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Dodge/Plymouth/Chrysler Minivan Problems & Solutions - READ ONLY

4276 messages,  Last post on Oct 23, 2006 at 2:11 AM

You are in the Chrysler/Plymouth Voyager, Dodge Caravan Forum.

What is this discussion about? Dodge Caravan, Dodge Grand Caravan, Chrysler Voyager, Plymouth Voyager, Chrysler Town and Country, Van

Messages Page 134 of 429

#1323 of 4276 Anyone ever involved in voluntary Buyback from Dodge by gwindy1

Jun 10, 2002 (3:09 pm)

A regional manager in the northeast has offered to do a voluntary buyback on my 2001 Grand Caravan ES AWD. They are offering difference in sticker plus .30 per mile (20K miles). There is a rebate being offered but not answer on that question.
I have sent letters to the Head of NA Sales and the President in Germany. The offer was made before the President received the letter. Any suggestions on how to handle this. The car has been at the dealership for over a month and is unsafe to drive (although the dealership will tell you otherwise)

#1325 of 4276 buyback - gwindy by rolfe2

Jun 10, 2002 (9:17 pm)

What I learned (Northwest, not Northeast) is that when DC makes an offer to buy a vehicle back, they offer exactly what your state's lemon law provides, no more, no less. In other words, they won't negotiate the terms because they won't do any more than the lemon law would force them to do if they lost their case to you.

You should compare their offer to what you can read on http://www.carlemon.com/lemonstat.html.

Furthermore, any current incentives (rebates, etc.) don't enter into the picture at all.

I believe that the dealership has a limit on how many buy backs they are allowed without jeapordizing their 5-star status or whatever, but that the funding comes from the 'factory' not the dealership. That's why the incentives don't figure in.

Consider yourself lucky that you have their offer to consider; now you just have to evaluate your alternatives.

--rolfe.

#1326 of 4276 Heater Problems by bychrysler1

Jun 12, 2002 (8:36 pm)

My heater keeps switching to heat on it's own. The vent or air will be running and all of a sudden hot air will come out. Sometimes if I wiggle the temperature selector, it will go back to blowing cold air, but sometimes not. I have talked to two dealers and they have not seen this problem. Any thoughts? The problem is getting progressively worse. I have a 98 Grand Caravan.

#1327 of 4276 Chirping in Serpentine Belt Area by badgerfan

Jun 13, 2002 (1:38 pm)

This question may have come up before, but I am too lazy to go through all 1200+ postings. Our 96 Caravan with the 3.3 liter V-6 has developed an intermittent chirping somewhere in the serpentine belt drive line. Is this usually related to the belt tensioner problem, or in the alternator or some other component? It comes and goes, has been happening off and on for over a year. Anyone have this, what was the cause, and can it be handled by a do-it-yourselfer?

#1328 of 4276 How to get Chrysler to cover repair work? by miffed1

Jun 14, 2002 (7:03 am)

Has anyone had any luck getting Chrysler to cover repairs once the vehicle is out of warranty. I have a 96 Grand Caravan that had the trany replaced in Aug 99, now I just had the drive shaft seize into the differential, and they found filings in the trany, so another $3000 plus $500 tax ($3500) to repair. I've had all my servicing done at the dealer including transmission tune-ups, plus replacing A/C evaporator, struts, water pump, starter, power steering lines, sliding door control assembly, ABS light sensors, engine service sensors. Alot of problems for a 96 with only 115,000km (70K miles). I have complained to Chrysler's customer service 800 number, and am awaiting a response. They supposedly need to speak with the District Service Manager. The dealer isn't saying diddly. What leverage do I have to raise a bigger stink? I can threaten to never buy a Chrysler vehicle again, but do they care?

#1329 of 4276 by Stever@Edmunds HOST

Jun 14, 2002 (9:09 am)

I don't think they'll care about threats not to repurchase (they probably figure you won't buy another DC for a while anyway at this point).
 
I had an out-of-warranty head gasket fixed on my Voyager, but it was the 3rd one they had done, so they didn't fight me too hard on it. I went in with the attitude of "this shouldn't have happened, what can you do for me" instead of yelling and raising a ruckus. That's what lawyers are for
 
Maybe a follow-up letter to the dealer telling him what a good customer you've been and asking for some consideration would help. (will the peanut gallery please hold the Pollyanna comments down <g>).
 
good luck!

Steve
Host
SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards

#1330 of 4276 1255 by steve_ HOST by dmathews3

Jun 14, 2002 (11:19 am)

True. I had a 97 Tracker I towed behind my MH and it had about 26k on it in about 5 yrs. Had problem with trans (stick shift) and it was out of warranty 3/36. Dealer quoted almost $1600 (4 X 4) so transfer case/trans all together. Anyway called GM and gave them sob story about always having all maintainance done at dealer and about 10k was pulled behind MH so engine wasn't running and had always bought Chevy and it ended up after they investigated that they covered all parts and 50% labor. Cost me about $375, but I talked the talk and was very nice on phone. Not a bad deal since it was 2 years out of warranty.

#1331 of 4276 Miffed1 by hersbird

Jun 14, 2002 (7:40 pm)

I wouldn't rebuild that tranny just because of the filings in it. I'd hacve it flushed and filled and then see if it works. No reason just to shotgun the whole thing because maybe there is a problem. You're not running the Michigan 400 in a Winston Cup car this weekend, your just driving to work. If it drives fine and your worried about it, take it down and trade it in. If you had a problem and found metal filings in your motor's oil pan, would you just automatically repalce the entire motor assembly? Why are people so afraid of the "magic" going on in their automatic transmissions? Tranny shops (and dealers) make a killing rebuilding transmission that only need a minor part or repair.

#1332 of 4276 Serpentine belt chirp by jfz219

Jun 15, 2002 (8:30 pm)

I would guess that the tensioner pulley and/or the power steering pump is the source of your chirping. I have to replace the pulley on my 98 with the 3.8 engine. On my 2001, the noise was caused by the power steering pump. There was a TSB that involved the replacement of a hose and a conversion to ATF for the power steering. This was a dramatic improvement in the noise level.
 
The least expensive step would be use Lubegard PS additive. This will improve the lubrication of the pump, and reduce the strain on the tensioner pulley. Second step would be draining and refilling with the ATF prescribed in the 2001 TSB. Third, repair/replace the tensioner pulley.
 
I highly recommend the ATF switch because of my own experience with pump and rack failures on DC products.

Messages Page 134 of 429

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