Dodge/Plymouth/Chrysler Minivan Problems & Solutions

pneubmw · November 2001

I have a 1999 GRAND CARAVAN. the head lights HAVE ALWAYS appeared to be to dim at night,is there an upgrade light package i can get to replace the current headlights that may help improve the situation.
SO FAR NO PROBLEMS AFTER 46,000 MILES

thank you in advance

gizmoe · November 2001

Hi,

Has anyone changed and flushed their coolant system in this van. I tried to do it by turning
the draincock valve on the lower left hand side of the radiator about 20 times and nothing
comes out. The van is cooled down and I have the radiator cap removed as specified in the Hayes manual. The coolant just don't want to come out. Anyone one have any ideas before I try
to take the lower radiator hose off ?

Thanks.
Mike

vcheng · November 2001

I've done it on my 99 GCSport, and it worked out just as the Haynes manual said to.

vtec11 · November 2001

hey wilson,

i too am having the same problem on my van. WHat year is yours ?

It makes a click instead of starting. Sometimes it takes 5-10 cranks before it starts. I know it needs the starter and solenoid.

Question is: how much did it cost you, and how hard was it to put in. I looked at the chiltons manual and it says its around by the cross member. Is it easily accessible when you raise the front of hte car ?

thanks...

auto01 · November 2001

Thanks for the tip vcheng. Small light doesn't work, nor do buttons light up when used. Will have it looked at. Thanks a bunch!

veritas · November 2001

I don't recall seeing this mentioned here before. Have any other owners of 96-2000 DC vans experienced problems with the seams of their headlamp housings opening and allowing water to get in?

I recently drove the 99 T&C LTD I bought in May up north and for the first time drove in the rain for an extended period. When I arrived, my right headlamp housing had a great deal of water in it.

Use of my low beams while I was there dried out that portion of the housing, but the high beam area remained water fogged until I returned to the sunny south.

The right outboard amber running light below the headlamp housing wasn't working at all, but must have dried out before I found a replacement bulb because it was working again when I went to replace the bulb.

My dealer service department gave me the impression that this problem was not uncommon. They put some sealer on the seams of the housing and stated that this usually (but not always) did the trick. A replacement headlamp housing will cost over $400.

Just another reason why I think I will look elsewhere for a replacement when I get rid of this van. The headlights are marginal enough as is without water and/or dirt getting into them. And if this problem began with the 96's DC should have noticed and corrected the problem by the 99 model year.

cesarp · November 2001

jsande,

Make sure the wheels are torqued to 80 lbs./foot and the rear brakes are properly adjusted. As for brake pads and rotors you want to investigate the cross drilled rotor and pads at www.powerstoprotors.com.

Cheers,

Cesar

4aodge · November 2001

our 2000 town and country lx has never had any problem like that with our headlamps. while the headlamps could be brighter, you won't find me complaining. i usually drive with the low beams and fog lamps on to put more light on the road, and i find this helps a little.

it seems to me as though it was just a small glitch that was made in assembling your van at the factory. i remember our 98 grand caravan se leaked small portions of water from under the dashboard right above where the front passenger's legs would go when it rained.

just curious, what other problems have u had with your van that might make you want to look somewhere else for a replacement when you decide to sell or trade in your current t&c limited? both of our chrysler vans have been flawless and we have liked them both very much.

-adam

real123 · November 2001

See my post #815, my van was shuddering when cold. You gave me the idea it might be the belt tensioner. I took it in, told my mechanic to check out the tensioner and the mechanic was cool to the idea because it didn't make sense to him (also he didn't like a layman making suggestions). Well, the tesioner was bad, and he replaced it and the belt and the problem has disappeared. GE did cover the tensioner with no hassle, so with a $50 deductible I saved $60. That's only a fraction of what I paid for the warranty, but I still have another 4 years to go on it.

lmacmil · November 2001

Anyone know how the filler tube is connected to the gas tank on the 1990 Voyager? I had my fuel pump replaced Friday and today, after filling up the tank, it's leaking at that joint. All I can see is a large rubber seal which covers the connection. I took it back and parked it in the shop's lot (it was closed but I wanted the gas to leak in their lot, not my driveway.) I'd like to know what's what before I take them the keys on Monday.

dmathews3 · November 2001

My guess is it's held on with a large hose clamp that they forgot to put back on. Wasn't there any other vans around you could have looked at? I doubt that the procedure changes year to year.

mrbizness1 · November 2001

Drop your transmission down to a lower gear when decending on steep hills, this will enable the motor to take some of the load off the brakes.

mrbizness1 · November 2001

Raise your headlight adjustment slightly, this will greatly improve your visibility.

fhohio · November 2001

Regarding the Odessey, just note that in Consumer Reports Annual Auto issue, the 1999 model made the hit list of "used vehicles to AVOID." First year for the new version, obviously, had its share of problems reported by that magazines's subscribers. My 1999 Caravan has been almost perfect-one minor repair in the first 3 years. But low mileage. Yes, I bought an extended warranty only because of the transmission history, which is unfortunately a continuing concern for some folks.

lmacmil · November 2001

Thanks for the reply. It was raining and almost dark when I noticed the gas leak so I wasn't inclined to do any more than look underneath to see where it was coming from. Had it been dry and light, I would have attempted to fix it myself although it's a real pain in the [non-permissible content removed] when a "full service" repair shop misses something basic when putting something back together. I'll probably not go back to them for any future repairs.

vtec11 · November 2001

Does anyone know if the O/D in the 4 speed auto can be turned off ?

I've heard a few people mention that turning it off would help going up hills or something.

I have a 91 grand voyager 3.3L and a 98 grand caravan 3.8L. Both with 4 speed o/d. Neither of them seem to have a way to pull the tranny out of o/d once it gets upto speed.

On the 98 there is a light by the gear label light part saying "O/D OFF". Like it can be illuminated, but i can't find a button anywhere or how to do it. ???

what's goin on ???

thanks...

dmathews3 · November 2001

On alot of automatics they have L/1, 2, D/3, and OD/D. So is there one of those combos availible? Also on some Ford trucks 3rd gear was not a direct drive 1 to 1 and made it run at higher RPM's than it should have. Forced you to use overdrive even if you didn't want too.

royallen · November 2001

Rich, My '95 Caravan has a cluster of pushbuttons to the left of the gage cluster that on top are 2 buttons controlling rear wiper and washer. Below these is a button labeled "O/D off" which lights when activated. Its use is discussed in the owners manual, stating to turn O/D off when conditions would cause frequent shifts in and out of O/D. For me that is city driving. Roy

plrod · November 2001

to my list of automakers of "cars I will not buy again"; Ford is the only other on my list. We've a 95 Grand Voyager with just over 60K on the odo and a very thick file of stuff that's been replaced under warranty. While this van has served it's purpose, the list is just too long of what went wrong with this van. I will not buy another and cannot recommend it. I'll now hold out to see what awaits in a new era of non warranty repair. They can keep their D Neon rentals for people who own them.

brianr7 · November 2001

Hello all,

I have a Dodge Caravan with approx. 23000 miles on it. It is a 2000 and we bought it new at the end of Aug 2000. We had it in for inspection in May (around 17000 miles) and no problems were found. In the beginning of October the brakes grinded to a halt and the vehicle was towed to the dealer. The problem was the inside, front driver side brake pad was found to be worn. The inside brake pads do not have squealers on them so there was no indication that these were failing. My question is, is this normal for the inside brake pad to go without the outside brake pads even reaching the level to set off the squealer. Also, is it normal for this to wear this bad in the 6000 miles since inspection? Our dealer had to replace the rotors and brake pads which cost almost $300. I realize that 23000 is a lot of miles but the car is only 13 months old (when this occurred) and it seems to me that for this to happen there has to be a problem with the caliper. I still owe the dealer the money and, based on the feedback I get from this post will determine if I pay them or not. Dodge has not been of any help either because they said there was nothing they could do since my wife had given the dealer permission to fix the vehicle (as if she had a choice.)
Needless to say I will never buy another Chrysler product or will I buy a vehicle from Reedman in Langhorne, PA. Thanks for your replies.
Brian

tc99owner · November 2001

It would appear that quite a few owners are
commenting on the fact that they consider the
headlights somewhat "dim". I noticed this problem soon after we purchased our slightly used 99 TC,
since the light was actually worse than those
on our '91 Grand Caravan and I was disappointed.

A bit of an investigation showed me that barely
12.9 volts of the 14.3 volts available were getting to the actual headlamp bulbs. (These are approx numbers from memory, but they are in the ballpark. Interestingly enough, one side had most of the drop in the positive side, while the other had it on the ground return.)

Adding extra (thicker gauge) wires in parallel with all the supply and ground wires in all the low and high beam circuits reduced the total voltage drop to less than 0.3 volts, and made all the lights (low and high beams)noticeably brighter.
Adding almost 10% voltage makes the lights "whiter" as well

PLEASE UNDERSTAND that this is NOT a typical do it yourself wiring job. I am an electrical engineer with over twenty years experience, and regularly repair everything on our cars. Please do not attempt it if you are not familiar with wiring techniques used in automobiles, and know how to use wiring and wiring tools. It is very easy to have badly installed wiring cause an electrical fire.

dmathews3 · November 2001

This was a problem on the GM Trucks from 88 until they changed in 99. As a matter of fact there were kits from different companys that gave you new wiring to boast the power going to them. JC Whitney had a kit that even allowed you to have both the high and low on at the same time and they even had high watt bulbs too. I replaced mine with both the kit and bulbs. the 35W dim bulbs were replaced with 80Watt and the 55W high beams were replaced with 100W. When in the boondocks and I kicked in the brights it lit up the world. Instead of 2 55W's I had 2 80W and 2 100W bulbs. Wow what a difference. Maybe there are wiring kits for the DC vans too.

thegrog3 · November 2001

I'm considering a 2000 or 2001 Dodge Caravan. I'd like to know if the transmissions are better with these newer models.
thegrog3@hotmail.com

4aodge · November 2001

my 2000 chrysler town and country with the 3.3L engine is doing fine now with over 30k miles on it. i have three other neighbors with 99-00 year dc minivans and they have not had any problems with theirs either.

-adam

lmacmil · November 2001

Uneven pad wear is not normal and is a symptom of a caliper problem, most likely the caliper was not sliding freely on the pins. This is usually because the slide pins are not adequately lubricated. I saw this on my '96 Explorer but it was at 49,000 miles when it was almost 5 years old.

svause · November 2001

I am planning to buy a mini-van because I have 4 grandchildren from ages 0-10.
Reading these comments really puts me off. I know nothing about "Vehicles" except how to drive them and what looks good to me. Good looks I've assigned to the Plymouth Voyager.
As a Granny I can't afford to be sitting beside the road on the way to the mountains or to the beach (or grocery store). And I can't afford alot of time and money on repairs.I do need 7 seats to also carry the children's parents.
Any sound advice out there???

royallen · November 2001

svause: You will find better reliability comparisons on the Edmunds "Used" vehicle information section reliability ratings than from bulletin board posts. Also Consumer Reports April "AUTO" issue is a helpful resource and another web site is www.intellichoice.com
Alternate 7 passenger vehicles would be stationwagons with 3 seats. Having owned both a 3 seat wagon and a van, the van seems preferable (also much more recent vintage) due to upright seating, all seats face forward and better view at city intersections.
One last point on reliability is that average reliability is better as time goes buy so our expectations are quite high for few problems and you are less likely to have a breakdown now than ten or twenty years age. Even so maybe you would like joining a travel club with mobile repair help like AAA and carry a cell phone. My wife has found this a great reassurance when on her own.

thegrog3 · November 2001

Adam,
Thank you for the reassurance.
Jeff

plrod · November 2001

I believe to be caused by the brake lines traveling to the rear brakes rubbing against the chassis.

brianr7 · November 2001

Thank Imacmil,

That is what I believe also. They should not wear as uneven as these have. Even the mechanic said that but he didn't find a problem (something obvious that didn't hit him over the head) so naturally I am stuck with the bill.

scottr3 · December 2001

We just drove a 2002 Dodge GC EX off the lot. We have barely more than 100 miles on the OD. The first thing I noticed on the drive home was the poor headlight pattern on the road. Other than that everything else is tight and problem free. Looks like the first accessory I'm going to buy is a set of replacement bulbs!

vtec11 · December 2001

still cannot find the O/D off switch. i don't even think there is one on my vans. 91 grand voyager LE or 98 grand Caravan ES.

does anyone know for sure ? see my previous post #867.

thanks...

shepherd5 · December 2001

A few months ago, I posted some messages re: my experience replacing the howling roof rack on my T&C Ltd. Here's a quick recap.

I went to Fullerton Chrysler (Southern California) after they told me to bring the car in. Once I got there, the first thing the Asst. Mgr. Of Service asked me is if I know the difference between a recall and a TSB (technical service bulletin). Basically, his point was that I have to pay for a TSB. I told him, not if the car is under warranty. He then said, "What year is your car?" He should know the answer, the model just came out (2001 model). He then asked, "Is it still under warranty? How many miles is your car?" How many people drives 36,000 miles in less than a year? The rest of the conversation does not matter. I knew then and there I do not want them touching my car.

I then went to Huntington Beach Chrysler. Upon arrival, the first thing I was asked is if I have an appointment. I told them, No, when I called Chrysler Corporation, I was just told to bring the car down. (This is a lie, I did not call Chrysler Corp. I just read from these postings and by calling other dealers that I was to bring the car down). Nonetheless, his answer surprised me. He said, "We do not work for Chrysler Corporation. Chrysler Corporation does not pay us. We are an independently owned dealer." When he saw the look on my face, he retorted, You don't want to pay for this, do you? . Basically, he is upset that I do not have an appointment. Point taken, but on the other hand, I was not asking him to fix the car right then and there.

A few exchanges later (and I want to point out, I still kept my cool because I just want them to change the roof rack) he calmed down, took the part number down and told me he would call me when the part came in. When it did, the work was performed and I was off on my way.

When the survey came, I told Chrysler Corporation the work was performed as expected, but that I was surprised at how rude the Service Manager was and how I felt my business was not appreciated. I was happy with the work, but I was not happy with the way I was initially treated. I did write that after the initial unpleasantries, I was treated as expected.

A few days ago, my ABS warning light went on. I called this same dealer to make an appointment (they were closest to my work) and was assigned to the same service manager. I did not want to deal with him again, but I had no choice. He said he can't see me until next Tuesday. I made the appointment anyway. I then called a different dealer and they were able to see me the next morning. I brought the car in and got better than expected service. The problem (rear wheel sensor) was fixed right away.

A few hours later, the same Service Manager @ Huntington Beach Chrysler called me and said, :Don't bring your car in. We don't want you to bring your car in. Your comments on the Chrysler Corporation Survey cost me $300. What kind of response did you think you were going to get?" I was taken by surprise, I just said, "Okay" and hung up. I couldn't believe it. Do I have to go through this verbal abuse every time I want to have them fix my car?

So I called their General Manager and told him what happened. His response was, "If you were not happy with us the first time, why would you want to come back?" Wow! This is new for me. I have never heard of a dealer refusing service to someone for writing a negative survey. After all, aren't surveys designed to find out why customers aren't happy? Apparently this dealer did not believe or want second chances.

So, I called Chrysler Corporation again and reported what happened. Even though the person on the other end eagerly took down the report (he couldn't believe it either). I expect nothing to come out of this (and by the way things are going, I HOPE nothing comes out of this).

I am not asking anyone to boycott the dealership. They seem to do good work and I am sure most people have no problems with them. I am still convinced I just caught this particular Service Manager at a bad time. I was thankful this happened. I now know for sure where not to take my car. And BOY, do I have a story to tell

Does anyone know anyone else who has been blacklisted from a dealership? For writing a bad survey?

Last but not least, I know none of you read my actual survey, but do you think I am fair in my survey, saying that I am happy with the work done but not the way I was initially treated?

I know the dealer is upset because of the bad remark, but, do you think they are justified in asking me not to bring my car to them? (even though I no longer want to?)

brianr7 · December 2001

I've never heard something like that before. A good business person wants the negative feedback as much as the positive feedback for just the reason you stated "...aren't surveys designed to find out why customers aren't happy?" I'm surprised an idiot like that is still in business. You have more patience than I do because I wouldn't have even given them a second chance for a few years at the very least (give them time for employee/management turnover.)

Sounds like you found a good dealer anyway.

Brian

jodar96 · December 2001

Back in August, I said on this board that cruise control in our van quit working. Some one said he had the same problem with his horn/air bag light coming on, and the dealer replaced something in the steering column.....

If you ever have inoperative cruise/horn/air bag light coming on, almost 100% of the time, the problem is with a part called "Clock Spring". It is a part that is located in the steering column, and its job is to make connection to all steering wheel electrical functions.

At least '96-01 vans have weak springs and contact is no longer there after several years of use. If you ever have this problem, DO NOT pay for dealer's diagnoses work. Just very specifically tell the service adviser to replace the piece instead letting them diagnose and charge $70-100 for some item that fails all the time anyway.

dustyk · December 2001

For what its worth....

We are considering the purchase of a new minivan and have driven them all. My wife (who will be a major contributor to this decision) likes the Chrysler Town & Country the best. It is without a doubt the most comfortable and nicest to drive of them all.

I am concerned about design and assembly quality and have heard about premature transmission failures with Chrysler minivans. I have been talking to the local transmission shops to get some idea of what they're seeing. I've also been driving by and taking notes on what brands are in the lot awaiting repair.

Now supposedly all Chrysler transmissions are bad according to a lot of people that I talk to. This might surprise some of you, but I'm not seeing many Chrysler minivans at any of the area shops! Out of the 231 cars and trucks I've logged over the last 7 months at three shops, only 14 were Chrysler minivans. These were in the range of 1989s to 1996s. Nothing before or after those years.

At two of the shops they said early 4 speed electronic transmissions had a seal failure problem that was very common. However, these same two shops said that newer versions were not a problem.

We do know several people that have had transmission problems with their Chrysler minivans and in each case it was later determined that the wrong transmission fluid had been installed when the transmission maintenance had been performed. The bottom line here is do not use Dexron type fluid.

The owner of the third shop did say that "Chrysler transmissions are junk." However, at his shop I could only count 2 Chrysler products over the same period. He said GM's were the best, and maybe they are, but 54 of his transmission jobs were done on GMs, another 22 were Fords. I noticed his personal vehicle was a Chevy Tahoe and I suspect he is unable to give me an unbiased opinion.

phkck · December 2001

We too had the same dilema. What finally swayed us was the free powertrain warranty for 7 yr 100k warranty thru Dec 01.
We enjoy the power doors and liftgate.
The transmission failings seem to have improved and as you stated the proper transmission fluid seems critical.
And as you have seen any make can have failures. In the last 2 months we have had family members replace transmissions on a Continental and Suburban. Luck of the draw I guess.
Good luck in the mini-van hunt

scottandkimr · December 2001

I have a 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan. It has recently started occasionally honking as if the panic button were pressed. The honking starts a few minutes after locking the van. The van does not do this every time it is locked, only intermittently. We took it into the dealer, who replaced and recoded the batteries on the keyless entries.

I did not think this was the problem, because on some occasions it had started honking after we were well out of range of the van. Anyway, I was right, the van still has the problem. I took it back in today and they could not reproduce the problem (again, it happens only occasionally).

I could not find the problem listed in a TSB or similar complaints. I have a friend with a Chrysler minivan that had the exact problem. They had the alarm disconnected. The Dodge dealer that that was not doable, because the entire system works together and disconnecting the horn alarm would affect the entire system.

Does anyone know what the cause is or have any recommendations for repair? Has anyone else experienced this?

Scott

4aodge · December 2001

dustky, it is a FACT that Chrysler has improved the quality and reliability of it's vehicles over the last several years. As for transmissions, it seems to me that alot of the problems occured in pre-1998 model year vans, although I have only a few problems from people I know who have 98-01 model DC minivans. Nevertheless, Chrysler has improved a great deal over the years and according to a service manager at a local Chrysler dealership, their transmissions for the 2001+ model years are "rocksolid."

As for me? My family has a 2000 Chrysler Town & Country LX 3.3L van that now has 33k miles on it and has had no problems. The van still drives and looks just as new despite a year and 3 months of hard and sometimes very fast driving. There are three neighbors on my street who also have DC minivans (one neighbor actually has two DC minivans, a 1999 and a 2000 model, both 3.3L) and none have had any serious problems with their vans.

I also agree that there is no other minivan on the market that has the comfort features and excellent drive/handling that the DC minivans have. Also, the free 100k mile warranty that Chrysler is offering makes buying a DC minivan now even better. Good luck with your purchase!

-Adam
(16/M/CA)

mrbizness1 · December 2001

Try checking the door contact switches
(especially on the sliding doors)they could be dirty, causing the interior lights to activate
and setting off the alarm.

lucierjim · December 2001

After researching all the minivan offerings, I purchased a 2002 Dodge Grand Caravan about 6 weeks ago. To my wife ane I, no other van came close to the rock solid feel of the Dogde.
I was concerned about transmission problems, but could find no real data that gives the Dodge a worse rating than others. Several negative articles were so biased, I totally discounted their value in our decision. We know several neighbors with various makes of minivans and have heard as many opinions as there are owners. I can say that the most loyal owners are the Windstar fans who also seem to be spending a lot more time and money keeping the things running.
My past experience with FWD cars is limited to a 1996 Saturn and a 1999 Honda Civic. The Saturn has had no transmission trouble in 125,000 miles other than the GM clunk between first and second. The Honda at 48,000 miles is just off it's first rebuild on the tranny at $1,650. Anyone want a cute white Honda tin can.
So far, the Grand Caravan is quickly winning over all drivers in the house, it's peppy, quiet, and fun to drive. Time will tell.

eneth · December 2001

It would appear that the 96-2000 models at least are turning into the DaimlerChryser version of the Ford Pinto story:

http://www.detnews.com/2001/autosconsumer/0112/16/a01-368193.htm

emale · December 2001

the 41te tranny used in the dc minis is now a pretty decent unit. major internal seal upgrades were instituted in '96 and a significantly upgraded differential saw its way into the vans in late '99 or early '00. also, better electronic torque management and upgraded tranny fluid are now used. the dc mini's tranny is now at least on par with other trannys of the same type.

4aodge · December 2001

Emale, the current improved status of the Chrysler 41TE transmission that you speak of is true but I doubt you will convince many Honda owners of that. Many of them still refuse to believe that Chrysler has improved their products over the years.

As for me, my 2000 Town & Country LX with 33k miles continues to run great, and is still on it's origional transmission.

-Adam

dkrab · December 2001

This leak did not first start with the '96 model. My '91 Plymouth Grand Voyager sprang a leak in exactly the place described in the article. Chrysler would not pay for a fix, even though they were recalling the LH cars with the same engine for the same problem. I paid $890 to get it fixed at an independent shop.

Now it appears that Chrysler should pony up. Anybody else with a Chrysler van with the 3.3 or 3.8 engine have experience with this leak?

On the transmission issue raised here, I hope DC has fixed the problem. It started with the "Ultradrive" in '89. When I bought my '91, I specifically asked what was done to correct the problems. I was told that new seal material and an added internal seal was the fix, and my new van should be just fine. It failed at 58K. Mopar fluid only is all it ever saw. I don't think they meant to lie to me back in '91. I think they really thought they had it fixed. They really think they have it fixed, now, too. Just like in '92, '93, '94, '95, '96.... Get the extended warranty, just in case. It may indeed be fixed, but I would be more comfortable with a couple more years of good statistics and reports, from more than just two or three regular posters on the boards here.

emale · December 2001

4aodge,

my dad has owned two dc minis over the last 12 years. the first one, an '89 grand caravan, went through 2 transmissions in about a 2 year time span and 20k miles. my uncle bought that van from my dad when it had about 50k miles. as far as i know, that third tranny is still working.

when dad sold the '89 he bought a '96 town and country lxi, which now has around 90k miles and hasn't had any problems...for what that's worth. there is no doubt that the tranny has improved significantly since the time it first came out and was dubbed "ultradrive".

couple interesting things about the 41te. a mechanic friend of mine said that many of the so-called tranny failures weren't actually tranny failures at all, they were differential failures. the 41te has a diff/tranny all housed in one transaxle unit. i guess that with some abuse (such as excessive spinning, etc) it was rather easy to cause failure of the spider gears in the diff, occasionally the gears would actually pierce the transaxle casing when they broke...

stever · December 2001

Chrysler aims to begin minivan recall by January.

Chicago Tribune story

Steve
Host
SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards

garyh13 · December 2001

I recently had my transmission pan re-sealed, and a fluid (ATF +4) and filter change in my 2000 Grand Caravan SE (50K miles). After the mechanic (a friend of mine) finished the job, he noticed another transmission leak. He recommended that I take the van to a Dodge dealer since I had the extended warranty. The dealer replaced the solenoid valve body which they said was leaking. When the guy from the dealership called to let me know it was ready, he said that the technician who did the job said the fluid was "dirty" and should be changed. When informed that the fluid and filter were just changed (2 weeks ago!), he just said, "Oh, ok." These shady business practices are why dealerships get the reputations they do. I try to stay away from them as much as possible. The total bill came to $314 which was covered under the warranty - $0 deductible (10yr, 100K miles)! BTW, my 2000 GC (bought used) has a three speed transmission, don't most have 4 speed trannys?

carleton1 · December 2001

And NO WAY is Chrysler (now DaimlerChrysler) the newer version of the Ford Pinto Story...or the infamous TV created HOAX on GM pickups with the exploding fuel tanks.
Most DC Owners would better spend their time worrying about debris falling from the sky aka Superman Story than fuel fires in DC minivans.

bbqbrosh · December 2001

Scott,
On your 97 Caravan, you have (somewhere) in your main wiring harness, a factory 'arm' wire, normally triggered by a double pulse to your lock circuit from your transmitter. Your circuit is reading that same type of pulse from somewhere else in the vehicle, my guess is a faulty lock switch on one of the doors. If not, check or replace relays, found behind the lower dash panels. Pull the face of the lower dash off, and trigger the locks, and listen for the clicks, you can't miss them. Cheap place to start. Next, pull the fuse to your power locks, and see if the problem continues. My gut feeling is that you will find the solve with one of these two ideas.

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