1998 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT THE HEADLIGHT ILLUMINATION WAS TOO DIM. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHO CLEANED AND BUFFED OUT THE LENSES. UPDATED 1/19/2007 - *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE STRUT TOWER HAD CORROSION AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER WHO REFERRED THE CONTACT TO A BODY SHOP USED BY THE DEALER. UPON REPLACEMENT, THE BODY SHOP MECHANIC EXPRESSED THAT THERE MAY BE A RECALL ON THIS MATTER. THE DEALER WERE WAS CONTACTED, AND DETERMINED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE CONTACT ENCOUNTERED MANY COMPLAINTS ON THIS MATTER REGARDING THE SUSPENSION: FRONT: MACPHERSON STRUT. UPDATED 01/22/07. *JB

OPENED THE REAR HATCH ON THE VEHICLE, LET GO, AND THE HYDRAULIC STRUT FAILED -- INSTEAD OF OPENING FULLY, THE HATCH SLAMMED SHUT. IT TURNS OUT THAT THE BOLT HOLDING THE RIGHT STRUT ON SHEARED OFF. APPARENTLY, THE OTHER STRUT WAS NO LONGER WORKING, AND THE STRESS OF THE WEIGHT OF THE HATCH ON THE RIGHT STRUT CAUSED THE BOLT TO FAIL. FORTUNATELY. NO ONE WAS UNDER THE HATCH OR WAS INJURED. REPLACED BOTH STRUTS. I AM REPORTING THIS BECAUSE OF THE FAILURE OF THE BOLT -- THERE WAS NO WARNING THAT THE REAR HATCH WOULD SLAM SHUT, AS IT APPEARED TO OPERATING PERFECTLY UNTIL THE FAILURE. IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS INJURY, ESPECIALLY TO CHILDREN. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE A PROBLEM.

DRIVING HOME FROM FLORIDA IN A 1998 PLYMOUTH CARAVAN PULLING A HOBIE CAT SAILBOAT ON A TRAILER THE LEFT REAR TIRE SEPARATED. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE TIRE AND STILL HAVE THE ORIGINAL TIRE. HAD TO BUY A NEW TIRE. *JB

(1) IMPROPER ROUTING OF RAIN/SNOW WATER RESULTS IN PREMATURE AND UNSAFE RUSTING OF STRUT TOWER. (2) RUSTING OF STRUT TOWER LEADS TO STRUT FAILING THROUGH THE RUSTED METAL OF THE STRUT TOWER WHICH RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. (3) UPON NEXT STRUT CHANGE, BODY SHOP METAL REPAIR WILL BE NECESSARY. *JB

1998 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER WAS DIAGNOSED AS NEEDING NEW SHOCK TOWERS. MY MECHANIC FEELS THIS IS DUE TO A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT SINCE WATER DOES NOT DRAIN ONTO THE GROUND BUT RATHER COLLECTS ABOVE THE SHOCK TOWER CAUSES PREMATURE RUSTING AND NECESSSITATING A STEEL PIECE HAVINGTO BE WELDED INTO PLACE . *AK

DT: CONTACT STATED WHEN DRIVING AT 35-40 MPH ALL PANEL LIGHTS WENT OUT, AND THERE WAS NOT INDICATION OF SPEED. CURRENTLY, THE PANEL LIGHTS NO LONGER CAME BACK ON . HOWEVER THE TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS WERE STILL WORKING. THE CONTACT DID NOT KNOW THE NUMBER OF OCCURRENCES BECAUSE THERE WERE TOO MANY. *AK UPDATED 12/27/2005 - *NM

1998 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER TRANSMISSION IMPLOSION. WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED SOME GEARS FROM THE 4 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PUNCHED OUT OF THE HOUSING CAUSING COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE AND LOSS OF POWER. PUSHED VEHICLE TO SIDE OF HIGHWAY, BUT WAS LEFT STRANDED IN MIDDLE OF NIGHT WITH SMALL CHILDREN AND FULL TERM PREGNANT WIFE. ALTHOUGH CHRYSLER WAS AWARE OF THIS COMMON PROBLEM THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR IT AS ~10000 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY - $3000 REPLACEMENT OUT OF POCKET COST. SECOND TRANSMISSION FAILED ~38000 MILES LATER, 2000 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY AND CHRYSLER REFUSED AGAIN - $2100 REBUILD COST. BESIDES THE MASSIVE COST, TOTAL MECHANICAL FAILURE IS VERY DANGEROUS IN HIGHWAY TRAFFIC AND IF IT LEAVES YOU STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. *JB

BREAK PEDAL STOP LIGHT SWITCH. THE WIRE HARNESS MOVES EVERY TIME YOU STEP ON THE PEDAL, THUS MAKING THE WIRES BREAK. WHEN THE WIRE BREAKS THE STOP LIGHTS DON'T WORK AND COULD AND ALMOST LEAD TO A FEW REAR END CRASHES I HAD. WIRES REPLACED AND HAD PEDAL AND HARNESS TO CONFIGURE NOT TO MOVE WHEN THE BREAK PEDAL PRESSED. *NM