Dodge/Plymouth/Chrysler Minivan Problems & Solutions

carleton1

And I apologize to eneth if it leaves #601 hanging in the air.
We do not normally keep vehicles past 4 or 5 years of age...Seems to cost about the same to drive new ones and let someone else worry about any repairs and inconvenience.

carleton1

See page 71 where the 3.3L V6 with 4-speed auto is rated the best of their test...and states the Voyager either tops every ranking or ties for top score. (They did NOT include stretched minivans of
GM, DC, Windstar, or Odyssey).

eneth

No doubt they've smoothed out the performance issues; that's not the question. The question is, have they ironed out the durability issues - and given all the warnings about 15,000-mile fluid/filter changes (which other makes don't need), I think that answer is clear. Baby it and you might make 75,000 miles; use it normally (fluid every 30,000) and you won't.

carleton1

John P. got his '90 Grand Voyager with about 10,000 miles from his Baptist Preacher. Last time I saw him in 1996 before I retired, he had driven over 110,000 miles with no problems and no service
other than lube, oil, and oil filter changes. He would drive it 1200 miles non-stop after work to visit his family in southern Illinois and praised the great comfort.
Kurt J. never had the automatic transmission serviced on his '96 Grand Voyager he got as a used
vehicle from an auto rental firm. Had 87,000 trouble free miles when he traded it in on a 2000 Grand Caravan LE.
My sister got a used '86 Caravan at about 20,000 miles and sold it when it had about 170,000 miles...zero problems. She says the third owners love it and are still driving it.
Our daughter got a used '88 Voyager LE with over 80,000 miles on it and they never had any transmission problems. Unfortunately, a person illegally turned into and struck her van at the left front wheel...totalling her Voyager. She received no injuries but was

carleton1

At least two people I know very well did not even have any service performed on Grand Voyagers 4-speed automatic transmissions.
.....She received no injuries but was very upset
that the insurance company would not pay to repair
her beloved Voyager LE. She and her husband gave
their '93 Mercury Sable to his parents and got a
new 2000 Chevrolet Malibu when they could not get
the '88 Voyager repaired. Would prefer a DC minivan but did not want larger car payments at this time. (Her husband drove a Honda Accord before getting his Mercury Sable).

cparkinson1

I must be lucky we own a 1993 GC with 200,000 km with the ogrinal tranny. The scret regular oil changes every 5ooo km and change the tranny oil and filter every year ( about 30,000km). But watch out for the rear wiper motor replaced twice which means cutting off the wiper arm too, so $150 motor plus $20 wiper arm. also the front tie rods repaira are a killer.

swampcollie

has been great... had to replace the starter at 96k (miles). thats it... also have a 99 now..
only complaint is the headlights..
has anyone found a solution?..i do have fog lamps and they help...

notes91

The "service engine" light on my '97DC began appearing about 6 months ago, with about 25k, and right at the 36 month mark. It also became difficult to start when cold, as if the starter was freezing up. The dealer said the battery was dead. And with a new battery the Check engine light stopped coming on. They also changed the serp. belt and tensioner, and charged me $340. Well the check light is back, and the starter is sticking again. The same dealer now says it needs a new starter and another battery, but does not have an answer as to why, or where the problem is stemming from. Is there a possible call back on any systems in the 97dc that anyone may know about. This sounds like more than a starter problem to me. The van just turned 30k.

swampcollie

i remember many years ago.... was a pontiac station wagon..they replaced the battery, then the starter, then the alternator... turned out to be a short in the electric tailgate...

carleton1

In 1979 our 1976 Nova would not start when it was 20 degrees below zero. Jump from dad's car would not turn it over. Jump from brother's new Sear's "Die-Hard' and it started like it was summer. Decided to get a new Firestone "Forever" battery before the next winter. It was dead a few months later. Went back to Firestone where I was told voltage regulator and alternator were defective. Left and went to Chevrolet dealer where it cost a few dollars to tighten alternator belts. I believe that Firestone store sabotaged my car...trying to rip me off selling me parts I did not need. Have not been back to Firestone for anything since summer 1979.

ballone

My 96 Caravan with 49k mi has gone thru 2 Mopar batteries. Both lasted exactly 25 months & then died with no warning at all. These were the top of the line "Mopar 60". The dealer replaced the factory battery at no cost, when the replacement died I learned my lesson. Switched to top of the line Duralast & pitched the battery cover that was probably cooking the Mopars. Anyone else with similar experiences. By the way,the alternator checks out ok with no short circuits detected.

hoofer

On 96-97 you can get basic Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) by turning the ignition switch like so within in a 5 second window:

RUN-OFF-RUN-OFF-RUN
(RUN is the position just before the starter is engaged)

Count the flashes of the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) or check engine light.

They will flash 2 digit codes like so:

flash-flash flash-flash-flash = 23

A 55 is the end of file code.

Go to www.alldata.com and www.obdii.com to get more information on what the DTCs mean.

best of luck

ggolfsters

My Caravan is 4 yrs. old, 31K miles and had to replace all brake rotors(rust/pitted) and now the water pump needs replacing due to a frozen tension adjuster because of a rusted spring. Anyone else have a similar experience? Reviewing other messages it seems I'm about to get hit with other (costly) expenses.

notes91

Thanks for the DTC info. Turns out the O'2 sensor is bad. Suggested this to the dealer and a big bubble burst over his head. He claims that it was checked, but came up ok the first time,Right!
This dealer did not get the job.
Thanks again.

hoofer

The 96-97's have this nice feature.

I am about to shell out $500 to buy an adapter and software to connect my laptop to the OBDII connector.

www.obdii.com

I give O2 sensors about 50,000 before they start to fail.

best of luck

cesarp

Check out OBDII scanner for PC at www.obd-2.com or www.ghg.net/dharrison/obdscan.html, it might save you a few bucks.

swobig

couldn't find where it says it works on Dodge Vans or Cars. I have a 97 Intrepid and a 00 Grand Caravan and it sounds like it would be worth 100$ or so to possible fix it myself.

agford

I'm thinking of buying a DC, but am concerned about the seat belts. The rear seat belts on any Chrysler made car don't lock! I have 2 children in car seats and these seat belts will NOT hold a car seat in place safely! I rented a Neon at one time and the first corner I turned, my daughter was lying on her side! The dealer I went to only told me they don't make locking seat belts. A manager at the same dealer told me they weren't made for car seats and no one would answer me as to how so many Moms are driving around in these! Can somebody tell me something about the child seats in these?? Or am I wasting my time on this vehicle?

rbacsafra

Trust me. When the seatbelts lock..THEY LOCK. We are on our 3rd DC Minivan and they do their job. I can't speak for the neon but after a 90 Voyager SE, 96 Grand Caravan LE, and now a 00 Grand Caravan Sport, they do lock. As for the child safety seats, they are available and i believe they have a more secure harness therefore the child stays properly seated in the seat.

http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/dcminivanclub

hjarrell

This is for jhconcord, my 96 caravan just got out of the shop for fuel smell. I didn't bring it to the dodge place I brought it to a great mechanic. He did find that the main injector fuel line was cracked and was leaking fuel into the manafold. It settled there until it filled up then it would spill over. The smell was so back I had to leave the garage door open at the bottom to let the smell out. Maybe that will help you.

real123

On my 98 GV, the Hayes manual says in order to fill the coolant you must first remove the plug on the front of the cylinder head, then install it when the coolant reaches that level.
A. Is this really needed?
B. Where in the world is the plug? From the picture in the book, it's impossible to tell.

fenski

I have a 96 Grand Caravan ES with 52000 miles. For the last few months, I've noticed the back of the van vibrates at and above 70 mph. We do mostly city driving and do not notice any vibration at all. We bought the tires 2 years/25000 miles ago, the tread is still fine. We brought the van to a tire company to balance and check several times. They said everything is fine. It still vibrates on the highway at 70 mph. Any suggestions, what else should we check? Would new tires help?

rbacsafra

What brand tires? Most of the time, thats the case. Also are you sure the vibration comes from the rear? If the vibration is evident in the front end, have your front axles checked...and possibly your shocks/struts. Our 96 GC LE had 141,000 miles and changed out the tires at 80k miles. The front axles replaced at about 85K miles because of low speed wobble during accelerations.

vcheng

When I changed the coolant on my 99 GC Sport (3.8l) I didn't bother with any drain or vent plugs other than the radiator drain and fill. Worked out just fine for me. Check a few of the earlier posts regarding this as well.

eickmeier

The Haynes manual does refer to a vent plug near the thermostat housing and it is clearly visible in the appropriate photograph. My '99 with 3.3 L engine does not have this plug. I know because I looked and looked and never found it! Don't worry however. After a coolant change, just keep an eye on the coolant level in the overflow tank over several temperature cycles. The air will eventually be purged from the system.

pwas

I bought in Jan. of 99 a Plymouth Grand Voyager Brand New with 6 miles on it. I just discovered that it has been painted before on the left front fender. I took it to carmax to get it appraised and they said and showed me the tape marks where it has been painted before. I called chrysler arbitration and they had me to fill out the arbitration form and have a chrysler dealer inspect it. and his comments on the service order was that he see tape marks where it has been painted before. I mailed both copies from carmax and chrysler service order to Chrysler. arbitration reply was that this is out of their jurisdiction. And that i have my legal rights. I spoke to my lawyer and he said that i don't really have a case that they don't have to disclose something like this before i bought it. I could have been a little scratch that happen on the lot that they repainted. What can I do any suggestions please feel free to email me at pwas77@yahoo.com

pwas

By the way the dealership that i purchased the voyager is now out of business. Help!!!

fenski

I had the front axles replaced at 48000 miles due to the same wobbling problem you had, replaced rear shocks last month. This vibration is def. from the rear. I just had the tires (Cooper Response Touring 2000) rotated and balanced today, the vibration is still from the driver rear side, but seems a little less than before. So we guess it's not the tire problem. Any suggestions? We've been to 3 tire companies, they couldn't find anything wrong. Does anyone know a good mechanic in Atlanta area?

gbarela

Has anyone else had this problem below?

A friend of mine at work has a '99 T&C and
recently found his transmission to be leaking.
He took it in and the dealer said that they have
had others with the same problem.

There are "8" bolts that hold the two shells of
the transmission together that require a
re-torque. This involves removing the transmission
from the van. This re-torque
re-seals the o-ring between the two halfs.

gudawg

Just call me a die-hard fan but with all the troubles I've had we still keep on driving. After reading all this if anybody has a response please do so for we are getting ready to purchase a 2001 model. We've own the van since July 96, the first year went great, then it started.
14074 Brake cylinders and Springs were replaced
20641 Battery goes bad (Mopar)
32533 Battery (again) goes bad (Mopar)
33121 Tranny goes - Clutch & Torque Converter replaced
43875 Water pump goes (Under extended warranty now)
48879 Battery goes bad, Dealership replace for free
56053 No crank, Lights flickering - no repair
56500 No crank, Lights flickering, all gauges pegged - no repair
61354 Tranny goes bad again (warranty)
61386 Radio goes out
61480 Fuel tank leaks - replaced seal
61506 Fuel tank leaks - new tank, repairman strips threads
61624 Radio goes out
63285 Dash circuit board goes out (moisture)
64321 No crank, speedo at 120
65072 New Tires (Uniroyal Nailguard) mistake 500 miles later removed but new Michelins on, vibration gone. Sealant in Nailguards separated in Texas heat
68089 Replaced Clock Spring
68908 Battery bad, New Duralast
69578 Idler Tension Pully replaced, identified before it broke
69578 Wiper switch replaced
So far all of this has been covered under warranty, I guess I've been lucky.
I have identified a way to fix the problem of not starting. It seems when the battery gets low the engine will not start but all else works (low voltage) wrong, alternater checks good. What I have to do is to disconnect the battery terminal and reconnect, on the road again. The Dodge dealership cannot understand the problem, also have talked to Detroit concerning this, all they say, "It sounds you're able to fix the problem, but we don't understand what's causing it." So now my wife has the tools to disconnect and reconnect the battery cable in the glove compartment. Haven't had any problems since, over 78k.
Suggestion on the Nailguard tires, if your in a climate that can change from hot to cold quickly and you have a lot of vibration or the vehile feels its out of an alignment replace them, the sealant inside as either thickin or thin out in areas, never again.
I own 2 other dodges, Dakota (27k) and Stratus (45k) except for normal upkeep no other problems.

eneth

You probably already know this, but having bought one first-year DaimlerChrysler van, if you buy another (which will again be a first-year model), buy an extended warranty. Chances are good you will need it.

rbacsafra

I highly agree with you on that.

swobig

I'm hoping my 2000 will be reliable, cause I almost got a 2001, but was concerned about the first model year...

carleton1

My dad had problem with Powerglide in 1950 Chevrolet, Turboglide in 1957 Chevy. I had problems with 1975 VW Rabbit and 1980 Citation. Many problems are being reported with the 1999 Honda Odyssey.
I got a 1987 Chevy R-10 pickup after new model
1988 came out. Zero problem in almost 14 years. No problems yet with 1999 Grand Caravan.

bills13

i agree that first year model cars often have extra problems, but i've had 3 caravans since 1984 and they all have had transmission problems. it's obvious to me that chrysler would rather not improve their product mechanically, but put on flashier paint and chrome wheels. they wonder why they keep losing market share. morons!

carleton1

I had read in CR about DC minivan transmission problems. Since none of the many friends with DC had any transmission problems, we took a gamble and bought a 99 GC SE as it had more nice features
for the money than any of the competition.
As I read NADA and Edmunds Used Vehicle Prices,
the trade-in of my GC SE is considerably lower than a Sienna or Odyssey would now be. Even though I got a very nice discount on my GC, based
on those two sources, I have still had more depreciation on the GC than with a Sienna or Ody.
If my GC never has problems and we keep it forever, it will have cost lest than the others.
BUT...if I have transmission problems, I will be down to the Toyota dealer to trade on a Sienna
and will probably be as mad at Chrysler as you and
many other former owners are.

indydriver

that every other manufacturer in the world has copied their concept since they invented the category in 1984. When you start with 100% market share of a very successful product, guess what? You get imitators and market share slips. So what? Look at the sales numbers--constantly up. The 2001 trumps the competition again. I doubt that transmission history has cost them many sales. If that were a given, then Ody would be dying because they've had many more failures than we have been conditioned to expect from the vaunted Honda marque. Sorry you had problems bill13, but automobiles are a very complex assembly of parts and systems. The real test is: Did the manufacturer stand behind its product? I have yet to see a poster with a problem complain that Chrysler did not stand behind its warranty. Your not happy? Fine, go vote your wallet and buy something else. In the meantime, leave this topic to owners who love their DC minivans and want to share their experiences and issues.

indydriver

HOOFER-WHERE ARE YOU? What's the latest on your oil analysis research?

indydriver

Unfortunately, the minivan's fate is to play "soccer mom" little people mover (read: no stress) most of the time then get loaded to the gunwhales with family and gear for high speed 1,000 sprints to winter beaches. I'll betchya most of those mv's I pass receive little or no pre-trip maintenance before they just jump in and go. The scenarios in your article could easily happen.

royallen

indydriver: Since these oils are nearly identical except for viscosity at cold start, the problem that continues at normal engine temperature is very unlikely to be oil related. My Haynes manual does not cover this and I've not encountered it with my '95 3.3L so you'll need some more advice, maybe from your dealer. Keep us posted.

vickymash

Hello:
I just bought a 2000 Chrysler Voyager SE and recently got hit on the front end by a driver that ran a red light. Since then it seems that the van hydroplanes a lot even in light rain. I know it needs a front end alignment, but I am wondering if I need to look for something else like change tires? Please help!
Thanks

indydriver

One thing at a time. If you know it needs aligned, then do that and see if it improves. You did say it began hydroplaning only after the accident suggesting that you were ruling out other, traditional causes.

royallen

Hoofer: Interesting information and links - much more informative than the usual opinions. Your concern about the '00 isn't what many of us would have expected.
indydriver: I saw a discussion of lifter noise on the Cartalk site that is partly contrary to my earlier comments. The gist of it was that startup lifter "ticking" results from oil leaking out and air in its place causing abnormal function until it is replaced. Delayed return of oil prolongs the ticking and can lead to damage and failure.
So your use of 5W30 oil may contribute to loss of the lifter oil (when cold). It might be worth returning to 10W30 to see. It still seems abnormal, even if it improved with the 10W30 oil.

indydriver

Good to see you back on this board, Hoofer.

Thanks for the info Royallen.

rbacsafra

Keep us all posted! Our 4 month old GCS now has 13,450 miles. We are currently in Northern California for the weekend. Anyone experiencing a very rough shaky feeling when going in reverse especially with a load in the car and on a slight incline? It feels like the tranny is slipping. I first noticed this problem the night we brought our van home and I wanted to back the van into our driveway. We only 23 miles on the ODO at that point in time. We had the van when it only had 5 miles on the ODO. I thought this problem would eventually wear out since i figured the van had to be broken in as well as the tranny. 13,450 miles later...i feel this thing shuddering again! What's up?!

RB
DC Minivan Club
Founder
http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/dcminivanclub

abalto

Rodney here is that site...

Here is that Dodge site I mentioned. It has over 75000 posts on Dodge! http://www.moparchat.com

stinkyroses

Hi to all. Hope we are posting this in the proper place.

We to have a Dodge Caravan 2000 and have been having enough problems to warrant arbitration. We are about to start this process. We have been checking out this board off and on, now we are ready to post.

Here is the list of the problems We began experiencing these problems at around 8,900 miles:

First we were mysteriously loosing radiator coolant.(We still have not really found out what was up with that.)

Then our transmission was leaking fluid, it needed a new pump seals.

After that all of the lifters had to be replaced.

After the lifters and transmission pump seals were replaced we experienced the shuddering that was mentioned in a previous post.

There was another leak that could not be identified even with pressure testing.

That leak, we think, was a radiator plug gasket that needed to be replaced.

Comments and advice please.

The stinkyroses in middle CA

indydriver

Sorry to hear about your multiple major problems. I too have a 2000 GCS, so it hits close to home. Its unfortunate that manufacturers let defective products out into the marketplace, but they all do to some degree and unfortunately for you, you got it. It does sound like you have a dealer that is helping you work through the problems and that Chrysler is standing behind its product. Short of getting into a lemon law situation, this is a machine and as such, can be returned to mechanically sound condition when deficiencies are identified and properly repaired. You should document everything thoroughly and keep making them fix any problems. If you don't reach lemon levels on any one thing you might want to consider buying an extended warranty or just get rid of the thing.

dmanwi

Has anyone had a problem with van pulling to the right? We have a 2000 Grand Caravan Sport that is doing this and the dealer is having problems fixing. Any suggestions?

stinkyroses

any thoughts on arbitration?