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Caravan/Voyager Warning Lights & Problem Codes

42 messages,  Last post on Mar 21, 2009 at 2:44 PM

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#8 of 42 Re: Problem with oil light coming on 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan Sport [agdowdle] by shipo Oct 30, 2006 (1:48 pm)
Replying to: agdowdle (Oct 30, 2006 11:45 am) Yup, it sounds like a worn out engine (or at least worn out main and rod bearings) and/or a heavily sludged engine.   Under the assumption that the above is true (as opposed to an electrical problem, a problem which is highly unlikely to manifest itself this way), the reason that the light goes off when you are accelerating is that the transmission is typically in a lower gear meaning that the engine driven oil pump is running at a higher RPM which in turn means that it is pumping more oil.   Sludging is fairly easily diagnosed. You should simply be able to open the oil filler cap and look inside. On the 3.3 and 3.8 liter V6 engines you should see nice clean rocker arms, identical to the ones that can be viewed in my "Caravan Stuff" photo album on my Yahoo! photos page: http://photos.yahoo.com/shipo   If instead you see lots of crud built up around the rocker arms and rocker shaft or on the underlying cylinder head, your engine is sludged. Regarding the Mitsubishi 3.0 liter V6 (if you have that engine instead of either of the Chrysler V6s), I haven't looked through the oil filler hole of one of those since a friend of mine had an old Dodge Dynasty back in the 1980s so I'm not sure if you can similar engine details.   Another thing you can do to help us offer more qualified opinions as to what your problem might be, is if you would post some particulars about your van. I'm including a list of points to cover to help get you started:   - Engine model [3.0, 3.3, 3.8] liter V6, Note: for the 3.3s and the 3.8s, the displacement is casted into the top of the intake plenum on the 1998 engines) - Typical type of traffic encountered when driving the van - Typical time duration and mileage distance for each trip - Total miles on engine - Typical miles driven between oil changes - Typical type of oil used - How many oil changes went beyond the recommendation of 7,500 miles - How many oil changes went beyond 10,000 miles - Greatest number of miles driven on a single oil change   Best Regards, Shipo Replies to this message: hakb (Nov 07, 2006 6:14 am) shipo (Nov 07, 2006 7:28 am)
#9 of 42 Re: Help with "Check Guages" light and the Battery Guage [stashshel] by samson4954 Nov 03, 2006 (4:41 pm)
Replying to: stashshel (Sep 24, 2006 1:53 pm) I have a 2003 caravan voyager and egine warnning light has just come on again for the secon time , I was reading yr post and was wondering how do y get the code? Replies to this message: mfahey1 (Nov 03, 2006 6:57 pm)
#10 of 42 Re: Help with "Check Guages" light and the Battery Guage [samson4954] by mfahey1 Nov 03, 2006 (6:57 pm)
Replying to: samson4954 (Nov 03, 2006 4:41 pm) If you have an electronic dash, turn the key to on and then back to off 3 times and it will flash the code #. You then can go on the web by looking for ODBII codes to see what it means. If you don't have an electronic dash, take it to Autozone, Murray's or something similar and they will read it for free.
#11 of 42 Re: Problem with oil light coming on 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan Sport [shipo] by hakb Nov 07, 2006 (6:14 am)
Replying to: shipo (Oct 30, 2006 1:48 pm) I am having the exact same problem. The oil light turns on (beeping) when I idle usually after 12-15 miles of continuous driving. I have a 1998 Dodge Caravan, miles (140,000) and I just changed the oil. I try and change the oil after every 3 - 4K miles. What should be done to fix this and how much will it cost. I have had several problems with this van, the recent being that the clock spring had to be replaced as the one that was put in after a recall must have been faulty. Luckily it is supposed to be under lifetime warranty. In any case, if someone can tell me what is involved with removing the sluding from the engine. Thanks Replies to this message: shipo (Nov 07, 2006 7:28 am)
#12 of 42 Re: Problem with oil light coming on 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan Sport [hakb] by shipo Nov 07, 2006 (7:28 am)
Replying to: hakb (Nov 07, 2006 6:14 am) Hmmm, your situation doesn't necessarily sound like a sludging issue. Given that you have a 1998 DGC Sport (I do too), you have either the 3.3 or the 3.8 liter mill (same basic engine), and that engine isn't a known sludge factory (unless horribly abused with LONG oil change intervals and cheap oil). My guess is that your main and/or rod bearings are a little loose (not real surprising after 140,000 miles).   Were I in your shoes I'd try a heavier oil first before I did anything else. IIRC, our vans call for 5W-30 oil in the Owner's Manual, however, as I've now had a couple of cars that call for 0W-40 and as I don't like keeping different kinds of oil in my garage, I started using 0W-40 in both of our 3.8 liter DGCs a couple of years back. As the 0W-40 won't thin out as much as 5W-30 when at operating temperatures, I'd start there. If you are still seeing the light at idle with that oil I'd probably bump the oil up to either a 5W-50 (hard to find here in the U.S.A.) or a 15W-50 and try one of them out.   While I consider it fairly likely that the heavier oils will solve the light issue; if they don't then your only other option will be to drop the oil pan and have the (four) main and (six) rod bearings replaced. I haven't heard of anybody ever having to have that done to the DC V6 engines in our minivans so I don't have a real good feel for the potential cost. That having been said I guess I wouldn't be too surprised if you were quoted between $500 and $1,000 plus parts.   The counterpoint to all of this is that if you are running low oil pressure at idle only, your engine will most likely last many more years (assuming you keep good oil in it). I had an old (as in old when I bought it) 1966 Plymouth Valiant with the 225 "Slant-Six" engine that was constantly winking at me when idling. I bought the car with 103,000 miles on the clock and finally pulled and overhauled the engine when the odo showed 210,000 miles. It was still running perfectly well I just simply got tired of feeding it oil all of the time.   Best Regards, Shipo
#13 of 42 Dashboard Gauges by glen_river Dec 15, 2006 (7:29 am)
I have a '99 Dodge Caravan and after 4 years my speedometer, fuel gauge and temp gauge did not work that it has to be fixed. The mechanic changed the output and input sensors. Now again after about 3 years the same problem occur, just wondering if it is like a common problem with Dodge Caravan because I have a '92 Toyota Tercel and I never had that kind of problem. I am really not gonna buy another american made cars. Replies to this message: gjestep45 (Feb 06, 2007 10:48 am) pops419 (Feb 28, 2009 5:46 am)
#14 of 42 check engine light on by vbg Jan 24, 2007 (5:45 pm)
I have a 2000 chrysler voyager basic 4 cyclinder.106,000 miles. today i drove it about 4 miles from my home and the engine started to sound like it was running out of gas,soon the van would not go but engine ran rough.I put in some heet and some more gas into the tank. The van started right up,so i hop in and continue on my way, Then the van again did the same thing. now is when i notice the engine light is on. I had van tow home,an hour later van starts up no problem,engine light stays on but now worried to move it.         where does the engine code show up?         do i have tranny or emission problem?
#15 of 42 ABS LIGHT ON 2000 Grand Caravan.. by gjestep45 Feb 06, 2007 (10:48 am)
Replying to: glen_river (Dec 15, 2006 7:29 am) Hi All -    I have a 2000 Grand Caravan with a pesky ABS light that keeps coming on.. It is only after you drive the car a little and seems to reset itself after turning the car off... It has only 85,000 miles on it and to be honest I am not happy with it... I had it in to put in a new transmission (YES IT JUST DIED ON THE HIGHWAY 200 miles from home) In the dang thing and at that time they told me that it would need a new ABS pump.... At a cost of an other 1000 dollars... I have since been driving the Van with no reall braking issues other than no ABS... But would like to get it fixed as we will be holding on to it for a while longer...    First question is Being a motor head of sorts, Is it possible to do the work my self? If so are there any manuals out there to make it easier?    By looking at it it seems rather point blank easy bolt on... And then Bleed... Of couse it would need a change of break fluid...    Any body done this out there??? Replies to this message: pops419 (Feb 28, 2009 5:46 am)
#16 of 42 Intermittent Low Fuel Warning by wjm3220 Feb 09, 2007 (1:20 pm)
98 Caravan, 186k miles (roughly). Periodically the low fuel warning light comes on along with the warning tone. At the same time, the fuel gauge will start to move toward empty. After a second or two, the light will go out and the gauge will come back up to the proper reading. I know for sure I am not out of gas, since It also sometimes happens just after filling it up. It seems more like a gauge failure of some sort. Any suggestions? I really don't want to take it to the dealer just for this, it's not worth spending much money on.   PS. I would just live with it, but the warning tone can be rather annoying Replies to this message: timmer19 (Mar 17, 2007 4:58 am)
#17 of 42 Re: Intermittent Low Fuel Warning [wjm3220] by timmer19 Mar 17, 2007 (4:58 am)
Replying to: wjm3220 (Feb 09, 2007 1:20 pm) I too have the exact same problem....can anyone help???

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