1997 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER Steering Problems

I WAS IN MY WAY TO WORK WHEN IT WAS RAINING EVER TIME IT RAINS THE BELTS COMES OFF THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. I HAD NO POWER STEERING AT ALL WHEN THIS HAPPEN WITH MUSCLE I MANAGED TO PULL OVER ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. ONCE WATER HITS THE TENSION WHEEL BELT IT KNOCKS IT OFF WHICH MAKES IT SLIDE OFF EVERY TIME.

Mileage: 147,000

SINCE PURCHASING THIS VAN USED LAST YEAR 2011, MY VAN HAS A HIGH PITCHED SQUEALING NOISE. DEALERSHIP (3RD PARTY) STATED IT WAS ONLY A WET BELT AND WOULD STOP ONCE THE BELT DRIED. THIS NOISE NEVER STOPPED. MY TEEN DRIVER WAS ALONE WHEN THE BELT SNAPPED CAUSING HER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE STEERING. SEEING OTHER POST OF SIMILAR OR WORSE CASE SCENARIOS I AM LOOKING INTO FURTHER ACTION. NEITHER THE MECHANIC AT THE DEALERSHIP OR ANY OTHER MECHANIC EVER STATED TO ME THAT THIS ISSUE IS COMMON IN THIS VEHICLE. *TR

Mileage: 147,613

SERPENTINE BELT FALLS OFF ALL THE TIME IT PULLS INWARD TOWARD THE ENGINE SLIGHTLY ANY WHEN IT GETS JUST A LITTLE WET IT SLIPS OFF. THE TENSIONER PULLEY LOOKS LIKE IT NEEDED TO BE COCKED UPWARD JUST THE SLIGHTEST LITTLE BIT AND THEN IT DON'T MOVE GATES AFTERMARKET PRODUCT WORKS PERFECT FOR ALL WHO USE IT CHYRSLER SHOULD BE THE ONES PAYING TO HAVE THIS PART REPLACED NOT US THIS IS WAY TO COMMON OF A PROBLEM . *TR

Mileage: 203,300

DT: CONTACT OWNS A 1997 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER. CONTACT WAS DRIVING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY AT 45 MPH SPEED WHEN THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED . NO WARNING AT ALL. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS MERGING OFF THE HIGHWAY TO THE RIGHT. THEN TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT IT WAS VERY HARD TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. TURNED THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT, AND IT WAS VERY HARD TO TURN. THE CONTACT TURNED THE IGNITION OFF THEN BACK ON AGAIN AND IT WAS AS IF NOTHING HAPPENED. THEN, TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, AND HE COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE PLYMOUTH VOYAGER DEALER. THEY LOOKED AT IT, AND THE REPAIR COST WILL BE $900 TO FIX THE WHOLE RACK. CALLED THE CHRYSLER MANUFACTURER, AND THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD PAY FOR HALF OF THE REPAIR COST . CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER ON 10-11-05 AND 10-12-05.*AK

Mileage: 70,000

1997 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER TIE ROD END FAILURE. THE TIE ROD END BALL JOINT SEPERATED. THIS WAS A "LIFETIME" LUBRICATED PART WITH NO GREASE FITTING. THERE WAS NO GREASE LEFT IN THE BALL JOINT, RUST AND CORROSION APPEARS TO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE FAILURE. THESE JOINTS ARE OF POOR DESIGN AND SHOULD NOT FAIL TO THE POINT OF COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL.. HAPPENED WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE, IF IT HAD SEPARATED ON THE HIGHWAY AT SPEED COULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.*AK

Mileage: 97,000

I HAVE PROBLEMS WITH MY WIPERS GOING ON AND RIGHT BACK OFF SINCE THE MONTH I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE IN 2000 . I CANT GET IT FIXED BECAUSE NOONE KNOWS WHY IT DOES IT . JUST THIS WEEK I HAD MY FAN RELAY MODULE REPLACED , ONLY TO LEARN MY TRANSMISSION IS NOW NOT WORKNIG IT STOPS AT 3RD GEAR ONLY TO DROP TO 1 GEAR . WHILE TRYING TO GET THAT FIXXED THEY TOLD ME MY WATER PUMP IS LEAKING (WHICH IS OK AND EXPECTED OF MOST VEHICLES , ) I HAVE HAD TO HAVE MY DASH LIGHT COMPUTER RESET BECAUSE ALL MY AC DFROST AND WIPER LIGHTS WERE BLINKING CONTINUOUSLY. I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO THIS IS ONLY A 97 MODEL AND I HAVENT EVEN MADE MY FINAL PAYMENT BUT NOW I HAVE ALL THESE EXPENSIVE REPAIRS. I HAVE HAD I TICK IN MY MOTOR THAT RATTLES ON ACCELERATIN FOREVER AND CHANGE MY OIL EVERY 3 TO 4000 MILES LIKE I SHOULD . I ALSO HAVE THE WINNING IN THE STEERING THE THUMP EVERY SO OFTEN BUT CANT TELL WHERE THAT IS COMING FROM NOT TO MENTION MY A/C COMPRESSOR RATTLES. MY BELT ON MY TENSIONER PULLY FLU AFF ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO GOING DOWN THE ROAD I HAD TO PUT A NEW PUKKY PLUS BOTH NEW BELTS ON . AND THEY SQUEEK LIKE CRAZY . I DONT THINK THESE ARE NORMAL PROBLEMS CAN YOU HELP IT IS GETTING TO COSTLY >??????

Mileage: 132,000

FAILURE OF THE RACK AND PINION STEERING SYSTEM ON 1997 PLYMOUTH VOYAGERVIN [XXX]. FIRST FAILURE WAS JULY, 16 2001 AT 72,936 MILES REQUIRING COMPLETE REPLACEMENT OF THE RACK AND PINION AND THE POWER STEERING PUMP. FAILURE MODE WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT STEERING IE. HIGH FORCE REQUIRED ON THE STEERING WHEEL TO GUIDE THE VEHICLE. SECOND FAILURE OCCURRED AT 104,575 WITH SAME SYMPTOM AS ABOVE AND AGAIN REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE RACK AND PINION. THE DEALER CLAIMED THERE WAS NO PROBLEM AND A CALL TO CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE RESULTED IN NO ASSISTANCE OR IMPROVEMENT FOR THIS FAILURE.*AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Mileage: 72,936

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP INTERMITTENTLY WHILE MAKING LEFT OR RIGHT TURNS. *AK

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEM WITH THE DEALER, CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, ARRANGED AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER. HAS BEEN SIX MONTHS AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE PART. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS *TR

FIRST TWO TIE RODS BROKE AND FELL APART WHILE ACCELERATING TO MERGE WITH INTERSTATE TRAFFIC. *AK ENGINE FAILURE. *SLC

CLOCK SPRING WENT OUT CAUSING HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL NOT TO WORK AND AIR BAG LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. *JB

WHEN VAN WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE, ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE PASSENGER'S FRONT AIR BAG. ALSO, HORN DOES NOT WORK, REMOTE ENTRY ON DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR DOES NOT WORK, AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON, FUEL GAUGES DOES NOT WORK, A/C HEATER BLINK ON AND OFF,INSIDE DOME LIGHT BLINKS ON AND OFF, STEERING COLUMN FREEZES, CRUISE CONTROL WORKS ON AND OFF.

I HAD TO REPLACE MY POWER STEERING PUMP. MY MECHANIC NOTICED SEVERAL CRACKS ON MAIN PULLEY (S/N OR PART # ON PULLEY: 5 51630K OR 5281 262). THE CENTER PART IS MADE FROM METAL AND PULLEY IS PLASITC. IS THERE ANY WAY I CAN SEND A DIGITAL PHOTO TO SOMEONE FOR INSPECTION?*AK

WHILE DRIVING IN A MALL PARKING LOT, MADE A TURN AND HEARD A LOUD BANG. STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. I MANAGED TO TURN THE WHEEL TO AVOID HITTING A PARKED CAR AND BROUGHT THE VAN TO A STOCK. INSPECTION FOUND THAT THE RETAINING BOLT HOLDING THE BELT TENSIONER PULLEY HAD SNAPPED OFF CAUSING THE SERPENTINE BELT TO COME OFF AND RESULTING IN POWER STEERING FAILURE. INSPECTION OF THE FAILED BOLT BY AIRCRAFT MECHANICS REVEALED THAT THE BOLT MAY HAVE HAD AS MANY AS 5 INTERNAL STRESS CRACKS. CONTACTED CHRYSLER WHO TOOK CARE OF THE REPAIR,IMMEDIATELY. REPAIRS WERE MADE AT THE DEALERS THE SAME DAY. DAMAGED PARTS WERE TAKEN TO THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT. I WAS SURPRISED TO FIND OUT THAT THIS RETAINING BOLT IS NOT RATED FOR HIGH STRESS. IF THE BREAKAGE HAD HAPPENED AT HIGH SPEED IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. SUGGEST THAT THESE BOLTS BE INSPECTED AND REPLACED AT AROUND 30,000 MILES. OR REPLACED WITH A RATED BOLT. LOCKED UP. MANAGED TO TURN THE WHEEL AND BRING THE VAN TO A STOP. FOUND THAT THE BOLT THAT RETAINS THE IDLER PULLEY AND TENSIONER HAD SNAPPED OFF, CAUSING THE SERPANTINE BELT TO COME OFF, RESULTING IN POWER STEERING FAILURE. EXAMINATION OF THE SNAPPED BOLT BY AIRCRAFT MECHANICS INDICATED 5 POSSIBLE STRESS CRA

VEILCLE HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH ELETRCAL SYSTEM, WHICH INTURN, CAUSED PROBLEM WITH WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR,/OOR MOTOR, ENGINE CHECK LIGH/ODOMETER . ALSO, STEERING WHEEL WOUD LOCK UP INTERMITTENTLY. VEHICLE BEEN IN/OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON ELEVEN OCCASIONS, AND NO CORRECTIONS HAVE BEEN DONE. *AK

POWER STEERING HOSE FAILED. *YC

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ABOUT 50 MPH WHEN STOPPING AT A RED LIGHT,DID NOT FIND STEERING OR BRAKING POWER. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK

ABS KEEPS DISABLING ITSELF, CAUSING THE ABS LIGHT TO KEEP COMING ON. DEALER REPLACED STEERING COLUMN. DEFECT IS STILL REOCCURRING. *AK

CONSUMER STATES WHEN IT RAINS AND WHEN MAKING SHARP TURNS THE POWER STEERING WILL LOCK UP. THE DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. *AK

RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SHUDDER. *AK

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING APPROX. 35-40 WHEN HE BEGAN TO FEEL VIBRATIONS IN THE STEERING CONTROL PANEL. CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO BE REPAIRED 3 TIMES. FINALLY THE DEALER TOLD HIM THAT THERE WAS A BULLETIN POSTED FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE BULLETIN SPECIFIES THE PROBLEM, AND THE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN INCLUDES THE INSTALLATION OF A DAMPER INTO THE STEERING COLMN. THE INSTALLED DAMPER ELIMINATED SOME OF THE VIBRATION , BUT DOES SATISFY CONSUMER. *AK

WHEN MAKING A TURN, THE VEHICLE LOST STEERING POWER. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK