2001 Dodge Grand Caravan Engine Problems

Your van is overheating, especially when the air conditioner is running. The cooling fans aren't engaging when the AC is on, and the AC isn't staying cool. Your van broke down and started smoking from under the hood and undercarriage, which suggests a serious cooling system failure. The fix will likely involve replacing the cooling fan motor or its relay, checking the AC compressor, and inspecting the cooling system for leaks or blockages.

METAL COOLANT LINES GOING TO REAR HEATER FAILED. COMPLETELY ROTTED/RUSTED OUT ($470 IN PARTS/LABOR, PART WAS $200). VEHICLE HAD 116K MILES ON IT. PART WAS REPLACE WITH NEW DESIGN COOLANT LINES. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. HE NOTICED A PUDDLE OF ANTIFREEZE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE WHILE PARKED. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE LINES IN THE TUBE SUPPLY AND RETURN RUSTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PREVIOUS TUBES WERE MADE OUT OF STEAL, AND THE NEW ONES ARE MADE OF ALUMINUM. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 90,000. THE VIN, ENGINE SIZE, CYLINDERS, AND DEALERSHIP INFORMATION WAS NOT UNAVAILABLE.

METAL COOLANT LINES GOING TO REAR HEATER FAILED. COMPLETELY ROTTED/RUSTED OUT ($400 IN PARTS/LABOR). VEHICLE ONLY HAD 41931 MILES ON IT. SOULD BE FILED UNDER AIR CONDITIONER, HEATER, VENTILATION BUT THERE WAS NO CAT. FOR IT. *NM

I NOTICED A PUDDLE OF ANTIFREEZE UNDER MY 2001 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. I TOOK IT INTO MY LOCAL REPAIR SHOP TO BE DIAGNOSED AND THEY SAID THAT IT WAS A REAR COOLING/HEATING SYSTEM PIPE THAT HAD RUSTED AND WAS CAUSING MY ANTIFREEZE TO LEAK OUT AND NOT PROPERLY CIRCULATE IN MY VEHICLE. I WAS TOLD THAT DODGE HAD A RECALL SO I CONSULTED MY LOCAL DEALER WHO INFORMED ME THAT THE RECALL WAS FOR 2004-2005 MODEL YEARS THAT ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM BUT NOT FOR MY VEHICLE. I WAS TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR MY VEHICLES PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH IT WAS THE SAME EXACT ONE THAT WAS ON RECALL FOR THE NEWER VEHICLES. I TOOK MY VEHICLE BACK TO MY LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHILE HAVING TO FILL THE RADIATOR WITH A GARDENHOSE EVERY TIME I TOOK IT OUT BECAUSE THE ENGINE WAS OVERHEATING DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. THEY REPLACED MY RUSTED STEEL PIPE WITH THE NEWER DESIGNED ALUMINUM PIPE THAT DODGE IS NOW USING IN THE VEHICLES. THIS COST $300 TO REPLACE. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS FLUID LEAKING UNDER THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP DETERMINED THE TUBING FROM THE RADIATOR TO THE REAR HEATER HAD ROTTED THROUGH. THE DEALERSHIP WAS ALERTED.

ENGINE HESITATES AND SPUTTERS BADLY WHEN PLACED INTO GEAR WITH BRAKE ON AND SPUTTERS BADLY WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS MOSTLY WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONING IS ON. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP TWICE FOR THIS PROBLEM. BUILT UP CARBON WAS CLEANED FROM THE INTAKE, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. ALSO, THE FAN SPEED SWITCH WAS REPLACED BECAUSE IT ONLY WORKED ON HIGH. IT HAS FAILED AGAIN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *JB

A METAL HOSE UNDERNEATH THE VAN RUSTED THROUGH AND EXPLODED. THIS RESULTED IN ALL THE COOLANT LEAKING OUT. THIS CAUSED THE VAN TO IMMEDIATELY OVERHEAT AND STALL WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALERSHIP PEFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND DISCOVERED THE HOSE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *JB *SC

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE STEEL TUBE THAT RUNS TO THE WATER PUMP RUSTED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT, EVENTUALLY LOSING FLUIDS. VEHICLE FINALLY SHUT DOWN. *AK

THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED WHILE DRIVING, DUE TO LOST OF COOLANT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER FOUND TWO METAL LINES, ONE LINE WAS LEADING TO THE A/C AND THE OTHER LINE TO THE HEATER. BOTH WERE CORRODED THROUGH. *JB

EQUIPMENT FAILURE - 50,000 MILES - ALL COOLANT STEEL PIPING IN VEHICLE RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT. STAINLESS LINES FROM REAR HEATER OK BUT ALL OTHER LINES RUSTING. BLISTERS ON PIPING AND LINES UNDER PASSENGER SEAT RUSTED THROUGH AND LEAKING. HAD TO REPLACE ALL STEEL LINES WITH RUBBER HOSE. STEEL LINES NOT REPLACEABLE WITHOUT REMOVAL OF ENGINE. *JB

THE ENGINE FAN COOLING SYSTEM HAS CREATED A CONSTANT VIBRATION OF THE VEHICLE. THEY ATTEMPTED TO FIX IT WITH BRACKETS, BUT IT CONTINUES TO VIBRATE. I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE IN TEN TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. THEY BASICALLY SAID THEY KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM, BUT HAVE NO OTHER FIXES FOR IT. THE VAN VIBRATES IN PARK, OR WHEN IDLING WITH THE BRAKE ON. IT IS WORSE WHEN THE AIR IS RUNNING. I WENT TO AN ARBITRATOR AND WAS TOLD EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEM STILL CONTINUES, THEY WOULDN'T REPLACE THE VEHICLE, BECAUSE IT WAS ONLY REPAIRED ONCE! THEY ONLY OFFERED ME AN EXTENDED WARRANTY AT NO COST TO ME. I JUST WANT THE VIBRATION TO STOP. IT IS VERY ANNOYING. AFTER SPENDING ALOT OF MONEY ON THIS VEHICLE, I WOULD LIKE A SMOOTH RIDE.*AK

ENGINE DIES AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND STARTS UP AGAIN. ENGINE LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON. ENGINE NEVER CAME ON BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY REMOVED. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT SPEED VEHICLE WILL STALL, HAVING EVERYTHING SHUTDOWN. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK

WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE ON RIGHT FRONT, DEALER REPLACED A DEFECTIVE ENGINE MOUNT. NLM *YH

VEHICLE BUCKS, STALLS AND STOPS REGARDLESS OF SPEED OR ROAD CONDITIONS. PROBLEM PARTICULARLY NOTICEABLE WHEN ACCELERATING. ENGINE LIGHT HAS ACTIVATED EACH TIME. VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE; NO WARNING GIVEN BEFORE IT DIES WHILE DRIVING.*AK

CAR JUST STOPPED SUDDENLY WHILE RUNNING. FORTUNATELY WE WERE NOT ON FREEWAY.*AK