1990 DODGE CARAVAN Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE IT WOULD SMELL LIKE GAS.*AK

I OWN A 1990 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WITH THE MOTOR. ONE MORNING ON MY WAY TO WORK THE ACCELERATOR STUCK OPEN. I PULLED OVER TO INVESTIGATE AND REMOVED THE AIR CLEANER COVER AND MAP SENSOR TO SEE WHAT WHY THE THROTTLE WAS STUCK OPEN. I FOUND A SQUARE PIECE OF PLASTIC THAT LOOKS LIKE A LITTLE TABLE WITH A HOLE IN THE TOP. I WANTED TO FIND OUT HOW IT GOT THERE SO I TOOK THE AIR CLEANER OUT AND FOUND THAT IT IS SUPPOSED TO HOLD THE CRANKCASE VENTILATION FILTER IN THE BOTTOM OF THE CANISTER. THE BAD THING ABOUT THIS IS THAT I WAS ON ICY ROADS AND THE ONLY WAY I COULD CONTROL THE VEHICLE WAS TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF AND COAST INTO A DRIVEWAY. I ALSO REMEMBERED THIS HAPPENING TO THE 1991 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER THAT I USED TO OWN. THESE VEHICLES WERE PURCHASED USED AND THEREFORE, I SUSPECT THAT AT ONE TIME SOMEONE HAS RAN THESE WITHOUT A FILTER IN PLACE. THE BIG QUESTION IS, OF ALL THESE VANS ON THE ROAD, HOW MANY HAVE BEEN RUN WITHOUT A FILTER. I HAD OWNED EACH OF THESE AT LEAST SIX MONTHS BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. I FEEL THAT ANYTHING IN THE AIRFLOW PATH ON A VEHICLE SHOULD BE SECURED SO THERE IS NO WAY IT CAN BE DRAWN INTO THE ENGINE. *NLM

Mileage: 227,000

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. AT 48,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. IT WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER, GLENN E. THOMAS DODGE IN SIGNAL HILL. THEREAFTER, EVERY 15,000 TO 25,000 MILES OR SO, THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED, PROBABLY 5 TIMES NOW; THE COMPUTER FOR THE TRANS HAS FAILED TWICE, THE MOTOR COMPUTER FAILED 2 TIMES, THE POWER WINDOWS BROKE OFF THEIR TRACKS, THE SLIDING DOOR JAMMED SHUT AND WOULDN'T ALIGN. NOW THE PAINT JOB ON MY WHITE 1990 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN (WITH WOOD TRIM) IS PEELING OFF, MOSTLY ON THE ROOF (WHERE IT IS ALMOST COMPLETELY GONE, DOWN TO THE PRIMER, RUSTING THROUGH TO THE ROOF METAL) AND ON THE HOOD AND FRONT QUARTER PANELS. THE PAINT WAS NOT PROPERLY APPLIED TO THE PRIMER UNDERCOAT OR THE PRIMER WAS NOT PROPERLY APPLIED SO AS TO ADHERE TO THE TOP COLOR COAT. I HAVE SEEN MANY OTHER CARAVAN'S OF THE SAME MODEL WITH THEIR PAINT COMPLETELY OR PARTIALLY PEELED OFF AS I HAVE DRIVEN AROUND. IT IS A VERY OBVIOUS DEFECT OF THE PAINT--THERE ARE NO OTHER VEHICLES OUT THERE WITH THIS KIND OF PAINT FLAKING AND PEELING PROBLEM TO THIS EXTENT. THE PLASTIC COATING ON THE WOOD TRIM IS ALL FLAKING AND PEELING OFF AS WELL. IT MAKES THE CAR LOOK "SHAGGY!" WHAT A MESS. THIS CAR REALLY NEEDS A PAINT JOB TO BE PAID FOR BY THE MANUFACTURER. I HAVE PAID OUT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR TRANSMISSIONS TO BE REPLACED. I AM ON A THREE-YEAR WARRANTY WITH DODGE FOR THE TRANSMISSION AND ON MY THIRD TRANSMISSION FAILURE UNDER THAT WARRANTY! THE OVERDRIVE UNIT IS FULLY DEFECTIVE AND THE COMPANY WILL NOT UNDERTAKE TO FIX IT. THE CAR WILL FAIL AND THE TRANS WILL JUST SPIN WITHOUT ENGAGING ANY FORWARD GEAR OR IT WILL NOT SHIFT INTO THIRD OR OVERDRIVE. THE SPEED SENSOR UNIT IS ALSO DEFECTIVE AND FREQUENTLY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. WHAT A MESS OF A TRANSMISSION! I HAVE IT REGULARLY SERVICED AND I DON'T DRIVE IT HARD OR ABUSE THE TRANS. HELP.

Mileage: 140,000

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

SEE YOUR SERVICE BULLETIN 094 FOR 1990 DODGE CARAVAN CV W/ 3.3 OVERHEATING. THIS HAPPENED IN THE MOUNTAINS BEFORE A STEEP GRADE TWICE! YOU LOSE ENGINE, BRAKES, AND STEERING AS A RESULT. SOMEONE WILL BE KILLED; RADIATORS NOT SUFFICIENT IN THESE MINIVANS AND AS MINIVAN FLEETS AGE THE PROBLEM CAN ONLY GET WORSE... WE DON'T OWN IT ANYMORE; IT'S UNSAFE! *AK

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE IS STALLING AND SHIFTING HARD. ALSO, THERE IS A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE WILL CUT OFF, LEAVEING THE CONSUMER IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE LIGHT WILL STAY ON. CONSUMER HAD TO WAIT FIVE MINUTES AND START THE VEHICLE BACK UP. THE VEHICLE WILL DRIVE FOR ABOUT ONE MINUTES AND CUT BACK OFF, AND THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOP FOUR TIMES, AND THEY CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK

RECALL # 89V237000 , VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED. THE ENGINE VALVE COVER GASKET HAS DISLOCATED, CAUSING AN OIL LEAK ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. COULD RESULT IN A POSSIBLE FIRE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, PARTS HAVE YET TO BE REPLACED. *AK CHRYSLERS CUSTOMER SERVICE INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON HIS ENGINE, CONSUMER NOTICES THE PROBLEM INTERMITTENTLY. *SLC

VALVE GUIDES IN THE ENGINE SLIP LOOSE, CAUSING OIL TO BURN VISIBLE AT THE EXHAUST PIPE.

EVAPORATIVE CANISTER FAILED, RECALL ON OTHER MAKES AND MODELS, HOWEVER CONSUMERS VAN DOES NOT MEET REQUIREMENTS RECALL.

INSPECT FOR OIL LEAKAGE AT OR NEAR VALVE COVER GASKET, REPLACE V/COVER GASKET.

FRONT CRANK SEAL LEAKING, REPLACE FRONT CRANKSHAFT SEAL AND CAMSHAFT SEALS FRONT AND REAR

REAR MAIN CRANKSHAFT BEARING/TIMING CHAIN COVER GASKETS AND SEALS AND GASKETS REPLACED DUE TO OIL LEAKAGE.

BELT TENSIONER COLLAPSED.

FAULTY BRAKE SYSTEM PROPORTIONER VALVE. REPLACED HEADLIGHT SWITCH. GASKET REPLACED 4 TIMES.

PULLEY ON THE POWER STEERING UNIT CORRODED TWICE, EACH TIME THIS HAPPEN THE AXLE SNAPPED, REPLACED ONCE*AK

PULLEY ON THE POWER STEERING UNIT CORRODED TWICE, EACH TIME THIS HAPPEN THE AXLE SNAPPED, REPLACED ONCE*AK

FAILURE OF THE ENGINE VALVE GAS COVER THE ENGINE IS LEAKING OIL. TT

AUTO-TRAN: WHILE DRIVING, ENGINE OVERHEATED, LOST DRIVE AND SECOND GEAR; NOT CHANGING GEARS; VARIOUS SPEEDS. TT

THE MOTOR MOUNT SPLIT AND DROPPED THE MOTOR ON THE AXLE AND BROKE THE AXLE WHILE DRIVING.TT ALSO THERE WAS AFAULTY OIL GUAGE SENDING UNIT THAT WAS REPLACE, AS WELL AS REAR BRAKES WERE NOT FUNCTIONING DUE TO FROZEN CYLINDERS.*JB

THE MOTOR MOUNT SPLIT AND DROPPED THE MOTOR ON THE AXLE AND BROKE THE AXLE WHILE DRIVING. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

THE ENGINE LIGHT KEEP GOING ON DEALER CAN'T FIND PROBLEM . TT

THERMOSTAT REPLACED DUE TO OVERHEATING.

MOTOR MOUNTS BROKE, CAUSING NOISE.

RADIATOR REPLACED DUE TO OVERHEATING.

REPLACED LEAKING OIL PAN. *AK

OXYGEN SENSOR FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL, ALSO SURGES AT TIMES. *AK

REPLACED LEAKING VALVE COVER GASKET/SEALS. *AK