them. Bendix semi-metallic. He said the squealing could be that my rotors have a lip of rust around the inner edge and the pads are rubbing this. he quoted me a price for new rotors. I haven't decided if I totally believe this story. Any thoughts? Thanks
  • mfahey1mfahey1 Member Posts: 419
    Not saying the mechanic didn't do it but there is an anti-squeak shim and goop that is supposed to go behind the pads.
    As to the ceramic pad question, my Bonneville came with them and when they went, I replaced them with ceramics as well. One very nice thing is the minimal amount of brake dust. I did have the rotors turned as they were very lightly scored but they certainly weren't worn out after 83,000 miles.
  • mrbizness1mrbizness1 Member Posts: 93
    I would have the shop make sure they tightened all the bolts. Maybe the shaking is caused by the rear drums being out of round. At 120k they may be on their way out
  • disneymomdisneymom Member Posts: 3
    What are the rear drums and do you know how costly they are to repair? We have someone interested in buying it for under $4000 so I think we may do it and just cut our losses. It's 6 yrs old now. Thank you
  • smith23smith23 Member Posts: 2
    The 15 amp mini-fuse for the AC clutch blows as soon as I turn on the AC. I have replaced it twice, and it blows immediately.

    How do I determine if this is an electrical problem or a clutch/compressor problem.

    Any help very much appreciated. My wife is going crazy not having AC in the van !!!

    Thanks
  • joygirljoygirl Member Posts: 1
    I am new to this board and I,m a single gal with not alot of money to spare on car repairs. I recently had my oil changed and my tires rotated. BTW, its a 1994 Dodge Caravan. Its always been reliable. I bought it used about 2 years ago and it was a one owner car. After the tire rotation and oil change, (and I noticed this as soon as I drove it away from the station) it ran real rough. Almost like driving on those real rough concrete highways they make for wet and icy weather. It sounds like its the tires. There is a slight vibration in the steering wheel, but mainly its just rough sounding. No light comes on and it doesn,t heat up. Also, I only notice the noise when I get it up to 35-40 mph. What in the heck could this be and why would it just start after an oil change and tire rotation?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    well the AC clutch is electrically operated, so it could be both a clutch and an electrical problem in this case. I'd guess a wiring issue somewhere, that is, a short. Might be interesting if you could temporarily bypass the AC switch at the dash and see what happened (jump the switch with a wire). Make sure you know which wires you are jumping however....make REAL sure.
  • smith23smith23 Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for the suggestion - I'll try it out and let you know what happens.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    a good place (but not convenient place) to look for shorts is behind the fuse box, which on some cars isn't too hard to unscrew and take a peek and on other cars is a real pain.

    I always try to look for an exposed live wire touching ground.
  • dogleg1dogleg1 Member Posts: 4
    Let me get back to my problem ,several posts ago, with the heater temperature control on my 2002 caravan. Can someone tell me where to find the electrical diagrams for this heater system? Maybe I can figure it out on my own if I have the schematics. Thanks.
  • deeksterdeekster Member Posts: 4
    Hello, my 1993 Dodge Caravan 6 cyl. has gone from 15mpg to 10 mpg. I am not using the A/C. Could it be that all I need is a tune up? Thanks.
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    Well, how long has it been since you had the van tuned up?
  • spacecadet1spacecadet1 Member Posts: 2
    Just read your recent msg on the noise. As I write this, my
    Town & Country LX is in the shop. As for the groaning noise, I did some research and found that there is a technical service bulletin on the power steering.

    I quote the description in the bulletin:
    "Moan/foghorn-like sound while turning at slow speed or parking lot maneuvers."

    The bulletin's NHTSA number is 1901104.

    I had the van in the same shop about 6 wks ago to look at this problem and they said the fluid was low! I knew this was wrong. The ultimate fix is to replace some fluid lines and add a cooler to the system.

    I hope this helps.

    webb981@bellsouth.net
  • deeksterdeekster Member Posts: 4
    Bought it 2 years ago but never tuned it up. I have only put maybe 2000 miles on it since I purchased it. Do not know if previous owner had tuned it up before selling it to me.
  • mfahey1mfahey1 Member Posts: 419
    Certainly a tuneup including plugs and wires is in order. I'd check the cap and rotor as well. However, you didn't say what the mileage is on the van but I'd vote for replacing the oxygen sensor.
  • deeksterdeekster Member Posts: 4
    Sounds good to me. 124,000 miles on the vehicle. Thanks for the advice.
  • 97xpresso97xpresso Member Posts: 249
    The tires that were on the rear are out of balance. Not enough that they altered the ride while mounted on the rear, but now that they are up front, you can feel it especially in the steering wheel. They still may be noisey after a high speed balance, due to wear pattern, but the steering wheel shouldn't shake.
  • timsharp3timsharp3 Member Posts: 1
    Can you (or anyone)tell me where I can locate the fan relay for a 98 Town & Country?

    Thanks,
    Tim
  • badgerfanbadgerfan Member Posts: 1,565
    Check the tire pressures. Maybe they grossly overinflated your tires when they rotated them.
  • ggolfstersggolfsters Member Posts: 3
    I have 4 Interior switch lights flashing(A/C,Interior airflow, Front wipers(top 2 )). Problem 1st started after rad. fans would not turn off minutes after key removed. I removed the neg. term. cable from battery, which stopped the fans, but I believe they have not turned on since, as the water temp went to the max during heavy traffic. I also noticed that the interior lights by the drivers and front passenger do not turn on when the door is opened, but will if turned on by pressing the switch.
  • ggolfstersggolfsters Member Posts: 3
    I have had this multiple times. I have been able to release it by 1) banging on the tire or 2) pulling the lever(that holds the connector in)to release the plastic connector. Once off, I think the best thing to do is shave the connector so that it is smooth.
  • dodge01dodge01 Member Posts: 12
    I have a 2001 and its located behind the glove box. Simply open the box and push in the release tabs. I believe it was a white plastic item about the size of a credit card

    Whole thing took about 15min to do
  • dodge01dodge01 Member Posts: 12
    my 2001's is behind the glove box. just open it and push in the release tabs, this will allow the box to flop all the way open. you will see it behind there (assuming yours is like mine) It was a white plastic piece about the size of a credit card and not very expensive.

    took me about 15min to replace

    hope that helps
  • dogleg1dogleg1 Member Posts: 4
    I give up on this so-called help panel. Adios and AMEN.
  • mrbizness1mrbizness1 Member Posts: 93
    The rear drums are what the rear shoes push against to stop the car unless you have 4 wheel disc brakes.
    Auto zone sells two types either $62 or $28 foe each one. the lower priced drums can't be resurfaced
  • gino45gino45 Member Posts: 52
    Well, I chose the ceramic pads. I'll let you know in 50K :D whether they were worth it. BTW, I had the dealer flush the brake fluid and I noticed that after the work was done the fluid in the reservoir was still an amber color. The dealer said that due to dirt being stirred up while flushing the system the color would never be as clear as the fluid color when the fluid is in it's original package (bottle). Any truth to that?
  • 97xpresso97xpresso Member Posts: 249
    I recently bled my brake fluid at each wheel, the old fashioned way, with a helper applying the brakes while I opened and shut the bleeder screw. We did this until the fluid ran clear at each wheel, yet the next day, the fluid in the reservoir was an amber color also.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    For all you mathmaticians and computer geeks out there, tomorrow our 1998 DGC will hit the binary mileage reading that equates to 3F% Hex (or 077 Octal). Said another way, it will take another 888,889 miles before I see another binary display on the odometer. I'm thinking that as much as this old van has been a good reliable workhorse for our family over the last eight years, we probably won't keep it long enough to see that next binary display. ;-)

    So, for all intents and purposes, "Bye-bye Binary!" :shades:

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • dogleg1dogleg1 Member Posts: 4
    Anybody know where I find heater system wiring diagrams for this vehicle ? Thanks.
  • aprendizaprendiz Member Posts: 17
    Any wiring diagram for door ajar system Voyager 2000? or how deactivate it?. Found nothing in Haynes.
  • badgerfanbadgerfan Member Posts: 1,565
    If your door ajar light stays on, it is probably just one of the door switches gone bad. Very easy and inexpensive switch to change out, at least for the front driver or passenger door. One screw and one electrical connector, and when you put the new one in, it is self adjusting for plunger height.
  • aprendizaprendiz Member Posts: 17
    4 sw seems to work properly as tested individually. Fault is intermitently. That's why I'm looking for the proper wiring diagram.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    The switch on the drivers' door of our 1998 failed last year. Said failure was intermittent and very annoying. I bought a new one from my local dealer for a whopping $8.00 and installed it. The installation consists of a single screw and a single clip-on wire, it took all of 1.5 minutes. ;-)

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • gregmangregman Member Posts: 24
    Don't have paperwork for a proper explanation, but the recall apparently was to replace a/c hoses. Glad it was on Daimler Chrysler as it had to be spendy.
    Questioning the dealership about the wiper motor recall revealed it it true, but they will call when the motors come in.
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