2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN Engine Problems

I OPENED THE DRIVER SIDE MANUAL SLIDING DOOR AND THEN THE HORN STARTED TO BLOW CONSTANTLY, THE FRONT AND REAR WINDSHIELD WIPERS TURNED ON, THE HAZARD LIGHTS FLASHED, THE REVERSE LIGHTS WERE ON, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL HAD MANY WARNING LIGHTS ON INCLUDING A RED DOT ON THE BOTTOM. I TRIED TO HIT MY CAR ALARM BUTTON TO SEE IF IT WOULD MAKE IT STOP AND IT DIDN'T. I CLOSED THE DOOR AS MY SON RAN INTO THE HOUSE AND THEN ALL THE DOORS LOCKED. I HAD TO USE THE VALET KEY TO OPEN THE DOOR. I THEN PULLED THE HOOD RELEASE AND OPENED THE HOOD. THE RADIATOR FAN WAS ALSO ON. I DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY SO THE HORN WOULD STOP BLOWING. I WAITED ABOUT 20 MINUTES AND WENT BACK OUTSIDE AND RECONNECTED THE BATTERY AND IT DID THE SAME THING AGAIN. THIS TIME I TRIED STARTING THE CAR AND IT...

WHILE DRIVING,THE ENGINE STALLED. MY WIFE HAD TO PULL OVER WHILE TURNING TO RESTART THE VAN. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY. THIS ISSUE HAPPENS WEATHER THE ENGINE IS COLD OR WARMED UP. WHEN THE VAN STALLS, AN ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. THE LIGHT GOES OFF AFTER A FEW DAYS. MY MECHANIC CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. I SEE THAT CHRYSLER HAD A RECALL FOR THEIR 2010 MODELS BECAUSE OF AN IGNITION SWITCH ISSUE. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE. MY WIFE IS AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VAN BECAUSE SHE DOESN'T KNOW WHEN THE VAN WILL STALL AND LOOSE ALL POWER. THIS IS SERIOUS BECAUSE WHEN THE VAN STALLS, SHE LOOSES ALL POWER STEERING. MY WIFE HAS TO TRY TO PUT THE VAN INTO NEUTRAL TO GET IT STARTED WHILE DRIVING AND OR TURNING THE VEHICLE. THIS MODEL YEAR VAN HAS NO RECALLS FROM DODGE FOR THIS ISSUE . WHAT AM I TO DO...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 98,000.

PLASTIC Y ADAPTER THAT CONNECTS THE TWO HEATER CORE HOSES BEGAN LEAKING AS A DRIP ONTO THE EXHAUST. THE LEAK WAS SO SLIGHT AND RANDOM THAT IT WAS TOUGH TO LOCATE. HOWEVER YOU COULD SMELL THE ANTIFREEZE AS IT BURNS OFF BECAUSE IT COMES DIRECTLY INTO THE CAB. I HAVE READ THAT CHRYSLER IS NOT RECALLING THIS DUE TO IT NOT BEING A SAFETY ISSUE. I TEND TO DISAGREE WITH THIS AS INHALING ANTIFREEZE CAN OVERTIME CAN BE HARMFUL AS INGESTING IT IS. AND SINCE THIS IS TYPICALLY A FAMILY VEHICLE COULD AFFECT YOUNGER CHILDREN GREATER SUCH AS MY 14 MONTH OLD AND THREE OLDER CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 11. CHRYSLER WILL FIX THIS AT THE DEALER FOR A WHOPPING $350 AND TO BUY THE PART ALONE TO DYI IS $140. THIS IS RIDICULOUS AS IT CAN BE REPLACED WITH $10 WORTH OF PARTS FROM LOCAL AUTO PARTS STORE....

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY SHUTOFF AND HORN WILL BLARE AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL BECOME ACTIVE. OTHER TIMES, THE LIGHTS WILL FLICKER AND BECOME INOPERATIVE AT NIGHT. MOST LIKELY TO SHUT OFF WHEN NEGOTIATING A TURN. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER 8 TIMES FOR THIS ISSUE BUT THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO RECREATE THE SITUATION AND SUCH UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE. THERE ARE MANY INSTANCES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ON REVIEW BOARDS AND DISCUSSION WEBSITES WITH THE SAME SYMPTOMS BUT THE DEALER IS STILL UNWILLING TO DIAGNOSE.

GOING HIGH SPEED, ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPS, ALL LIGHTS ON DASH LIGHT UP, POWER STEERING DOES NOT FUNCTION. THIS HAPPENED (3) TIMES LAST YEAR. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO PULL OVER ON THE PA TURNPIKE BUT WAS IN DANGER OF BEING HIT AS I WAS TRAVELING IN THE LEFT LANE. CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. WAITED 20 MINUTES AND CAR DID INITIALLY RESTART. HOWEVER, WHEN IT RESTARTED, ONCE DRIVEN, IT WOULD NOT SHIFT GEARS--IT WAS STUCK IN 1ST. (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) PULLED OVER AGAIN. WAITED 10 MINUTES, STARTED DRIVING, AND CAR FUNCTIONED BUT "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" WAS ON. CAR WAS TAKEN TO DEALER IMMEDIATELY. THEY INITIALLY BLAMED THE FOB, WHICH I REPLACED. WHEN THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED AGAIN A FEW MONTHS LATER, IT WAS AGAIN TAKEN TO DEALER AND SINCE THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM, THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIX IT. IN JULY OF THIS YEAR, STARTED THIS BEHAVIOR...

THIS IS A REPETITIVE, ALMOST DAILY PROBLEM. WHEN VEHICLE IS FIRST DRIVEN IN THE MORNING, IT STALLS DURING DRIVING AFTER ABOUT 1 TO 2 MILES OF TRAVEL. THIS STALLING HAS OCCURRED DAILY AT SPEED AROUND 30 MPH, AND I HAVE TO QUICKLY PUSH CONTROL TO NEUTRAL, TRY TO RESTART IGNITION (USUALLY STARTS IN ABOUT 2 TO 3 SECONDS) TO REGAIN POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKE CONTROLS. THIS CONDITION HAS ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AS STEERING AND BRAKING IS SIGNIFICANT REDUCED AS ENGINE STALLS (I.E. NO POWER). I SAW IN READING INTERNET STORIES, THAT 2010S WERE RECALLED AFTER 2 ACCIDENTS. I FEAR I MAY BE AN ACCIDENT, AND HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE TO REPAIR, BUT NO TROUBLE HAS BEEN FOUND YET. IF CHRYSLER/DODGE KNOW ABOUT A FAULTY/DEFECTIVE PROBLEM, I REALLY HOPE THEY WILL NOTIFY ME IMMEDIATELY. I HAVE SENT AN EMAIL TO DODGE CUSTOMER SERVICE IN HOPES OF GETTING...

THERE IS A COOLANT LEAK COMING FROM THE Y SHAPED DIVERTER TUBE. THE RUBBER HAS APPARENTLY BEEN OVERHEATED DUE TO ITS LOCATION OVER THE HOT ENGINE. MANY PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS ON FORUMS. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL TO HAVE THIS REPLACED. THE NOXIOUS SMELL OF ANTIFREEZE COMES IN THROUGH THE VENTS, AND SMOKE POURS OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. RADIATOR IS SOON EMPTY OF ALL COOLANT AND THE ENGINE CAN OVERHEAT IF NOT CAREFULLY WATCHED. COOLANT AND WATER HAS TO BE CONSTANTLY ADDED IN ORDER TO DRIVE. THIS IS CLEARLY AN ISSUE WITH THE PLACEMENT OF THE TUBE OVER A HOT ENGINE AND NOT INSULATING IT WELL ENOUGH. *TR

I AM EXPERIENCING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE 2008 GRAND CARAVAN. THE VAN CUTS OFF WHILE MOVING. THE LIGHTS BLINK. THE RADIO SUDDENLY TURNS ON. SOMETIMES THE DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK. THE PROBLEMS ALL APPEAR TO BE RELATED TO THE COMPUTER MALFUNCTIONING IN THE VAN. THE MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF THE VAN LOSES POWER AND CONTROL WHILE DRIVING. *TR

DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET. ENGINE QUIT SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY. STEERING AND BRAKES FAILED. VEHICLE WENT OFF THE ROAD, OVER THE CURB AND CAME TO A STOP. NO PROPERTY DAMAGE OR BODILY HARM. IF WE HAD BEEN TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, FEAR OF DEATH WOULD HAVE BEEN A REAL CONCERN. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START FOR APPROXIMATELY A MINUTE AFTER THE INCIDENT. ENGINE FINALLY STARTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DODGE DEALERSHIP. DIAGNOSED AS A 'BAD WIN MODULE' (WIRELESS IGNITION NODE). THE TECHNICIAN ACTUALLY GUESSED THE PROBLEM WAS THE WIN MODULE BEFORE DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEM. HE SAID IT WAS A 'FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM'. AN ONLINE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THIS PART HAS A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH IT IN THE 2010 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN (OUR DODGE GRAND CARAVAN IS A 2008). THE REASON I AM WRITING THE NHTSA IS THE NEWLY REPLACED WIN MODULE IS CLEARLY A REDESIGNED PART....

THERE IS A HEATER HOSE ASSEMBLY LEADING FROM THE TOP OF THE ENGINE TO THE HEATER CORES IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. A HOSE COMES OUT OF THE ENGINE AND INTO A Y-COUPLING, WHERE IT SPLITS INTO TWO HOSES. ONE HOSE LEADS INTO THE FIREWALL AND THE FRONT HEATER CORE. THE SECOND GOES UNDER THE VEHICLE TO THE BACK HEATER CORE. A COOLANT LEAK DEVELOPED IN THE Y-COUPLING, LEAKING COOLANT ONTO THE EXHAUST. AFTER LEAKING FOR SOME TIME, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON TO INDICATE LOW COOLANT. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM, AS A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH TURNS UP MANY RESULTS LIKE THIS: HTTP://DODGEFORUM.COM/FORUM/DODGE-CARAVAN/275625-2008-GRAND-CARAVAN-COOLANT-LEAK-3.HTML EITHER THE Y-COUPLINGS ARE DEFECTIVE, OR ARE NOT DESIGNED TO HANDLE THE STRESS AND HEATING/COOLING CYCLES INHERENT IN CARRYING HOT COOLANT. *TR

I BOUGHT A 2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN XLT ON FEBRUARY 3 OF 2012 FROM A LOCAL DEALER IN MILWAUKEE, WI. ON THAT TIME THE MILEAGE OF THE CAR WAS APPROXIMATELY 60000 MILES. TWO MONTHS AFTER I HAVE THE CAR WE SAW THE OIL CHANGE LIGHT COMING OUT ON THE SCREEN WHICH WAS UNUSUAL FOR US WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY FIXED THE LIGHT. TWO MONTHS AFTER I SAW THE ENGINE LIGHT ON THE SCREEN, WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY KEEP THE CAR FOR 3 DAYS WHILE THEY MADE A REPAIR THAT COST ME $850.0, I MADE THIS PAYMENT BECAUSE I TRUST THEM WHEN THEY TOLD ME THAT WAS GOING TO BE THE ONLY REPAIR. WEEKS AFTER I WAS ON THE HIGH WAY WITH MY WHOLE FAMILY AND I SAY SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND WE PERCEIVED A STRONG BURN SMELL, THE...

MY FAMILY WAS DRIVING BACK HOME FROM A FAMILY TRIP WHEN MY VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY. LUCKILY THERE WAS ENOUGH TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD THAT ONLY ALLOWED US TO TRAVEL AROUND 25 MPH AT THE TIME THE VAN STALLED. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED ON THE EMERGENCY LIGHTS, PUT THE VAN IN PARK AND RESTARTED THE VAN. I AM NOT SURE IF THIS IS A COINCIDENCE BUT THE VAN STALLED AS SOON AS MY WIFE UNPLUGGED THE IPHONE FROM THE AUXILIARY PLUG OF THE VAN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 60 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC CONFIRMED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

MY 2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN HAS INTERMITTENT TROUBLE STARTING. THE STARTER HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE, AND THE WIN MODULE (AND KEY) HAVE BEEN REPLACED. THE SAME ISSUE HAS BEEN OCCURRING, BUT NEVER DUPLICATES FOR THE DEALERSHIP. THEIR COMPUTER SCAN BRINGS UP NO ISSUES. THE BATTERY HAS BEEN TESTED AND IS IN GOOD CONDITION. IT DOESN'T MATTER THE TIME OF DAY, OR DRIVING CIRCUMSTANCES, THE VAN WILL NOT ALWAYS START. IT WILL HAVE ONE CLICK (AND I CAN CLOSE THE WINDOWS, TURN ON RADIO) BUT THE VAN WILL NOT START. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER CONTROL COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 55,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE FAILURE AND A DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED, WHICH LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS REPLACED TWICE BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,605 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85,000.