2005 Grand Caravan sluggish and poor mileage
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Joined: Mar 2013
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2005 Grand Caravan sluggish and poor mileage
Hi guys,
Last summer I bought a 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan. It is sluggish and gets bad mileage. Not so sluggish that someone who’s never driven a GC would notice but enough for me to know it ( I had a 2001 T&C for 7 years). When going up a tiny incline for instance, it downshifts to get power. I used to be getting about 18 mpg with my old van, now I’m getting 13-14. Check engine light is off. Had it to a mechanic, he told me to change the spark plug wires and spark plugs, which I did, no change. The Chrysler dealership tells me that if there is no check engine light on there’s nothing that can be done.
The worst part of it is that it’s so frustrating to drive around town with a car that has to downshift all the time just to speed up slowly. It basically feels like I’m hauling a trailer. And of course paying gas-money like I was driving around in a Suburban.
It’s got 75000 miles on it. It has the 3.3 V6 engine. It’s had two previous owners.
I have changed the oil
New spark plugs
New spark plug wires
No sticking brakes
Goes through inspection fine (good exhaust values)
I have pulled the Oxygen sensor that sits on the back of the engine to release pressure (so see if the catalytic converter was clogged) but that didn’t help
All wheels spin fine
I have replaced EGR valve
Transmission fluid looks and smells good
New air filter
Bought a scanner to check values, they all look fine to me. Many suggest oxygen sensor but it seems unlikely to me on a car with so few miles and also, if something was up with them I would think the check engine light would come on. I really don’t know what to try next.
Last summer I bought a 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan. It is sluggish and gets bad mileage. Not so sluggish that someone who’s never driven a GC would notice but enough for me to know it ( I had a 2001 T&C for 7 years). When going up a tiny incline for instance, it downshifts to get power. I used to be getting about 18 mpg with my old van, now I’m getting 13-14. Check engine light is off. Had it to a mechanic, he told me to change the spark plug wires and spark plugs, which I did, no change. The Chrysler dealership tells me that if there is no check engine light on there’s nothing that can be done.
The worst part of it is that it’s so frustrating to drive around town with a car that has to downshift all the time just to speed up slowly. It basically feels like I’m hauling a trailer. And of course paying gas-money like I was driving around in a Suburban.
It’s got 75000 miles on it. It has the 3.3 V6 engine. It’s had two previous owners.
I have changed the oil
New spark plugs
New spark plug wires
No sticking brakes
Goes through inspection fine (good exhaust values)
I have pulled the Oxygen sensor that sits on the back of the engine to release pressure (so see if the catalytic converter was clogged) but that didn’t help
All wheels spin fine
I have replaced EGR valve
Transmission fluid looks and smells good
New air filter
Bought a scanner to check values, they all look fine to me. Many suggest oxygen sensor but it seems unlikely to me on a car with so few miles and also, if something was up with them I would think the check engine light would come on. I really don’t know what to try next.
Amateur
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
I'm not a mechanic, but here are a couple other possibilities:
Dirty PCV valve. They get clogged up and don't close properly. Its hose connects on the intake manifold just behind the EGR hose on the intake manifold. Not as easy to get to, this valve is on the other end of that hose and towards the rear spark plugs. Due to location on this engine, it has probably never been replaced. Cheap to replace and do not last forever. In fact I recall hearing about how the Honda guys will volunteer to change the easily accessible PCV valve on a friend's CRV whenever he gets his oil changed.
MAP sensor. Just to the left of the power steering reservoir and super-easy to get to. It measures air pressure inside the intake manifold. Might be related.
Dirty PCV valve. They get clogged up and don't close properly. Its hose connects on the intake manifold just behind the EGR hose on the intake manifold. Not as easy to get to, this valve is on the other end of that hose and towards the rear spark plugs. Due to location on this engine, it has probably never been replaced. Cheap to replace and do not last forever. In fact I recall hearing about how the Honda guys will volunteer to change the easily accessible PCV valve on a friend's CRV whenever he gets his oil changed.
MAP sensor. Just to the left of the power steering reservoir and super-easy to get to. It measures air pressure inside the intake manifold. Might be related.
Last edited by christheman; Mar 8, 2013 at 02:19 PM.