Dodge - Grandcaravan :: 1993 - Wobbling In Front Then Shaking / Repeated CV Failure?
Oct 30, 2013
I have a 1993 Dodge Grand Caravan with about 160,000 miles on it. The front end has been deteriorating steadily for some time now. I have no power brakes or power steering, but I do not think that this is related to my REAL problem: My driver side CV joint (or axle or whatever) failed last week. Upon inspection, my mechanic commented on how he was surprised that it held on long enough for me to get to his shop. It was replaced by a mechanic with a new (not re-manufactured) piece.Yesterday I was driving a friend to the airport about 150 miles away, and 20 miles out of town, my van began wobbling in the front, and then shaking violently - consistent with my previous CV failure.
After dropping my friend off at the airport, I proceeded to the nearest mechanic, who again commented on how he was surprised that I was able to make it to his shop. He said something about the last CV joint being too long or something against a tulip joint (or something, I should have written it down).Initially it drove smoothly, as it did after the first fix, but on the way home I noticed a slight wobble that is connected to acceleration (that is, when I take my foot off of the gas, the wobble disappears). I am concerned that the CV is going to fail again. What would be causing this? Are the mechanics at fault, or is there another problem that propagates in the CV?
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In 13 months my 1991 Dodge Grand Caravan has managed to kill 4 transmission control modules -- the original plus three factory replacements. The first replacement (by a Dodge garage) failed within weeks, after which they threw up their hands in despair (never recognizing the defective part) and sent me to an electrical specialist. The specialist's first replacement survived until April; their 2nd has just died. I find it hard to accept that all of these TCMs were simply defective.
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I 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).
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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?
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In cold weather, front suspension is very noisy. I've replaced stabilizer bar bushings, stabilizer bar links, control arms (complete with new bushings and ball joints). A few months prior, I replaced struts with Monroe quick struts. Noise appears when I hit a pot hole or go over a speed bump. Not really a creaking, almost like a slapping sound. I've taken a look at motor mounts and they look OK. Now that the weather is warm there's no noise. Rack and pinion were replaced about a year ago so engine cradle was removed. I removed it and reinstalled. Also installed new tie rod ends and lubed the inner tie rod joints.
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Sounds like an old police car siren but only about 10 % of my driving time and usually late evening hours...
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Today 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.
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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.
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Short Version. 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan, I two weeks ago I replaced the front brakes (rotors, calipers, and pads both sides) I drove the van 100 miles Saturday night with no problems. Sunday afternoon, whilst driving home from a restaurant with 5 people in the van (driving super gingerly because they were my inlaws) the right front brake stuck on and smoked on the drive home. The calipers are new, and I have not had any other problems since I replaced the brakes that were trashed when I got it.
Long version, So heres the deal, I am the proud owner of a 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan, its got about 140,000 miles on it, its a little rusty, but I got it for free. A family member was getting rid of it, as it was 11 years old, and they wanted something newer, and it needed brakes and a few other things. They were going to donate it, but it sat all winter waiting for the donation company to pick it up. Being a consummate grease monkey elite shade tree mechanic tinkerer type, and being in the new family, new house cash flow situation, I swooped in and towed it home in hopes that I could make a decent enough ride that I could fit two adults, a car seat and a dog into.
Now when I got the van I knew it had some problems. That's the reason it was free. But it is/was all fixable stuff. Typical of age and mileage It had a whiny power steering pump, it needed an oil change, the power steering lines leaked, the transmission cooler lines needed to be replaced. It needed a serpentine belt. It has a motor mount that needs replacing. The front suspension clunked because of worn out swaybar bushings and end link Its a bunch of work and few weekends and a few hundred in parts, but when the van was free, and you do the work yourself it costs a lot less.
The front brakes were completely trashed when I got the van, that is one of the reasons that the previous owner had parked it. And it was obvious that the right front caliper had seized, I could not push the piston back in. And that was the one that seized on, and had the most damages so I replaced it, along with the left front, as it was also the original one, and well they were both the same age, and have the stuff to bleed the brakes out. So what causes disk brake calipers to randomly stick on when they are used gently? Because when I drive it angry, such as now, they seem fine.
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I have installed my 6th resistor and they continue to burn up, leaving #5 only.
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We are in need of a 4th clutch for our 2004 Elantra. This is a despicable record for Hyundai.
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Got this 04 Escape 3.0 FWD for my son's first car. It was his mom's and she drove it for years and parked it when she got another car.
I charged the battery and it is holding a good charge. Car would crank but not start. Fuel pump was not coming on. I pulled it out and applied 12V to the connector terminal and it started running so I put it back in and it worked fine.
Drove it home and cleaned it up, pulled out the bad window regulator, put it in the driveway till the next weekend.
After it sat for 3 days it would not start again. The fuel pump was not coming on. I assumed that the old pump that I revived had died again so I bought a new one and put it in and it ran fine.
Went for inspection but OBD2 was NOT READY so I drove it about 60 miles until it threw 3 codes. P0136, P2270, P2271 (O2 sensor problem).
I parked it again to wait till my next chance to work on it. 3 days later I was going to replace the O2 sensor but when I tried to start it the new fuel pump was not coming on again. (2nd fuel pump to die while sitting in the driveway).
So I figured the new fuel pump was a dud maybe, so I returned it and got another new one and put it in and it worked fine again. So I replaced the O2 sensor. Didn't have time to drive it 60 miles again to READY the OBD2 system for inspection so I parked it for a couple more days.
2 days later I was going to drive it around to make the OBD2 READY for inspection and again the fuel pump does not come on.
3 dead fuel pumps doesn't make sense to me so I have been considering it could be the Fuel Pump Driver Module but have read that's not an issue on the Escape like it is on the trucks. Plus I have been unable to locate where it is on this vehicle.
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I've got an '03 Accent 1.6 in the family. December 2011 I replaced the crank position sensor and it cured the no start problem. Got it from A/Zone. It lasted 2 years and 8 months. Then, the same thing happened again in August 2014 only this time the car stopped running while on the road and I had it towed to a local garage. They installed a "Standard" & was back on the road again when it stopped running again a week ago. Had it towed to my house this time and read the code. P0336 CPS again! That sensor lasted only 4 months. The garage came & replaced the sensor & it's back on the road...for now. Do these cars only play nice with Hyundai CPS's or should I be looking for an underlying issue?
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My 2006 Tucson runs great 99% of the time. Every once in a while though, the rear of the suv shakes as if a tire is about to fall off. It lasts for a few minutes and then is gone until the next episode. I have had the tires and wheels checked and they are fine. The only other issue with the vehicle is a rattle from the rear when going over bumps....as if there is something loose by the spare tire (but there is not). I was told that the bushings needed to be replaced, but that would cause the rattle noise only, not the issue with the shaking. There is no problem with the front end or steering wheel shaking at all, it definitely is from the rear only.
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My 2005 Dodge Dakota truck is shaking violently (in the front end) when I apply the brakes and I can't seem to fix the problem. I have changed the front rotors, brakes, alignment and new tires.
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I have a 99 F150 4x4 it recently started shaking badly on the front end at about 40mph but levels out at about 45 to 50 mph or if slowed back down to 35mph. I can't find anything worn or loose except the sway bar bushings are completely gone on both driver and passenger sides. I have read about the "death wobble" but can't find anything else worn out! I can do most all repairs and checks myself.
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My wife has a 2008 Dodge Charge SXT with the 3.5. The front passenger wheel is "shaking/bouncing" at highway speed, but only when turning that direction on a curve. It doesn't do this when turning left. We had the tires replaced, because that was the suggested fix because the tire was "chopped". They were at end of life anyway, past the ware bar. But it didn't work and it seems to be getting worse. One mechanic said he thought it was the wheel hub, another said tie rod. I replaced both front tie rod ends after the passenger one fell out about 18 months ago.
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I have a 2000 Dodge Intrepid with 92000 miles. Several times a day I get a vibration or shaking coming from the right side front tire. It comes and goes. It only happens between say 30 and 50 miles an hour. It stops whenever you hit the gas or turn the wheel to the right. Seems to start mostly after hitting a bump or rough road.
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Here's the issue-We're in Wisconsin, and it has been cold lately.After not driving her car for about five days, my wife's 2008 Dodge Caliber would not start. It gave her a repeated clicking noise, and all the electrical inside the car came on. I jumped the car, and it started just fine, drove it around for about 30 minutes, no battery indicator on the dash, cut the engine, started it right back up. The next morning, the car would not start again- same situation, clicking noise, everything in the car working (but nothing was left on).I went and picked up a new battery, but was having trouble getting the old one out. This time, though, the car won't take a jump. I checked the electrolyte levels, and they appear fine. I let the car charge on the cables (which are nice ones, not cheap, thin ones) for 15 minutes and more, and the most I got out of the car was a weak attempt to turn over, but mostly just the repeated clicking noise. I can't even jump the thing to get it looked at, and its in a narrow alley that will make towing next to impossible.
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I 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?
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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.
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