2001 Grand Caravan Issues
#1
03-15-2005, 10:00 PM
2001 Grand Caravan Issues
Looking for input from other owners of 2001 era grand caravans that might help me figure out a few things. First off this is my wifes van i rarely even drive it but I always get stuck taking it in for service and or explaining what is happening with it to them LOL..
We have extended warranty so I take the van in everytime it needs service, overall it runs great but there are a few bugs 2 different dealers have not figured out on repeated visits.
First the rear heat and air, unless I am misunderstanding something, when you put rear heat on (in our case we have digital temp adjustments for rear driver and passenger) i put in say 72 for rear, in rear roof area there are vents that blow ICE cold air as if its A/C (ac is not on), no heat comes out but lots of air comes out that is cold, took in to get fixed they said ok its fixed at first dealer, didnt test just picked up, a few weeks later wife complains still blows cold no matter what temp you put it on,, took to second dealer who said there was a bad sensor or something, got back and same thing still, took back in again 3rd time here they said the rear heat is working fine on the phone and ill pretty much bet when i get there and feel the ceiling vent it will be cold not hot or warm even...
Myabe this is a misunderstanding of how it all works, but when you put the center option (rear heat) on and punch in say 72 degrees etc , does the rear heat come only from the floor? Are the top vents for AC only? If and when I use the AC in back it blows from the top vents great and cold in summer, yet in winter my wifes main complaint is the ceiling vents wont blow warm air and that our 4 yr old is always saying turn it off im cold mommy....
Secondly, in the cold michigan winter mornings, we park outside btw, that first start is very loud and grinding sorta, almost as if the starter is bad, once started the car is fine for rest of the day, took it in parked overnight left instructions to start it early in morning for that noise which happens OFTEN at home here on cold mornings, they said it started fine today UGHHHH, wife HATES this noise and is mad about it, but how do you "re" create it????? I think too its different cuz the car gets hit with cold wind all night here, at the dealer parked outside it has buildings and cars aroundd it we live ontop of a hill and have no barriers so the wind hits it hard directly on car all night long.... is that it I dunno but the car started fine after leaving it there overnight (go figure) this one I can't say my wife is nuts about, cuz ive heard and experienced the noise yet dealer said no noise no problem they can't see any problems etc etc....
Very frustrating in those two respects cuz again maybe we are misunderstanding the rear heating system but even on a 3 hour drive from Chicago to Michigan we had the rear heat on and as high as 78, but thru the ceiling it was cold at best no where near warm even after hours of driving, yet they are saying the rear heat works, so wife is LIVID, and that noise thing well heck I dunno how to make it happen except wait for a cold morning once its parked here at my home it happens at 5 am and the noise is pretty loud and rough...
Sorry to have written so much here guys and gals, this being my wifes van I want it working right for her but I don't know where or what to do to make it right except keep taking it in at $50 a pop deductable and thats getting OLD when they call and say all is fine no noise heard and heat works fine (when even i have seen heat in ceiling didnt work and noise in starting was there in mornings)...
Bill
We have extended warranty so I take the van in everytime it needs service, overall it runs great but there are a few bugs 2 different dealers have not figured out on repeated visits.
First the rear heat and air, unless I am misunderstanding something, when you put rear heat on (in our case we have digital temp adjustments for rear driver and passenger) i put in say 72 for rear, in rear roof area there are vents that blow ICE cold air as if its A/C (ac is not on), no heat comes out but lots of air comes out that is cold, took in to get fixed they said ok its fixed at first dealer, didnt test just picked up, a few weeks later wife complains still blows cold no matter what temp you put it on,, took to second dealer who said there was a bad sensor or something, got back and same thing still, took back in again 3rd time here they said the rear heat is working fine on the phone and ill pretty much bet when i get there and feel the ceiling vent it will be cold not hot or warm even...
Myabe this is a misunderstanding of how it all works, but when you put the center option (rear heat) on and punch in say 72 degrees etc , does the rear heat come only from the floor? Are the top vents for AC only? If and when I use the AC in back it blows from the top vents great and cold in summer, yet in winter my wifes main complaint is the ceiling vents wont blow warm air and that our 4 yr old is always saying turn it off im cold mommy....
Secondly, in the cold michigan winter mornings, we park outside btw, that first start is very loud and grinding sorta, almost as if the starter is bad, once started the car is fine for rest of the day, took it in parked overnight left instructions to start it early in morning for that noise which happens OFTEN at home here on cold mornings, they said it started fine today UGHHHH, wife HATES this noise and is mad about it, but how do you "re" create it????? I think too its different cuz the car gets hit with cold wind all night here, at the dealer parked outside it has buildings and cars aroundd it we live ontop of a hill and have no barriers so the wind hits it hard directly on car all night long.... is that it I dunno but the car started fine after leaving it there overnight (go figure) this one I can't say my wife is nuts about, cuz ive heard and experienced the noise yet dealer said no noise no problem they can't see any problems etc etc....
Very frustrating in those two respects cuz again maybe we are misunderstanding the rear heating system but even on a 3 hour drive from Chicago to Michigan we had the rear heat on and as high as 78, but thru the ceiling it was cold at best no where near warm even after hours of driving, yet they are saying the rear heat works, so wife is LIVID, and that noise thing well heck I dunno how to make it happen except wait for a cold morning once its parked here at my home it happens at 5 am and the noise is pretty loud and rough...
Sorry to have written so much here guys and gals, this being my wifes van I want it working right for her but I don't know where or what to do to make it right except keep taking it in at $50 a pop deductable and thats getting OLD when they call and say all is fine no noise heard and heat works fine (when even i have seen heat in ceiling didnt work and noise in starting was there in mornings)...
Bill
#2
12-01-2005, 09:48 PM
#3
12-01-2005, 11:46 PM
RE: 2001 Grand Caravan Issues
Here is how it works, the overhead distribution ducts carry the AC, they stay cold all the time. THe ducts by the floor carry the heat from the rear hvac housing. The best thing that you can do is to close all of the overhead vents to shut off the air flow. As far as the noisey startup they all do it when it is cold. The noise is a combination of the transmission pump and the power steering pump rapidly pumping the cold fluid. You should hear them start when it is 40 below like it gets where I am....noises you would never think that a vehicle should make....
#4
06-16-2009, 01:45 PM
I have a 1998 that the starter grinds like the engine is running (engine doesn't start) from time to time. Funny thing is my wife hates the noise as well. Some times I have to put it in Neutral or rock the van to get it to not grind and start the van. Other times if I take the key out all the way and try it starts fine. Not sure what to do. Van has 205,000 miles and runs great.
#5
06-16-2009, 07:31 PM
