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Dodge/Plymouth/Chrysler Minivan Problems & Solutions

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Comments

  • johnhei1johnhei1 Member Posts: 1
    I had the same problem with my 1999 Dodge Grand Caravan with a 3.0 L engine. I ended up replacing the throttle position sensor and that solved the problem. Might work for you.
    Regards,
    John H.
  • traderjosetraderjose Member Posts: 3
    My 2002 Voyager A/C, pw, radio stop working as the car starts. When the key is on ACC, everything works fine. When the car warms up, everything starts working fine. Transmission is also a little eratic when these gages are not working. The dealer wants to replace the console cluster as the poster above. I hate to spend $600 on this. Any advice?
  • tnormantnorman Member Posts: 1
    I have a 96 T&C with same problem. Also looses power momentarily at speed with no change in rpms. Replaced cam and crank sensors and computer and ingition switch. Problem persists. There are no codes on computer. Anybody have an answer?
  • appieappie Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for the advise Shipo. Replacing the rad cap did not solve it. Further testing revealed that one of the cylinders leaks to the cooling system via the head gasket. The leak is so small that it does not affect engine performance, but I still need to replace a whole bunch of gaskets at considerable cost. Is this a common problem in these engines? I sure hope it does not happen again.
    Best wishes,
    appie
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    For a definitive answer to your question, you might want to search the TSB database (sorry, I don't remember the link, anybody?), that having been said, I've been active on these boards since late 1998 and you're the first to report a head gasket leak on a relatively young Chrysler V6 that I can remember. While that statement isn't definitive proof that your leak is a very rare occurrence, it is at least a very good indication. Good luck and keep us posted.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • ledfordledford Member Posts: 2
    I have not had a response to my posting yet. Just wondering if anyone had any suggestions? Much appreciated!
  • masterpaul1masterpaul1 Member Posts: 421
    Question #1. Does anyone know if there is any maintenance you can do for the sliding door chain?

    The only thing that I can suggest is to keep the well clean from debris. Vacuum the well and plastic chain whenever you vacuum the inside of your van. This way the plastic chain can move freely when the doors are opened and closed. Also, I had noticed with our kids, they would use the well as a step by putting the front part of their foot inside the well, which could mess up the chain by stepping on it or putting dirt and stuff in there. Not to mention, they would kick the snow off their boots in the well. (I had a talk about this with them and they no longer do it.)

    #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?

    We had the same problem last year, but between 40-60. I did not have the dealer look at it, but was told it could be a few hundred dollars just to pull the dash out to see what the problem was. Well, I prayed about it and the problem is fix. Just cost me a little of my time and faith. :)
  • garandmangarandman Member Posts: 524
    The only reason I mention this is that I also wondered whether the Silverstars simply seemed brighter because the old bulbs were shot.

    I've put Xtravisions in several cars. They are brighter but don't last as long as standard bulbs.

    They cost half as much as SilverStars, which are designed with that HID look - wallet vacuums for young males.
  • oogyoogy Member Posts: 1
    Sometimes you get tire noise and "thumbing" when the lug nuts are bolted too tight. :cry:
  • 5bucks5bucks Member Posts: 10
    It was nearly a year ago that I found the solution to my dead instrument cluster - gauges problem... well I thought I did! To solve the problem, I removed the dash panels and undid then reconnected the modular electrical plug at the top of the cluster. I always did this with the ignition on and engine running. Well, it worked like a charm every time I did it for about 9 months. I'd do it and the cluster would work fine for a few days to a few weeks. When it happened again I'd just disconnect and reconnect the connector. Then 9 months later this technique stopped working. Every once in awhile the cluster would come back to life all on its own for a few days to a few weeks then go dead again. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to when it would come and go. Sometimes it would go out while driving; sometimes it would spring back to life while driving. Other time it would be working one day only to start it up the next morning and find it dead.

    While going through this problem I noticed a few other things happening. Whenever the cluster goes dead, the check engine light comes on. After the cluster starts working again, the check engine light would clear itself after driving 50 miles or so. Also, it seems as though the engine loses performance when the cluster is dead. Performance loss is not very noticeable unless I'm doing something like passing uphill at highway speeds. Also, on a separate yet possibly related issue, the little indicator lights on the center console pushbuttons for a/c, rear wipers, air recirc., and rear defroster all blink in unison in a steady on off pattern. This happens whether the cluster is operating or not. The blinking lights stop blinking after 10-20 minutes of driving whether the cluster is operating or not. When the cluster is not operating the automatic door locking when you reach 17mph no longer functions. As soon as the cluster starts working again the automatic door locking works again.

    The instrument cluster has been an ongoing problem on this van for more than 3 years now. I've read every post I can find about it during that time. People have replaced body computers for hundreds of dollars and still have the problem return. I'm very wary of taking this to the dealer. Every post I've read people have spent hundreds with the dealer only to have the problem re-occur.

    So what I finally did was buy a used instrument cluster of ebay. I ended up with a '99 cluster for my '98 grand voyager. It was only $29. I was kind of bummed when the cluster arrived and the modular connector was slightly different than the one on the original cluster. Lucky for me the cluster I bought included the female side of the modular connector with pigtails. The wire colors were exactly the same on both the original and replacement cluster. It was a simple matter to cut off the original female side of the connector and solder the wires together to the pigtailed harness that came with the ebay cluster.

    Before I cut my old connector off, I did try the new cluster by temporarily sticking the pigtails into the original connector. I was a happy guy when I saw the replacement cluster working. As just disconnecting and reconnecting my old cluster used to be able to bring it back to life I then tried reconnecting the old cluster and it was still dead. This leads me to the conclusion that the problem is in the cluster itself, and not in the body computer as many have suggested on this and other forums.

    So, now I have a working cluster. But, my wife called to tell me that now the radio and automatic door locks were not working when she started the van this morning. When I first drove off with the new cluster yesterday I did not try the radio, but I did hear the automatic door locks go when I hit 17mph. When I tried the door locks a second time yesterday they did not lock at 17mph. Today the wife says not even her key fob or the all lock switch on the door is working to lock the doors. I'll check fuses when I get home today. If they are good I'll try disconnecting the battery for 30 minutes and see if that doesn't reset something.

    A few other notes:
    The '99 cluster I put in my '98 Grand Voyager has the same circuit board number as the original. But the harness connector was slightly different.

    The cluster I bought from ebay was $29.96 and that was all shipping and handling. I won the bid for $.01. It was listed by automotive_innovation@yahoo.com. He had tons of instrument clusters listed. It came fine to me but he shipped it about 5 days later than promised. If you buy one of these make sure your getting one with the right connector or are getting the female side of the connector also and are comfortable with attaching this to the wire in your dash. I'm kind of anal so I soldered the wiring from the new connector to the bare leads left after I cut my original connector off. Also used shrink tubing on each soldered connection for insulation and strength.

    Prior to all this I have tried: disconnecting the battery, reseating all under dash connectors, talking to the dealer – It was an intermittent problem and working when I took it in. I’ve spoken to them a few time over the years and they say they no of no easy cause or fix…i.e this is gonna cost some bucks to have them fix it.
  • drmax2drmax2 Member Posts: 3
    I have same engine, had slightly different problem. I was overheating and losing coolant. Dealer first tried the new radiator cap to no avail, and with less than 400 miles left on my 60,000 mile service contract, he ended up replacing the entire top end of the engine because he couldn't stop the leak by simply replacing the head gasket. This is only one of many many problems I've had with this engine.
  • drmax2drmax2 Member Posts: 3
    I have a 2002 Dodge caravan. The oxy sensor is sending faulty signal to the ECU telling it I'm burning high-ethanol fuel. As a result, engine runs rich, the plugs foul and I see black smoke for a day or two until it dies. I had it towed to the dealer 4 times in the last 16 months before they figured out the problem. They switched plugs twice, wires once, drained the gas tank once, replaced the oxy sensors twice, and now my dealer says I should dump the van (duh), he's never seen this before. Anyone have this problem? Can the ECU be reprogrammed to disregard the faulty signal? This is driving me crazy, I have payments left and was counting on driving the van till it died, but I really thought I'd pay it off before it died.
  • mrbizness1mrbizness1 Member Posts: 93
    You might find the answers you need on these minivan specialty forums
    good luck

    http://www.allpar.com/forums/index.php?

    http://forum.chryslerminivan.net/index.php
  • cherokee1cherokee1 Member Posts: 1
    Could anyone tell me where the horns are located? The high note horn has quit and I want to check the wiring.
  • hayneldanhayneldan Member Posts: 657
    Horns are located behind front fascia (Bumper) forward of the left front wheel. Accessed from underneath.
  • lastwraithlastwraith Member Posts: 350
    Cool, thanks for the feedback!
  • motoringmamamotoringmama Member Posts: 35
    Yesterday while inspecting the new Goodyears I just had put on my van, I noticed a black tube hanging. It is attached to somewhere under the battery, but then the other end is hanging down. It is a thin black plastic tube with nothing on the end that is hanging down. It can be seen from the wheel well on my front driver's side. Nothing is leaking from it or anything, but I have never noticed this before. Also, everything seems to be working as it should. Any ideas? Thanks
  • mikemaciocimikemacioci Member Posts: 3
    Have a 98 Dodge Caravan. Emergency Brake is stuck. Wont release. Has somebody run into this before. Is there a quick fix?
  • mikepieronekmikepieronek Member Posts: 2
    I fixed my power sliding side door on my 2001 for about $95. I put together a web page detailing the repair.

    Here's the link.

    Hope it helps.

    -Mike
  • mikepieronekmikepieronek Member Posts: 2
    I had a problem with my power sliding side door. I put up a web page detailing my repair. It saved me a bunch of money.

    My symptoms were the door would start to open then immediately close before it started moving backwards. It also wouldn't close if it was already open. Replacing the latching mechanism did the trick. It's good as new.

    See the repair

    -Mike
  • peteepoopeteepoo Member Posts: 1
    Did you ever get an answer to this.... I'm having the exact same problem. It's under warranty, but I'd rather take care of it myself if it's easy
  • 97xpresso97xpresso Member Posts: 249
    Don't know what it's for, but I've got one too.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    My guess is that it is a drain coming from the battery tray. Haven't checked either of ours yet to confirm.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • chuckgchuckg Member Posts: 69
    I enjoyed reading about your door repair. I'll bet a dealer would want $400 anyway to fix the door. And you did it for under a $100. BTW, these doors sure do make all sorts of noises when they open and close, don't they?

    Nice work.
  • hayneldanhayneldan Member Posts: 657
    The hose hanging down is indeed a drain for the battery tray. Its purpose is to keep water from collecting at the bottom of the battery tray.
  • motoringmamamotoringmama Member Posts: 35
    Thanks! Major relief! :D
  • gino45gino45 Member Posts: 52
    I am thinking about putting on new front disks and pads on my 01 Caravan and was wondering if I should use semi-metallic pads or ceramic pads. I've had problems with the rotors getting warped every 15K and thus am considering changing the rotors with after market rotors. Has anyone tried Monroe or Wager rotors? I don't want to buy a set of rotors and have them get warped in less than a year. Any advice would be welcomed.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    How have you been having your wheels mounted? I ask because a very common cause of warped rotors is from having the lug nuts put on with an impact wrench. The only acceptable method for mounting tires should be to use a torque wrench and tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern to about 90 lb-ft of torque.

    FWIW, I'm most likely going to try a set of NAPA Ceramic pads next time around, I've used their semi-metallic pads for a number of years on both of our Caravans, and while they've served us well, they are a bit dirty. I'm hoping the ceramics will not generate as much dust.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • gino45gino45 Member Posts: 52
    Thanks for the input Shipo. Unlike my car, where I always tighten my lug nuts with a torque wrench, the van has principally been serviced at the dealer. I doubt very much that they use a torque wrench for putting on wheels. Is 90lb-ft sufficient? I saw a chart at Costco that indicated a range of 85 to 105. Regarding Ceramic pads- will they last longer than semi- metallic?

    P.S. Sorry to hear about your tranny. It kind of scares me in thinking that even with proper maintenance your tranny failed.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    "Is 90lb-ft sufficient?"

    As a point of reference, my BMWs came from the factory with a lug bolt spec of 72 lb-ft, which was then retroactively upgraded to 87 by BMW. I think that I heard somewhere (maybe here) that the DC spec was something like 85 to 92, as such, 90 should do quite nicely.

    As for ceramic pads, I believe that they will last longer than the semi-metallic pads simply because of how much more worn a set of rotors are when subjected to ceramic pads. Given that I simply replace my rotors at every brake job anyway, I really don't care that the rotors will be toast after doing 40,000 miles of battle with new pads.

    Regarding the tranny, well, thems is the breaks. ;-) As for being properly serviced, I'm still wondering about that. True, it had been serviced by a dealer as recently as last October, however, those here at Edmunds who are "in the know" have been saying for quite some time that ATF+3 is effectively extinct, and while ATF+4 is supposed to be "backward compatible" with ATF+3, there are two Chrysler TSBs that specifically prohibit using ATF+4 in 1999 and older minivans. Mine is a 1998. Coincidence? I have no idea.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • 5bucks5bucks Member Posts: 10
    Anyone know the location of a circuit breaker on '98 plymouth grand voyager that would cut battery power with the ignition off. I recently replaced my instrument cluster. After replacing, my remote keyless entry and radio stopped working. Thinking I crossed something that caused this breaker to go. Not sure if it is a self resseting type or not. My Haynes manual shows a 9amp circuit breaker in the line that feeds power to the remote keyless entry. In the circuit diagram, it shows this breaker within a junction block near or on the body control module under driver side dash. But I just can't find it. By the way, I have checked all standard fuses and the main fusible link in engine compartment.
  • la2005caravanla2005caravan Member Posts: 1
    Good Evening

    I am experiencing on a intermitten basis that my 2005 Dodge Caravan won't start.

    I already took it to my local dealer and they weren't able to identify the problem.

    To date, this problem still exists and I was wondering if any of you have had the same problem and if you found out the cause of it.

    Please share.
  • cateyes48cateyes48 Member Posts: 1
    Hi,
    I have a 94 Plymouth Dodge Caravan and today it was called to my attention that the car was smoking. Problem is that car had been sitting since night before and I hadn't taken it out. Now car won't start and something smells like it was burning from around the terminals near the battery. Everything lights up such as lights,radio etc. Acts like no gas but has 3/4 tank of gas. Any suggestions? I know electrical work is expensive and atleast if I had an idea where to start maybe I could cut cost and I don't want to just fix the car to run but find original problem. I don't want to be driving and in the near furture find the car on fire and myself or kids in it . Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :confuse: image
  • 5bucks5bucks Member Posts: 10
    Found the problem... IOD Fuse (Ignition Off Discharge). Of course the real problem was I did not disco the battery when I replaced the instrument cluster. The cluster had been intermittent for 3 years. In the past I stumbled on a fix which was to disconnect and reconnect the modular plug to the cluster with the engine running. That stopped working after 2yr 11mo. That's when I replaced the cluster. Problem was the modular plug on the cluster was a little different, so I had to cut the old one off and put the correct one on. I bought a used '99 cluster for my '98. One of the wires carries battery voltage with the ignition off. Must have shorted this when I put on the connector and blown the IOD fuse. Lesson learned.

    For future reference, on my '98 Plymouth Grand Voyager the IOD fuse is located in the engine compartment power distibution center. It's a 10 amp fuse - the one nearest the firewall. Symptoms of a blown IOD fuse are: No radio, remote keyless entry will not work, no interior lights with ignition off and poor engine performance. Engine started very rough, smelled as though it was running very rich and had sputtered a bit with acceleration at highway speeds. Guessing that Engine control computer needs constant battery voltage with ignition off to retain it's memory.

    The wiring diagrams in the Haynes manual was helpful in tracing the problem but not quite enough. It was easy to determine that battery power with ignition off was fed through fuse #28 rated at 10 amps. Bummer is there is no indication on the vehicle of where fuse #28 is. I wish the Haynes manual just labeled the fuses the way they are on vehicle. Instead of calling it "fuse#28" why not call it "IOD".
  • asmaagasmaag Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1997 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER with 67,000 miles. When you turn the A/C on the A/C belt screams. If you leave the A/C on long enough the belt will break. You can stop the scream if you tighten the belt tensioner, but it will start again then the belt will break. The compresser has been changed, and the belt alignment was checked. The only thing I can think to do is replace the tensioner. PLEASE HELP this is my wifes van and she yells louder than the A/C!!
  • jnovicejnovice Member Posts: 3
    I have a 1998 T & C with oil pressure problems. I have just converted to Mobile One 10w 30 from 10w 40 Havoline. The oil pressure light came on and stayed on until I reved the engine up to 1500 rpm. Above that it was off. I changed the sensor and also the pickup. It ran for 2 weeks without problems. Then it started again. I immediately shut down and waited 5 minutes. I then cranked up again without any problems. The van has 130,000 miles. There is no noticable problems with the engine, no clacking or other sounds. When I changed the sensor, I noticed the oil was very dark. It had only been in for two weeks. Do I have a sludge problem or a pump problem? Thanks for your help.
  • ckmnacckmnac Member Posts: 12
    Just an update to a previous post.

    Had the computer flashed and it "fixed" the transmission for a little over a month. It started acting up again and now we are going to need a rebuilt transmission put in. The first one was just patched but the guy felt it should have lasted a bit longer then 23,000 miles. Oh well. We are still driving it as it is our family vechile and the damage has been done so it isn't hurting anything. We need to save up a bit and get new tires since a broken belt in one isn't helping matters.

    Just waiting on the estimate right now. I'm hoping that it is under $2000 and with this guy who knows?
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    A couple of thoughts...

    1) Did this problem start before or after you switched to Mobil 1?

    1a) If before, then the problem is probably unrelated.
    1b) If after, it could be that the extra cleaning power of the Mobil 1 has striped so much crud from inside your engine that it has clogged your pickup screen (again). What did the pickup screen look like when you replaced it? Clogged or wide open?

    2) Following along on the thought that your pickup screen is becoming clogged by sludge, and debris freed up by the Mobil 1, you might find that you have to pull the oil pan and pickup screen yet again and clean them out. After that, if you are committed to staying with Mobil 1, I'd suggest that you perform several oil changes separated by only a thousand miles or two. Why? Because the detergent properties of synthetic oils in general and Mobil 1 in particular are such that it WILL clean your engine up, regardless of whether that is a good thing or not (hence the fact that you noticed your oil was "very dark" when you changed the sensor). My other suggestion is to switch back to the Havoline, drive for a thousand miles or so (to allow the situation inside your engine to stabilize), and change it again staying with the Havoline for as long as you keep your T&C.

    3) Another possibility (although I think this is a low probability due to your comment that said, "I immediately shut down and waited 5 minutes. I then cranked up again without any problems." which leads me to think that the screen had gotten clogged, and when you shut it down, the crud fell to the bottom of the pan --temporarily--): As engines age, the main and rod bearings start showing their miles by allowing too much oil to leak through. The typical symptom of this is that at idle, the oil pump isn't able to keep the flow high enough to keep the pressure above the minimums to keep the light off.

    FWIW, I have a 1998 DGC with 110,000 (as of this morning) with the 3.8 liter mill (you probably have the same engine in either 3.3 or 3.8 guise), and it is also running on Mobil 1. The difference is that I've been using the Mobil 1 for the last 90,000 miles. If you would like to see just how clean that stuff makes the innards of your engine, take a look at a shot I posted in my "Caravan Stuff" photo album on Yahoo!

    http://photos.yahoo.com/shipo

    Hint: use the "Download" button to bring the full resolution picture down to your computer. The two valve cover/oil filler shots are really the same shot, with the oil filler detail simply cut from the larger view, so if you are bandwidth challenged, the detail shot is the one to use.

    As a point of reference, that shot was taken 6,000 miles ago, at a point when the oil (pooled in the rocker arm and clearly still quite clean) had 4,000 miles on it. Even with my ~10,000 OCI schedule, you can see that the rocker arm and rocker shaft are still as clean as the day the engine was built.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • familyguy4familyguy4 Member Posts: 2
    My wife and I own a '03 Grand Caravan SE with 33K on it and we have had power steering issues since approximately 18K. The power steering pump, reservoir, lines and rack have been replaced (the lines have been replaced twice).

    The symptoms have been a groaning or grinding emanating from the steering at low speeds (such as maneuvering around a parking lot) along with a noticeable steering wheel shudder. The most recent service was performed in Feb. 2006. In late March, the issue occurred again this time in spectacular fashion culminating in stranding my family on the roadside for several hours and being without the van for 5 days now.

    These vans have obvious transmission, steering and general quality control problems. I am thoroughly disgusted with Chrysler and will never again purchase a Daimler-Chrysler product.

    If anyone else is having similar issues besides fish8 and me, please let me know, I'd like to hear from you
  • gino45gino45 Member Posts: 52
    I have a '01 Caravan and have been experiencing a steering groaning/shuddering symptom for a few months now. Just like you it's noticeable at low speeds. I took it to an independent mechanic who said it could be the steering rack or the pump. Since neither are leaking at this time, he suggested that I wait until the part in question breaks down and to change it at that time. I don't want to get stranded anytime soon, so can you tell what problem caused you to be stranded? My mechanic mentioned that even if the steering pump were to fail I would still be able to drive the van, albeit it would be harder to steer.
  • familyguy4familyguy4 Member Posts: 2
    The issue that caused me to be stranded goes as follows. I'm editing for length :) On a steep grade the lower power steering line blew completely out of the power steering pump spewing power steering fluid all over the engine bay and exhaust which created a huge smoke plume. The pump was still turning and the reservoir was emptied of fluid in a matter of seconds. Without any fluid in the system, no way to keep it in and no way to change the hose on the roadside at 8:00pm on a Friday night, I had no choice but to use the 24 hr roadside assistance to tow the van to the nearest dealership and attempt to arrange for alternative transportation. Driving without fluid for even a short distance would have critically damaged the remaining components in the steering system and created a dangerous situation which could have resulted in the driver losing the ability to control the vehicle adequately. We were in a mountainous region and I didn't dare take a chance with the lives of my entire family and their friends.

    Incidentally, the P/S pump and all the lines had been replaced previously under warranty due to grinding, shuddering, etc. The P/S pump failed at around 28K. All I can say is I have a :lemon:
  • ckmnacckmnac Member Posts: 12
    I'm a little confused right now. When we bought our van (1998 GC) the previous owners had a paper showing transmission work which cost them $1300. You guys all said that was way too little $$ for a rebuilt transmission.

    I took the van on Wednesday for them to drive it and give me an estimate. It needs a transmission and the guy said we can't just do patchwork again because the same thing will happen all over again (transmission started acting up only 23,000 miles after the first work was done). This isn't the same shop the original work was done at and this guy has been completely straightforward about everything.

    So today he calls and says he has the estimate and it is only $1442.46. Now I'm wondering if this is too cheap for a rebuilt transmission. I have the list he gave me and here is everything. Please tell me what exactly they are doing if you know. I want this transmission to last longer then 23,00 miles. Thanks.

    604 Master Overhaul Kit
    604 Up date kit
    Torque Converter
    Fluid

    Overhaul 604 trans axle and
    replace torque converter. One year
    or 12,000 mile warranty

    I am so clueless about all this transmission stuff. I also got an estimate from the dealership for $2613.18.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Assuming that all of the hard internal components are still in good shape (i.e. the actual gearing and such), I suppose that your $1,442.46 is possible. Never having rebuilt one of these transmissions, anything I say must be discounted as, "just so much noise". That having been said, the questions I would have regarding this "Rebuild-it" approach (as opposed to the factory remanufactured $2,613 unit) are as follows:

    1) Are the new kits and components that are being bought from the factory (i.e. MOPAR) or are they sourced through a third party? I ask because I've heard that non-MOPAR units are quite inferior.
    2) I've heard that fairly specialized equipment is required to properly set one of these units up. What equipment does your shop have?
    3) Does this rebuild bring the transmission up to the latest engineering build (i.e. model year 2000)? That coincidentally is the first and only year/build level that exists which allows our transmissions to safely run on ATF+4 (as opposed to the now apparently extinct ATF+3).
    4) What price warranty? 12 month/12,000 mile for $1,442 (i.e. $0.12 per mile) or 36 month/36,000 mile for $2,613 (i.e. $0.0726 per mile). Said another way, is the extra $1,171 worth it to you for three times the warranty?

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • gregmangregman Member Posts: 24
    Anybody able to tell me what a recall with F01 means? Wife says something in letter regarding a/c. I thought there was a recent recall for the windshield wiper motor. Any thoughts? Thanks.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    you aren't really getting a "rebuilt" transmission or a remanufactured transmission--you're gettng an "overhauled" transmission, which in kind of over-simplified terms means that bad parts are replaced and still-good used parts (within specs) are left in. In a rebuild, parts are replaced to bring the transmission to an 'as-new' condition whether there are still good used parts in there or not. So on a rebuild if the pump has only 50% wear on it and working perfectly, it's still chucked.

    To put it another way, "overhaul" restores function, "rebuild" restores newness and function.
  • tjcintjcin Member Posts: 4
    A couple of weeks ago my Sirius radio stopped working. The subscription is paid for one year with the purchase of the van. The AM/FM portion of the radio still works as does the GPS and CD player. We have had it to one dealer for two days with no results. We also contacted Sirius and they were very helpful but were also unable to solve the problem. I was wondering if anyone has had any problems with theirs and can offer any solutions before I get frustrated with the next dealer. Thanks.
  • willemwillem Member Posts: 16
    Re: Lug nuts torque

    It depends on the wheels (steel or alloy)
    On my 97 T&C the required torque is 100lb-ft on the alloy wheels (I read that once somewhere, and it is an easy figure to remember).It is important to gradually torque them down. The pattern on 5 bolt wheels is 1,3,5,2,4and then #1 etc. again. For steel wheels the torque is lower, but I don't know by how much.
    It is convenient to have a Johnson bar in the vehicle in case of emergency, because the nuts can be very tight, and should be!

    Willem
  • willemwillem Member Posts: 16
    I'm on my 3rd set of Monroe premium pads (Since you're Canandian: Can. Tire has them on sale for another 3 weeks at $44.95 Cdn. I'm considered gentle on the brakes and they will last me about 30,000Km's (18,000Mi) If you have them installed they have a lifetime warranty, or in my case DIY it's 3 years 60K's.Recently replaced the rotors with premium Monroe because they started to warp after unknown mileage (at least 100,000 Km's).
    They do their job nicely but have no idea how long they will last. Price being the same (?) I think my preference would be Wagner.

    Willem
  • willemwillem Member Posts: 16
    Try a spraybomb of 'belt dressing'
    It makes the sound go away for a few weeks or a few months.
    Available at automotive parts supply stores

    Willem
  • jculpepperjculpepper Member Posts: 1
    Every time I put on the brakes the dome light comes on, is there an easy fix or is this a costly problem? The head lights also flash on and off while driving, I am thinking that it could be a loose connection.
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