1997 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER Complaints

I AM A POLICE OFFICER AND HAVE TAKEN REPORTS TWICE ON GRAND VOYAGERS WHERE THEY HAVE POPPED OUT OF GEAR AND ROLLED UNNATTENDED. ON 5-10-2000 MY SISTERS VEHICLE WHICH WAS PARKED ON MY GRADED DRIVE DID THE SAME. IT NEARLY RAN ME OVER AND STRUCK MY VEHICLE. HER TRANSMISSION CAN BE PUT INTO GEAR WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BRAKES. THE SAME WAS TRUE FOR THE TWO REPORTS I TOOK IN MY OFFICIAL CAPACITY. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT ALTHOUGH IT IS A MANDATED FEATURE IT ONLY LASTS SO LONG AND THAT IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THIS IS A MATTER THAT SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO BEFORE THE DEFECT RESULTS INTO A FATALITY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING PRESSED ON ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND VEHICLE HESITATED. NOTICED WHITE SMOKE IN THE REAR OF VEHICLE. CHECKED SIDE MIRRORS & NOTICED FLAMES. STOPPED & TURNED VEHICLE OFF. FIRE DEPARTMENT CALLED & PUT FLAMES OUT. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC INDICATED A SPARK CAUSED FUEL PUMP TO IGNITE & THE ELECTRICAL WIRES BURNED. WIRING HARNESS, ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SENSORS, FUEL PUMP, FUEL FILTER, AND FUEL TANK WERE ALL DAMAGED. *AK *ML

A SPARK FROM AN UNKNOWN SOURCE IGNITED GASOLINE FROM A SMALL LEAK IN THE FUEL PUMP AND RESULTED IN THE MINIVAN CATCHING ON FIRE. THE WIRING OF THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO BURNED IN THE FIRE. THE REPAIR SHOP WHO INTIALLY LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE FELT IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR CHRYSLER TO PERFORM THE REPAIR WORK DUE TO THE WIRING BEING INVOLVED. OUR LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO ALLOW THE CAR TO BE TOED TO THE DEALERSHIP UNTIL NATIONAL CHRYSLER SENT OUT AN INVESTIGATOR TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. WE HAVE BEEN PROVIDED LITTLE INFORMATION FROM CHRYSLER OTHER THAN THEIR BELIEF THE FIRE WAS NOT DUE TO A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM. THEY HAVE NOT STATED WHAT THEY BELIEVE CAUSED THE FIRE AND THE DELAY IN GETTING OUR VEHICLE REPAIRED WAS OVER 1 WEEK. WE HAVE YET TO GET THE VEHICLE BACK! *AK

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CAN BE SHIFTED TO REVERSE OR DRIVE WITHOUT HAVING FOOT ON THE BRAKE, DESIGN FLAW. YH

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND TRYING TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE, ENGINE REVS, AND THE ACCELERATOR HAS TO BE RELEASED BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION CATCHES UP. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, SAYS THIS CONDITION IS NORMAL. *AK *ML

I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP AND WAS TOLD THE MAIN SEAL (PUMP SEAL) WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF LEAKING. I CHOOSE TO PULL THE TRANS MISSION AND FOUND A CRACK ON A MACHINED SURFACE INSIDE THE BELL HOUSING BEHIND THE TOURQUE CONVERTER. THE CRACK IS 1/16" WIDE AND 1" TO 1 1/2" LONG. THE MACHINED AREA LOOKS TO BE DESIGNED TO ALLOW CLEARENCE FOR THE TORQUE CONVERTER. THE CRACK ALSO APPEARS TO BE PUSH THRU FROM THE PASSENGERS SIDE DRIVE AXLE ASSEMBLY MEANING IT IS RAISED INSIDE THE BELL HOUSING. MY COMPLAINT IS THIS APPEARS TO BE A FLAW IN THE DESIGN THAT ALLOWS CLEARENCE FOR THE TOURQUE CONVERTER CAUSING A THIN WALL IN THE BELL HOUSING. IS THERE ANY TYPE OF RECALL OR INVESTIGATION THAT WOULD ALLOW OWNERS TO HAVE THEIR VEHICLES FIXED OR CHECKED FOR THIS PROBLEM? *AK

A MECHANISM WITHIN THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY MALFUNCTIONED WHICH CAUSED THE LEVELS OF FUEL TO INCORRECTLY REGISTER. DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL SENSOR, AND A COMPUTER CHIP WITHIN THE SYSTEM, WHICH DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING IN A MALL PARKING LOT, MADE A TURN AND HEARD A LOUD BANG. STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. I MANAGED TO TURN THE WHEEL TO AVOID HITTING A PARKED CAR AND BROUGHT THE VAN TO A STOCK. INSPECTION FOUND THAT THE RETAINING BOLT HOLDING THE BELT TENSIONER PULLEY HAD SNAPPED OFF CAUSING THE SERPENTINE BELT TO COME OFF AND RESULTING IN POWER STEERING FAILURE. INSPECTION OF THE FAILED BOLT BY AIRCRAFT MECHANICS REVEALED THAT THE BOLT MAY HAVE HAD AS MANY AS 5 INTERNAL STRESS CRACKS. CONTACTED CHRYSLER WHO TOOK CARE OF THE REPAIR,IMMEDIATELY. REPAIRS WERE MADE AT THE DEALERS THE SAME DAY. DAMAGED PARTS WERE TAKEN TO THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT. I WAS SURPRISED TO FIND OUT THAT THIS RETAINING BOLT IS NOT RATED FOR HIGH STRESS. IF THE BREAKAGE HAD HAPPENED AT HIGH SPEED IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. SUGGEST THAT THESE BOLTS BE INSPECTED AND REPLACED AT AROUND 30,000 MILES. OR REPLACED WITH A RATED BOLT. LOCKED UP. MANAGED TO TURN THE WHEEL AND BRING THE VAN TO A STOP. FOUND THAT THE BOLT THAT RETAINS THE IDLER PULLEY AND TENSIONER HAD SNAPPED OFF, CAUSING THE SERPANTINE BELT TO COME OFF, RESULTING IN POWER STEERING FAILURE. EXAMINATION OF THE SNAPPED BOLT BY AIRCRAFT MECHANICS INDICATED 5 POSSIBLE STRESS CRA