Grand Caravan moans and groans, squeaks and creaks. Brake related.

When the temperatures plumeted to below 20 degrees F. recently (and
stayed there for over a week) my 93 Grand Caravan started moaning and
groaning and sqeaking and creaking everytime I used the brakes. The
brakes worked fine I just got these terrible loud noises everytime I
used them. When I take my foot off the pedal the noises stop. The
noises seem to be the same regardless of speed of the vehicle as long
as the car was moving, except sometimes they seemed to come from the
front other times from the rear, or under me. The noise is a little
like a noisy shock absorber when you go over a bump. But the noises
were continuous and had nothing to do with bumps. It did it on even
perfectly smooth roads.

Today the temperature came up to about 32 degrees and there were no
noises at all.

Anyone have any ideas what might be causing this? And whether or not
it could be a serious problem?


Thanks,
Gary Stewart
Reply to group or email

 

Could you also describe it as a "rubbing noise".?
My '98 Gr Caravan Sport has been doing that as of late.

Seems to happen when I am turning into a partking space or backing up
(3 point-turn, etc..) It has been very cold here as well....

 

Mine did the same thing a few days ago, I found so much ice and snow in
there I figured that's what it was from, I knocked off what I could and
it was a little better and yes once it warmed up it stopped.

REMOVE the NOCRAP in my address to reply.

 

Very often this is the rubber support bushing in the front sway bar.
Changing them will usually make the problem go away, but it may not be worth
it to you. As mentioned, it normally only occurs when temps are fairly cold.
Will normally go away when the weather warms up. And if you look at them and
they are not falling apart, they will carry on like this for a long time. I
believe there is a TSB on this problem.

 

First off I would like to thank this web site and the people who post and reply to this forum. I just bought a 2001 Grand Caravan Sport AWD on Saturday 1/31/2004. When me and my wife test drove the van a week prior to purchase I heard a clunking noise when going over small bumps or turning into driveways. Also the negative of the battery was barely on and there was a couple of hoses not connected. This van is a so called "Certified" Used car from a Dodge dealer in Connecticut. Before buying the van I told them if they fix the noise and the other little things we would buy it. Well of course after 1 week of waiting for the parts they told use the van was all set. They replaced the steering box and column along with the tie rods. They assured use all was fixed. Well needless to say after signing the paperwork it was time to take it home. I didn't even get out of there parking lot and it was still making the same noise.

Now it's monday and I brought it back bright and early. Once again thanks for your post they helped me and saved me another 45 minute trip to them. When I told them that the sway bar and the bushings may be the problem, from what I heard and this forum they brought it in the shop looked at it and said, " We need to replaced the sway bar and bushings" Gee what a thought. This dealer would of just keep replacing part after part and having me go back and fourth until they fixed it. What a waste of time and money, maybe that is why it takes 2 hours for a oil change? Thanks again

 

And it's also time to find another reputable shop for future service needs.

 

Picked up van today and all is fine. New sway and two new bushings. Thanks again, but found out after I picked it up that that overhead rear vents for the rear air do not work? Looks like I picked a winner! Back to the dealer again this week.

 

While you're at it, have them check for a leaking rear bank head gasket.

 

Thanks again, but found out after I picked it up that that overhead rear
vents for the rear air do not work? Looks like I picked a winner! Back to
the dealer again this week.

Yeah, and how about a blown transmission, or failed CV joints, or clouded
headlamps or rotten tires or broken rocker arm posts or any of a *number* of
other potential failed components on this vehicle, Bob? Why doesn't he just
have them take the whole damn van apart and measure every individual
component, test every diaphragm and replace every fluid and filter and
vacuum hose while they're at it? They should probably change the air in the
tires while they're at it, that lousy Chrysler factory air might fail
someday too!

Get over it, man, you had bad luck with a head gasket!

You know, somebody with *your* credentials *ought* to know better. You *do*
realize you're giving away the URL to your website with each one of these
inane posts, don't you? Are you planning for the future in which you've
been professionally associated with the childish behavior your exhibiting on
Usenet? How much consulting business do you plan on getting after everyone
in the airline industry realizes that you whine like a little kid when
presented with a mechanical problem that *somebody else* won't pay for? Do
you realize that you're now just a Google search away from that future?

I suggest you stop it with this, ASAP, and try to act like the professional
you claim to be.

*plonk*
--Geoff

 

The buyer has already expressed doubts about the quality of the dealer's
"100-point inspection.

The head gaskets are a quick visual inspection with a leak-down if warranted.

Unfortunately, they do fail prematurely. (Google that.)

A 'heads up" based on experience is hardly unprofessional.

 

I purchased this vehicle for my family. If there is any place to get advice it should be and is through forums like this. I also understand that each automobile has it's own story and problems. I go on this forum to hear the different problems and solutions to each. If a guy wants to tell me something he has encounter let him. This is the first time he told me.

Please understand I'am also not going to go to the dealer and have them measure every little thing, nor will I even mention 85% percent of the things I read about on such forums. This is a "advice" forum or opinion forum and that for me has been well worth the free registration. Let's keep to the purpose of talkaboutautos.com. That is advice on keeping my family safe. This has been far more help then any dealer I have ever dealt with in 5 cars and 15 years.