So..... I have a 2005 Grand Caravan SE, and it runs like complete crap. New plugs, new wires, updated CPU by dealer, complete top end and throttle body cleaning, etc. At cruising speeds, the van acts like it is choking on itself. Sputter hesitate sputter. Of course, it is intermittent, so nobody can fix it. It has now been running like crap for almost 20,000 miles. Forget using anything but Chevron Super. Put regular unleaded in it and it barely runs. I'm told the fuel pump and fuel filter are probably not the issue, because the van starts fine, accelerates without stumbling, and so forth. Problem is at driving speeds only..... any speed....... when maintaining that speed. At this point, I've accepted that the van will just run poorly, but if anyone knows of anything, let me know. Injectors? I tested the injectors, and they all fire correctly.

Oh, and when the van is stopped, and I use the brakes to keep it stopped, it makes this noise like it is an airplane or something. This loud like hum. My wife and I have come to the point where we make fun of it.... like it is moaning.

Speaking of the brakes, which have already needed to be completely replaced because the rotors went bad, they intermittently grind like heck. Not all the time of course..... this van would certainly not want a mechanic or myself for that matter to be able to figure out what ails it.

NOW, the front floorboard is completely wet. It looks like the heater core is leaking, but it is not coolant, so apparently something is leaking ON the heater core. From what I can find, it is air conditioning condensation that is not making its way where it SHOULD. Also, the ac vent SMOKE every ten minnutes or so. It is an odorless steamlike expulsion. Cool huh? So, tonight I will try to find if the condensation tube is clogged, disconnected, or whatever. Knowing this van, I wont find ANYTHING, and I'll have to take it somewhere for someone to charge me $100 to tell me THEY cant find anything.

I hate this van. I hate thje sales person that sold it to me. It now has a trade in value of $7000. A TWO YEAR OLD CAR. DODGE should be ASHAMED to sell these vans. I understand depreciating, but that is over the top. So, I am stuck with this piece of crap.

THANKS DODGE!!!!!!

 

To follow up...... in case anyone out there ever has a van that decides to leak AC Condensate all over the interior, I used a wire to "roto-router" the drain line, and then took the glove box out, revealing the plastic housing which seems to hold the condensate overflow. Eventually, I used the "Fonzie" method to repair the problem. Some light fist tapping on the parts behind the glove box seemed to free up whatever was clogging the drain line, because roughly 1 to 2 gallons of water poured out of the drain line onto the floor. Since, the air has worked and drained as designed to. Doubt that it was that much? It ran out like a faucet for over 5 minutes. Trust me. It was a lot. So, now I am letting the carpets dry. Beyond this, now I only have to deal with the hesitation issue. Who knows, maybe I'll use the money I saved from not having to put a down payment on a Sienna to get that fixed.

Oh, and by the way.... the worst part of this issue, was the fact that the water leaked ONTO the heater core, which resulted in two issues. First, it heated the water, which subsequently splashed on my wife's foot while driving. LUCKILY the water splashed her shoe and not any portion of skin, as the water was VERY hot. The other problem, is that it gave the illusion that the heater core was cracked and leaking all over the place, and repair shops wanted to replace the heater core. Now, could someone educate me as to what runs through the heater core? Is it not coolant? So, if I open my radiator and it has PINK coolant and is FULL, wouldn't WATER leaking out of the heater core be suspicious?

 

Who ever said repair men where honest. A poke in the drain hole and charging you for a heater core and labor is very profitable.