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Vans & Minivans Chrysler Town & Country/Dodge Grand Caravan Chrysler Town & Country power steering problems
64 messages, Last post on Nov 25, 2009 at 11:49 AM
You are in the Chrysler Town & Country/Dodge Grand Caravan Forum. Your Host is Karens
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I'm having PS problems with my 1996 Town and Country. It has a rebuilt engine with approx. 14,000 miles on it. When making a turn, it makes a whining noise and has a really stiff feel in the wheel. The engine sometimes stalls out when making a sharp turn at low to mid-range speed. I've noticed too, that there is some blow back from the top of the fluid reservoir, but no apparent leaks from around the pump. Any ideas or suggestions?
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Replying to: esscurvejunkie (Apr 08, 2009 5:01 pm)
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Replying to: villageab1 (Mar 13, 2009 4:15 am) |
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Replying to: enufkids4now (Apr 09, 2009 10:32 am) |
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I just went and got my 04 from dealer with a PS problem. cost of repairs 1009.00. I will use the suggestions given. Calling Chysyler in the morning. Will never buy a chrysler product again! 
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| Just took my 2006 T&C (60,000 miles) in to have the EGR Valve replaced. Was told the P/S rack is leaking and needs to be replaced ($1100). Any word on whether there will be a recall? | |
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Does anyone have a 2005 or 2006 Town and Country Short Wheel Base (or Dodge Caravan SWB) that has tight power steering? We bought our 2006 new and only have 6,000 miles on it and have taken it in for warranty twice for the power steering -or lack of. No whines or noise, just extremely difficult to turn. Getting in and out of parking places is miserable. The first time the dealer said it was overly tight but couldn't find a problem. The second time they replaced the rack, which didn't improve the steering at all, and said there was nothing more they could do. Took it to the Dodge dealer who said the Crysler dealer did not replace the rack and agreed after a test drive that there was a problem. They found a leak and replaced the rack. Only a slight improvement. Can't find any used SWB versions anywhere near us to test drive to compare. The long wheel base uses a different rack, so testing that model won't help us. We live in a small town that's a ferry ride away from the big city and don't have any other Chrylser dealers in the area. The Dodge dealer was great but is now out of business.
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Replying to: silverdale (Nov 12, 2009 10:21 pm) |
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Found this by googling caravan power steering pump. Read through the 7 pages of replies and signed up to reply (but now I only see 4 pages of replies??). Anyway, I have power steering noise when it gets cold. 04 Grand we bought used last Sept with 96000 kms on it, and now has 125000 kms. No leakage that I can see, although I have what appears to be a small oil leak on the driver side. PS fluid level is at the bottom of the normal range when cold. I presume it will go to the top of the normal range when hot but I'll have to check that. Noise first appeared when having the front brakes checked and the mechanic turning the wheels by hand. After starting the van, we got quite the shudder when turning the wheel when at idle. Rev it up a bit and it goes away. It eventually went away after a day or so. Had a cold snap a few months later, and the noise came back but would go away when it warmed up. Redid the front brakes just a couple months ago, and the noise returned after turning the rack by hand to get at the brake components. Went away after a day or so. Now the colder temps are returning and so is the noise. Loud whine most present at idle. Mechanic who checked the front brakes the first time when the noise appeared said one of the hoses might be collapsing internally, causing a pressure drop in the line. That is plausible. Brake hoses can also do that. I might replace the hoses even though NAPA doesn't carry a part number for them (odd). Hoses aren't expensive and are usually not hard to replace. Read on here about the reservoir. Another inexpensive fix I can do myself. I think I'll do that too. Has anyone just replaced the pump and not the rack? NAPA has a rebuilt pump for $130 CDN + $65 core charge. I found a how-to on replacing the pump here: http://www.ehow.com/how_4777406_change-steering-pump-dodge-caravan.html Doesn't sound that bad at all. In fact, when we bought our van, the car dealer had another Caravan on the lot that was about to get a PS pump replaced and he said it was an easy fix for his mechanic to do so. Where do you see the leaks when the racks are failing? Driver or passenger side? I never like saying "right" or "left" since that can so easily be mixed up.
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Replying to: 04grand (Nov 24, 2009 10:53 pm) Leaks could be on either side or both, depending on which seal is worn and leaking the worst. |
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