Dodge - Grandcaravan :: 2013 - Reluctant To Coast?
Jun 21, 2015
I like coasting on long down-sloping grades as much as possible to save gas. (With CRUISE off, STABILITY off, ECON on.) I can even exceed the criticized EPA Fuel Economy figures. And I rarely have to brake hard at stops. My 2001 GM Venture would coast forever. My 2013 Dodge Caravan is very reluctant to coast or "freewheel". When I ease up on gas pedal, it downshifts, revving up the engine to apply costly engine-braking (when I don't want to slow down or stop at all)! I have asked several Chrysler mechanics and gotten different answers from each one, none of which worked.
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Occasionally, randomly, and unpredictably when accelerating from a slow speed coast I get no power response when I press down on the accelerator. It's as if the engine has stalled, but it has not. When the accelerator is held down for a few seconds (maybe 3 to 7) power comes back with a rush. Examples:
1. Making a U turn from a left turn late. Accelerate slowly forward, take foot off gas as the turn is initiated, press down on gas to accelerate out of the turn and get no immediate power response.
2. Making a left turn into a suicide lane. Accelerate to cross 2 traffic lanes, let off gas and coast slowly forward in the suicide lane while waiting for oncoming traffic to clear, traffic clears, press down on gas and get to response. Continue to press slowly down--no response. Hold the accelerator half or 3/4 down, power surges back after a few seconds.
3. Rolling slowly down a long left turn lane with foot off gas timing oncoming traffic, traffic clears, press down on gas to initiate the turn, no response. Let up on gas and press down again, no response, let up an press down again and car reacts normally.
Occurrences of this problem have been very random. I have spent a good deal of time in vacant parking lots trying to cause the problem to occur without any luck even though I know well the conditions under which it happens. I have left the car with the dealer but, of course, they can't observe the problem either. I have driven nearly 1000 miles without an incident and then had 2 occurrences within 4 miles of each other. I have about 5000 miles on the car and have logged 17 incidents.
Loosing power in traffic is, of course, dangerous. I was about to initiate action under California's Lemon Law when I went to England for 3 weeks in Sept. I rented an Audi A1 and to my surprise I experienced a very similar problem, but it happened much more often. An example would be entering a roundabout, letting up on the accelerator while looking at directional signs, reapplying accelerator pressure and getting no response. Unlike the Hyundai I didn't seem to lose all power, but couldn't get any acceleration. The Hyundai engine is the 4 cylinder turbo and has an electronic throttle. I don't know what the Audi had by way of mechanics. I'm at a complete loss; is there something I don't understand about electronic throttles? I don't have a clue about the source of this problem, but I know I need to get it resolved before I get rear ended.
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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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I 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.
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The 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?
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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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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
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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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We have been having an issue with our gas tank not filling up continuously for over three years. It automatically trips the gas shut of switch every couple of seconds so it can take a while to fill up. Then every once in a while it fills up totally normally.
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I have an appointment next week at the dealer to have this checked out. My 2015 Grand Caravan with just over 30,000 miles, has been leaking a bit. Enough to make a mark on any spot I park in for longer than an hour or so. I placed a white poster board under the front end to see if I could identify where and what it may be. After about 6 hours, I checked and it seemed to have several drops of what certainly looked like engine oil. A dark golden. The leak seems to be located about 3 or 4 inches inside the front driver's side tire.This has been going on for just under a month. I keep checking fluid levels, and the engine oil doesn't seem to be diminishing at all, though it is a bit tough to tell exactly because it is clean and hard to see on the dipstick for this auto novice.
An attempt to crawl under didn't produce any real info, seems there is a bit of the oil anywhere in the area when dabbed with a white rag.Again I am a novice, so I am just asking what I should expect when the van is checked out. The car has had all needed maintenance at the correct intervals, though the last couple changes have admittedly been at a quickie place.My father, a former mechanic till retirement told me in theory there is no way to be leaking oil and not have at least some lowering of the oil level, obviously.Could this just be seeping so slowly to not notice a level difference? I know it is next to impossible to get a diagnosis here without a real inspection, but based on the location of the drips and the color of the liquid, any guesses would be great.I am 6,000 miles away from the end of the warranty, and we have a long road trip planned in a few weeks.
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We have a 2003 Dodge Grand Caravan which keeps on shutting off or sometimes will not start up. When it has problems starting up, there is no turn over of the engine. Just nothing. After awhile, it will start up. During driving, it will just shut off. At first it would start right back up but now it will not start right back up. We have replaced the computer and the crank shaft sensor. We have taken it to two dealerships and they do not have any ideas as to how to fix it beyond what we have done. Our mechanic is baffled. He has checked the wiring and sensors but cannot find the problem.
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I have an ' 87 Caravan/mini ram van with the Mitsu 2.6 4 cylinder engine. It has 180k miles. Always ran great until now. It'll start right up (the first time) on a cold morning with no problems, but runs a little rougher than usual. Before the engine is warmed up on a cold day, needs to wait a little while before starting to drive it. Recently, I've been starting it and letting it idle for about 5-10 minutes. When I start driving it, normally I don't even get out of my driveway, it stalls and won't restart. It seems like the carb might be flooded, but not sure. Could this simply need a tune up? I haven't replaced the plugs yet since I've owned it, I've had it for only a year so far. The previous owner was very meticulous about maintenance.
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After 5 recalls on my 2008 Dodge Caravan (3 of which mentioned air conditioning), the air conditioning went out completely. All the estimates to fix it fall in the $800+ range to replace the rear evaporator. After telling one service manager that I'll just drive with the windows down, he informed me that I would be damaging the van and could cause other problems by not getting it fixed.
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