1998 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER Complaints

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE EXPERINCED A PROBLEM, THE DRIVER PULLED OVER THEN THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CLAIM # 25-5404-238. NLM

ANTIFREEZE WAS FOUND UNDER THE CAR, AN INTIAL DIAGNOSIS WAS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET.

DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, MANY COMPONENT HAVE BEEN REPLACED (MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH, WIPER MOTOR AND BODY CONTROL MODULE) BUT NONE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM, THE WIPERS EITHER DON'T COME ON OR FAIL WHILE IN MOTION. NLM

THREE WEEKS AFTER PURCHASING TRANSMISSION/ TRANSFER CASE WAS DEFECTIVE, AND THE BEARING THAT HELD THE FAN BELT TOGETHER FELL OFF. WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HEARD AN EXPLOSION, THEN LOST BRAKING POWER AND STEERING. CONSUMER COASTED TO THE SIDE.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY VEHICLE WOULD DIE OUT/STALL WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES IN 2 WEEKS. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP & WAS INFORMED ENGINE NEEDED NEW SPARK PLUGS & WIRES, WHICH WERE REPLACED. HOWEVER, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER & INFORMED CONSUMER TO TAKE VEHICLE BACK TO DEALERSHIP. *AK

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. THE FIRST TIME WAS 2 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE. AN EXCEPTIONAL AMOUNT OF RAIN HAD FALLEN AND MANY ROADS HAD STANDING WATER ON THEM. WHILE NEGOTIATING ONE SPOT (APPROX. 6-12 IN) ALL POWER STEERING ABILITY WAS LOST. ASSUMING THE BELT WAS WET CONTINUED TO DRIVE UNTIL WARNING LIGHT AND SIGNAL SHOWED OVERHEATING. DISCOVERED THAT SERPENTINE BELT HAD FALLEN OFF. DEALER REPLACED AND INFORMED THAT INCIDENT HAD BEEN REPORTED TO PLYMOUTH. TODAY SAME PROBLEM. ATTEMPTING TO NEGOTIATE SEVERAL INSTANCES OF WATER, LESS THAN 25MPH AND SUDDENYL, NO POWER STEERING. PERSONALLY REPORTED TO PLYMOUTH AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY HAD NOT HEARD ANY INSTANCES OF THIS FAILURE. QUESTIONED DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY HAD SEEN IT HAPPEN SEVERAL TIMES. INITIAL PROBLEM: TENSION PULLY HAS NO EDGE TO HOLD BELT ON IF WATER GETS BETWEEN PULLEY AND BELT. PULLEY IS ALSO SMOOTH WHICH CAUSES BELT TO SLIP. RESULT: LOSS OF POWER STEERING, LOSS OF CHARGING TO BATTERY, LOSS OF POWER TO DRIVE HEADLIGHTS/WIPERS/AIR CONDITIONING. DANGEROUS RESULT: LOSS OF CONTROL/VISIBILITY. SOLUTION(?): REPLACE SMOOTH PULLEY WITH ONE THAT HAS EDGES AND PUT GROOVES OF SOME SORT ON THE PULLEY TO ALLOW WATER TO BE SHEETED OFF IF IT COMES BETWEEN THE PULLEY AND THE BELT.

THE A/C COMPRESSOR BEARINGS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT NEW AND HAS ONLY 54000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL VEHICLE WITH OVER 150,000 MILES THAT DID NOT HAVE A COMPRSSOR FAILURE. MY MOTHER HAS A 23 YEAR OLD CAR WITH 250,000+ MILES AND HAS NOT HAD A A/C PROBLEM. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS QUALIFIES AS A DEFECT, BUT MOST FRIENDS I HAVE SPOKEN WITH HAVE NOT HAD THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM WITH SO FEW MILES ON THEIR CAR. THE TOTAL COST TO FIX THE COMPRESSOR WAS $650 +/-. THE WARRENTY ON THE VAN WAS 3 YEARS/36,000 MILES, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS PAST THE WARRENTY IT STILL SEEMS THAT THIS TYPE OF FAILURE SHOULD NOT OCCUR AT THIS EARLY STAGE IN THE VANS "LIFE". *AK

WHILE CHANGING A FLAT TIRE AND TAKING THE SPARE TIRE FROM THE TRUNK, CONSUMER NOTICED DEEP CRACKS IN THE SPARE TIRE, AND IT WAS DRY ROTTED. SPARE TIRE HAD NEVER BEEN USED BEFORE. CONSUMER FELT THIS WAS AN UNSAFE TIRE, AND IF IT HAD BEEN AT NIGHT, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL. *AK *ML

THERE IS A SEVERE UPPER ENGINE OIL LEAK THAT FROM AN UNDETERMINED LOCATION. OIL UNDER PRESSURE SPRAYS THE ENGINE COMPARMENT, INCLUDING THE ENGINE BLOC, AND BURNS. *AK