I know if you smell antifreeze when you turn on the heater that is a bad thing. I don't have this issue, but when I walk into the garage after my wife turns off the van I get a whiff of what smells like antifreeze. There isn't a leak that I can find and nothing on the floor the garage out the normal.
2006 Dodge Grand Caravan 80K miles
I just had my van inspected and tires rotated...van sits for a few days then travels 20 miles and am now smelling something burning and smoke is coming out from front right tire. Other discussions say calipers/pads and that's ok BUT my question is since my van only has @24,000 on it, did the mechanic do something when he rotated my tires? I am a senior citizen and only use my van once a week.
View 6 RepliesTwo related problems:
1) Our 2008 dodge grand caravan's recycled cabin air/exterior air flipper is broken. You know, makes the clicking clunking sound until it gives up?
2) Unfortunately this has made the exhaust smell that much worse.
Usually when you drive above 35mph you don't catch engine fumes, but when its anything less you fear you're poisoning your family into early cancer. Obviously we have a leak in the HVAC system somewhere and anytime we take it somewhere for service on something else they just shrug their shoulders.
How to locate the leak so I can keep the engine compartment out of our a/c?
My 2004 Dodge Stratus has been spiking hot on the temperature gauge recently. For the last few days it has had a strong smell of antifreeze. I haven't seen and dampness on the passenger side floor board, so I don't think it is the heating coil. Seems to have been running a little hotter than usual recently (week). Coolant levels seem to be in good shape. Doesn't look low when hot or cool. Fan seems to be running when the car is on.
View 2 RepliesMy 2010 Dodge Caliber has been leaking anti-freeze very slowly. I notice it when I start the car up and for the first minute I can actually smell the antifreeze coming through the vents when I have the air on. If I park the car and go in to the grocery store for a few minutes and start it up again the smell doesn't re-occur. I imagine I have a leak somewhere that is dripping onto the engine and when the car starts up from cold it burns it which is sending that smell through my vents.
I was told a while ago it could be the heater core, however I would assume that if it was the heater core I would have had a fog up on my window or a constant smell, not one that dissipates after a minute.
I had this problem last year except I was losing a lot of antifreeze (about a whole reservoir in 3 - 4 days. The problem was found to be a broken clamp on one of the hoses. This time however I cannot find any broken clamps or a source of the leak for that matter. I did notice that when I shut the car off the one time, and checked under the hood of the car I seen one air bubble spring up from the reservoir tank. I cannot see any signs of a leak from under the hood. However under the car I can see it is dripping from the frame, but not where it is coming from.
Sometimes when I start my 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan, 3.3 liter engine, the oil light comes on and stays on, even if I rev engine up. Engine sounds normal, does not sound like oil pressure is low. If I turn engine off and the immediately back on, light goes out and stays out. I replaced the oil pressure sending unit - didn't work. I hooked up a gauge - engine has 60 psi oil pressure at idle - plenty! I'm guessing an electrical problem in the circuit.
View 4 RepliesToday I noticed a knocking sound coming from what sounds like the front left (drivers side). When I accelerate and when I brake the sound stops. The sound also stops when I am going around a bend in the road as well as when I change lanes. When I am turning a corner I do not hear the sound.
View 2 RepliesSometimes I'll walk my wife out to the garage in the morning when she is leaving for work. When she starts up her 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan FWD sto n go I hear a clicking noise for about 2 seconds. To me it sounds like the lifters prior to getting the oil delivery. I was wondering if that was going to eventually cause some engine damage and also if there is a problem with the oil pump or something like that. Is this a problem that I should check into or is this normal for this van. We hit a deer several months ago and the whole front end was wasted. I don't remember hearing this clicking sound when the van was newer.
View 10 RepliesIt's leaking antifreeze directly under the radiator before I pull out the radiator could it be something else, it's hard to see without putting it up a lift just what else it could be like the water pump or hoses or connections stuff like that.
View 2 RepliesI have a 2004 Grand Caravan 3.8 engine. For the last 2 months the oil light has been coming on when car is first started. If I stop engine and start again the light will be off. I don't think its actual oil pressure because the car runs fine with light on or off. I'm thinking a bad pressure sensor?
View 17 RepliesI have a 2005 Grand Caravan, this winter has been a cold one. The GC has always started without problem but after I back out of my parking spot, it sits outside, I put it into Drive and it will not move and after I give it a little gas it would still not move. None of the gears seem to work, but if I wait a little bit and the Van warms a little more it will go into gear and all is good. This does not happen all the time and when it does go into gear and I drive I do not have anymore problems until the next time it will "act up" on me again. Is this a problem or is it a cold problem and not a transmission problem?
View 7 RepliesMy 2000 Dodge Grand caravan loses its gauges every so often. engine light comes on as well as ABS...
View 2 RepliesI got a great deal on this van, and I love it, with one exception. On hot days (73 degrees and hotter) the van will not start if it has been parked in the sun; until the temperature returns down to around 61 degrees (usually overnight, but I have waited it out in the parking lot at work a few times).
When this happens, the lights and radio work fine; the starter motor will not engage. No click, no chugga-chugga vroom-vroom. Sad Curto.
Note: October through about May in North Carolina, this car is fine.
I have replaced the steering column (after replacing the clock spring); I have replaced the Power Distribution Center.
When the problem first surfaced two years ago, I had a mechanic install a wire directly from the starter motor relay to the solenoid. That was an expensive lesson. I'm not sure what the lesson is, so it was REALLY expensive.
So, I thought maybe the Auto Shutdown Relay. Nope... pull that out, and the starter still turns, so that is not my problem. Now I am starting to thing Powertrain Control Module, or something else that could have a temperature-sensitive component.
I have a 2004 Dodge Grand Caravan with 120,000 miles. Starting at about 45mph the car has a really bad shimmy when accelerating. The shimmy fades starting at about 55 mph. There is no shimmy when not accelerating. Gently applying the breaks has no effect on the shimmy. I've put on new tires, Change the steering rack and struts and the engine and tranny mounts. what could be causing this?
View 2 RepliesI have a '09 Dodge caravan. The ABS, ESP, TCS, and Brake lights are on. As we drive along the brakes apply, probably on only wheel. After we stop, we can drive on for a short way and it happens again. A mechanic told us that the steering sensor was telling the computer that the steering wheel was turned all the way to the left. I wonder if I pulled the fuse for the ABS pump and ABS valve if it would be safe to drive, at least until we can get it to the dealer for repair. I am cheap and like to get by as cheaply as I can/. I am not fond of ABS, or TCS any way?
View 19 RepliesI have a 1993 Grand Caravan 3.3L V6. When I leave the van set for a couple a of days (or even overnight) and then start it, I have no oil pressure for a minute or so. After the engine has been running for about a minute or so the oil pressure finally comes up but not to normal. Once the engine has warmed up the oil pressure returns to what could be considered "normal". After the cold start, no oil pressure problem, the engine and the oil pressure is fine for the rest of the day. Let it even set overnight though and I have a repeat no oil pressure with start up.
I am thinking that there is a problem with the pick up tube not sealing properly and allowing the oil to bleed down while the engine is off for an extended period of time. So, in effect, I have to basically prime the oil pump at each start up. I haven't noticed any leaks of engine oil anywhere, so I am thinking that this is an internal problem. Is there a check valve or O-Ring associated with the pick up tube or oil pump that may cause this problem? Is it a fairly easy problem to correct? On this engine the oil pump is located in the front of the engine block behind the timing chain cover. (As best as I could determine from the Haynes Manual).
Lifters are rattling. They have been replaced and are still rattling.
View 17 RepliesI have a 1998 Grand Caravan 3.8L engine with 157K on it. A month ago changed the EGR valve and replaced the transmission oil. Two days ago, went for shopping, parked the van. Came back and did not start (no crank, nothing). Called AAA, checked for battery, which was good. Radio, wiper, lights work. Had to tow to the shop. The mechanic checked for all possible problems. Said everything (Fuse, battery, starter motor, alternator) is good. He is clueless. Told him to check the ignition switch (may be worn out). He says it doesn't seem so.
View 19 RepliesThe 96 Caravan I bought a year ago came equipped with an aftermarket dent in the oil pan. It's a bent up generally flat, not all at one point, but there's no leak and no other apparent problem, though of course it does reduce the oil capacity. When I had some overdue warranty work done at a dealer, the service writer told me the dent is exactly where the the oil pickup is, which mostly sounded like the dealer looking for some extra work. I decided I'd replace the pan myself when I had enough miles on the car to see if it was worth the effort.
The pan has a lower sump area that measures roughly 5" x 7" and that entire portion is pushed up somewhat evenly. I'd estimate the deepest part of the deformation is almost an inch, so less than 35 cubic inches lost capacity. 35 cu in = .606 quart.
I can buy a new oil pan w/ gasket at Rock Auto for a shade over fifty bucks to add to an order I otherwise need to place with them. A used pan at the local junkyard would cost ten or twenty bucks plus my labor plus the gasket, which I judge as not enough cheaper to be worth my time and inconvenience (they want me to capture the used oil and take it with me). So it's either buy the new oil pan, or fix something else. Or pull the pan, bend it back to shape, and replace the gasket? It appears to me that the pan gasket may be seeping, though not enough to drip, so it's probably due for a gasket anyway.
Should I care about this, or learn to love the dent?
One tech wanted to replace both rotors and sanding down the pads to re-use (he said my brake pads can last up to one year). The guy in auto part said the surface of brake pads having hard spots could cause the pulsation, replace the pads. Of course, replace both rotors and pads is recommended but I have tight budget! What options do I have? can I just machine the rotors?
View 12 RepliesOur van shuts off while driving. This means I have no power to brakes or steering. The only warning light that comes on is the traction control light. Therefore when hooked up to diagnostics there is no information. We have had it to 3 different places with no results or answers. We did have the ignition switch recall performed. We have filed claims with Chrysler with no answers other than arbitration and with the NHTSA.
View 4 Replies