Re: 93 Dodge Caravan Stalling Problem

Are you taking the van to a Chrysler dealer or an independent garage. I know many will disagree with me, but I only take my vehicles to a dealership now. I've had many bad experiences with independents who simply didn't have the tools, training or service documentation required to work on modern cars. And you at least have a little leverage with the manufacturer if one of their franchisees screws up ... sometimes very little, but it depends on manufacturer. I've had decent luck with GM, marginal results with Chrysler and pitiful results with Honda.

Matt

"Say What?"

| Went to a second garage today. They had the van all day. Couldn't fix | the problem. Van runs worse then before. Couldn't even drive it away | from parking lot because it kept stalling. Whereas this didn't happen | when I brought it in last night. Guy said it is an electrical problem | causing something to shut down. But he couldn't find the problem in 8 | hours? Computer was replaced by another computer. Code now reads 1-2 | and then 5-5. Is there anybody out there who knows what they're doing!

I don't know the codes but my first impression from 40+ years of working on engines would be to check the fuel filters. Second would be to check for bad gas.

The code 1-2 means battery voltage low and/or it has been disconnected. It SHOULD have been disconnected if he put another computer in it. The 5-5 means end of codes, that is, the 5-5 shows that it is done checking codes.

I would suspect fuel also. Check your fuel filter. If you have been having problems getting up to speed on the highway, check for a clogged cat converter. These kind of problems do not thow a code. GOOD LUCK

I brought the van to a Dodge dealer this morning. The service advisor promised he'd have it done for me today. That they'd be able to find the problem. We'll see.

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Well its Friday 6PM. Just went to pick up the van from the Chrysler repair shop. The service advisor at 3 PM gauranteed to me the van would be ready and running by 5. He said they found faulty sensors in the fuel line which was causing the problem.

Well I head over there to pick it up. First thing I notice is that I don't see it parked out in the parking lot. So I go in to the front desk where you pay for repairs. The lady looks for the invoice, but can't find it. She goes to the service centre, and comes back telling me the service advisor wants to talk to me.

Immediately I feel a thud in my gut. I go talk to the service advisor. expecting the worse. He tells me the mechanic wants to keep the van over the weekend? That there is a wiring problem they've discovered!? Even though they've already changed parts to the cost of 250 dollars to me? ( I saw the partial invoice)

Even worse, they didn't even bother calling me to tell me they wanted to keep the van for the weekend? In fact when I got there the garage was closed, but luckily the service advisor was still there. If he had left, I would have shown up, not got my van, and nobody there would have known what the hell was going on. And on it goes.

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Sounds like you are just bad luck! :-)

Matt

"Matthew S. Whiting" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@computer.org:

I'd say he is getting the royal treatment far too many people get thesedays, and your suggestion that he take it to a dealer will only end up costing him a lot more. This kind of problem does not apply to the automotive industry alone, by any means.

If it gets his car fixed, it will be worth a little more. I'd rather pay $500 and have the job fixed, than pay $300 3 times and still not have the problem resolved.

Matt

The mechanic has probably attached all the expensive Chrysler monitoring tools to the vehicle system bus. This isn't an uncommon procedure and I would count myself lucky. It looks like you got a mechanic that actually cares about doing the job right instead of just replacing some parts and handing it back to you still broken.

Ted

Well I guess this guy cared, but he hasn't fixed the problem. The thing runs worse then ever. Its not even safe to drive in the condition its in. Its been three garages and not one has been able to find and fix the problem. My question is how can a vehicle have a mechanical failure yet trained mechanics can't repair it? Even worse, is this van history?

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Well again you have been given things to change form people that have had the same type of problems, since they have made it worse or its getting worse then it should be fixable.

Have you done the EGR thing yet?

Have you had the fuel pressure checked? Could be a plugged filter, I changed mine in 2002 and it looked like it had never been changed, and I changed the fuel pump, it was shot.

I may have missed a few messages but i have yet to see anywhere where you said you changed the EGR parts or even had the fuel pressure checked.

REMOVE the NOCRAP in my address to reply.

easy - because they are choosing not to repair it.

You have an 11 year old minivan worth perhaps $2K. Some of these mechanics - with enough time on their hands - could fix it. It might take a week's worth of work of trying different things. The cost would be far in excess of the value of the van. So what is happening is these mechanics are getting into the job, discovering that it's not an easy fix, then abandonding it before the bill gets run up so high that you don't want to pay it.

What you have here is a van that is a candidate for sale to a private DIYer. Or, become a DIYer yourself.

Ted