Maintenance sore spots with Dodge minivans
Most general discussions on vehicle problems miss a lot of useful consumer information simply because not all vehicles are the same. So, in the interest of consumer advocacy, the next few columns will cover some maintenance tips on popular consumer vehicles, starting with the 2008 to 2020 Dodge Grand Caravan. We’re pointing out these maintenance items to help you, whether you’re tackling them yourself or leaving it up to a professional.
Oil filter adapters: On the Caravan’s 3.6-litre V-6 engine, this is the unit that the upper engine-mounted oil filter fits into. You might experience an external oil leak, an oil-pressure warning light, or a cracked filter cap or neck. The external leak may be first noticeable as an odour before you see telltale drips, because it’s coming from the top of the engine where the HVAC intake can ingest some of the fumes. While there are seal kits available for these adapters (or housings, as they’re also known), most leaks and/or cracks in the upper neck are solved only with a complete replacement of the unit.
As for the oil-pressure warning light, the switch is located at the base of this adapter and is serviced separately. The adapters come in two varieties: a shorter one for 2013 and earlier Caravans, and a longer one for 2014+ models, and they’re not interchangeable. The former retails for $242 from the dealership and the latter is $374. If you’re tackling this job yourself, it requires removing the upper intake manifold plenum, and therefore you’ll also want a new gasket kit for that portion.
HVAC controls: When you can’t get your climate-control system to switch from defrost to mid-vents or floor, or when the dual-zone automatic system is only putting out full heat, most technicians would point to an HVAC door-control problem, and in the case of the Grand Caravan, they’d often be correct. But unlike some other systems, few Grand Caravans have HVAC failures that involve broken doors or cases, and most of the time the solution is the replacement of one of the several HVAC door actuators. Some are relatively easily accessed without major instrument-panel component removal, but some aren’t. Without a schematic, inspecting them is as simple as running the HVAC control through its functions and checking to see which ones activate and which ones don’t.
Door lock actuators: When sliding-door power locks fail — either cycling rapidly or becoming completely inoperative — the cure is often the replacement of the lock actuator attached to the doorlatch assembly. It’s serviced as a separate part, and requires only the removal of the inner trim panel for access.