1998 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER Complaints

THE STRUT TOWER IS RUSTING VERY BAD AND ABOUT TO BREAK OFF. THIS IS A VERY BIG DANGER FOR MY WIFE AND FOUR KIDS.. I FIRST NOTICE THE RUST 2 WEEKS AFTER WE BOUGHT THIS 1998 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER, AND THE DEALER WOULD NOT FIX IT. IT BEEN 3.5 YEARS KNOW AND THERE ARE HOLES WE CAN SEE THOUGH. NOT VERY GOOD. I ALSO NOTICED THE VAN IS ABOUT 1/2" LOWER TO THE GROUND FROM THE SIDE THE RUST IS BAD. THE ONLY HAD 62,000 MILE IB IT WHEN WE NOTICED THE RUST. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. SHOPS TOLD ME EVERY 1998 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER THEY SEE HAS GOT THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

1998 PLYMOUTH GRAND VAN 3.3 MOTOR. AFTER GOING THREW A RAIN PUDDLE OR GOING THREW SNOW THE BELT WILL COME OFF. IT WILL LEAVE YOU STUCK ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD!. HAVE TRIED TO HAVE IT REPAIRED 3 OR 4 TIMES AND IT STILL DOES IT. IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BY PLYMOUTH. THEY NEED TO FIX THIS!!!! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF, THE HEADLIGHTS REMAIN ILLUMINATED AND OCCASIONALLY ACTIVATE AUTOMATICALLY. THE FAILURE WAS NOTICED WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH AND IT DRAINS THE BATTERY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS AVAILABLE AND THE REPAIR WAS THE CONTACT'S RESPONSIBILITY. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 99V116000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS) FOR THE 1999 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER WAS REFERENCED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 94,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

WHILE STARTING FROM STOPPED POSITION AT TRAFFIC LIGHT, MY FRONT LEFT AXEL SNAPPED IN THE MIDDLE. IT SEEMS THERE WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE AXEL ROD. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WERE SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THE FIRST COMPONENT OF CONCERN WAS THE BELT TENSIONER WHICH HAD TO BE REPLACED BY THE DEALER BECAUSE IT WAS OBSERVED TO BE DISMANTLED. THE SECOND COMPONENT WAS IDENTIFIED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR A REGULAR OIL CHANGE. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DETERMINED THERE WAS A MAJOR LEAK COMING FROM THE PUMP SEAL ON THE TRANSMISSION. ONCE THE TRANSMISSION WAS TAKEN OUT OF THE VEHICLE, A CRACK WAS OBSERVED IN THE TORQUE CONVERTER. THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO REBUILT BECAUSE A TRANSMISSION FOR REPLACEMENT COULD NOT BE FOUND. THE DEALER DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A PIN DROP WHICH HAS BEEN COMMON IN VEHICLES OF THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL. THE THIRD COMPONENT WAS DISCOVERED WHILE THE CONTACT SEARCHED CAR FAX FOR HISTORY ON THE VEHICLE; THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE FOR THE AIRBAG. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE REMEDY REPAIR, IT WAS NOT PERFORMED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE EXCEEDED 70,000 MILES. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE REMEDY REPAIRS WOULD BE ISSUED ONLY IF THE VEHICLE INCURRED THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE RECALL. THE LAST COMPONENT OF CONCERN WAS THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT, WHICH CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, THEY DETERMINED THERE WAS CYLINDER MISFIRE. HOWEVER, THE CONTACT EXPRESSED THAT THIS PROBLEM MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY A MALFUNCTIONED COMPUTER SYSTEM. AFTER A MAJOR TUNE UP TO THE VEHICLE THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT ONLY ILLUMINATES INTERMITTENTLY.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LEFT FRONT STRUT TOWER OF THE VEHICLE APPEARED TO HAVE AN UNUSUAL AMOUNT OF RUST ON TOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP ON 12/28/04 WHO DETERMINED IT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AND THAT IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS MODEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP ON 02/18/05 FOR REPLACEMENT OF FRONT STRUTS, REAR SHOCKS, AND WHEEL ALIGNMENT. THE REPAIR SHOP NOTICED THAT THE RIGHT FRONT STRUT TOWER WAS ALSO RUSTED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 8/9/2006 - RUST WAS FIRST OBSERVED BY AND INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP MAY 6, 2004. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED, WHILE TRAVELING 30MPH, PANIC BRAKING WAS ATTEMPTED TO AVOID A VEHICLE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. THE ABS ACTIVATED AND THE VEHICLE SLID INTO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE STOPPED AT THE LIGHT. THE CONTACT WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT; SUSTAINED NO INJURIES AND THE POLICE TOOK A REPORT AT THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS NEVER INSPECTED TO DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THE ABS FAILURE.

1998 PLYMOUTH MINIVAN. STRUCTURE RUSTED THROUGH ON LEFT FRONT STRUT TOWER. THE PROBLEM WAS CAUGHT WHEN THERE WAS APPROX. 90% RUST THROUGH. A POTHOLE HIT OR JUST SEVERE BRAKING COULD HAVE HAD CATASTROPHIC RESULTS. CHRYSLER ADVISES THAT THEY WILL DO NOTHING BUT SAY SORRY. IS THIS A CHRONIC PROBLEM ?? *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED A LEAK WAS NOTICED UNDER THE TRANSMISSION WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. A LOCAL INDEPENDENT REPAIR MECHANIC REPLACED A SHAFT SEAL IN THE TRANSMISSION. HOWEVER, THAT DID NOT REMEDY THE LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR TRANSMISSION SHOP WERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED REBUILT AND THE DIFFERENTIAL NEEDED REPLACED.

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN ON THE HEADLIGHTS, THE HEADLIGHTS WILL FLICKER ON FOR ONLY A SPLIT SECOND THEN GO OFF. THE DRIVER MUST TURN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH ONLY TO A CERTAIN POINT SO THAT THE LIGHTS WILL STAY ON. IF THE LIGHTS FLICKER, THE DRIVER HAS TO TURN THE LIGHTS OFF, THEN TRY AGAIN. TWICE, WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT, REQUIRING THE DRIVER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD (WITHOUT LIGHTS), THEN FIDDLE WITH THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH TO GET THE HEADLIGHTS TO COME ON AGAIN. IT IS EXTREMELY TOUCHY TO GET THEM TO COME ON AND STAY ON. THIS APPEARS TO BE A SAFETY RECALL IN CANADA, BUT NOT IN THE US. ACCORDING TO THE AUTOMOBILE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION (IN CANADA) FOR 1996-2000 MODELS, "HEADLIGHT SWITCH OR RELAY MALFUNCTION IN THE LOWER DASH PANEL OR STEERING COLUMN CAN CAUSE THE LIGHTS TO FAIL TO COME ON, OR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TO OVERHEAT WITH SMOKE AND A RISK OF FIRE (THREE CASES OF SMOKE AND TWO OF FIRE AT TIME OF WRITING)." SEE HTTP://WWW.APA.CA/TEMPLATE.ASP?DOCID=23#TOP FOR THE INFORMATION I JUST REFERENCED. *JB