Dodge - Grandcaravan :: 2005 - Cuts Off While Driving?
Jul 6, 2015
I have a 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan that is having multiple electrical issues. The problem first starts to show with the instrument panel needles going all the way to the right and coming back to the left. Some of the instrument lights stay lit. Then either in the next few minutes or days, the engine will shut off while driving. I can wait 30 seconds and sometimes it will start. After this sequence occurs, when I turn the key, the instrument lights will come on for a millisecond and then the engine will not start at all. I take it into the dealer and they say that the battery is severely discharged. They charge up the battery and the problem goes away for 1500-3000 miles. Of course, the dealer does not know what is causing the problem.
It seems like one of the issues could be a defective ignition switch, but what I can't figure out is what is causing the battery to severely discharge?I have removed the BMC fuse, waited 30 seconds and this would allow the vehicle to start, but I have stopped trying this approach because it does not remedy the situation long term.
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Our 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.
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On our 2005 Grand Caravan with 165K miles, the back liftgate has worked fine for years. It continues to raise properly but now it suddenly decided to reverse about one third of the way down when closing button is pushed. Both struts were replaced 3 years ago with the liftgate working fine until now. I don't see any obstructions on gate or in the mechanism.
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My van has 90,000 miles. I am having problems with my headlights not turning on, then when they finally turn on, they will go off randomly. My power door locks have also stopped working. Last night, I found my tail light cover has come off. How can I put that back on? Lastly, my heater only works for a minute, then the air is cold.
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In May of this year (2015), it started to die. What I mean is it loses all electrics and it kills the engine. No dash lights, no odometer, no headlights, no radio, no blower, no electric windows, no electric locks, no interior lights, no visable sign that it has power at all except a tiny red light on the dash that blinks every few seconds.Always at low speeds under 30mph, usually while under load from either being on the freeway for a bit or while the AC was running or both. If I wait long enough, it comes back on all by itself but this can take seconds or hours. The radio is not reset, which is the only other indication that the battery terminals are not at fault. I am getting power to the starter, but nothing else.
When it first started happening, we thought it was a fuse or relay and swapped out several, but while it was dead, nothing affected it. It only happened three times until July when it stepped up its game and would die multiple times a day.Under advice of a shadetree mechanic, we replaced the Powertrain control Module (PCM) located behind the front bumper under the driver side headlight. This seemed to solve the problem for almost a month when the water pump decided to fail and we replaced it, the thermostat and radiator fan thermometer, only for it to die exactly as before only the very next day.The shop ran it until it died, took the pcm off and checked to see if it was overheating, but it wasnt. They checked the battery cables, fuses and anything else they could think of.
I got it it back at the beginning of October and on its first night out it died twice. I was driving it and noticed that it was a hot muggy day about 80F and because I was wary of it dying I chose not to run the AC, but the air coming from the vents was still quite cold. First time it died we popped the hood and the Eatx shutdown relay was hot enough to fry an egg. I replaced it with a spare I had, and all the systems in the van sprang back to life. It made it a mile before dying again and this time the new relay was hot, but all I did was wiggle it and back to life it went. Drove it 12 more miles home, then the next day back to the shop without incident.
I went to talk with the shop a couple days ago, because I really need this thing fixed but they are not sure what to do next. I told them about the AC running even while off and so we pulled the fuse for the AC clutch entirely. I ran it around for twenty minutes and even with the temp on the dash at normal hot position center of the gauge and blower at full tilt and set to hot with AC off, I had the coldest air until I hit a bump and suddenly I had hot air. Thinking the AC clutch was seized I took it back to the shop, verified that the compressor wasnt working anymore while engine was running and thought we may have fixed the issue.
Three days later, I have driven it all over with no issue, only for it to now die twice in a mile all within a mile of home. On the way home, the heater wasn't blowing as hot as it could be, until I almost made it to my freeway exit, by then I was worried that it was going to die after I had slowed down to the side road speed which it did happen.
I opened the driver door to get out and that was all the jarring it took to turn everything back on, the second time I had popped the hood and was reaching for the clips to the fuse cover to check the eatx shutdown relay when it all came back on. The relay was no warmer than the relay for the fuel pump. Between the first and second event, I could feel it hesitating every few seconds like it was about to lose power. After the second event I was so close to home I may have been a little lead-footed and did not notice.
Addendum: The bellows in the interior heater broke back on Valentine's day, so no matter what the dial it set to, it only blows out the upper body vents on the dash. The radio has an issue that it can no longer play tapes and one of the speakers is mostly silent. I wondered if either of these were shorting out and causing issue.
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Driving our 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan which we love. We have 118,000 miles on the odometer now and a dent or two but otherwise it's in great shape. About 2 years ago, we started to notice a high-pitched "whining" noise on our way from Michigan's Upper Peninsula to Florida. We were driving in the fall in the lovely Smoky Mountains. The weather was hot, the air conditioning on and the van working hard to climb the mountains. We stopped for gas, and then as we started driving again noticed this whining noise when pressing on the accelerator.
The noise did not stop until the next morning when the car was completely cool, but started again when it heated up. This whining continues to happen every time the car is driven long distances/gets very warm. Our Michigan mechanic thought it was the alternator and replaced the alternator and coolant tube in 8/2012 but that did not work. Our mechanic flushed the transmission and replaced the fluid in 5/2013 but that did not work. Neither of them could tell us what causes this noise. Should we just continue to drive it this way or go to another shop?
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Took our 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan to a tire shop today. One sensor battery is completely dead, and when replaced, the other 3 batteries were too weak remove the alert from the information panel. Cost to repair all 4 is $400. Decided to live with the alert and they graciously put the bad sensor back in. Is there any way to disable the system? I check tire pressures regularly anyway. The continuous alert is agrivating.
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Our 1997 Grand Caravan with 170K loses more air conditioning every year. So, I assume I have a slow leak. Is recharging something I can do myself with the new type cans offered by auto parts stores? Also, I think the radiator fan no longer comes on, I never hear it and the engine temp will go up when driving slowly around town.
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Upon cranking my 2002 Dodge Grand Caravan and driving app. 10 miles the speedometer and odometer will stop working and the motor will sound strained for the rest of the driving time. The rpm's go up and it dies from time to time when making a quick stop or turn. It starts right back up. The next day upon starting again the process starts all over. What's the problem?
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Ok, this has happened to me and my wife while driving. During braking, once in a while the engine will shut off for a split second then turn right back on without me doing anything. We only have 1 other key on the key ring with the ignition key. Also the inside lights (dashboard/radio) flicker once in a while. The alternator is charging 14 volts, the battery checks out. When it shut off while my wife was driving she noticed the instrument panel lights came on for a second (like when you start the car {abs-check engine- temp- all the warning lights}) and the instruments bounced all the way up then down (also like when you first start the car)...
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Has happened twice. No check engine light, no code. Lights and electronics stay on, beeps like the door is open, shuts off and I am able to turn it right back on. Definitely do not want this happening on the highway. Don't have any other issues with idle, etc..
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Over the past several years, this has happened maybe once a year. However, in the past three months, it has happened three times. The shut down always occurs at low speeds. In each instance, I had taken my foot off the accelerator and was coasting to, say, make a turn into a driveway, or enter a parking deck, or move slowly in traffic. I'll realize what happens when i notice that the steering wheel is locked. And then that nothing is happening except the car rolling.
Every time, the car has started back up, immediately, without incident. (Of course, I have to stop the vehicle and put it into Park before restart. Only once have I had the problem where someone was right behind me.) Several mechanics have been unable to figure out what is causing it because this never leaves a code in the car's computer. What is going on and what he might service to fix this?
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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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I 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?
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My 2000 Dodge Grand caravan loses its gauges every so often. engine light comes on as well as ABS...
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I 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.
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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?
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I 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?
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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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Lifters are rattling. They have been replaced and are still rattling.
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