a/c in 2001 T&C

Take it to the dealer and have it diagnosed

Glenn Beasley Chrysler Tech

Agreed - you'll probably find it is low on R134a. Mine exhibited that exact symptom. The first time I took it in to be checked they could not find a leak with either a sniffer or UV light (and dye). Six months later it had leaked down again and this time they found a leak in the condensor (a hissing noise in the passenger compartment is a good clue). That has been replaced and now all is fine - even through the 100 degree days we've had here recently.

Good luck,

Jeff

The evaporator is in the passenger compartment, the condensor is in front of the radiator.

Ted

I'm way over my head on this one but...

Is this by any chance one of the systems that have separate temp settings for the driver and passenger? I have heard of the doors sticking or mechnaism failing on the GM version of those systems and cuasing this problem. There is a way to do a diagnostic of the HVAC system from the control panel on the dash but I don't know how to start it or interpret the flashing lights.

Steve B.

Bzzzzzzztttt.... Wrong answer. 2001 Caravans have a problem with the damper door. I had one with the problem. This is from NHTSA, and it talks about the right side having no heat, but the left side screws up too. There's a shaft that goes into a stepper motor that was too short. If your description is accurate - hot air on one side, and cold on the other - it's a damper problem. There's no switching of anything to do with refrigerant when you adjust the temp between the sides. It's all done with baffles and air flow. With the key on and the engine off, and the fan on low, try adjusting temperature on one side at a time. You should here the little motors running. If one side makes noise, and the other doesn't. that side is stuck. You said the back works, and that it's cold on one side. That kinda rules out that it's really really low on gas, so don't go there first.

Make: DODGE Model: CARAVAN Year: 2001 Type: ANY Service Bulletin Number: 2400601 NHTSA Item Number: 620069 Summary Description: SOME VEHICLE OPERATORS MAY COMPLAIN OF NO HEAT IN ANY MODE, FROM THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THIS BULLETIN INVOLVES REPLACING THE BLEND AIR DOOR SHAFT WITH A NEW PART. *TT

Thanks - you are correct. I knew when I typed it it did not sound correct and I didn't feel like tracking down the work order.

Jeff

Bzzzzzzzzttt - right answer for my van - twice in fact. I know about the blend door issue and as I said, it wasn't the problem for my van. Fixing (replacing) the leaking evaporator and recharging the system finally did fix the issue. My understanding of the TSB on the blend door is that it is a heating issue - not cooling. Yeah - it's a subtle difference.

I'll need to refer back to the OP's given symptoms, because I in no way meant to contradict your experience with your vehicle:

"The dual air conditioning in my 2001 town & country works on the right side but hot air on the left side. If I turn it to defrost 1/2 is cold and the other hot. The rear a/c works great. Any help?"

Low on gas does not make it hot - more likely, not cool - on one side, and cold on the other. Nor does it allow the rear a/c to "work great". Stuck blend doors do cause the above symptoms - and either side can stick in either mode. Yours apparently had the famous evap. leak. Mine actually did have a condensor leak whick did also require multiple trips in. I actually found the leak for them by crawling around under the vehicle at night with the black light. Bad weld at the very bottom right of the condensor. I still think that he's got a stuck blend door based on his symptoms, which he can verify himself just by listening to it.

Take it to the dealer and find out why the controller is now working, if i had to guess, it would be a faulty control assembly

If the either of the blend doors stick, there is no indication of any fault anywhere until you invoke a calibration cycle - it's done with some button magic at the hvac control head. Even then, the only indication is a flashing light that the calibration has failed. The OP needs to go get the problem looked at, and hopefully he'll report back what the problem was.

Thanks for all the posts. Problem was leak in coil.