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I bought used 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan SE, on April 17, 2008 (not even a month yet) from HENDRICK DODGE : Leading Dodge Dealership in Cary, North Carolina, NC
Almost after a week this problem is happening, it is very random. It happened 3 times. Last time it happened at 15-20 miles per hour while I was making a right turn.
The engines shuts down and steering locks. I could have met with a major accident last time when it happened.
Took to the dealer from where I bought, he is saying that he could not reproduce the problem, so, as far as he is concerned, there is no problem.
But this is major safety issue, it can pose great danger since it can cause major accident.
I also got the full extended service warranty (full bumper to bumper) from Chrysler, they are not helping me either. They are saying since this vehicle is bought not even a month back, the problem came with the vehicle, they are asking the dealer to fix it.
Any advice?
Bob
I believe most Chrysler products rely on the oil pressure sending unit to power the fuel pump relay which keeps the pump running after starting the engine... a safety guard in case of an accident which would shut off the pump if the engine isn't running after an accident. There are tests which can be run to determine which is at fault, WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURS. That being said, I'd replace Both the Oil pressure sending unit, AND the Fuel Pump relay, about $50.00 for parts. Note: Older Vans had the relay built into the ECM (Computer) and the whole thing needed to be replaced...expensive! Check with your parts supplier for listings on both parts. If the problem persists you have a bad fuel pump..."New" doesn't always mean "Good"!
Good luck!
Anyway, from what you said and describe at this point, I'd have to say you're experiencing a cam sensor, crank sensor or both failure when the engine reaches operating temperature on the warmest side.
Here's how to do a simple test: Take a bottle of ice water with you on a test drive and when it (the car) quits douse the sensors one at a time and bingo! If it starts and runs normally you"ve found the problem. We've learned the hard way to replace both, even if only one is bad. If you need more you can e-mail me from our website www.goldenruleauto.com
Bob
Okay, having a 3.0 liter engine means that you have the Mitsusquishy engine, not the best of the three V6s available for the minivans. The good news is that the lower end of the engine (i.e. the block, crank, pistons and rings) are pretty robust, however, the upper end is highly suspect. That you have no compression on the #5 cylinder means to me that there is a very high likelihood that you need to have the heads reconditioned. Unless you do the work yourself, you’re probably looking at well over $1,000 for the job.
Sorry to be the bearer of the bad news.
Best Regards,
Shipo
Anyway,
I have a 3.3 6 cyl. that suddenly began knocking and sputtering last week after getting a tank of NOCO gas here in Buffalo. Heavy wet carbon shooting out of tailpipe leaving deposits on driveway. Loses power as I step on the gas and starts smoking heavily out of exhaust at 4k rpms in park gear. My buddy at Midas said no diagnostic code was popping up, and since then no engine light has come on. Took it to a local Dodge dealer who said it was running lean. They drained the tank, flashed the computer for some sort of combustion reset and sent me on my way 300.00 lighter. Nothing has changed and losing more power now as I push on gas.
Any ideas??
Thanks,
Mark
Thanks,
I believe i have the same prob. 03 Caravan started missing(sputtering) and smoking.
Runs poor. #3 and #6 cylinders missing. This came out of nowhere while driving home 1 rainy day. No help from my mechanic. fuel drained, plugs changed etc.
ANY advise appreciated.
Best regards,
Shipo
Best regards,
Shipo
Now having owned one (3.8L with 213,000 miles), I think the major weakness with these vans is their electrical systems. So, you will undoubtedly run into some minor (and, perhaps major) issues, such as those Shipo listed in his original response, regardless of the drivetrain, so you might as well hedge your bets on the engine. At 213K, the engine in mine is as strong as ever with no oil leaks and it purrs like a kitten.
At $1800, there may well be some existing issues with it even if it is low miles.
Best regards,
Shipo
As for there being a "common rattle", I'm a moderator on a site that is dedicated to these vans and I've never once heard of such a rattle, so I'm thinking that it isn't all that common.
Keep us posted on what you discover.
Best regards,
Shipo
I have listened to this engine for hours. This rattle is coming from within the engine. If you do some searching, you will find that many people have reported a rattle at idle in the 3.3 and 3.8.
My point is that I had a 3.0 and it ran great. The 3.0 will have oil control problems at 150000 miles on. But up to that 150000 miles my 3.0 ran great. I would drive another 3.0
Just my 2 cents worth...and I own a shop.
www.goldenruleauto.com
Best regards,
Shipo
I started the van up the other day (Dec 22) to take it to get new tires. The car had been sitting in the driveway all day, temperature around 30 deg F. Immediately upon starting, I heard a loud bang, sort of like a belt coming off. I checked the serpentine belt and it was fine. The engine ran rough for a few seconds, like a cylinder was missing, then smoothed out. The CEL came on, but then cleared itself a day or two later. I pulled the codes anyway and got a P0306-"cylinder 6 misfire".
Now, whenever we start the van up from a cold soak (overnight), there's a slight stumbling/missing that clears up in few seconds. This only occurs after sitting for several hours - it does not happen when you turn the engine off and back on again in a few minutes. Also, there's a ticking noise from the passenger side of the engine - where the serpentine belt is. The CEL is off, and I have not read the OBD-II port to see if any codes have been stored since I cleared them out.
I'm thinking maybe a valve lifter went bad (#6 cylinder?), in that it drains it's oil when then engine sits and needs to be pumped back up again when the engine starts.
Anyone else experience this? I've heard good things, longevity-wise about the 3.8L, and hope it's not a lifter.
- Diagnosing noises, CELs and misfires over the internet is difficult, to say the least.
- To opine any further I'll need to know the year of your van and which engine it has.
- With the above two points said, when you get a CEL then the best thing to do is to have the "codes" read by a shop in your area with a OBD-II code reader (virtually any shop will have one).
- Of the noises I described two and a half years back, which sounds most like what you're hearing?
Best regards,
Shipo