Hello all. I have been having issues with my 2011Dodge Grand Caravan CREW. A little history: I bought this "lemon" back in feb of 2012 with 700 miles on it. It has been reliable for the most part up until about 3 weeks ago.

First off, I am experiencing the EXACT SAME startup issues that a Video shows on this forum on another thread. When starting the van, it makes that awful ticking sound for 3 sec. only with the engine cold. This has actually been the case for a couple of months leading up to the issues I'm about to explain below. It also makes a whining sound, but that seems to be a normal noise compared to the 3 other vans that Enterprise has put me in so far.

3-4 weeks ago I was driving the family (Full load, 7passengers) to go eat. Once I got on the highway and got to my coasting speed, the engine displayed the Check Engine Light (MIT I guess you folks call it) and the Traction control icon (directly to the right of the check engine light). At this point the cruise control would not work, and the van starting loosing power, no matter how hard I pressed the gas pedal. Once the van coasted to 60, the van Jerked hard and started responding to the gas pedal. Once I reached my crusing speed (70 mph) the engine pooped out again. This happened all the way to our destination (35 miles later). When we were finished eating, the van drove home perfectly fine. No issues.

I disregarded this and figured it was a fluke. Sure as heck, the next weekend rolled around, and the same exact thing happened with 5 passengers. At this point I took the lemon to my dealer. The found 2 bad Phase sensors. and a PCM upgrade was done. A oil change and tire rotation was also performed. Got the lemon back and about 2 days passed and the check engine light (along with the traction control) came on. Luckally I was down the street from the dealer and rolled the lemon right in there, keeping the engine on. The determined that the "other 2 phase sensors" were bad, and replaced them.

Well, last night, we went out to eat (and this only seems to happen at night, after or before eating, guess the van gets jealous) the van made the horrific clacking noise (such as the video shows) upon the startup and I knew within a split second that the lights would come on, and sure enough they both came up. Rolled the lemon into the dealer this morning and spoke with the senior shop foreman. He said that he will need to contact chrystler on Monday to see what the F-ing deal is.

I live in Florida and my states lemon law dictates that after the 3'rd repair, the manufacture must try one final time and then it will qualify as a lemon.

THANK GOD I put the maximum warranty on it and they are taking care of my rentals. They are giving me base model vans, which sucks because I don't have my touch screen and XM.

Dodge DID offer to reimburse me for 1 month worth of car payment. Which was a very nice gesture. I am anxious to see what they do for me at this point. I really hope they just throw in the towel and upgrade me to a 2012 CREW.

I will follow up with this forum for research purpose and let everyone know what the final results are. So far dodge has been involved in every step of the way.

 

The clicking sound you are hearing is the camshaft phaser on the 3.6 engine and will cause a torque code to put the transmission into limp in. I have also seen mifire codes on the right cylinder head for mifire codes #2,#4 or #6.

 

Hey master tech. I've never heard of a "phase sensor". Is this something new to 5th gen vans or is this someones terminology for a cam/crank or input/output sensor?

 

The 3.6 have two exhaust camshaft phaser and two intake phaser. There are two actuators on the front of each valve cover for the total of four. Then there are two camshaft sensors on the rear of the valve covers. And you have three sets of timing chains.

 

Thanks for the info Master. So, what do you think it could be based on my history with this van? I have never abused the van or drove it hard. The van did sit for about a year before I bought it. I was thinking because it was probably sitting on the back of the dealers lot for so long that something went bad. You know how they say it's bad to leave a car sitting without starting it up once in a while?

They seem to have replaced all 4 of these sensors and it's still acting the same. I am hoping Dodge just decides to call it quits and get us a new 2012.

I was also thinking that there may be a TSB regarding this? It seems to be a problem that is not only isolated to me based on the prior post and his video clip.

 

Well I guess nobody has any answers for me, including dodge. They said they needed to dispatch a STAR service tech ( I am guessing the people at my local dealer are too dumb to figure it out)

Also what's with this ANNOYING pop up bar at the bottom of my screen that keeps popping up.

I am starting to think I made a HUGE mistake by buying a dodge product, let along an american vehicle. I PRAY that this tech cannot find the problem, they give me back my money, and I buy a Honda.

Sorry guys, but the dodge caravan is a piece of crap, hands down. All 4 of the rentals I have had to drive ALL whine and sound tired and old.

Sorry again, just very upset.. Stay tuned.....

 

I've owned 4 different model year Dodge vans and have been happy with every one of them including our current 2011 RT.

 

I was happy with this van when we first got it. We loved the features of the sliding doors because it was easy to get out two small children in and out. However, 2 years have gone by and it has been in and out of the shop many, many times. We bought a Chrystler 200 at the same time for my husband and no issues what so ever. This van though... the whole reason we sprung for a brand new vehicle was because we didn't want to waste the extra time and money at the dealership getting things fixed. One thing after another. Each year in the winter the back doors get frozen shut and we have to 'lube' them up. I have had it in for work on the doors, heating and air conditioner vents (one side works and the other doesn't). I had the inside of my front window frozen? How does that happen, we live in Wisconsin not the Antarctic? Should I have gotten the extended warranty??? Forget that, if you make a ****ty car, I will NOT give you more money to keep fixing it on your dime. Make a quality vehicle and stand behind your product. I WILL NEVER GET A DODGE AGAIN!!!
I am willing to trade it in, take the money and by a different car that is 10 years older so I don't have to deal with the frustrations of this van. Even the service guy at our dealership said he has never seen anyone have this many problems with a newer dodge than what we have. UGH...
Save your money and buy a Ford people.

 

Hmm. Go to any Ford, Chevy, Toyota, Honda, Subaru and on and on website and you read posts of people swearing they'll never by another. If man makes it it will break.