1996 Caravan Nightmare

[dagste]

You are going to love this one! I have a 96 Dodge Caravan 3.0 L 181000 Km's it has had the standard problems (shreading surpintine belt, trans. ect) It has always gone to a Dodge dealer (three different ones depends where it breaks down)
This time it ran great one day and the next it would not start I checked for spark, fuel ect...all well, off to the dealer. They checked fuel, map sensor,blah blah and called me to let me know that the ECU needed to be replaced. Well I said OK, big mistake they could not get the thing going it was popping and would not run right. Finally a week later I got the van back paid $980 CND. and drove home it ran OK. Next morning it could barley idle back to the dealer and they did something?? and I drove home it had a slight miss at idle the dealer said we cant do anything till check engine light comes on.
The van ran great at cold temp. but at op. temp it would run rich and have a little miss. Finally last week the van would not start again back to dealer...code multi-mis fire. They got it going it was flooded and they dried the plugs a squirt of oil in the cyl. and called me to pick it up. I drove home (it ran great never got up to op. temp.) parked and the next morning it would not start again (same thing plugs are wet with gas) please any help would be great because the dealer is saying we dont want to see this van any more but thanx for the $1000.00 Help!!

[HeadlessHorseman]

I am surprised that your dealer abandoned you after taking your money and returning a non-functioning vehicle. Here in the States, their head would handed to them by the Better Business Bureau and a case like this would wind up in arbitration. I don't know what kind of arbitration process you have available to you, but perhaps you should look into it. One thing is for sure, your dealer can't find its butt with either hand! Have you considered taking your '96 to another dealer?

[dagste]

Thanx for the quick reply!
Here in Canada each dealer is independent so if I go to some other dealer I will have to pay again as for BBB all they do is file the complaint and thats it small claims court is an option but as with most things like this I would lose more in wages!! My father is a 37 year Jag/ Rover mechanic and is also discussted with this mess. But I still need to find out the problem and if I do and the ECU did not need replacing then I do have a case. I am sure that you have some contacts on this forum that my have some sugg. on the problem??
Thanx and Cheers
Steve