1998 Dodge Grand Caravan review from North America
"Wouldn't endanger my family in a Dodge Caravan again"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Engine gasket
serpentine belt disaster.
General comments?
Serpentine belt squealing/chirping? May not be the quick fix you thought. You may need to junk van! I found out that after replacing belt, tensioner and pulley bracket mentioned in a tech bulletin, belt still chirped. Mechanic discovered that pulley on crank shaft had far too much play in it and caused misalignment/disengaging of belt. Solution: replace crankshaft, pull and replace engine, or ditch vehicle. crankshaft misalignment could be caused by transmission going bad (no symptoms) and pushing crankshaft. (new engine could be junk again in a couple years) Save a few bucks buying Dodge over Honda or Toyota instead cost me far far more. Now I am up the creek with little time to find replacement vehicle for my wife and kids. thanks Dodge!
Recommended reviews
| 1998 Grand Caravan has been a reliable, comfortable family vehicle for 8 1/2 years |
|
| A piece of junk |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Model year | 1998 |
| Year of manufacture | 1998 |
| First year of ownership | 2003 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2005 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.8L Automatic |
| Performance marks | |
| Reliability marks | |
| Comfort marks | |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | |
| Distance when acquired | 101000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 113500 miles |
| Previous car | Honda Civic |
| Date of Entry | 28th October, 2005 |