2000 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER Complaints

IN WET CONDITIONS, THE SERPENTINE BELT OF OUR 2000 CHRYSLER GRAND VOYAGER MINIVAN COMES OFF WITH NO WARNING. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND UNPREDICTABLE (THOUGH ALWAYS WET). WHEN IT DOES SLIP OFF, THE DRIVER IS LEFT IN A DEADLY SITUATION AS ALL POWER STEERING IS LOST. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO US APPROXIMATELY 10 TIMES OVER THE PAST YEAR OR SO. WE'VE REPLACED THE BELT TWICE, THE PULLEY WHEEL, THE TENSIONER, AND THE MOTOR MOUNTS. WE'VE ALSO HAD A PLATE INSTALLED UNDER THE MOTOR TO TRY TO KEEP ROAD MOISTURE OFF OF THE BELT SYSTEM. I'VE NOW LEARNED THAT THIS IS SO COMMON A PROBLEM THAT THE GATES CORPORATION HAS MANUFACTURED A REPAIR/REPLACEMENT BELT SYSTEM FOR THESE VANS (WHICH I JUST PURCHASED). IT'S INTERESTING THAT THE GATES CORPORATION ACKNOWLEDGES THE PROBLEM, BUT THE CHRYSLER/DODGE COMPANY HASN'T ISSUED A RECALL OR OFFERED ANY TYPE OF RECOURSE FOR CUSTOMERS. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE. WE'VE BEEN LUCKY SO FAR THAT NO ACCIDENTS OR INJURIES HAVE RESULTED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER. THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED, ALL OF THE GAUGE NEEDLES IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD FLUCTUATE UP AND DOWN. THE DEALER SERVICED THE VEHICLE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V480000 (AIR BAGS). THE AIR BAG LIGHT DIMMED FOR SIX MONTHS, BUT THEN ILLUMINATED AGAIN. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE POWER DISTRIBUTOR FAILED AND THEY REPLACED THE PDC. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

EVERYTIME IT RAINS AND I RUN OVER A PUDDLE, THE BELT COMES OFF AND THE VAN BECOMES NOT DRIVABLE. I CAN'T TURN THE WHEEL AND THE WARNING LIGHTS STARTS TO FLASH AND THE VAN GOES DEAD. I HAVE TO PAY $50 {NOT INCLUDING TOWING} TO GET IT FIXED EVERYTIME. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW IT ISN'T A DEFECT. IT WILL JUST STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET OR FREEWAY AFTER A FEW SECONDS. IT'S VERY COSTLY AND HOW COULD SOMETHING LIKE THIS BE OVERLOOKED? I GET SCARED EVERYTIME IT RAINS. *TR

ON TWO OCCASIONS THE SERPENTINE BELT SLIPPED OFF THEIR PULLEYS WHILE DRIVING, WHICH LEFT MY CAR WITHOUT POWER STEERING, BRAKES, COOLING, A/C, OR ALTERNATOR. I HAD TO STOP AND HAVE THE CAR TOWED IN. DEALER COULD NOT PROVIDE A PREVENTATIVE REPAIR TO KEEP THE BELT FROM SLIPPING OFF AGAIN. FINALLY, GATES HAD A KIT IN FEB. 2007 THAT I HAD INSTALLED THAT IS SUPPOSED TO CURE THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS AN EPIDEMIC PROBLEM FOR THIS VEHICLE. *JB

I HAVE A 2000 CHRYSLER GRAND VOYAGE, CURRENTLY WITH 136000 MILES ON IT. ANY TIME THERE SEEMS TO BE A BIT OF A WET CONDITION, THAT LEADS TO THE SERPENTINE BELT COMING OFF. IT HAPPENED ON 3/12/2007, IN NOV 2006, IN SEPT 2006, IN AUG 2006, DURING THE SUMMER OF 2005, AND SUMMER OF 2004(ORIGINAL BELT). WITH THE NUMBER OF SYSTEMS CONTROLLED BY THAT BELT, THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. THE REPORTS SEEM TO BE THAT THE BELT IS VERY PRONE TO SLIPPING OFF. IN THE NOV 2006 REPAIR, THE SHOP SAID I NEEDED A WATER PUMP BECAUSE THE BEARINGS WERE WORN AND THE SHAFT WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT. I WONDER IF THAT COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE SERPENTINE BELT WALKING, PUTTING ODD STRESSES ON THE SHAFT. A LARGE WASHER, PART OF A REPAIR KIT FOR THE PROBLEM, WAS INSTALLED ON THE TENSIONER IN SEPTEMBER, BUT THAT HAS NOT ENDED THE PROBLEM. IT'S OVERLY SENSITIVE TO WET CONDITIONS - WHICH AT TIMES SIMPLY CANNOT BE AVOIDED. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED UPON VISUAL INSPECTION IT WAS NOTICED THE STRUT TOWERS WERE RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO DETERMINED THE STRUT TOWERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE IS LOCATED IN A SALT BELT STATE. UPDATED 10/17/2006 - *NM *NM UPDATED 03/07/07*JB

DRIVING IN THE RAIN MADE THE POWER STEERING BELT COME OFF. THE RESULT WAS I WAS UNABLE TO STEER THE VAN AND HAD TO SIT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WE HAD TO GET A SHOP TO COME AND GET THE CAR AND PUT THE BELT BACK ON. *NM

2000 CHRYSLER GRAND VOYAGER, 3.3 L. THE SERPENTINE BELT SLIPPED OFF DURING HEAVY RAIN WHILE I WAS ON THE TOLLWAY IN PLANO. I LOST THE POWERING WHEEL IMMEDIATELY, LUCKILY I WAS NEAR TO THE EXIT AND WAS ABLE TO PARK MY CAR ON THE SERVICE ROAD. THIS DEFECT OF THIS CAR IS SO DANGEROUS AND A RECALL IS NEEDED. I CHECKED FROM INTERNET, THE PROBLEM ALWAYS HAPPENS DURING SNOWY OR RAINY DAY, THAT MAKES THIS PROBLEM MORE DEADLY FOR DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS. I WILL NOT BUY THIS CHRYSLER'S CAR TILL THEY TAKE ACTION ON THIS PROBLEM. *NM

THIS 2000 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER HAS REPEATED FAILURE OF POWER STEERING DUE TO THE SERPENTINE BELT SLIPPING OFF (MAINLY DURING RAINY DAYS). ON THE FIRST OCCASION, THE SHOP REPLACED THE BELT AND SPLASH GUARD. THE SECOND TIME, THE SHOP REPLACED THE BELT TENSIONER. THE THIRD TIME, THE SHOP REPLACED THE HARMONIC BALANCER PULLEY. THE FOURTH TIME, THE SHOP PUT THE BELT BACK ON THE VAN, BUT COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING ELSE WRONG WITH THE BELT OR PULLEYS. LOSS OF POWER STEERING IS DANGEROUS! (BESIDES, WE DID NOT GET THIS CAR ONLY FOR DRIVING ON SUNNY DAYS.) *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, WHO DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEED TO BE REPLACED.