1999 Plymouth Grand Voyager

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT CONTINUES TO DETACH AND HAS BEEN REPLACED SEVEN TIMES. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE IS A NEW KIT FOR THIS COMPONENT, HOWEVER, THE CONTACT DOES NOT KNOW IF HER VEHICLE IS UNDER RECALL. THE FAILURE CAUSES COOLANT NOT TO CIRCULATE, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT, AND STEERING DIFFICULTY. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 205,374. THE CONSUMER PROVIDED INFORMATION FROM NAPA REGARDING THE SERPENTINE BELTS AND A REPAIR INVOICE. UPDATED 09/05/07 *TR

I HAVE A 1999 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE PULLEY 2 TIMES IN THE LAST 2 YEARS AND IT IS GIVING OUT AGAIN. I KNOW 2 OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM THEREFORE THEY HAVE GOTTEN RID OF THEIR VEHICLES. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE PULLEY. I HAVE BROKEN DOWN 3 TIMES DUE TO THE PULLEY TEARING THE SERPENTINE BELT. AN ACCIDENT ALMOST OCCURRED THE LAST TIME BECAUSE WHEN THE BELT BREAKS THE STEERING GOES OUT. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PANEL GAUGES FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. ADDITIONALLY, THE HEADLIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATED IF THE HIGH BEAM WAS ENGAGED. ALSO, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND OPERATED AT A REDUCED SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS EXPOSED TO HURRICANE WEATHER PRIOR TO THE ONSET OF THESE PROBLEMS. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHICH PRODUCED NO FAILURE CODES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED.

STRUT TOWER CORROSION - 1999 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER. STRUT TOWER WAS RUSTED THROUGH WITH 65,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, ASKED DEALERSHIP TO LOOK AT IT AND THEY REFUSED AND REFERRED ME TO A BODY SHOP. I RECEIVED SIMILAR ANSWERS FROM OTHER DEALERS IN THE AREA. ESTIMATED COSTS FOR THIS REPAIR IS $1,600. I CALLED CHRYSLER CUSTOMER CARE AND THE CUSTOMER CARE PERSON WAS VERY RUDE AND DISMISSIVE, AND HIS TONE WAS SNIDE AND SCATHING AS I WAS TOLD THAT I WAS OVER 30K MILES OUT OF MY WARRANTY AND WHY WAS I CALLING THEIR COMPANY TO GET HELP IN THESE REPAIRS. WHEN I ASKED FOR A HIGHER REP I WAS DENIED CARE AND AGAIN, SCATHINGLY WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM WAS NOT THEIRS. AFTER LOOKING ONLINE I FOUND THAT THIS ISSUE WAS SOMETHING REPORTED BEFORE. *JB

I STARTED VEHICLE TO WARM UP WHILE AT OUR CABIN IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN. AFTER ABOUT 3 MINUTES OF RUNNING I NOTICED A BAD ODOR COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE I DISCOVERED SMOKE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. I MOVED IT AWAY FROM MY GARAGE AND SHUT IT OFF. I OPENED THE DOORS AND THE LEFT REAR SPEAKER NEXT TO THE SEAT WAS ON FIRE! I WENT INTO MY CABIN,GRABBED A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. *NM

RE: STRUT MOUNTS ON 1999 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER SE - VIN [XXX] THE STRUT MOUNTS WERE DETERIORATING AT A RAPID PACE AND WERE RUSTING OUT TO THE POINT THAT THEY COULD BREAK AT ANY TIME, CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY TO SOMEONE. UPON NOTICING THIS PROBLEM I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT FIXED - TO THE TUNE OF $1,500. I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THE FOLLOWING AT THE APA WEBSITE: THE APA WEBSITE STATED THAT THE 1996 - 2000 MODELS HAD RUST PERFORATION IN THE FRONT STRUT TOWERS (ESPECIALLY ON THE LEFT SIDE) IN THE AREA OF THE UPPER STRUT. IT STATED THAT THE ANCHORAGE SEEMS TO STEM FROM INSUFFICIENT RUST PROTECTION AND THE USE OF THIN STEEL IN THIS AREA. THE MECHANIC WHO FIXED THE STRUTS STATED HE HAS SEEN QUITE A FEW WITH THIS PROBLEM AND WISHED MORE PEOPLE WOULD WRITE IN AND COMPLAIN. ONE PARTICULAR CUSTOMER WAS TOLD NOT TO DRIVE HIS VEHICLE UNTIL HE GOT IT FIXED AS IT WAS THAT BAD. I CONTACTED DAIMLER CHRYSLER CORPORATION ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND THEY BASICALLY SAID THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM. FORD RECENTLY RECALLED SOME VEHICLES FOR A LITTLE BIT OF RUST PROBLEM ON THE SIDE OF THE TRUCK, WHICH IN MY OPINION WAS ONLY A COSMETIC TYPE OF PROBLEM. THE RUSTED STRUTS POSE A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM AND COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURIES OR DEATH. I DO NOT HAVE THE OLD PART BUT I DO HAVE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THEM BEFORE THEY WERE FIXED. I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. YOU ARE MY LAST RESORT AND I HOPE IT WILL DO SOME GOOD. THIS PROBLEM DID NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT FOR ME. HOWEVER, IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO CHECK INTO THE NEXT TIME THERE IS AN ACCIDENT WITH ONE OF THESE VEHICLES. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND HOPE IT CAN MAKE A LITTLE DIFFERENCE. THANK YOU. *NM UPDATED 07/17/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)