NHTSA Complaint #10160917 — 1998 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WERE SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THE FIRST COMPONENT OF CONCERN WAS THE BELT TENSIONER WHICH HAD TO BE REPLACED BY THE DEALER BECAUSE IT WAS OBSERVED TO BE DISMANTLED. THE SECOND COMPONENT WAS IDENTIFIED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR A REGULAR OIL CHANGE. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DETERMINED THERE WAS A MAJOR LEAK COMING FROM THE PUMP SEAL ON THE TRANSMISSION. ONCE THE TRANSMISSION WAS TAKEN OUT OF THE VEHICLE, A CRACK WAS OBSERVED IN THE TORQUE CONVERTER. THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO REBUILT BECAUSE A TRANSMISSION FOR REPLACEMENT COULD NOT BE FOUND. THE DEALER DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A PIN DROP WHICH HAS BEEN COMMON IN VEHICLES OF THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL. THE THIRD COMPONENT WAS DISCOVERED WHILE THE CONTACT SEARCHED CAR FAX FOR HISTORY ON THE VEHICLE; THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE FOR THE AIRBAG. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE REMEDY REPAIR, IT WAS NOT PERFORMED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE EXCEEDED 70,000 MILES. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE REMEDY REPAIRS WOULD BE ISSUED ONLY IF THE VEHICLE INCURRED THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE RECALL. THE LAST COMPONENT OF CONCERN WAS THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT, WHICH CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, THEY DETERMINED THERE WAS CYLINDER MISFIRE. HOWEVER, THE CONTACT EXPRESSED THAT THIS PROBLEM MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY A MALFUNCTIONED COMPUTER SYSTEM. AFTER A MAJOR TUNE UP TO THE VEHICLE THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT ONLY ILLUMINATES INTERMITTENTLY.