8.0

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
No data
Average Mileage:
87,500 miles
Total Complaints:
4 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (4 reports)
1997 Dodge Caravan engine problems

engine problem

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1997 Dodge Caravan Owner Comments

problem #4

May 252006

(reported on)

Caravan

  • 140,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

It used to only happen when you got up to about 70 - 75 mph, but now it happens all the time. It almost feels like the tranny slips but I beleive it's something else. The van sputters or cuts out around 3-4 times in a row then it is fine for a while and it happens more often while your giving it gas. It's kind of like a jerking feeling. It loses alot of power if it happens when your just starting out,( which is getting to be more often and like I said when you give it gas even if your babying it and taking off normally! Can someone relate to this problem and if so please tell me it isn't anything too expensive or labor intensive.

- Brian H., Duluth, MN, US

problem #3

Jul 202006

(reported on)

Caravan

  • 60,000 miles

car cranks strong but wont start when i put gas in the engine it acts like it wants to start in a sputtering way, fuel filter was changed and i can hear fuel pump kick on . i hooked up a snap on diagnostic machine to it and it spit out some codes that lead to a sh*t load of sensors ( map , itc , oxygen , iac , and a couple others that i cant think of off the top of my head , i started to try to read into it further and it was starting to lead me to the erg valve , and i found out the hard way after looking for about 2 hrs that 2.4 liters dont have the erg valves, im baffled , and i cant really afford to fork over a ton of money to fix , i can fix anything i just cant diagnosis

- Francis C., Hatboro, PA, US

problem #2

Jul 202006

(reported on)

Caravan

  • 60,000 miles

the car has been reliable untill about a month ago , i had to pay for a tow from mt laurel , nj to hatboro , pa . we were on rt 73 heading towards phila. and the car just cut off and wouldnt start back up , it has stalled in the 3 previous weeks before that mainly when coming to a stop , but that was not a consistent problem , it was like the car had an attitude problem on certain days , it would go days at a time running like a champ and then one day it would run like a piece of sh*t and we would make it home park it for a little while and go back out and she was all better ? i changed the fuel filter to no avail, i can hear the fuel pump kick on , it also made a noise on the days it had its attitudes kind of like a when your power sterring pump is going bad and you turn your wheel except it wasnt a steady sound it was almost like a heart beat rythym , and i hooked a snap on diagnostic machine to it and there was this one test called the purge vapor test were i could change from norm flow , block flow , or full flow and when i put it on block flow the noise turned steady (not heart beat like ) when it was on norm it was like i explained earlier and when it was on full flow the noise went away , i have no clue what the test was doing though does anybody know what the purge vapor test is? as of right now my car does not run , it cranks like a champ and when i put a little gas in the whatever you call it it acts like it is really trying to start but in a sputtering way ?

- Francis C., Hatboro, PA, US

problem #1

Mar 212003

(reported on)

Caravan SE

  • 90,000 miles

It did this right after I bought this van. I had it checked and the Dodge dealer said it had 50 lbs of compression on 5 and 6. I wound up having to have the engine rebuilt. Of course while I was haveing this problem fixed I had the valve guides fixed. You know how Dodge said the valve guides needed to be replaced but they wouldn't pay for it. The mechanic never could figure out why I had two dead cylenders. Now my computer is showing cyl 6 mifire again.What do I do now? I wish Dodge would take pride in their products. Thank you for listening.

- jpitts jr., Bristol, Va., US

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