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Dodge Grand Caravan Steering

171 messages,  Last post on Nov 21, 2009 at 6:09 PM

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

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#125 of 171 Power Steering Groaning and Shaking Van by dericm02 Apr 02, 2009 (10:11 am)
I have a Dodge Caravan, 2000 i beleive and i had issues with the power steering making noises. The noise wasn't a whining like alot of other people have, but it was more of a groaning and at certain points in the turn radius, it would groan really loud and actually shake the van alittle bit. So i first replaced the resevoir after looking at the screen and having it been clogged. I put ATF in it like it says and the shake and noise went away. About a month after i fixed it, it came back, the groaning and shaking. Today i took the fluid out of the resevoir to look at the screen and the screen looked nice and clear, fluid looked good as well. It was alittle low on fluid, i added 3/4 of a cup of fluid, not alot. Turned the steering wheel to get all the air out but the noise still didn't go away. My first thought was the screen clogged, but its not, my second thought was it was alittle low on fluid so i filled it up and got the air out, but that didn't help. With the leaking, i thought maybe it might be leaking slowly out of the rack under heavy pressure or something, but im not sure. Has this happened to anyone else? The pump and rack seem to be working good, its just making alot of noise when im turning the wheel at slower speeds and reverse. Making a long trip to visit the rents soon, so i just wanna either get it fixed or make sure its safe to keep driving it. Thanks for you help!
#126 of 171 2002 Dodge Grand Caravan Problems by mikep15 Apr 09, 2009 (9:25 am)
UGGH!   This vehicle is driving me crazy. Only 68000 miles on it.   Here are my problems:   1) Power Steering: Squeals like crazy and is difficult to make turns most of time. Forget parking in a spot where you would need to back out of. It is too difficult to turn wheel. I checked fluid level and it is full. 2) When driving my battery light comes on from time to time (related to power steering?) 3) Heat: Front fan will only turn on if I turn it all the way on. First three settings will not work.   Any suggestions? I have spent so much money the last two years at the dealer, I don't want to take it there. I want to keep this vehicle for a while because I can't afford a new car payment right now. Replies to this message: sbradshaw (Apr 09, 2009 5:21 pm)
#127 of 171 Re: 2002 Dodge Grand Caravan Problems [mikep15] by sbradshaw Apr 09, 2009 (5:21 pm)
Replying to: mikep15 (Apr 09, 2009 9:25 am) I put 2 power steering pumps on mine b4 mechanic realized the rack and pinion was bad. Symptoms were whinning noises that seem to get worse depending on the temperature and stiff steering. I replaced it 2 weeks ago and all is well again. It costed me about 500 total parts 170 (rebuilt at Advance Auto Parts) and 175 labor.      As for the air only working on high...removed the glove compartment door so you can see the blower motor cover. To the left you can see where the blower motor plugs into the "resistor". The resistor is bad when this happens. Replaced that last week. Takes about 5 minutes. Could only get it from Auto Zone. Costed $23. Only 2 screws hold it in. The new one I ordered didn't look anything like the one I pulled out but it worked.
#128 of 171 03 Dodge Grand Caravan Problems by muman3419 Apr 20, 2009 (8:17 am)
My power steering pump is whining right when I start the vechicle. It seems to go away when the vechicle warms up. Do any of you think that it could be a clogged screen or need the resiviour replaced.   And if so how do I do it?
#129 of 171 2000 Grand Dodge Caravan loud roaring noise by mjmurphy2 Apr 29, 2009 (1:03 pm)
I have a 2000 Grand Dodge Caravan and it started making noise from the engine compartment, so I started investigating the problem and thought it was the pulley by the alternator so I replaced that and it wasn't that. So I asked around to some of my mechanic friends and they it was the alternator and so I replaced it...it wasn't that either. Now a couple people thought it's the bearings in the a/c unit. It gets very loud when started and driven until you get to about 45 mph. It sounds like it could be bearings or something like that. Anybody have any ideas or similar problems? Thanks! Replies to this message: joepeterson56 (Apr 29, 2009 7:58 pm)
#130 of 171 Re: 2000 Grand Dodge Caravan loud roaring noise [mjmurphy2] by joepeterson56 Apr 29, 2009 (7:58 pm)
Replying to: mjmurphy2 (Apr 29, 2009 1:03 pm) More than likely, it is the bearings in your A/C compressor and it is just a matter of time before it seizes up and burns through your serpentine drive belt. It just happened on my 2000 T&C LXi. It began as a rattle type noise, and progressed to a "graoning, roar" type sound, for lack of a better description. I spent alot of time chasing the source of it, even with a stethescope, and finally just gave up. I didn't actually suspect the compressor as the source, because it did it without running the A/C. Also when listening around, by ear, with a stethescope, and with a piece of tubing to my ear, I was not able to isolate the noise as it seemed to travel into every part on the engine it was so bad. It finally seized up and burnt thhrough the belt. I replace the belt and compressor, and it is noiseless now. My only problem is I have to change the new compressor again, because it is defective, and when the A/C or defroster are turned on, it makes a very loud whining noise that actually sounds the same as the whining made by a bad power steering pump, or transmission.
#131 of 171 2003 Grand Caravan Falling Apart by Newt08 Apr 30, 2009 (6:24 am)
This is my third and last Dodge. I've taken exceptional care of my 2003 SE Grand Caravan and am experiencing several problems. When the odometer hit 80,000 miles, all hell broke loose. I’ve replaced the transmission, ignition switch, thermostat and now the computer is dead -- this all happened in a four month period. Whenever I turn the wheels, the front end squeals and it sounds like a can of loose change when I hit a bump. I've owned Dodges since 1988, but this is my last.
#132 of 171 Power Steering Noises by kitkate420 May 06, 2009 (8:10 am)
I have an 01 dodge caravan, its been making these crazy noises since the march break this year. the noises also dont happen all the time, they are happening more frequently now though. sometimes i get this 'power steering' noise when i turn and break but when i accelerate it goes away, also i can feel the vibration in my break pettle and steering wheel, it is not hard to turn a corner either it just makes the noise and vibration. its getting louder also im worried im going to turn a corner one day and something bad will happen. the power steering fluid is right where it should be not too low and not too much. Replies to this message: joepeterson56 (May 06, 2009 9:16 am) basline11 (Aug 17, 2009 5:17 am) sbradshaw (Aug 17, 2009 4:33 pm) and 1 more... sbradshaw (May 07, 2009 6:55 pm)
#133 of 171 Re: Power Steering Noises [kitkate420] by joepeterson56 May 06, 2009 (9:16 am)
Replying to: kitkate420 (May 06, 2009 8:10 am) I know this may sound a bit crazy, but having owned many C/D/P minis from model years 85 and up, have your A/C compressor checked out and eliminated as the source of the noise. I have had several, where the pulley bearings have gone bad and the noises it makes can have you chasing the source of the noise and vibrations as a power steering problem, steering rack and even transmission problems. For some reason it seems that isolating the source of engine compartment noises in these vans is quite troublesome. They can make some very strange sounds that usually sound like they are coming from somewhere else under the hood. I even have a mechanics stethoscope that I use and even with that or a pice of tubing held to your ear, and moved from component to component under the hood, it is sometimes very hard if not impossible to isolate the bad component that is actually make the noise. My "steering noise" on my 2001 T&C, actually turned out to be the compressor pully bearings. When I couldn't narrow the source down, I decided to just let it go for awhile and try again later. Instead of it getting worse, it got very quiet, then the bearings seized up and it melted and snapped the serpentine belt. I then bought a rebuilt compressor, and as soon as I chrged up the freon on turned that one on, I got a whining noise that acted and sounded like a transmission "whine". Had to do that job over again! No more noises, and it sounds and runs better then it ever did since I owned it. Turned out the problem w the first rebuilt compressor, was that the parts store gave me the wrong weight(PAG 100) compressor oil, and also only gave me 8 ounces to put in, but it calls for 13 ounces of PAG 46 ! Like I said, may sound crazy but I have owned enough of these to know better. Good luck.   Just thought I should add for clarification, in case anyone was wondering, that when the bearings were going in the A/C pully, it was definitely isolated to the main bearings and not the clutch, because it makes the noises and vibrations without the A/C or defroster turned on. Also, my comments on the LUCAS Power Steering STOP LEAK ADDITIVE: when you get momentary stiffness or steering loss in the power steering racks on most cars, you may also get a popping feeling and/or sound as well. This is usually from wear on the seals inside the rack. While I do NOT believe that any "leak stoppers" actually stop leaks, I will say this for the LUCAS, I use it as a lubricating additive, not a leak stopper, but it does appear to stop or slow down these internal seal leaks in the rack enough to avoid replacement of it for several years, or all together. This is of course based on my personal use and results of it in my own vehicles, both Chrysler and GM. Replies to this message: basline11 (Aug 17, 2009 5:17 am) sbradshaw (Aug 17, 2009 4:33 pm) xwesx (Aug 18, 2009 1:50 pm)

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