Just got this vehicle last week. Nice options, rides smooth and holds a lot of
people and luggage. It actually rides a little "soft" I prefer a tighter suspension
for turns and handling. We took it on the highway for the first time on Sunday
for an 80 mile trip to New York and after I reached highway speed on a long
strait stretch of the highway, I noticed that thevehicle was moving slightly from
left to right by itself! It was a subtle motionso I spent much of the trip trying to figure out
what was happening.After returning from the trip I could only conclude that this
brand new2008 Grand Caravan SXT was wandering! Like the big old 8 cyclinder cars
of the seventies used todo.
We're bringing it in to Dodge serviceto get the alignment checked to make sure
it's set correctly. I have a feeling the alignment is set correctly which would leave me
where? A brand new Caravan that wanders? Unbelievable....
Anybody else experience this or have something similar happen to their
2008 Grand Caravan?

 

This has been posted for two weeks with no response, very interesting. The 2008
Grand Caravan currently has a major marketing push going on and I'm quite surprised
there's been no response.

Here's an update on this for those interested.

Brought the vehichle back to Dodge service, and the alignment was a very tiny
bit off. They actually gave methe printouts that showed this information.
So this means that this Caravanis actuallysteering how it was designed to steer.
I do not like it, and wish we never bought the vehicle.

About 15 years ago Ibought a used Ford Bronco Eddie Bauer, nice truck/suv but
it wandered. It made me crazy!! I was so glad when I sold it and bought a Chevy
Venture that actually drove in a straight line!

Oh by the way Dodge sales told me that the highways are pitched so that the
rain willrun off and thats what I'm experiencing with the new 2008 Grand Caravan. Okie dokie!!
I told them that I've owned 9 new vehicles in the last 20 years and have never had a
wandering problem with them! (The Bronco was used and was in an accident)

 

not to be rude.. but buying any vehicle ..as you should know in the 40 years of vehicles.. is like sex before marriage .. gotta test drive it before ya buy it.. i havent drove one.. bit it is an absolutely beautiful van.. thinking on getting one.. im glad you did post.. because that will be one thing im going ot pay close attention to when i take it on the highway... ill post back when i do ..

 

We did test drive theCaravan on local roads near the dealer. It wasn't bad at 35 - 45 mph. This dealer is not near a highway and because of that we couldn't test it at 60+ mph. Thewandering I'm experiencing
is morenoticable at 60+mph.
If your test drive the 2008 Grand Caravan another thing to look out for is an
exhaust ping. This ping grows as the Caravan is driven for about 15 or 20 minutes, or as the
system heats up. When we pull the Caravan into our garage and turn it off, it pings
for 10 minutes at about 1 second intervals. Wonderful huh?

 

it pings?? oh great..a nother dodge ping.. think im gonna pass on it.. been a few reviews that havent turned out so good... its an absolutely awesome van... looking anyhow.. think im gonna wait till they get all their tsb's and recalls outta the way.. because it does have the lifetime warranty now.. boy.. there gonna be mad at that person that decided to go with lifetime warranty

 

Negative reviews? Were they from consumers or uppity, pinhead editors?

 

well.. i guess that would be a good question.. i wouldnt THINK there would be a whole lotta uppity pinhead editors hittin boards like this.. but i guess it could be.. i have seen more than one on here tho complaining about them.. guess ill have to find out on my own

 

oops, I missed the part that the reviews were on this board. I've read reviews from several forums, edmunds, MSN, and car mags. Most have been very positive with cons like the new look is too boxy, the stereo is not so good, poor handling. However, from the ones I've tested, I think the stereo is very good as well as the handling. A few of the car salesmenhad some seriously white knuckes, but admitted they couldn't believe how well it handled after they survived my test drive. Also, I've had 2 of these on the highway traveling 65-85 and I noticed no drift or wandering.

 

Our local dealer let us test drive a new Caravan SXT overnight, so we had it out on the highway a few times, and the wandering is one thing I made sure to check. Ours drove very straight with no wandering problems. I hate to sound like Captain Obvious, but have you checked the tire pressures. Maybe ask them to rotate the tires to see if you have a bad one on that side. My experiences have shown me that tire issues play a huge part in wandering problems.


It sounds like you are talking about the ping that occurs after the vehicle has been shut off. Both my 98 Intrepid and 06 Charger do that, and we haven't had any problems with them.

 

Just took delivery today on SXT with 28M package, 4.0 Liter engine and Sport Handling Package. Put about 80 miles on it between 65 and 75 and 30 miles between 45 and 60 and it drove fine. Averaged 23 mpg with careful driving. Hope this gets better with time as engine breaks in.