RamTech
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jul 20, 2011
- Posts
- 279
- Reaction score
- 4
- Location
- Johnson City, TN.
- Ram Year
- 2004 Dakota SXT
- Engine
- 3.7L
Although I wasn't personally involved in this one, it's too good not to post up. The cause eluded the technicians involved, tech support, the regional technical advisor and even Chryslers engineers. During the final test drive on the day Chrysler bought this vehicle back, the problem was finally duplicated and the cause was immediately found.
The vehicle was a 2004 midline Caravan with a 3.8L engine and 41TE transmission. We'll call the owners Mr. & Mrs. Smith for our purposes and Mrs. Smith was the primary driver.
The problem - Mrs. Smith reported that the vehicle would shut off under medium or hard braking. It would immediately restart and run fine until another similar stop was performed and then it would die again. The van never failed to restart.
Mr. Smith brought the van in to be diagnosed and repaired. After several test drives, the problem could not be duplicated. The technician checked the PCM and other modules for codes and none were ever found. The vehicle was returned to Mr. Smith and he went on his way. A couple of weeks later Mr. Smith was back reporting the same issue. Wiring was checked for intermittent problems and more test drives were performed and still the problem couldn't be duplicated. At this point STAR (Chrysler technical support) becomes involved and they advise the technician about things to check regarding potential wiring problems again but he finds no problems. Mr. Smith takes the van home.
Visit number three - Again, the problem can't be duplicated and STAR advises the replacement of several components such as the ignition switch and PCM. The van is again sent home with Mr. Smith.
Mr. Smith is back again with the same problem. It's discovered at this time that it's never happened to Mr. Smith. Not surprsingly, the problem can't be duplicated.
Fast forward to the day of the buyback. Our regional tech advisor, John, wants to take one last test drive. He hops in the passenger side with Mrs. Smith driving. This time under a hard stop the vehicle shuts off and John immediately finds the problem. What do you think it was?
The vehicle was a 2004 midline Caravan with a 3.8L engine and 41TE transmission. We'll call the owners Mr. & Mrs. Smith for our purposes and Mrs. Smith was the primary driver.
The problem - Mrs. Smith reported that the vehicle would shut off under medium or hard braking. It would immediately restart and run fine until another similar stop was performed and then it would die again. The van never failed to restart.
Mr. Smith brought the van in to be diagnosed and repaired. After several test drives, the problem could not be duplicated. The technician checked the PCM and other modules for codes and none were ever found. The vehicle was returned to Mr. Smith and he went on his way. A couple of weeks later Mr. Smith was back reporting the same issue. Wiring was checked for intermittent problems and more test drives were performed and still the problem couldn't be duplicated. At this point STAR (Chrysler technical support) becomes involved and they advise the technician about things to check regarding potential wiring problems again but he finds no problems. Mr. Smith takes the van home.
Visit number three - Again, the problem can't be duplicated and STAR advises the replacement of several components such as the ignition switch and PCM. The van is again sent home with Mr. Smith.
Mr. Smith is back again with the same problem. It's discovered at this time that it's never happened to Mr. Smith. Not surprsingly, the problem can't be duplicated.
Fast forward to the day of the buyback. Our regional tech advisor, John, wants to take one last test drive. He hops in the passenger side with Mrs. Smith driving. This time under a hard stop the vehicle shuts off and John immediately finds the problem. What do you think it was?
Last edited:
