1994 DODGE CARAVAN Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

SERPENTINE BELT COMES OFF...DRY, WET, SNOW..BIG, LITTLE ...LITERALLY NO PUDDLES...AND THE GATORBACK BELT DOESN'T FIX IT, NOR THE SNOW SHIELD ON THE PULLEY SHIELD.....WITH ALL THE COMPLAINTS AND THE NUMEROUS TIMES MY BELT HAS COME OFF..YOU'D THINK CHRYSLER WOULD HAVE FIXED THIS LONG AGO...NO JUST SOAK PEOPLE FOR MONEY..IF THEY R NOT MECHANICALLY INCLINED( WHICH THANKS TO MY FATHER, BROTHER, AND HUSBAND) I AM.....AND I KNOW ABOUT THE INTERNET SITE FORUMS THAT HELP EACH OTHER OUT...IN TIMES LIKE THESE. SOME UNFORTUNATELY..SEVERAL HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS LATER...HOW UNFAIR OF CHRYSLER...AND WE'RE TALKING.... THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN AROUND AWHILE...YOU'D HAVE THOUGHT THEY WOULD'VE FIXED IT LONG AGO ..EVEN BEFORE PUTTING OUT NEW ONES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM....I BET THOSE NEW BUYERS ARE FIT TO BE TIED RIGHT ABOUT NOW!!!! HOPEFULLY ALL THESE COMPLAINTS AND I HOPE YOU PEOPLE ARE COMPLAINING...GETS SOMETHING DONE!! *NM

THE SERPENTINE BELT CONTINUOUSLY SLIPS OFF WHICH CAUSES THE STEERING TO BECOME INOPERABLE. THE POWER STEERING COMPLETELY FAILS. *AK

WITHOUT WARNING CONSUMERS VEHICLE WILL SHUT OFF. TS

WHILE TRAVELING 65 MPH AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER. THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED MORE THAN ONCE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

AFTER TRAVELING OVER WATER PUDDLES SERPENTINE BELT COMES OFF, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND THE ENGINE OVERHEATS, SERPENTINE BELT HAS BEEN REPLACED FIVE TIMES. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE DEALER SAID THIS WAS A DESIGN FLAW AND THEY RECOMMEND THE SHIELD TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *YH

AT TIME OF STARTIN ENGINE, CONSUMER NEEDS TO LET IT WARM UP FOR LONG TIME BECAUSE IT'S NOT REAL WARM AT THE TIME OF SHIFTING TO DRIVE. ENGINE WILL DIE WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

INTERMITTENT STALLING. *AK

OIL IS LEAKING FROM ENGINE, CAUSING SMOKE TO COME FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHILE DRIVING. ALSO, OIL LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

INTERMITTENTLY TAILGATE COMES AJAR WHEN DRIVING, DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK CONSUMER STATED REAR LIFTGATE OPENS WITHOUT BEING ACTIVATED, ALSO AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED, HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING.*SLC

VEHICLE OVERHEATED BECAUSE FAN BLADE CAME LOOSE DUE TO THREADED NUT THAT HOLDS BLADE CAME LOOSE. CONTACTED A DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK *SLC

IT STALLS SUDDENLY FROM TIME TO TIME - "CHECK GAUGES" LIGHT IS ON AT THIS POINT - SOMETIMES ONCE A WEEK, SOMETIMES ONCE A MONTH, SOMETIMES TWICE A WEEK, SOMETIMES ... YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN!. I CAN RESTART IT EASY, BUT IT DOES NOT HOLD ON IDLE, AND STALLS IMMEDIATELY. IF I STEP AT THIS MOMENT AT GAS PEDAL, AND WHILE KEEPING RPM AROUND 1000, SHIFT INTO DRIVE, IT RUNS OK AS IT NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS....ONLY UNTIL NEXT TIME... I TURN OFF ALL ELECTRIC DEVICES: RADIO, FAN, LIGHTS WHILE RESTARTING IT. THAT SEEMS LIKE NOT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCES. I HAVE NOTICED THAT IT STARTED DOING SO AFTER DEALER REPLACED ELECTRONIC MODULE FOR AIR BAGS ACCORDING TO SAFETY SERVICE NOTICE FROM CHRYSLER, OR IT'S JUST A COINCIDENCE. I GOT READING STOPPING THE ENGINE NORMALLY, IT IS 55, THEN NEXT TIME IT STALLED I GOT THE READING AGAIN, IT WAS THE SAME AS IN NORMAL SITUATION - 55.*AK

WHILE DRIIVNG COULD DECELERATE, AND ENGINE WILL STALL WITHOUT A PRIOR WARNING.CONSUMER USED A DIFFERENT TYPE OF FUEL TO CORRECT PROBLEM. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT ENGINE STALLING COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. *AK

ENGINE DIES/RPM DROPS OUT: JUST DRIVING ALONG, HIGHWAY OR ROADWAY AND THE ENGINE DIES AND POWER STEERING AND BRAKING IS LOST AND IS DANGEROUS. NO ACCIDENTS YET, THANK GOODNESS. DEALER SAID IT WAS BECAUSE MY THROTTLE BODY AND BASE GASKET HAVEN'T BEEN MA

CONSUMERS VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS SIMILAR TO THOSE OF THE FORD EXPLORER'S ELECTRICAL/ENGINE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE STALLS AFTER HIGH SPEED TRAVEL ON INTERSTATE, WHEN SLOWING AND WHEN TURNING AFTER EXITING WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, THE VEHICLE CAN BE RESTARTED AFTER SECOND OR THIRD ATTEMPT AND RUNS FINE UNTIL THE NEXT OCCURANCE. NLM

DRIVER SIDE DOOR OPENED WHILE ROUNDING A BEND CAUSING ME TO ALMOST FALL OUT OF THE VEHICLE. IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR THE SEAT BELT I WOULD HAVE FALLEN OUT. AFTER THE DOOR OPENED I SWERVED LOOSING CONTROL HOWEVER THERE WASN'T AN ON COMING VEHICLE AT THE TIME. FROM THE FORCE OF THE DOOR SWINGING OPEN BOTH OF THE JOINTS BROKE OFF AND THE SERVICE MAN AT OUR LOCAL DEALER INFORMED US THAT HE SEES MANY OF THESE PROBLEMS ON THE 1994/1995 MODELS. I HAD ALL OF THE RECALLS DONE TO DATE INCLUDING THE REAR LATCH THAT I NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH. I HAVE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE 02 SENSOR. I FEEL THIS COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE IF THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ON COMING CAR AT THE TIME. WE WERE VERY LUCKY. *NLM **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*734346

Mileage: 67,000

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 70MPH & VEHICLE ON MANY OCCASION HAS STALLED. ONCE VEHICLE HAS STALLED IT WILL START BACK UP. THERE WAS A CONTINUOUS PROBLEM WITH THIS HAPPENING. DEALER CHECKED VEHICLE OTHER TIMES, BUT COULD NOT FIND A REMEDY. *AK

ENGINE DIES WHEN YOU RELEASE THE ACCELERATOR AT ALMOST ANY SPEED. VEHICLE MUST BE PUT IN NEUTRAL AND RESTARTED. NO MECHANIC CAN DETECT A COMPUTER, SENSOR, DIRTY PART OR OTHER PROBLEM TO CAUSE THIS EFFECT.*AK

BELT TENSIONER FAILURE DESTROYED SERPETINE ENGINE BELT. I COULD NOT CHARGE BATTERY AND HAD REDUCED POWER STEERING. THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM. MANY TENSIONERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY MY SERVICE STATION ('HOUSER'S AUTOMOTIVE' IN BROOKHAVEN, PA, 610-874-9285). *AK

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUTDOWN, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

THE VAN'S ENGINE WILL INTERMITENTLY CUT OUT WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY OR IN TOWN. IN MOST CASES THERE IS NO WAY TO WARN DRIVERS APPROACHING FROM THE REAR THAT YOU HAVE NO POWER OR ARE STOPPED IN THE ROAD. (WHEN THE ENGINE CUTS OUT THERE IS NO WARNING OR NOISE. THE ONLY WAY THE DRIVER KNOWS THE ENGINE IS NOT RUNNING IS THAT THE POWER STEERING IS GONE OR THE VAN DOES NOT RESPOND WHEN THE DRIVER STEPS ON THE GAS PEDAL.) RESTARTING THE ENGINE MAY TAKE 4 TO 6 TRIES BEFORE YOU CAN PLACE THE VAN BACK IN DRIVE AND CONTINUE. EVEN IF THE DRIVER WERE TO STEP ON THE BRAKES OR TURN ON THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS, OTHER CARS AND MACK TRUCKS APPROACHING FROM THE REAR HAVE A TENDENCY TO RUSH UP ON THE REAR BUMBER BEFORE THEY REALIZE WHAT IS HAPPENING. THIS IS, OBVIOUSLY, VERY UN-NERVING ESPECIALLY TO THE DRIVER WHO IS TRYING TO RESTART THE VAN BEFORE SOMEONE RUNS INTO HIM. I KNOW OF AT LEAST 6 OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS STALLING PROBLEM IN EITHER A DODGE VAN OR CAR THAT HAS THE 3.0L ENGINE. MOST HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM AT THEIR DODGE DEALER AND HAVE SOLD THE UN-REPAIRED VAN OR CAR RATHER THAN ARGUE WITH THE DELERSHIP'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THE STALLING PROBLEM IN MY VAN HAPPENED ONCE EVERY FEW MONTHS WHEN IT WAS NEW AND IT DID NOT REALLY SEEM TO BE A SAFETY PROBLEM. HOWEVER, IN THE PAST YEAR THE PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN WORSE TO THE POINT WHERE I HAVE TO THINK TWICE ABOUT GETTING OUT ON 495 AT RUSH HOUR FOR FEAR OF BEING RUN OVER. DODGE HAS JUST SENT ME A RECALL NOTICE FOR AIR BAG WIRING ON THIS VAN, PLEASE GET THEM TO RECALL THE VANS AND CARS THAT USE THE 3.0L ENGINE TO FIX THIS VERY DANGEROUS STALLING PROBLEM. *AK

THIS AUTOMOBILE HAS HAD 3 NEW TRANSMISSIONS, 3 NEW AIRCONDITIONERS,, A NEW STARTER, 3 OR 4 RECALLS FOR DIFFERENT THINGS AND NOW AN OIL LEAK THAT HAS TO BE REPAIRED. *AK

TRANSMISSION IS LEAKING FLUID SINCE PURCHASE FROM AXLE SEAL TRANSFER CASE. FRONT RIGHT STRUT ASSEMBLY MAKES EXSTREME NOISES OVER BUMPS AND SHARP CURVES. ENGINE HAS DEVELOPED A LEAK. LEFT DRIVER SIDE DOOR CAN NOT BE OPENED WITH KEY. SUSPECT FLOOD DAMAGE DUE TO A REOCCURRING ODOR FROM HEATER VENTS. WE HAVE CONTACTED DEALER MORE THAN THREE TIMES AND WERE GIVEN A "DODGE" ! DEALER HAS CHANGED THE BUISNESS NAME AND STATES HAS NO LONGER AN OBLIGATION TO HONOR THESE PROBLEMS WHICH WE ENCOUNTERED UNDER WARRANTY! ALSO, AIR CONDITION UNIT HAS BEEN LEAKING AND WAS SERVICED UNDER WARRENTY AND REMAINS A PROBLEM. THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER ITEMS TOO LONG TO LIST. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THIS VEHICLE IS FAILING RAPIDLY MECHANICALLY! I FEEL STRONGLY THAT I HAVE BEEN "RIPPED OFF!" BY THIS DEALER AND AM IN NEED OF SOME SORT OF SOLUTION!. *AK

THIS IS THE SECOND FAILURE OF TBHIS PART. FIRST FAILURE WAS AT 61590 MILES. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH CHRYSLER V-6 ENGINES AND ONE WHICH, IF IT OCCURS AT SPEED, CAN RESULT IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL WITH TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES. I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR LOOKING INTO THIS MATTER AND ADVISING ME OF YOUR FINDINGS. *AK

VEHICLE STALLS FOR NO REASON AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. MAY RUN JUST FINE FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. CONTACTED DEALER, AND HE REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. BUT STALLING CONTINUES. *AK

WITHIN FOUR MONTHS WATER PUMP WENT OUT TWICE, AND FAN BELT POPPED OFF WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH. ALSO, NO POWER STEERING, AND RADIATOR OVERHEATED. *AK

WITHIN FOUR MONTHS WATER PUMP WENT OUT TWICE, AND FAN BELT POPPED OFF WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH. ALSO, NO POWER STEERING, AND RADIATOR OVERHEATED. *AK

WITHIN FOUR MONTHS WATER PUMP WENT OUT TWICE, AND FAN BELT POPPED OFF WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH. ALSO, NO POWER STEERING, AND RADIATOR OVERHEATED. *AK

VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY STALL WITHOUT WARNING.VEHICLE BEEN IN/ OUT DEALER SHOP, AND NOTHING CAN BE FOUND. CAN NHTSA HELP IN THIS MATTER. *AK

WHEN SLOWING DOWN OR COASTING, TO MAKE A LEFT/RIGHT TURN, VEHICLE WOULD STALL OUT FOR NO REASON. HAD NO WARNING. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR SOLVE PROBLEM. IT'S INTERMITTENT & HARD TO LOCATE. *AK

TRANSMISSION WOULD ALWAYS JERK WHEN SHIFTING. DEALER TOLD US THAT WAS NATURAL FOR THAT TRANSMISSION. AFTER TWO YEARS, TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. PREVIOUSLY WE OWNED A 1990 DODGE CARAVAN AND ALSO HAD TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION AT APPROXIMATELY 80000 MILES. SINCE THEN WE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY SEVERAL TRANSMISSION SPECIALISTS THAT THIS IS COMMON IN CARAVANS. ALSO THE BOLT HOLDING THE ENGINE FAN IN PLACE HAS HAD TO REPLACED TWICE AS IT FALLS OUT. WE DID CATCH THE PROBLEM BOTH TIMES WHEN THE ENGINE OVERHEATED WHILE IDLING. *AK

VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING.

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND LOST ALL POWER STEERING AND VEHICLE SHUT ITSELF DOWN. *AK

ODOMETER/SPEEDOMETER MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THEM TO BE INOPERATIVE INTERMITTENTLY. BEEN TO DLR 6 TIMES. DLR CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE STALLING WHILE DRIVING WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE WOULD STALL WITHOUT INDICATIONS 30MINUTES. AFTERWARDS THE VEHICLE WOULD RESTART. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

BOLT THAT SECURES THE BELT TENSION PULLEY TO THE ENGINE DRIVE ASSEMBLY FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOOSE ALL POWER AND OVERHEAT.

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER RAN DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. *AK

DRIVING FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME & COMING UPON STOP SIGN/LIGHT, VEHICLE WOULD STALL OUT FOR NO REASON. TOOK TO DEALLERSHIP & HAD IT CHECKED. WAS INFORMED NEEDS TO PAY UPFRONT BEFORE IT CAN BE CHECKED. *AK BROUGHT IT TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *YD

OIL PAN GASKET FAILED.

FRONT CYLINDER HEAD GASKET FAILED.

TIMING COVER GASKET FAILED.

REAR CYLINDER HEAD GASKET FAILED.

WATER PUMP FAILED.

SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONER FAILED.

THERMOSTAT FAILED.

GASKETS FAILED.

EXHAUST SYSTEM FAILED.

INTERMITTENT STALLING RESULTED IN A COLLISION DUE TO A LACK OF CONTROL.

WHILE DRIVING,THE SERPENTINE FAILED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER STEERING. *AK SERPENTINE BELT FELL OFF AT 80000 MILES AND WAS REPLACED AGAIN. *SLC

VEHICLE STALLS WHEN COMING TO A STOP/TURNING CORNERS OR PULLING OUT IN TRAFFIC.

IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS THE SERPENTINE BELT WILL SLIP OR COMPLETELY DISENGAGE. DID OCCUR ON TWO OCCASIONS, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOSE ALL POWER STEERING ABILITY. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, THE VEHICLE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK

WHEN DRIVING OR NOT DRIVING VEHICLE, IT WOULD SHUT OFF W/O WARNING WHILE IN INTERSECTION. WOULD HAVE TO PUT INTO NEUTRAL TO RESTART. HAVE NOT TAKEN TO DEALER BUT WILL DO SO. *AK

ENGINE VALVES/PISTON RODS AND CONNECTORS FAILED. *AK

ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, CONSUMER WAS DRIVING NOTICED SMOKE FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, CONSUMER THEN MADE A STOP AND THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. *AK

THIS VEHICLE STALLS WHEN SLOWING DOWN AND MAKING TURNS, THE VEHICLE LOSES THE STEERING AND BRAKING ABILITY. *AK CONSUMER STATES AT VARIOUS TIMES THE VEHICLE WILL STALL, SINCE THE VEHICLE HAS POWER STEERING AND POWERE BRAKES ONCE THE VEHCILE IS STALLED UNABLE TO STEER OR BRAKE, DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED BUT HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO PIN POINT THE PROBLEM.*JB

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROX. 25MPH STOPPED FOR STOP SIGN AND EXPERIENCED ENGINE SHUT DOWN, NO WARNING, DUE TO THROTTLE BODY CONTAMINATION; ALSO REPLACED SERPENTINE BELT AND A/C BELTS. *AK

TAILPIPE BROKEN.

VEHICLE STALLS OUT WHILE DRIVING THE OIL PAN LIGHT COMES ON WHEN THIS OCCURS.*AK

EXHAUST RATTLE DUE TO HARDENING OF 'DOUGHNUT' GASKET.

WHILE DRIVING, THE OXYGEN SENSOR FAILED, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

SERPENTINE BELT COMES OFF DUE TO SNOW BUILDUP UNDER THE ENGINE. *DH

BELT TENSIONER FAILED. *DH

FAN BLADE HUB WORE OUT AFTER KEEPER FELL OFF, ALLOWING FAN BLADE TO FALL OFF. *DSH

BELT TENSIONER REPLACED DUE TO NOISE. *DSH

VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY. *DSH

EMISSION CONTROL CANISTER LEAKS, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. *SD

WHILE TURNING WHEELS LEFT OR RIGHT, SERPENTINE BELT WOULD SLIP OFF; REPLACED BY DEALER. TT

MOTOR MOUNTS HAVE FAILED TWICE. *DSH

LEFT-THREADED METRIC NUT WHICH ATTACHES FAN BLADE TO MOTOR FELL OFF. *AK

LEFT-THREADED METRIC NUT WHICH ATTACHES FAN BLADE TO MOTOR FELL OFF. *AK

OIL CONTAMINATION IN ENGINE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT AND COOLANT LEVELS TO GO DOWN.

REPLACED FAN.

REPLACED HEAD GASKE TDUE TO OIL LEAK.

REPLACED RADIATOR HOUSING.

IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL SIZE OF ENGINE BEARING

ENGINE BELT FAILURE, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING/BRAKES. *SKD

ENGINE BELT FAILURE. *SKD

INTERMITTENT STALLING. *AK