1997 Dodge Grand Caravan

CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF DRIVEBELT TENSIONER CAUSED INSTANT LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE BY FAILURE TO DRIVE EITHER POWER STEERING OR THE ALTERNATOR. THIS CAUSED INSTANT AND TOTAL LOSS OF HYDRAULIC POWER TO THE STEERING AND LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER TO THE LIGHTS. THE ELECTRICAL POWER DID COME BACK UP BUT ONLY SUFFICIENT TO GIVE LESS THAN HALF THE NORMAL ILLUMINATION TO THE HEADLIGHTS AS BOTH AIRCONDITIONERS WERE OPERATIING AS WERE THE LIGHTS AND WIPERS. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED ON A TWISTING WET ROAD IN THE EVERGLADES WITH A CANAL ON THE OUTSIDE OF AN APPROACHING BEND IN THE ROAD. SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING REQUIRED A SUPERHUMAN EFFORT TO KEEP THE VEHICLE ON THE ROAD AND PREVENT WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A TRAGIC FINALE HAD THE MINIVAN GONE INTO THE CANAL WITH ITS 3 ADULTS & 4 CHILDREN. DISCUSSION WITH TWO CHRYSLER DEALERS AS WELL AS SEVERAL TOW TRUCK DRIVERS INDICATES THAT THIS IS A VERY FREQUENT CAUSE OF ACCIDENTS. ONE DEALER SAID THEY HAVE TO REPLACE ONE OF THESE TENSIONERS EVERY DAY BUT IT SEEMS TO TAKE 36 OR MORE MONTHS FOR THE DEFECT TO SHOW UP HENCE IT DOES NOT APPEAR ON CHRYSLERS' WARRANTY LIST OF FREQUENT FAILURES ALTHOUGH CHRYSLER MUST BE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM DUE TO THE INORDINATE NUMBER OF REPLACEMENT TENSIONERS THEY HAVE TO SHIP TO THEIR DEALERS. MECHANICAL INSPECTION OF THE PART SHOWS NOT ONLY POOR DESIGN BUT ALSO, IN MY CASE, DEFECTIVE MANUFACTURING OF THE HIGH TENSILE BOLT USED TO ATTACHE THE TENSIONER TO THE ENGINE. WHEN THE TENSIONER BREAKS OF OFF IT ALLOWS THE DRIVE BELT TO DETACH FROM THE PULLEYS IT IS DRIVING WHICH INCLUDE THE POWER STEERING, AIRCONDITIONING COMPRESSOR, WATER PUMP AND ALTERNATOR THE FIRST AND LAST OF WHICH ARE CRITICAL TO VEHICLE CONTROL. FURTHER RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THIS PROBLEM IN CHRYSLER MINIVANS APPEARS TO BE CONFINED TO 3.8 AND 3.3 LITER ENGINES. DEFECTIVE PART WAS MADE IN CANADA.TOW TRUCK DRIVERS TOLD US THAT IF THEY HAVE TO PICK UP A CHRYSLER MINIVAN, 4 TIMES OUT OF 5 IT IS FOR A BROKEN DRIVEBELT TENSIONER.

MAJOR PROBLEMS FOLLOWED MONTHS AFTER ENGINE REPLACED. WHILE TRAVELLING ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS, SUDDENLY ENGINE SPUTTERS, LOSES POWER, STALLS. THIS HAS HAPPENED TOO FREQUENTLY - ON DANGEROUS HIGHWAYS - RT. 1 IN FLORIDA KEYS, RTS. 20 AND 26 IN NC AND SC. ALSO OCCURRED IN VERY DANGEROUS INTERSECTIONS IN ASHEVILLE, NC AND MYRTLE BEACH, SC.

SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONER BOLT SHEERED OFF AT MOUNT. METAL WAS STRESSED CAUSING BOLT TO BREAK OFF. ASSUME DEFECTIVE BOLT (HAVE ASSEMBLY FOR FURTHER EXANINATION IF NEEDED).POWER STEERING, AIR CONDITIONING, ENGINE WATER PUMP ETC ETC CEASED TO FUNCTION BECAUSE BELT CAME OFF ALL POWER ACCESSORIES. ENGINE OVERHEATED AND MAY HAVE CAUSED DAMAGE TO ENGINE. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AS FAR AS VEHICLE CONTROL ETC. WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT THIS ITEM HAS BEEN CAUSING PROBLEMS FOR SOME TIME. HE HAS REPLACED MANY OF THESE ITEMS ON DODGE CARAVANS. REQUEST THAT A RECALL BE CONSIDERED IN THIS SITUATION. THANKS

ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO OUR 97 GRAND CARAVAN SE, 3.3L V6, 45,000 MILES DIED AT AN INTERSECTION AND WOULD NOT RESTART. WE HAD IT TOWED TO A DEALER THAT SUNDAY EVENING. ON TUESDAY I WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET ($700) AS TWO ADJACENT CLYINDERS WERE LOW ON PRESSURE. LATER THAT WEEK I WAS TOLD THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS OK BUT THE CAMSHAFT WAS BROKEN ($1400). ON THURSDAY I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAMSHAFT BEARINGS WERE DAMAGED AND THAT I WOULD NEED TO EITHER PURCHASE A REBUILT SHORTBLOCK OR LONGBLOCK ($3,300/$3,800). I WENT TO THE DEALER TO VIEW MY ENGINE (NOW DISASSEMBLED ON A BENCH) AND THE CAMSHAFT WAS IN TWO PIECES. A CLEAN BREAK WITH NO BLUE COLOR ON EITHER THE CAMSHAFT NOR THE CAMSHAFT BEARINGS. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT CAMSHAFT BEARINGS WERE ONLY SERVICED BY USING THE SHORTBOCK (I.E., THEY WANTED TO SELL ME THE WHOLE WORKS. FROM A HAYES MANUAL I PURCHASED I DISCOVERED THAT YOU COULD INDEED REPLACE THE CAMSHAFT BEARINGS (SEEMS LOGICAL AS CHRYSLER DOES REBUILD ENGINES FOR RESALE). HOWEVER I WAS TOLD THAT THE DEALER DID NOT DO THIS. I ASKED THEM TO FIND AN AUTOMOTIVE MACHINE SHOP THAT WOULD DO THIS. AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS WITH NO CALL BACKS I FOUND A COUPLE OF MACHINE SHOPS THAT WOULD DO THE JOB FOR $35-$150. WHEN I TOLD THE SERVICE MANAGER THIS INFORMATION HE SAID THEY COULD GET THE CAMSHAFT BUT NOT THE BEARINGS. THE SERVICE MANAGER ASKED ME IF THE MACHINE SHOP COULD GET THE BEARINGS. THEIR BOOK SHOWED CAMSHAFT BEARINGS FOR MINI VANS UP TO 92 ONLY. THEY PROBED FURTHER AND DISCOVERED THE BEARINGS LISTED FOR THE 3.3L CARS WERE INDEED THE SAME PART NEEDED FOR THE 3.3L CARAVAN. NEXT WEEK I HOPE TO BE BACK ON THE ROAD FOR A LOT LESS $$$ THAN THE OPTIONS THAT WERE PRESENTED TO ME.... STILL NOT SATISFIED AS TO THE REASON FOR THE BREAKAGE. IT WASN'T OIL STARVATION AS THE OIL PORTS ON THE CAMSHAFT BEARINGS WERE STILL IN ALIGNMENT. THE OIL PUMP IS ALSO STILL WORKING. IT LOOKS LIKE THE CAMSHAFT HAD AN UNDETECTED FLAW AT THE TIME OF MANUFACTURE. MY FIRST ATTEMPT.