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Comments
http://badtrans.webprovider.com/home.htm
http://www.lemonaidcars.com/chrysler.htm
Thanks.
Robnwindycity: I think it depends on your usage. I bought one from the dealer on my '99 300M since it was a new model and I planned to put 100,000 miles on it in three years. I bought a 2000 GCS for my wife in June and did not buy an extended warranty because she will only put 12,000 miles/yr on it in mostly around town driving. I judged the former to be a higher risk of a major failure and the latter to be lower. FYI, on the 300M, I paid $900 at the dealer for the Chrylser mid-range plan (I forget what they're called). I have had one claim to date outside the 3-yr/36,000 bumper to bumper where the repair cost $600 and I paid the deductible $100. So, with one year left on the extended, ChryCo is still ahead $400 on me. We'll see where we end up.
I've also had the reverse shutter on my 2000 GCS. It was going up a steep incline in reverse with a full load, but none the less it was still bad enough for me to stop. I just figured it was too steep to be going up in reverse, but I'll have to test it again...
Anyway, replaced the battery. Called around and thought the best deal was at Autozone. Got 700 cold cranking amps for $50. Junior damaged one of the wiper blades by trying to run them when they were frozen to the windshield-got the cheap Anco blade assembly=$5. I kind of accidently found struts for the rear hatch which have been dead for years. Only $14 each. Anyone out there done the strut replacement? Anything special to watch out for?
All: I notice I'm the first poster since they changed the software. Don't let this board die just because its different! Play around with subscriptions and marks--you'll figure it out.
www.popularmechanics.com - look in the Automotive section, Saturday Mechanic, "Hood and Hatch Strut Service", June 1997 I think.
Good luck with your install!
Drew
Edmunds.com Townhall co-host
Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories conferences
Can someone suggest part I need.? I can do most anything there is to do to a car..
Thanks..
Craig
Dallas, TX
but this happened 3 years ago and I no longer have the vehicle (DOG).
Do I have any recourse?
Try
http://www.lemonaidcars.com/chrysler.htm
and
http://badtrans.webprovider.com/home.htm
for some links about this problematic trasaxle.
I will try to be accurate, but brief.
At about 6K miles, I pulled onto our street and the entire vehicle just died. Turned the key and nothing -- no click, no sound, no lights, no radio, etc. DEAD. Turned out to be a electric command module of some sort, but it took over 4 days to diagnosis, get the part and fix.
Everything was fine until tonight, when a somewhat similar -- but not exact -- electrical problem happened. When I inserted the key, it would NOT turn. However the steering wheel was NOT locked. I was able to turn the steering wheel until it indeed did engage in the lock position. Ironically, I held the steering wheel to one side, and I was able to turn the key and start the car! Great I thought...
Until I realized that my BRAKE, AS, and AIR BAG warning lights STAYED LIT. I also did not have any power to the center portion of my dashboard -- no radio/time light, nor did my fan or defroster work (I live in central WI and tonight it was +3F degrees.
I quickly drive home and backed the vehicle into the garage incase I could not drive it to the dealer on (yikes) Tuesday.
Again -- anyone have similar tales or adventures? Although it may seem quite minor to a few, I am somewhat frustrated at 26K miles.
Thanks.
What has been your experience?
Thanks.
Front brake pads at 53K, normal wear
Leaky transmission solenoid 57K ($330)
Frozen serpentine belt tensioner 59K ($135)
Right now, I have very small on/off water pump leak. The power steering pump has started to leak and the front driver side strut has started to leak. TOO MANY LEAKS AT 68K!!!!
For power steering pump leak, I have put one of those "stop leak" products in the reservoir.
Will let you know if it works.
No transmisson problem so far. I changed the fluid/filter at Chrysler dealer at 55K. On suggestion about the transmisson; make sure you make complete stop while changing gear from D to R or visa versa. And if you leave in icy /snowy area, do not let the wheels spin too much on icy roads.
Our old '89 Mazda MPV with V-6 engine and 156K miles ( sold it in '97) did not have as much problem.
At the time that we bought the Dodge, there was nothing out there that was comparable to Chrysler's vans. If the new Honda Oddessy was out at the time, we would have bought the Honda.
Go read in Odyssey and Sienna Problem Forums. There are more reported problems with Ody or Sienna than there are with Chrysler minivans... even though DC minivans have outsold either of the others by a margin of 4 to 1. The Sienna and Ody have not had the freedom from problems that the Camry and Accord have reported in the past.
I have no trouble with the way the van looks or drives. In fact, I think '96-'00 Chrysler vans are the best looking vans out there. I wish they had the mechanical reliability to go with their looks!
I am just not used to be nickle and dimed for repairs with anything I have ever owned, and $25K is the highest I have ever paid for a vehicle.
I purchased an extended warranty with the vehicle for engine/transmission.
Overall I'm extremely happy with the vehicle. It's a great ride, comfortable on long trips, and it drives much like a car. I love all the room, and the driver's position relative to the road.
Being a used car, there are some minor things, notably:
I've noticed a little slip in the trans, but at the next oil change am having the transmission fluid and filter changed. And if there is a problem I have the warranty(famous last words, right!!).
I have been experiencing 2 problems that I have seen on another site Dodge has TSB's for. The first one is the ubiquitous windshield-wiper activating-on-its-own problem. The second is a creaking sound under the car when going over bumps; although there is also a knocking sound occasionally as well. They are both intermittent problems. Does anyone know what could be causing the knocking and creaking(sounds like a bed spring squeaking), as the WS's seems to be pretty well documented here? 2ndly, does anyone have any experience with getting TSB work done on a vehicle they purchased used? Did you have to pay for the repairs?
Thanks
Frank
Craig Wilson, Dallas, TX
>>#566 of 579 Craigwilsontx by scanner Dec 21, >>2000 (03:06 pm)
>>Does your problem also happen to coincide with >>not being able to turn the ignition key?
While replacing the windshiled washer fluid, I noticed some oil coming from the left side of the engine. Should I take it to the dealer inmediately? Any sugestions? I cant believe this happened with such low miles. HELP
Our 91 Astro CL had no mechanical problems until 8 years old when manifold gasket leaket coolant. However, the damned digital dash worked intermittently after a few years...always worked when in for service. The oil pressure and coolant temp gages did not work at all after about 6 years. Would cost about $1100 for a new module and $400 labor to replace so we drove without those 2 gages until traded in March 1999 for new 99 GC SE.
I preferred the rear panel doors to the liftgate on most minivans and also preferred the 27 gal fuel tank with very torquey 4.3L V6. Gas mileage between 23 and 24 on several trips to DL where 3.3L in GC gets 27.1, 27.0 and 26.0 (last one was driving about half the trip in a rainstorm that lowered the gas mileage).
The Sienna has the most comfortable seats of the minivans (for my wife and I) with Odyssey being a close second in comfort. Wife did not like the front passenger leg room in Ody as glove box hit her knees. She also wanted the built in child seat for safety of the grandchildren. We planned to keep the 99 GC for 2 to 4 years...but would be stupid to trade it in and take a chance of getting a Sienna or Odyssey with problems.
I have filed complaints on my 96 Ply Grn Voy. Trans went out at 54,800; front axle went out at 58,600. Numerous other problems all do to low quality components. Our main vehicle is a 1994 Toyota Corrolla with 120,000mi. It had both front electric window motors go out. That's all. Nothing before 100,000mi.
Most of the organizations have web sites and on line complaint forms that only take a few minutes to complete, probably less time than it takes to write a message here.
The engine sounds like it is not getting enough gas or maybe oxygen. I don't have an idea what may be wrong but the dealer says it needs I happen while they have it on a computer. There is no indication that anything is wrong on the diagnostic. HELP ME PLEASE....
Like everyone else I bought into the advertisements and even the Consumer Reports recommendations this was the best thing on the road back then...if it was the best I would hate to be the owner of the second best or worst.
Will I buy another one....NOT!!!!!! Right now I'm looking for a replacement and they all look about the same and they all have their problems....I guess the big question is which one will be the least problem and who will stand behind what they build....I already know DC won't.
BigD01
http://www.motorage.com/edindex/0699028.htm
I've been a staunch supporter of this product because of good ergonomic design and excellent driveability. I really wanted to buy a 2001 GC or T&C, love the styling, but I can't stomach the idea of living with a product from a company producing notoriously poor reliability products.
The dealership (Nalley Dodge, Lawrenceville, GA) broke the camel's back. They charged me $20 for EPA related costs (fluid disposals). That's now their standard policy. And they charged me $35 for two wiper blade replacements! Abusive pricing on the blades aside, I had just changed the blades three weeks prior, and did not ask them to replace them. When I brought that to their attention, they made me wait another 20 minutes so they could take the wipers off and put my removed blades back on.
It's one thing to have an unreliable vehicle. It's another to have the dealership try to ream you while you are dealing with the poor product quality.
And for those of you who say "all vehicles have problems", well, I had one unschedule maintenance for a faulty light switch in about a quarter of a million miles driving various Hondas. The GC has problems at a rate 30 times higher than that.
Bye bye, DaimlerChrycoDodge. You've lost me forever.
2. Check wheel alignment(all 4)
3. I had this problem on my 1996. I did all of the above several times over the years. Problem was confirmed by test drivers, but vehicle and tires were always in spec. On Christmas day 2 weeks ago the axle broke. Guess what! The new axle does not pull!The right axle assembly broke, but it is a complete unit so the whole thing was replaced($200.00). Vehicle had 58,000 miles when the axle broke. Good luck!
If you are getting a slight wobble feeling in the front wheels I'ld venture to bet it's your transaxils...mine did the same thing anf both transaxils were out...I replaced them and the front stopped pulling and the wobble disappeared. By the way that was my second set of transaxils in two years and I don't drive my vehicle hard.
Good Luck
BigD01
I posted a problems similar to your (late Dec). My was corrected by the replacement of the Ignition cyclinder. My syptoms were a little more serious in that I had some electrical problems associated with it -- but the Service Manager said that the Ignition and Steering column was so complex, it can affect alot of things.
Previously I had a vehicle (non-Chrysler) that also had problems like yours. It was a defective Neutral Switch,...could be somewhat related as it too is based in the Steering column / Ignition.
Hope my experiences help....good luck.
I had the same problem. Done alignments and added chims, serviced 4 times for the same problem, and changed 2 tires. All before 12000 miles. Problem still exists every time I rotate the tires every 6000 miles and then eases down without disappearing.
Does this qualify for a lemon case?
c. The left side sliding door has a noticable creaking/rattling sound up around the door handle that is heard when going over bump roads. It did not do this until after they fixed the door lock solinoids. The dealer had it for a day with their guy who handles the squeaks and rattles and even after pulling the door panel and foaming certain things it is still not completely gone. and lastly, d. The steering wheel smells bad. It is a chemical like odor and it drives me crazy. It is just in the rim of the wheel, not the center where the horn is. I have wiped the outer rim down with everything I can think of that won't harm it, and no relief. Tried S.O.S. neutralizer, Simple Green, Quick-in-Bright, Lemon Joy. Can anybody suggest some fixes for the door and the steering wheel. Thanks.
Good luck,
Steve_
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