2004 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL STARTED GOING TO THE RED SIDE; INDICATING THAT THE VEHICLE WAS HAVING TROUBLE REGULATING THE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL ENTERING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP AND CARBON FILTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

PERIODICALLY, THE ENGINE OF OUR 2004 GRAND CARAVAN SPUTTERS AND DIES WITHOUT WARNING. TYPICALLY THIS HAPPENS RIGHT AFTER FILLING THE GAS TANK. UPON LEAVING THE GAS STATION, THE VAN RUNS NORMALLY FOR A MINUTE OR TWO, THEN CUTS OUT ALL TOGETHER. USUALLY THIS HAPPENS JUST AS WE ARE PULLING OUT OF THE STATION INTO TRAFFIC. ONCE THE VAN IS RE-STARTED, IT RUNS ROUGHLY FOR A MINUTE, THEN QUITE NORMALLY. THIS FIRST OCCURRED IN LATE 2009 AND HAPPENED INFREQUENTLY FOR A TIME. THE OLDER THE VAN BECOMES, THE MORE FREQUENTLY IT HAPPENS - NOW ON ALMOST EVERY FILL-UP. RELATED TO THIS ISSUE, PERIODICALLY AFTER STARTING THE VAN AT HOME, WITH A NEARLY FULL TANK OF GAS, IT RUNS FINE FOR A MINUTE OR TWO, THEN THE ENGINE SEEMS TO GO INTO IDLE AND COMPLETELY FAILS TO RESPOND TO THE GAS PEDAL. TYPICALLY THIS HAPPENS AFTER STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN NEAR...

IN JANUARY 2011, I HAD TO REPLACE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IN MY VEHICLE AND IT HAS BEEN RUNNING FINE UNTIL NOW. LAST WEEK, MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I MADE A SERVICE APPT. WITH MCKINNEY DODGE IN EASLEY SC TO GET IT CHECKED OUT. I WAS CALLED TODAY (04/02/2013) AND WAS ADVISED THE SAME PART NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ADVISED THE PART ONLY HAD A 12 MONTH WARRANTY. I TOLD HIM THIS WAS UNACCEPTABLE FOR A PART THAT WAS VERY EXPENSIVE TO ONLY HAVE A 12 MONTH WARRANTY. HE PROVIDED THE CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE # (1-800-992-1997). I CALLED THEM AND THE LADY REVIEWED THE RECORD, AND RESTATED THEY COULD NOT ASSIST, AS IT ONLY HAD A 12 MONTH WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE MILEAGE IS NOW A LITTLE OVER 156,000. I HAVE PUT AROUND 45,000 MILES ON THE CAR SINCE JANUARY 2011. I HAVE HAD THIS...

AFTER GOING THROUGH WATER PUDDLES, THE CAR BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE WHEEL TURNED BUT AS IF THE ENGINE WAS OFF. THE CAR ALSO HESITATES AS IF THE ENGINE WILL STALL. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 15 MPH WHEN THE SMELL OF BURNED RUBBER EMITTED INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND FLAMES WERE VISIBLE FROM UNDER THE HOOD. IN ADDITION, THE HEAD LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT NOT REPAIRED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNKNOWN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 121,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY STALL WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WOULD IMMEDIATELY RESTART AND THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE ONLY SEEMED TO OCCUR WHEN THE FUEL TANK WAS FULL. THE CONTACT PLANNED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED OR REPAIRED, IF NEEDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 72,000.

2004 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN CUSTOMER HAS CONCERNS WITH THE TIMING BELT**NAR**CC THE CRANK WAS UNDERSIZED ON THE BEARINGS AND THE BEARINGS WERE UNDERSIZED CREATING A LARGE GAP BETWEEN THE BEARINGS AND THE CRANK WHICH WAS CAUSING THE NOISE KNOCKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE. A FOREIGN PIECE OF METAL WAS FOUND UNDER THE MAIN BEARING CAP WHICH CAUSED EXTRA CLEARANCE. AND THE CRACK WAS ONLY TOUCHING TWO-THIRDS OF THE BEARING SURFACE. *JB