PLYMOUTH Complaints

EMAIL FROM CONSTITUENT RE HIS CONCERNS ABOUT THE QUALITY OF CHRYSLER MINIVANS, THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM HE HAS WITH HIS 2000 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER; FEELS THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. *NJ THE COSNUMER NOTICED TRANSMISSION FLUID ON THE GROUND. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THERE WAS A PIN A CHRYSLER TRANSMISSION THAT COMES LOOSE. THEY ALSO SAID THE PIN IN THE LINKAGE FOR THE DIFFERENTIAL SHOOTS OUT VERY FAST AND RUINS EVERYTHING IN ITS PATH. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER. SINCE NOVEMBER OF 2003, THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE DIFFERENT TIMES. AFTER PURCHASING A BRAND NEW TRANSMISSION, IT FAILED AGAIN THE VERY SAME DAY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. THE CONTACT HAS HAD THE TOP HALF OF THE ENGINE REBUILT. THE VEHICLE IS STUCK IN DRIVE AND WILL NOT HOLD FLUID. THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS ACTIVATE WITHOUT A POWER SURGE IN THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE REAR BOLTS KEEP COMING OUT OF THE SHOCKS. THE CONTACT HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO HAVE THE BOLTS TIGHTENED THREE OR FOUR TIMES. THE ENGINE IS TICKING AND SMOKING. THE SERPENTINE BELT SLIPS OFF IF IT GETS EVEN SLIGHTLY WET FROM SNOW OR RAIN. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT SPORADICALLY FLASHES ON AND OFF OR CONSTANTLY REMAINS ILLUMINATED. THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS COMPLETELY SERVICED; HOWEVER, IT CANNOT BE USED BECAUSE OF THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 155,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,250. UPDATE 09/10/08 *CW UPDATED 09/15/08. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL IN HIS VEHICLE. HE HAS TO USE ALL OF HIS STRENGTH TO GET THEM TO WORK. IN ADDITION, THE ABS PUMP IS RUNNING AND WILL NOT SHUT OFF. THE ABS LIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS ARE CURRENTLY ILLUMINATED. THE REAR WIPER ON THE REAR HATCH HAS BEEN REPLACED FOUR TIMES AT THE COST OF $350. THE WIPER CURRENTLY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR IS FALLING OFF THE HINGES AND THE DOOR WAS REPAIRED ONCE BEFORE WITH A USED DOOR. THE DOOR CURRENTLY NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED AGAIN. AT 81,000 MILES, THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO SHIFT BUMP BEHAVIOR; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE STILL PERSISTS. THE AIR CONDITIONER HAS NOT WORKED SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 151,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

FAILURE TO PASS INSPECTION W/O REPAIR AS A SAFETY ISSUE 1998 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER DRIVER'S SIDE STRUT TOWER CAP RUST THROUGH. *TR

BRAKE FAILURE 1991 PLYMOUTH VAN ABS SYSTEM FAILURE PUMPS BRAKE FLUID OUT TOP FILL CAPS WHILE PARKED & RUNS BATTERY DOWN TO DEAD ALSO HARD PEDAL AT ANY TIME FAILS TO STOP ABS SYSTEM WAS REPAIRED OR REPLACED ABOUT 1999 DASH WARNING GO ON & OFF AT ANY TIME BEEN DEALER SHOP 4 WEEKS DISPUTE LIFETIME WARRANTY FOR RECALL. *TR

SAFETY HAZARD!!! SERPENTINE BELT COMES REPEATEDLY OFF OF OUR 1999 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER... WHEN DRIVING IN RAIN, SNOW OR STANDING WATER. THIS RESULTS IN THE LOSS OF STEERING, ENGINE COOLING AND ELECTRICAL CHARGING. IN RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM, IT TURNS OUT THAT THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT. IT IS VERY POSSIBLE THIS HAS RESULTED IN PREVIOUS INJURIES OR DEATHS, BUT THAT THIS WAS NOT KNOWN BECAUSE AFTER CRASHES HAVE OCCURRED, IT WOULD NOT BE KNOWN THAT THE BELT HAD SLIPPED OFF OF THE PULLEYS PRIOR TO THE CRASHES OCCURRING. TURNS OUT THIS IS SUCH A COMMON PROBLEM THAT 2 COMPANIES HAVE ACTUALLY PRODUCED KITS TO FIX THE PROBLEM, GATES AND GOODYEAR. THE GATES PART # IS 38342K, AND IT IS FOR 1996-2000 CHRYSLER MINI-VANS WITH 3.0 LITER ENGINES. THE WEBSIGHT HTTP://WWW.DODGEFORUM.COM/ARCHIVE/THREADS/SERPENTINE-BELT-591826-1.HTML SHOWS SEVERAL EXAMPLES OF OWNERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME ISSUE. THERE ARE VARIOUS SIGHTS THROUGHOUT THE INTERNET THAT DESCRIBE THIS SIMILAR SITUATION. WHEN SOMEONE DRIVES THROUGH EVEN A SMALL PUDDLE OR A SMALL SNOWDRIFT, THE SERPENTINE BELT IS HIGHLY PRONE TO SLIP OFF... CAUSING THE LACK OF STEERING. SINCE MANY OF THESE VANS ARE OWNED BY PEOPLE LIKE MY FAMILY, WHO HAVE SMALL CHILDREN WHO COULD EITHER BE INJURED OR KILLED BY SUCH INSTANCES... I BELIEVE IT IS HIGHLY IMPORTANT CHRYSLER ORDER A SAFETY DRIVEN RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES TO INSTALL THE GATES OR GOODYEAR FIX KITS. *TR

SERPENTINE BELT HAS REPEATEDLY FALLEN OFF OF OUR 1999 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER. THIS CONDITION HAS OCCURRED DRIVING THROUGH VERY SMALL STANDING WATER AND/OR A SNOW DRIFT. THE BELT HAS COME OFF 5 TIMES IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS, CAUSING THE LOSS OF CONTROL AND LOSS OF POWER STEERING, ALTERNATOR DRIVE AND COOLING SYSTEM. THIS HAS LEFT MY WIFE AND 3 SMALL CHILDREN STRANDED SEVERAL TIMES. UPON RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM, THIS IS A KNOWN DESIGN FLAW WITH THE VAN. IN FACT, THERE ARE SEVERAL WEB SIGHTS THAT I FOUND WHERE DOZENS OF OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. BOTH GATES AND GOODYEAR HAVE EVEN DESIGNED KITS TO PREVENT THE PROBLEM FROM RECURRING, THAT IS HOW COMMON THIS PROBLEM IS. THIS IS NOT ONLY A MAJOR DESIGN FLAW, BUT IT IS POTENTIALLY A HUGE SAFETY HAZARD, AS ALL POWER ACCESSORIES DRIVEN BY THE SERPENTINE BELT INCLUDING THE POWER STEERING - POTENTIALLY RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL, COOLING - POTENTIALLY CAUSING A FIRE, AND THE ALTERNATOR - RESULTING IN THE EVENTUAL DRAIN OF THE ELECTRIC POWER. CHRYSLER HAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ON THE ISSUE, AND EVEN HAS A FIX, BUT IN REVIEWING THE WEB SIGHTS THE CHRYSLER FIX DOES NOT WORK. ONLY THE GATES AND GOODYEAR FIXES WORK. CHRYSLER SHOULD BE FORCED TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND PUT THE GATES AND GOODYEAR KITS ON THESE PRODUCTS IN THE NAME OF SAFETY, BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED AS A RESULT OF LOSING THERE STEERING. *TR

MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING OUR VAN, AND HE GOT INTO A FENDER BENDER AND WAS ONLY GOING 4 TO 5 MPH, AND HE LIGHTLY HIT A POLE DUE TO SUN GLARE, AND IT DID NOT MAKE A IMPACT AT ALL , AND BOTH AIR BAGS POPPED OUT, AND I WAS INJURY BADLY. THE DASHBOARD THAT WAS COVERING THE AIRBAG FLEW OFF, AND CUT MY HEAD OPEN, AND THE BAG FRACTURED MY NOSE, AND MY WHOLE TOP PART OF MY BODY IS SORE AND BRUISED. THE AIR BAGS WENT OFF 30 SECONDS AFTER THE ACCIDENT, AND WAS VERY LATE. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. MY HUSBAND IS BRUISED AND VERY SORE FROM THE BAG HITTING HIM ON THE CHEST. *TR

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

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 PLYMOUTH BREEZE. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR LESS THAN ONE MINUTE WHEN THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD. THE SMOKE THEN TURNED INTO FLAMES. THE CONTACT USED A BLANKET AND A WATER HOSE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED $1,900 WORTH OF DAMAGES. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V191000 (STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS) THREE WEEKS AFTER THE FIRE. PLYMOUTH SENT A CONTRACTOR TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE AND CONCLUDED THAT THE FIRE WAS NOT RELATED TO THE SAFETY RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY A MECHANIC. AFTER REPAIRING THE VEHICLE, THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED A LEAK FROM THE HIGH PRESSURE POWER STEERING HOSE DIRECTLY ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD, WHICH WAS THE POSSIBLE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. THE MECHANIC ALSO STATED THAT IT WAS PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO IDENTIFY THE HOSE LEAK UNLESS THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING UNDER PRESSURE. WHEN THE PLYMOUTH REPRESENTATIVE INVESTIGATED THE VEHICLE, IT WAS NOT RUNNING. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 81,000.