I have a 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan with an extended warranty that I just recently took in because the air-conditioning unit blew. Fortunately, it was covered and replaced.

But from within the first 20 miles of getting the van back from the dealer, it has been behaving oddly:

- It stalls for no apparent reason. Fortunately, not while driving fast. So far, in the last week, the van has stalled while pulling into a parking space (usually as the steering wheel is turned all the way to the left or right and at low speed). If I wait a few moments, it usually restarts. I took it back to the dealer right away, but they found nothing and no reports in the computer system. But it has stalled three times since.

- The oil warning starts beeping after stepping on the brakes. The oil was just changed (a week before the air-conditioning repair). Just to make sure, I took it back to Monroe Muffler and Brake, who changed the oil, and they found the oil full and found no problems.

I will take it back to the dealer tomorrow. But what could have happened during the air-conditioning repair that is causing all of this weird behavior??

Please help!!!

 

Could be either the crank or cam signal sensors. Do the check engine light come on?

 

Only when your foot is off the gas? Bad Idle Air Control (IAC) valve, wiring to the valve from the PCM, the PCM, or the valves orifice in the throttle body is clogged.

 

Thank you so much for responding!!

@ Master Tech
No, the check engine light doesn't come on. But periodically, the oil warning light comes on -- but it seems to start after I hit the brakes. Once it does start, though, it doesn't stop. But that happens independently from the stalling.

@ Cougar 41
All of the stalls have happened at very low speed -- and, oddly, they have all happened while parking or pulling into a parking space at very low speeds. I will try to keep an eye out the next time and see if it happens when I release the gas. (Fortunately, none of the stalls have happened at high speed.)

Can either of you think of a reason all of these things would be happening right after having my air-conditioning repaired? I did take it right back to the dealer last week -- but they found nothing wrong. They said they checked and everything was put back together correctly after the air-conditioning repair (rear compressor and all connecting hoses and tubes) and added that they computer did not show anything unusual.

But something is clearly very wrong.

 

If it was the compressor that was changed it's in the area of the camshaft and ECT sensors and several vacuum lines. If they flushed the system as they should have they could have been anywhere around the engine. BTW - if the compressor granaded and they didn't flush the A/C system, good chance that compressor won't last long.

 

Let me know if you find out, my 2009 Grand Caravan with 126,000kms does the exact same thing.

 

My '08 T&C 3.3L had similar symptoms, sometime stalled on slow corners, and once when stationary in a car park. Turned out to be a bad EGR valve, which eventually set a P0405 code when the valve must have got stuck open and the van wouldn't idle at all. Even then, after the code was cleared, it didn't set the code again.

The van hasn't stalled once since a new EGR was installed. I now believe that the stalling was coincident with low rpm's, and nothing to do with steering wheel position.

 

Reading stuff like this always makes me
I wouldn't be too critical of a shop not figuring out the stalling, because that can be caused by many things, and are often tough to sort out.
However ... the oil light is on, but there is no problem - AKA, the lights are on and no ones home.
THERE HAS TO BE A PROBLEM. Most of the time it's going to be just a bad oil sender, or some electrical issue - no actual oil problem. But OTH this same light being on COULD also be a bad oil pump. And given the implications of that possibility, I can't believe they wouldn't at least check the oil pressure (and replace the sensor if it checked out ok). Just another example why of some of us always want to DIY whenever possible.

 

Well, things have been going from bad to worse. I took it back in to the Dealer and they were convinced there were two separate issues: Bad battery and bad oil sensor. They changed both, and took the vehicle for a test drive --- and then the ENGINE BLEW.

Unreal. This van is less than 5 years old and has 70K miles -- not that many for this day and age.

Fortunately, I have extended warranty -- but UNFORTUNATELY the warranty adjuster is trying to weasel out by claiming the van had no oil. That is hogwash -- I have maintained oil in this vehicle and have receipts.

The Dealer is 100% behind me and agrees that this was just a bad motor. They are working with the warranty (Chrysler Service Contacts) team and have called for the regional supervisor to override the adjuster's assessment.

In addition, I have written directly to Doug Betts, Sr. VP of Quality at Dodge, because I am convinced that my particular vehicle is a LEMON.

In the last 18 months or so , myrear brake calipers have seized up twice! And both times the pads and rotorswere ruined -- which I had to pay for because "wear and tear" itemsare not covered by warranty, even though these parts were destroyed by faultycalipers. (An online search of brake issues shows that this is a serious issuefor Dodge Grand Caravans.) Then three weeks ago. my air-conditioning blew and last week, myengine blew.

I don't know what Mr. Betts views as a lemon, but in my book -- that sure sounds like a lemon to me.

I will keep you posted on how they hand things -- and if I ever hear back from Mr. Betts.

Thank you all so much for your help!

 

Good luck and keep us posted.