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Dodge/Plymouth/Chrysler Minivan Problems & Solutions

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Comments

  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    "I had a mechanic tell me once that even though these vehicle's plugs can last 100,000 miles, it's a good Idea to replace them around 60-80,0000 as they have a tendency to get corroded in there at 100,000 miles and are very hard to get out."

    Hmmm, I've never heard that from any of the four dealerships that have worked on our vans. I'm not saying that it isn't so, I've just never heard of it. That having been said, motoringmama was told by her dealership that her plugs were shot and that the van was running poorly as a result.

    Thinking about this another way, I was curious what a plug with 100,000 miles on it would look like before I took mine in for its last service and as such, I decided to pull the front three, take a peek and then put them back in. The good news was that I didn't notice any unusual corrosion, and had no problem pulling them out.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • jamooseejamoosee Member Posts: 2
    Absolutely the last Chrysler product I ever get sucked into buying (I worked in Chrysler management from 83-92). I got a fantastic price due to a relative working for them. It has turned into a money pit. Our 99 Voyager, 3.0L automatic has been a royal pain since we first got it. Four trannies in the first year, all fluids leak. Have taken it to 3 different dealers in town while under warranty. eg . a loud rattle in the front of the engine (sort of like a plane taking off) twice noted on repair visits but the usual "normal condition" response (one dealer told me to turn the radio up and I won't hear it). My water pump must now be replaced, hmm maybe the rattle from way back was the pump but now I am out of warranty. This pile of junk is 7 years old with only 84000 km (52000 miles) and has been maintained extremely well. I have been adding brake fluid since day 1 with the dealers never finding the leak. They attribute it to wear of the brake pads. I will not be fooled again into buying one of their vehicles again, regardless of the deal I get. I just traded in my 95 Camry at 160000 km for an 03 Accord. Sorry DC, but you can't compete with the big boys. I pity my friends who work for DC because they can't say anything bad. Side note : Lee Iacocca suggested years ago that Chrysler managers should only get one company vehicle so that they would have to buy other vehicles from a dealer like the regular population. That way they would know what it would be like to suffer at the hands of a dealer. The managers threatened to mutiny so he backed down. They just don't care about the little people that have to fork out and be treated like crap by the dealers. Sorry for the anger but I have just about had it.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    As I read through the litany of problems you've had with your "Chrysler" the first thought that occurred to me was that most of the problems that you've encountered were from the "Mitsubishi" side of the house (i.e. the engine and its immediate components). Maybe that's why Chrysler dropped that engine from its lineup of MiniVans.

    Thinking about this a little further, I'm surprised you even bought the thing in the first place. Why? Because by mid 1998 when we got our first van, there were widely known problems with that engine in virtually every vehicle it was installed in, Chrysler, Dodge, Plymouth and Mitsubishi alike. When we ordered our 1998 I did a little research just to make damn sure that I didn't get ANY mill made by Mitsubishi. Oh, and one of the other things I found out while doing that research is that on vans with the 3.3 and the 3.8 liter Chrysler engines, you also get a different and much stronger transmission. Needless to say I'm quite glad I held out for a 3.8 liter van. ;-)

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • timbob1timbob1 Member Posts: 9
    if the plugs need to be replaced they are covered under the federal emmissions warranty - look in your owners manual - dbl platinum plugs or not - its not a bad idea to replace them for peak perfomance and better mpg. - fuel induction and injector cleaning is a good idea about every 30K - seems excessive I know - but gas quality is down especially in the midwest - should be done - if not buy a premium f/i cleaner from your local parts store - use MMM(3m), or another good brand - NOT STP - buy a fuel system cleaner not just injectors. a throttle plate cleaner wouldn't be bad either(make sure safe for Fuel inj.)
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Ummm, I beg to differ.

    "...dbl platinum plugs or not - its not a bad idea to replace them for peak perfomance and better mpg."

    I've never seen any evidence, scientific or otherwise, to support that statement. In the case of my 1998, when it was brand spankin’ new it was a struggle to get that thing up to 20 mpg on the highway. Last June I changed consulting gigs and started commuting nearly 100 miles a day and as such was able to establish a very consistent mostly highway driving routine. Between June and October when I had the 100,000 mile tune up performed, that van delivered a very consistent 22.5 mpg. Between October and now (almost 9,000 miles) that same van over that same commute has delivered a very consistent 22.5 mpg. I'm thrilled with the difference. ;-)

    "fuel induction and injector cleaning is a good idea about every 30K "

    Hogwash. Modern fuels must meet certain minimums of detergency and purity, and once again, I've never seen any evidence, scientific or otherwise, to suggest anything to the contrary. Actually, quite the opposite seems to be the case, fuels are getting cleaner.

    "buy a fuel system cleaner not just injectors. a throttle plate cleaner wouldn't be bad either(make sure safe for Fuel inj.)"

    Again, what's the point? The van that motoringmama is driving is by her own admission, running very well. Back in the 1970s when I was a plebe mechanic, one of my mentors popped the hood of a Chevy Pickup truck, started it up (it started immediately and ran smoothly), and then pulled the air cleaner off of the top of the carb. With the air cleaner housing removed the scene that was revealed was to my untrained eye, revolting.

    Apparently there had been some blow-by leakage (I'm thinking from the PVC system), and a HUGE amount of oily dirt and grime had built up all around the carb. My mentor then asked me what I would do with this truck. I told him that I'd fix the PVC system and then pull the carb and rebuild it.

    As he was a former sailor he was always very fond of using colorful language and this moment was no exception. The translation of what he said was basically along the lines of, "Wrong! Fix the [lousy] PVC system and leave the [mother] [loving] carb alone. If it ain't [flippin'] broken, then don't [flippin'] touch it."

    End of lesson. ;-)

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    As many of y'all with 1996 through 2000 model year DC MiniVans have surely noticed, our vans are not endowed with the greatest headlights on the planet. Yesterday as I pulled up in front of my garage I noticed that my 1998 DGC had turned itself into a "Padiddle" (i.e. a car with one headlight). Very annoying that, however, after nearly eight years and nearly 109,000 miles, I don't reckon the burned out bulb owes me anything.

    Once inside the house, to the internet I went and did a little research. What I came away with is that there are now some options that will improve the lighting situation to a fair extent. In the end I opted for the Sylvania Silverstar 9007ST Halogen bulb inserts for something like $37 for the pair.

    http://www.sylvania.com/ConsumerProducts/AutomotiveLighting/HighPerformance/Silv- erstar/ProductLine/

    Tonight I had a chance to try them out and they are very definitely a substantial improvement over the factory bulbs, and while they are probably still a little shy of the 2001 and later MiniVan lighting scheme, the difference is no longer so obvious.

    So, for all y'all still running with the factory bulbs in your 1996-2000 MiniVans, you might want to consider dumping twenty bucks per side and upgrade your lighting. I just wish I hadn't waited eight years to do it myself. :blush:

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • badgerfanbadgerfan Member Posts: 1,565
    Interesting you found an improvement. Consumer Reports (not that I go with everything they report or I wouldn't have a Caravan and a Taurus in my garage) recently tested aftermarket Silverstars on four or five different vehicles and found they were actually inferior on all but one of them, and were not much better than the OEM halogens on that exception as well.

    Believe it or not, I have yet to change any bulbs, front or rear, inside or out on our 1996 Caravan except one fog light. (fog lights are in most respects aesthetic only devices anyways) I did a Rube Goldberg rebuild to it as it had sprung a leak and allowed good old Wisconsin winter salt water in and corroded everything. After pricing a replacement(way too expensive), I reworked the socket, resoddered the wires, and with liberal used of clear silicone caulk, sealed it back up myself. Hasn't failed since in about four years.

    Getting off subject some, but I have noticed that the vast majority of one eyed cars on the road seem to be VW Jettas and Passats. Does VW have an inferior bulb supplier, or a overly vibratory bulb mounting or what, or is this just my imagination?
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    "Interesting you found an improvement. Consumer Reports (not that I go with everything they report or I wouldn't have a Caravan and a Taurus in my garage) recently tested aftermarket Silverstars on four or five different vehicles and found they were actually inferior on all but one of them, and were not much better than the OEM halogens on that exception as well."

    Hmmm, I wonder of those vehicles that didn't improve used an OEM bulb supplier that provided a better baseline bulb. What I found when I pulled the old (OEM) bulbs was that they were made by the same manufacturer (Sylvania) as the Silverstars, and maybe within the Sylvania product line the Silverstars are indeed better. Kind of a weird paradox.

    As for your VW Padiddle sightings, IIRC, the whole Padiddle thing originally started with the old Beetle (when you were a teenager on a date and saw a one-eyed Beetle you were supposed to kiss -- geez I'm getting old), so I wonder if VW is simply trying to keep the tradition alive. ;-)

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • travfam1travfam1 Member Posts: 5
    I am leasing a 2005 Town & Country Touring. Nice Van, except for all the problems. Fourteen months into the lease, a fluid leak appeared under the van behind the front wheels. After 7 trips to the dealer, the problem was fixed. New power steering pump, rack and pinion unit, and 2 heater hoses to the rear. Now with only 7500 miles and 22 months to go on the lease, the van has developed this very loud and annoying creaking sound from the front drivers side. Almost sounds as if a weld has come loose, or two pieces of metal are rubbing together. The dealer's shop foreman drove it and couldn't believe what he was hearing!! Vehicle is at the dealer until they fix it. I have had it with this thing. These problems shouldn't be happening on a relatively new vehicle. I have a 15 year old Nissan that doesn't have these problems. Buy American, they told me. NEVER AGAIN!!!! Any ideas out there as to this latest problem?? Please let me know. Thanks.
  • 97xpresso97xpresso Member Posts: 249
    Sounds like sway bar bushings and/or end links. Good thing your problematic van was leased, not purchased. My 2001 with close to 50,000 miles has been trouble free, so far.
  • mrbizness1mrbizness1 Member Posts: 93
    I replaced my headlights with Sylvania xtravisions a few years ago and noticed a little improvement. The Silverstars were about twice the cost at that time. I thought they were brighter at the time but now I think they were brighter because they were newer than the OEM bulbs I replaced. I recently replaced 1 standard bulb on my Altima and after turning on the lights saw a big difference in brightness between them and replaced the older one also.
    Aiming the headlights a little higher will improve visibility on minivans
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    We live in a semi-rural area with lots of dark wooded two-lane roads meandering all over hill and dale. To my way of thinking, that is the most challenging environment for headlights, and where my 530i with its Xenon headlights showed their obvious superiority to halogen lights ti the greatest extent. Given that more than half of my daily 80+ mile commute is over such roads, good headlights are essential, especially when the roads are wet and/or when conditions are less than clear. Even though I've only spent a couple of days behind these new bulbs, I can tell that there is a very definite improvement in their ability to light up the road, however, contrary to the back of the Silverstar packaging, these bulbs do not even remotely rival Xenon headlights.

    Regarding your comment that said, "I thought they were brighter at the time but now I think they were brighter because they were newer than the OEM bulbs I replaced."

    I did a little reading about how halogen lights work and discovered that they use a regenerative process that keeps the bulb just as bright as it was the day it was made, all of the way through the day it burns out.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • jamooseejamoosee Member Posts: 2
    I appreciate your response. I was leaning towards an Odyssey or Sienna but my wife's bro-in-law is a DCX employee. Needless to say, I lost the fight in order to support the company he works for. Unfortunately, I am paying the price for being supportive.

    Also, I have had electrical problems with windows and locks, steering gremlins as well as the sliding door almost falling off. I also live in the city where it was built and with my wife being a teacher, she feels that she must also support the parents who work there. I say to h--- with the patriotism and give my cash where it is appreciated.

    Sadly I have different neighbours with the same vehicle who absolutely abuse them with extremely poor if not rare maintenance without a hitch. Luck of the draw I guess.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    "Sadly I have different neighbours with the same vehicle who absolutely abuse them with extremely poor if not rare maintenance without a hitch. Luck of the draw I guess."

    Figures. :confuse:

    Maybe the moral of this story is that in an effort to keep an American car running in peak condition one must abuse it and not maintain it. ;-)

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • mrbizness1mrbizness1 Member Posts: 93
    "I did a little reading about how halogen lights work and discovered that they use a regenerative process that keeps the bulb just as bright as it was the day it was made, all of the way through the day it burns out"

    From my experience this is not true. Halogen bulbs become dimmer over time. Replace a new bulb, turn on your lights and compare it to the other bulb that is a few years old and you will see the difference. Bulb mfgs package 2 bulbs for that reason. I believe it has something to do with the gas inside the bulb.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    "Halogen bulbs become dimmer over time... ...I believe it has something to do with the gas inside the bulb."

    Please take a look at the linked discussion regarding Halogen Cycle lamps vs. Tungsten-Halogen lamps:

    http://www.sylvania.com/ConsumerProducts/AutomotiveLighting/Products/Halogen/How- - HalogenWorks.htm

    I don't know when the industry switched over to the Tungsten-Halogen process, however, the bulbs that I removed from the 1998 DGC were just as perfectly clear as were the new ones that I replaced them with.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • mrbizness1mrbizness1 Member Posts: 93
    Our 99 Voyager, 3.0L automatic has been a royal pain since we first got it. Four trannies in the first year,
    I have been adding brake fluid since day 1 with the dealers never finding the leak. They attribute it to wear of the brake pads.
    Four trannies in the first year I find hard to believe, but if true you should have contacted the Chrysler Corporate office. I apologize for sounding harsh but you should have never tolerated such shoddy service. Maybe they were trying to repair the trans. rather than replace it.
    The dealer is correct brake fluid level will get lower as the brakes wear, and will overflow when new pads are
    installed.
    Toyota and Honda make good cars but they are not as perfect as Consumer Reports makes them out to be. Their dealer don't have service departments for show. I had to wait ten days to get a Nissan dealer to change my alternator with a factory re manufactured unit for $450.00
    They also learned that putting a vehicles power train into a minivan puts more stress on it resulting in Odyssey transmission problems and Toyota motor sludge problems.
    Take a look for yourself


    http://www.odyclub.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=4430a090c27273e9682807e7f662a37- 6&forumid=9

    http://www.siennaclub.org/forum/index.php?s=ca60eb2cdcf480f8dd2c5179b9448a9b&sho- wforum=5
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    I am bringing in my wife's T&C this afternoon for another steering related issue. Last fall we experienced a whining comingf orm the steering column. Brought it into the dealership and they replaced some part on the steering column. It was leaking power steering fluid. Yesterday, my wife took the van to the grocery store and she called asking if her PS fluid was low? I said it shouldn't be since it was serviced 2 weeks ago. The fluid was not low, but when I took the car around the neighborhood, I did hear a whining/groaning sound when the steering wheel is truning. So, back to the delaer we go.

    Has anyone heard of any issues with the power steering in these vans?
  • spellcaster1spellcaster1 Member Posts: 1
    My van is a 98 caravan, and not only snow but rain puddles have caused my belt to fall off. I've had 3 belts in two and 1/2 years and of those three belts have had to have them put back on seven times now. Nobody has been able to figure this out. My splash guard is in place, tension is fine, but the tension pulley was slightly out of alignment so I am now having that replaced to see if it helps, but I have not been given any guarantees that this will help either. Good luck.
  • motoringmamamotoringmama Member Posts: 35
    Ok, so the dealer said I needed the transmission flush. Just to recap GC2001 ES,(63,000 miles) taken in for a recall and dealer comes back with a host of issues that I need to have completed. I decided to check the transmission fluid color myself to see if it was really a burnt orange. Well, I checked the dipstick twice, wiping the old off each time, and I noted it was a pink color. Now I know when it is freshly put in, it is red. I also read somewhere on here that you're supposed to check it at hot and cold. Will this make a difference? And does the color sound right? I know alot of folks may say, just have it done anyway, but I am really strapped for funds and don't want to spend unnecessarily, yet my van is my second baby too. Comments? Thanks
  • 97xpresso97xpresso Member Posts: 249
    That's why I recommended the pan-drop, filter replacement and re-fill with ATF+4 only. At 63,000 miles this service should be done,(even if your fluid is pink and clean) Even though the dealer has been jerking you around, I would not trust this service to an independant, as they most likely will not use ATF+4. Try to persuade your dealer to just do the trans service as described in your owners manual (and in THEIR service manual) without the flush, it should come out to less than $100.00 Your "second baby" will appreciate it
  • mrbizness1mrbizness1 Member Posts: 93
    I had this happen to me after 96k of driving. My problem was the Mopar belt the dealer installed. I had them install one a few years back and never had problems, but the newer ones are slightly different and it came off in 2 inches of rain. I couldn't go around the block without it coming off. If your tensioner and pulleys are good change the belt with a Dayco. I used #5060968 for the 3.3
    Here is the link

    http://www.daycoproducts.com/
  • gino45gino45 Member Posts: 52
    I have a 2001 Caravan and though I have not yet noticed any loss of steering fluid I am experiencing a shuddering/groaning when turning the steering wheel with the tranny in park. The steering also feels heavier than usual when driving. From what I could see on the web, I think that my steering pump is bad. I'll be taking into the dealership to have this confirmed. Does anyone know if changing the pump is an easy chore, or should I let the dealer tackle it. BTW- Fish8- I've read quite a few complaints about our vans having steering rack and steering pump problems.
  • lastwraithlastwraith Member Posts: 350
    Actually the article basically says that although the process results in greater efficiency and lumen output over the life of the bulb it certainly does not suggest the bulbs are as bright at the end of their life as they are at day 1. The walls of the of the bulb WILL stay crystal clear due to the newer process keeping the gas away from the walls as it redeposits itself on the filament but the filament still wears thin, increasing resistance and thus decreasing light ouput.

    The only reason I mention this is that I also wondered whether the Silverstars simply seemed brighter because the old bulbs were shot. Much like when one installs new speakers in their car and marvels at the wonderful sound. Well sure, the old ones were nearly garbage by the time most people look for a replacement! Although many stock speakers are simply cheap garbage from the beginning, price is everything in most cases unfortunately.

    So I guess the real question is: has anyone checked out the Silverstars vs a new Sylvania regular bulb? I'd like to know myself, since I was contemplating the "upgrade" as well but put it off since many people seemed to be having life-span issues with the Silverstars (could be a bad install though, halogens are very sensitive).
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    Thanks for the response!! The Wife's van is at the dealer as I write this. I hope to get a call today with a diagnosis. I am VERY glad that we bought an extended warranty which includes rental coverage. They gave us a short wheelbase Caravan. Boy did we get spoiled with the rooma nd amentities of our Touring model. There is almost zero legroom for the kids in their carseats on the second row. But, at least we have a van to drive while ours is in the shop. We also miss the power sliding doors. We constantly reach for the power door buttons and guess what? There are none. My Wife REAALY wants her van back!!
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    On the surface I have no problem with the concept of the filament thinning out and increasing resistance over time, however, thinking about this a little more... With the regenerative process keeping the deposits off of the inner wall of the bulb and instead re-depositing on the filament itself, how does the filament get thin? Asked another way, assuming that the filament does thin out over time (and I have no reason to think otherwise), where does the material go that left the filament? I ask because this type of stuff is WAAAYYYYY outside my areas of expertise and really don't know.

    Regarding the Silverstars, I have little doubt that they are brighter than the OEM bulbs simply because of their relative brightness to other cars. When we first got the 1998 we noticed it was very marginal in the lighting department, then a few months later I got my first BMW with Xenon headlights and WOW, what a difference. The good news about Xenons is that since they don't have a filament, they don't degrade over time, and as such, they can be used as a relative benchmark. Is the 1998 now as bright as the Xenons? Nope, however, it's a hell of a lot closer than it was when it was new.

    Regarding the life-span issue, even Sylvania states on their web site that life-span and brightness are inversely proportional, the brighter the bulb, the shorter the life. Taking a line from the old Blade Runner movie, "The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long, and you have burned so very, very brightly, Roy." Personally, I have no problem with the concept of replacing the bulbs every four years if they are indeed brighter. ;-)

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    Just got a call from the dealer and they had to replace the power steering pump. So, to sum up, in the less than a year we have had the van and with 13,000 miles on it we have had the following replaced:

    Front drivers seat (defective leather)
    Replaced defective rack and pinion
    Replaced defective power steering pump.

    I consider the last 2 pretty major and am not too happy with these developments.
  • lastwraithlastwraith Member Posts: 350
    Not really sure myself about your filament question, perhaps the usable part of the filament still thins over time and the gases coat the filament instead of the bulb walls, thus keeping it clear? Just a guess, I also have no idea.

    They very well might be brighter than tradition bulbs, I would also like to know. If you come across a comparison with some real numbers of lumen output over time, please post a link. Are you sure the BMW isn't HID? Those do not have a filament and are much brighter than conventional headlights but it takes a while to warm up to full brightness (sometimes a few minutes and any electronic feed interruption results in a partial reset of this time).

    As for life-span, I would generally agree that the brighter the bulb, the lower the life but only within the same technology generation. Today we have LEDs (though technically not a bulb) and fluorescent bulbs that can match incandescent brightness in most cases, have a much longer life, and operate on less resources. I was hoping the Silverstars were somewhat of a breakthrough - thus yielding greater light output but with at least the same or near same life span.

    I also would change them every 4 years for brighter bulbs, that's certainly reasonable as far as I'm concerned.

    happy motoring
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    "Are you sure the BMW isn't HID?"

    I don't actually know what HID headlamps are. :confuse: I've been hearing the term for years but I don't think I've ever actually seen a technical description of their construction. As for my BMWs, both of them were ordered with Xenon headlamps which are a gas filled bulb with no filament. They do take a moment to warm up; however, "a moment" is measured as no more than a second or two. ;)

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • lastwraithlastwraith Member Posts: 350
    Hmm, here's a link to HID, taking a cue from yours and using Sylvania.

    http://www.sylvania.com/LearnLighting/LightAndColor/HIDTechnology/

    Yeah, you probably have HIDs then. Xenon is used most commonly in the autmotive form of HID to start them. Here's a wikipedia link.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-intensity_discharge_lamp
    Instead of a filament, there is an arc across electrodes. They use a ballast to start and maintain the operation. Any interruption of current causes them to reset and "charge up" again, like you see happen in a fluorescent. They also look somewhat blue simply because they are so much whiter than traditional incandescents. Similar to why LED flashlights look blue compared to a mag lite or what have you. Not to be confused with the blue bulb HID "replacements" for standard headlights. These are just garbage to emulate the look of HIDs.

    Hope that clears some things up. Also explains why your BMW is so much brighter!

    Take care.
  • mojdodyrmojdodyr Member Posts: 23
    Anybody know where to get second row captains seat for my 03 Gr Caravan? Can I easily replace bench seats for those captains one?
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Given that the DC minivans are some of the best selling cars in the U.S., I'd think that any good bone yard (junk yard or auto salvage yard of you prefer) would be able to locate a set of captains chairs in the same color and covering as what you already have. As for ease of installation, as far as I know, the floor tracking is the same regardless of which seats you have, so installation should be a simple matter of unlatching the old ones and snapping in the new ones.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • blacklab78blacklab78 Member Posts: 1
    I just check the codes, the light blink 12 then 55, Does anyone know what it means. :confuse:
  • dodgeguy2dodgeguy2 Member Posts: 3
    My wife bought the 2001 DGC 3.3L while I was deployed. I must say that so far I am rather pleased with it. I have been looking it over and cannot find the pcv valve. I know that most vehicle have them in the front valve cover by the oil cap. Can anyone please tell me where it is?

    Thanks
    Jon
  • hayneldanhayneldan Member Posts: 657
    is located in the center of the front valve cover on th 03 3.3 and 3.8. Follow the hose from the air cleaner to the valve cover. pull off the hose and the PCV valve should be screwed into the valve cover.
  • gino45gino45 Member Posts: 52
    Consider yourself lucky, at least you still have warranty coverage. I on the other hand do not :cry: I am sure that I had this problem while the van was under warranty, but the the steering shuddered only a couple of times and I thought that the problem was with my tires. My advice to anyone reading this is that if you notice similar symptoms even if it only occurs once in a blue moon, take it to the dealer and make sure they document your complaint. That way you have a fighting chance of recouping your cost if the pump or rack goes out after your warranty has expired.
  • dodgeguy2dodgeguy2 Member Posts: 3
    I have looked there and there is nothing in the hose that goes from the airbox to the valve cover.
  • finkbonerfinkboner Member Posts: 1
    :sick: Just curious if anyone else is having all these problems..?
    We bought our Caravan a year ago now. We bought it New/Used. It ran great when we got it. Starting in July1, 2005 we started having problems. It has now been in the shop 6 times including today. We had an AC problem which they pushed off, Door closing problems on the sliders (pushed off for a later date also). Things they have replaced so far include...2 headlight switches and wiring because they just went off while driving at night with our to little kids in the middle of trafic. Swaybar bushings, power steering pump and rack and pinion. They can't seem to fix the awful odor that makes you want to throw up. It is in for the 4th time now on that. The last time it did not want to start then did not want to stay running when it did start. Oddly enough no check engine lights or computer errors. Since this happened we are now getting 4 mpg in city and 6mpg on hwy. Chrysler can not provide any resolutions and the dealer is stuck. I told them if it can't get fixed I want it bought back and want something different!!!! It is also in for a popping noise when you take off in drive after backing up and yesterday the trans hesitated/slipped. We are up in arms. Has any body else had this much trouble? We can trust our 190,000 mile 93 Honda civic more than our new Caravan!!!!
  • aprendizaprendiz Member Posts: 17
    I cannot get de computer codes by de off-on method, any help pls?
  • mrbizness1mrbizness1 Member Posts: 93
    As per the Haines manual it's located on the rear valve cover for the 3.3 and 3.8 engines.
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    AND....to add insult to injury, I have called and left 2 different service advisors messages asking them whether I should give the power steering system time to bleed the air from the hoses due to the continued whining/groaning. Or should I bring the van back in. I have yet to get a call back and it's been since Wed.

    If the noises continue over the weekend I will show up at the dealer Mon morning and talk to the Service Manager.
  • dodgeguy2dodgeguy2 Member Posts: 3
    Thanks. I couldn't see back there. I'll have to figure out a way to get to it.

    Jon
  • exploder4x4exploder4x4 Member Posts: 1
    I have the same problem with my 96 3.0 it may not be the injectors take a hollow hose place one end on the injector and listen to the other end if you here it tick its fine if their bad im sorry they are around 130 dollars a piece (i bought 2)still not fixed if you find the answer let me know if i find it i'll let you know (my motor is now in 3 parts trying to find it :mad:
  • appieappie Member Posts: 2
    As I was travelling I-75 North, at the start of my day the heater system stayed cold for the longest time while the engine temperature was approaching the red. I stopped on the side of the road and checked under the hood. I carefully released the pressure under the rad cap and found the level to be way down. Further inspection revealed that the expansion bottle was filled to the top and appeared to have overflowed. I manually blew most of the contents of the bottle back into the rad and topped
    up the rad, after which I replaced the rad cap and restarted the engine. While idling I checked for external leaks and found none. I continued on my way and had no problems the rest of the day. The following days the same thing happened. Every morning after the engine had cooled I had to go through the same procedure. I installed a new rad cap, but still have the problem. The engine oil does not show any water ingress. Whenever I bring the engine to operating temperature, the coolant backs up in the bottle but will not go back in the rad when cooled down. Low rad level seems to keep the thermostat closed (not sure). The exhaust does not show any steam. What can be wrong..?
    Can anyone help me..?
  • kkirbykkirby Member Posts: 1
    I want to post this in case anyone is looking for positive feedback on Grand Caravans, model year 1999. (Mine was made in Windsor, Canada.) I bought it "pre-owned" with 24K on it -- it was a fleet vehicle that came to a local Dodge dealership. I compete actively in the sport of dog agility; because of this, I drive alone with my dogs far more than the average number of miles per year. From March 2000 when I bought it until two weeks ago (March 2006), I put 150,000 miles on my van. I never had a single bit of trouble with it--ever. The only "issue" I dealt with was brakes--I did have to have brake work done periodically. But the engine ran like a champion, and the transmission was perfect. It never seemed to need tune-ups, although I was diligent about maintenance servicings. I changed the oil every 3,000 miles, and rotated the tires every second or third oil change. I loved that van and had planned to drive it another 50,000 miles and then trade it in. Unfortunately, I had the bad luck to have my very first traffic accident two weeks ago. I was behind an SUV in stop and go traffic. He suddenly hit his brakes and I didn't have time to stop my van before I hit him at about 10 miles an hour. There wasn't a mark on his SUV, but the entire front end of my Grand Caravan was crumpled in. Because of the height of the SUV's bumper, it also caused internal engine damage, and with the age and mileage on my van, my insurance company wrote my Grand Caravan off as a total loss. I can only hope to be as lucky with my next vehicle, because in terms of reliability and dependability, I couldn't ask for a better van than my 1999 Grand Caravan. I'll miss it.

    -- Kip
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Ordinarily symptoms like yours indicate that you have a bad radiator cap. I'd start by replacing that.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • mrbizness1mrbizness1 Member Posts: 93
    I don't want to look back there. If you find a way to change it let us know.
  • rickyd3rickyd3 Member Posts: 1
    This is driving me mad! The cruise keeps cutting out momentarily when the engine is cold (in the first 30 min), not very interesting you may think BUT the rpm and the speedo needles both fall to zero and the 'check engine light appears'. All of this only lasts for around 1/2 second (as if the van cuts out)with the van then cutting back in and the needles resuming normal positions/check engine light going out.

    Incidentally the only way to then set cruise back on is to cancel it and then turn back on.

    This only seems to be happening when cold (and is getting more frequent) but if taken for a long trip (over 2 hours) the thing runs faultlesley!!

    It has recently also started to just cut off when idiling........I would be grateful for any advice as all the mechanics and Dodge dealers in the area are at a loss to the fault!! :confuse:
  • willemwillem Member Posts: 16
    What you found are MIL codes (Malfunction Indicator Light)
    12 means 'battery disconnect within the last 50 cycles', and 55 is 'End of code' display.
    You can find those codes in automotive manuals like Haynes.
    My '97 T&C shows the #12 code for a long time now, even though the battery has not been disconnected in the longest time.
    If you do an OBDII scan, you get more precize pinpointing to a specific problem.
  • ledfordledford Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2002 Dodge Grand Caravan. I have about 60k miles on my van and so far I've had problems with the sway bar bushings, tie rods, sliding door wiring (chain) instrument cluster and transmission leak in a cylinoid. That being said, Question #1. Does anyone know if there is any maintenance you can do for the sliding door chain? I just paid to have one side replaced and the other door is making the same noise (gritty sound) the other side made before it broke. The dealer said to "wait untill it breaks". Because the chain is plastic I wasn't sure lubrication would do any good? #2 The lighting on my instrument panel is fading from about 0-40. The dealer said I needed a new Instrument Cluster and quoted me $552.00! Any advice?
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