I have a 2006 3.3L Caravan, about 70,000km.

This is my first winter with this van. When temp started to get cold outside, the van engine temperature had to reach the halfway mark before the heat would come out of the heater. If the engine temp dipped a bit below the halfway mark the heat would kick off and blow cold air again until it reached the halfway mark again....after a while it would just stay regulated and heat would be normally adjustable for comfort.

A few weeks later, things got worse. Now, for the past month, the engine temperature gauge will go above the halfway mark and continue to rise unless I turn the cabin dial from vent to defrost and back to vent again, or vise versa. The heat will kick on and the engine temperature will go back down to normal halfway mark. Once I do this a single time it is fine until I turn the van off and start from cold again.

I think that because I have to turn the cabin dial as I mentioned, that the problem is not a faulty thermostat, but rather a sensor.

I drove in to a mechanic and he said a minimum of $100 to run a diagnostic...well I know how that usually turns out.

If anyone has heard of this, maybe knows what to look at as a possibile problem.

Thanks in advance.
Rick

P.S. I have a Saturn and have used Saturn Forum for many years and have found everyone absolutely amazing to help....here's hoping Dodge is equally as amazing.