I purchased a certified used 2006 Caravan about 8 weeks ago, and it has already been back to the dealership for one major repair (5 days into ownership the fuel coupling "failed" emptying my gas tank all over the highway.) The entire fuel line had to be replaced, according to the mechanic.

This morning, as my husband was driving to work, he had a complete loss of power. He was actually driving when the engine shut itself off. He was able to pull onto the breakdown lane and restart the vehicle and safely make it to work.

Since the dealership isn't open yet this morning, any suggestions as to what would cause this?

 

1st guess would a fuel problem, since the system had just been worked on ? Next would a plugged cat. Does the van have the 2.4, 3.3 or the 3.8 engine ?

 

loss of power uphill 05 caravan sxt 3.3 whats cause???

 

Danielle - No check engine light and no error codes? Any signs of sluggish acceleration or any other symptoms before it died. I can't count the cat out but I would lean toward something electrical - it dies and it restarts right away. First thought would be the crankshaft position sensor. If the PCM (engine computer) looses it's signal the engine looses timing data it needs to run. The system is designed to kill the engine so it won't over pollute. Isn't the EPA a wonderful agency. Heaven forbid you pollute a little more than designed. Who cares if you're in heavy 80mph traffic. KILL THAT ENGINE NOW. GM ignition switch recalls get all the news for the same engine kill scenario but don't mess with the EPA.....sorry, it's aggravating.

The sensor will often fail without generating a code and a check engine light. Number two on my list would be the camshaft sensor for the same reason. Both sensors can be tested but tough to nail a fault down when it's intermittent. Inspect connections, verify wire continuity and reference voltage. If all looks good change one at a time. They cost around $40.

 

Uh oh. You hijacked Danielles thread. Should have started your own thread. Next time.

I would consider a vacuum leak, weak fuel pump, or plugged cat converter. Other than up hills does it run ok?

 

sorry about being on the wrong thread. just learning this.

 

Check out your recalls. L25 is an electrical recall for faulty ingnition switch. This failure matches your description and will temporarily turn vehicle off. I imagine it will be worse if you have a heavy keychain. GOOD LUCK! Hotline is 18883274236

 

The post is from 2007, I think they've resolved the issue or moved on :-)

 

Whoops, still getting used to this. Thanks for looking out. Who knows with a Dodge though.