NHTSA Complaint #740845 — 1996 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

WE PURCHASED A USED 1996 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN IN DECEMBER OF 1997. IT HAS AN INTERMITTENT FAILURE. DURING COLD WEATHER, OCCASIONALLY THE ENGINE QUITS RUNNING. SOMETIMES FAILURES OCCUR EVERY FEW DAYS; SOMETIMES THEY ARE MORE THAN A MONTH A PART. FAILURES OCCUR FOLLOWING A COLD START AS THE ENGINES GETS CLOSE TO OR REACHES NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE. THE FAILURE USUALLY HAPPENS FROM 9 TO 31 MINUTES AFTER THE VEHICLE IS STARTED. FAILURES OCCUR WHEN THE OUTDOOR TEMPERATURE IS BELOW ABOUT 400F. FAILURES MOST COMMONLY OCCUR WHEN THE MINIVAN HAS BEEN PARKED IN A GARAGE THAT IS WARMER THAN THE AMBIENT OUTDOOR TEMPERATURE. THE ENGINE QUITS RUNNING. THIS HAS HAPPENED WHILE AT A STOP, WHILE DRIVING ON LOCAL STREETS, AND WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. SOMETIMES IT RECOVERS AND SOMETIMES IT MUST BE MANUALLY RESTARTED. IT APPEARS THAT IF THE THROTTLE IS CLOSED, THE ENGINE MUST BE RESTARTED MANUALLY AND IF THE THROTTLE IS OPEN, THE ENGINE RECOVERS. WHEN THIS FAILURE OCCURS, THE SPEEDOMETER DROPS RAPIDLY TOWARD ZERO. IT DOES NOT REFLECT THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE. SCHAUMBURG DODGE HAS MADE AT LEAST SEVEN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO DIAGNOSE AND REPAIR THIS PROBLEM.