1998 Plymouth Voyager Electrical Problems

I OWN A 1998 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER. AT THE TIME OF THE FIRST INCIDENT THE VEHICLE HAD APPROXIMATELY 80,000 MILES ON IT. WHILE DRIVING I NOTICED THAT A NUMBER OF WARNING LIGHTS SUDDENLY APPEARED AND THAT ALL OF THE GAUGES WERE NOT OPERATING ON THE DASH. THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO SCAP JEEP/PLYMOUTH/DODGE DEALERSHIP IN FAIRFIELD CT. THE TECHNICIAN SAID THAT HE HAD NO CLUE WHAT IT WAS AND THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO TRACE EACH WIRE AND IT WOULD INCLUDE NUMEROUS MAN HOURS. HE ALSO SUGGESTED REPLACING THE MAIN COMPUTER. IF I WANTED TO HAVE THEM FIX IT I WOULD HAVE TO MAKE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT. I FOUND THAT THE VEHICLE OPERATED JUST FINE, JUST COULD NOT TELL MPH, MILEAGE, AUTO DOOR LOCKS FAILED AND AIRBAG, ANTI LOCK BRAKES, IN ADDITION TO ALL OTHER GAUGES. THREE DAYS LATER ALL RETURNED TO NORMAL FOR A FEW WEEKS AND THEN A REPEAT. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED WITH NO PATTERN FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS. DEALERSHIP CLAIMED IT WAS COMPUTERS. IN SPEAKING WITH MY LOCAL MECHANIC, HE HAD ANOTHER CUSTOMER WITH SAME TYPE VEHICLE AND SAME PROBLEM. THIS CUSTOMER SPENT IN EXCESS OF $2000 AT THE DEALERSHIP AND PROBLEM STILL PERSISTED. THE LOCAL MECHANIC OPENED THE DASH AND IMMEDIATELY FOUND A WIRE THAT WAS PARTIALLY BROKEN FREE FROM A HARNESS. HE PUSHED THE WIRE COMPLETELY INTO RECEIVER AND PROBLEM SOLVED. DUE TO WIRE BEING FRAYED, HE WENT TO LOCAL JUNK YARD TO GET A USED HARNESS END AND REPLACED SAID PIECE. SAME PROBLEM WAS FOUND WITH OUR VEHICLE. WIRE WAS FIXED AND THE ENTIRE JOB WAS LESS THAN 1 HOUR OF LABOR. HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS SINCE. PLYMOUTH HAS ISSUED NO RECALLS OR EVEN ANY ALERTS OF THE PROBLEM TO ITS DEALERSHIPS. IN PHONE CALLS TO CUSTOMER SERVICE THEY CLAIM THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT TWO VEHICLES IN THE SAME TOWN ARE THE ONLY ONES TO EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM AND HOPE THAT YOU LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE AND ORDER ANY RECALLS NECESSARY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10455079

Incident

Jul 31, 2009

Mileage

80,000 mi

98 VOYAGER EXPRESSO 3.3 ENGINE. DOORS LOCK AT RANDOM, WHEN PUT IN GEAR, WHEN PUT IN PARK, WHILE KEYS IN CAR, WITH CAR RUNNING, THE 15MPH IS TOTALLY IRRELEVENT IN THIS VAN. IT ALSO OVER HEATS EVEN IN WINTER, AND ALL THE LIGHTS BLINK ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AS WELL AS THE HOUSING FOR AC, DEFROST, REAR WIPER, ETC. HAVE HAD TO LOCAL DEALER WHO CLAIMS THERE ARE NO RECALLS AT ALL ON THIS VAN. I HAVE JUST PRINTED OFF 3 PAGES OF SAFETY ISSUES, AND THE ONES I HAVE LISTED ARE VERY IMPORTANT. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON IN EXCESS OF 4 YEARS, AND IT ISNT GETTING ANY BETTER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10345162

Incident

Apr 22, 2005

THE HEAT CHANGES FROM HOT TO A/C BY ITSELF, THE REAR DEFROST DON'T WORK ALL THE TIME, THE BACK WIPERS GO ON BY THEN SELF WITH DIFFERENT DELAYS,,, , STAYS ON DEFROST, AND THE STRUT TOWER ARE VERY POOR SHAPE, NEVER SAW STRUT TOWERS RUST LIKE THIS ON ANY OTHER VAN OR CAR BUT THIS ONE..1998 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER...ALSO ALL THIS STUFF WRONG WITH IT AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIKE DON'T GO ON...VERY BAD VAN TO HAVE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10329783

Incident

Oct 10, 2009

Mileage

68,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS, MARKER LIGHTS, SPEEDOMETER, FUEL GAUGE, ODOMETER, TEMPERATURE GAUGE, WIPERS, HORN AND POWER LOCKS ALL STOPPED WORKING. THE CONTACT HAD TO DRIVE AT NIGHT WITH NO LIGHTS FOR THREE DAYS. WHEN THE LIGHTS CAME BACK ON THEY FUNCTIONED INTERMITTENTLY AND THEN SHUT OFF FOR SEVERAL DAYS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE BODY CONTROL MODULAR WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 168,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

10328214

Incident

Mar 30, 2010

Mileage

168,000 mi

WE HAVE PAID NUMEROUS TIMES TO HAVE THESE SAME ISSUES LOOKED AT PARTS REPLACED. NEW BRAIN AS THEY SAID FOR THE CAR, NEW COMPUTER MODULES. THIS OVER THE YEARS HAS COST ME UNTOLD AMOUNTS OF TIME AND MONEY. THE DASH SHUTS OFF COMPLETELY WHILE DRIVING, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE HAD EVERYTHING REPLACED. WIPERS DO WHAT THEY CHOOSE, IF WE LEAVE THEM ON THEY STAY OFF.IF WE TURN THEM OFF THEY GO ON. WE HAVE NO DASH WHAT SO EVER, UNABLE TO ASCERTAIN SPEED IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING. NUMEROUS TIMES THE VEHICLE HAS JUST SHUT DOWN WHEN COMING TO A STOP. RADIO AND CD PLAYER WORKS AND DOESN'T AT VARIABLE TIMES. WE HAVE HAD ALL OF THIS LOOKED AT NUMEROUS TIMES AND NO ONE KNOWS WHAT TO DO THEY JUST MAKE EDUCATED GUESSES AND HOPE IT FIXES IT. WE HAVE SPENT FAR TOO MUCH MONEY ON THIS ISSUE. THE DOOR LOCKS WORK SPORADIC. ON OCCASIONS WE WILL LOSE JUST PART OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND HAVE HALF STILL. FOR EXAMPLE WE HAVE LOST SPEED ODOMETER AND GAS AND KEPT HE REST. THIS CAR IS A LEMON AND A PENDING DEATH TRAP. THERE IS NEVER ANY KIND OF WARNING TO OWNERS, I AM TOLD TO REPLACE THE MAIN COMPUTER OVER AND OVER. BEING AS ITS THE MAIN COMPUTER FOR THE VEHICLE IT ALSO OVER SEES MANY OTHER OPERATIONS OF THE VEHICLE AND CAN CAUSE NUMEROUS OTHER THINGS TO HAPPEN WHICH WE MAY NEVER KNOW OF UNTIL SAID CONDITIONS REQUIRE THAT ACTION AND IT IS NOT PRESENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10292063

Incident

Oct 1, 2006

Mileage

70,000 mi

OWN A 98 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER EXPRESSO THAT INTERMITTENTLY WILL NOT CRANK OR WILL CRANK AND IMMEDIATELY GO DEAD. ALL DASH LIGHTS FLICKER OR GO OUT, NO FUEL INDICATOR, NO SPEEDOMETER. HAS DIED WHILE DRIVING IT ONCE WHICH WAS VERY DANGEROUS AND SCARY. FAILURE OCCURS PERIODICALLY AND IS DANGEROUS AND VEHICLE IS NO LONGER DEPENDABLE. HAVE HAD NUMEROUS THINGS REPLACED BCM, STARTER, WIRING HARNESS, SENSORS ETC. PROBLEM CONTINUES TO COME BACK EVENTUALLY. HAS TO BE A CHRYSLER DEFECT. I HAD ONE DEALERSHIP DENY AWARENESS OF A PROBLEM WITH THAT YEAR MINIVAN AND SOME SAY "YOU CAN TRY THIS FOR 1,000 DOLLARS BUT IT MAY ONLY WORK FOR AWHILE. THIS SHOULD FALL UNDER THE LEMON LAW MOST REPAIRS MADE ONLY LASTED A FEW MONTHS. NO REPAIRS HAVE LASTED MORE THAN A YEAR. PLEASE HELP...I LOVE MY VEHICLE OTHERWISE BUT HAVE NO MONEY TO MAKE FURTHER REPAIRS OR TO BUY A NEW VEHICLE. I STARTED HAVING THIS PROBLEM IN OCTOBER OF 2006 AND HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS OFF AND ON EVER SINCE. MY VAN WILL NOT CRANK NOW AND I HAVE ONLY HAD THE LATEST BCM SINCE OCTOBER 2008. *TR

NHTSA ID

10278884

Incident

Oct 2, 2008

Mileage

126,989 mi

THERE WAS A RECALL MANY YEARS AGO IN GERMANY ON THE STARTER,ALSO HAVE A LETTER FROM THE CHRYSLER SHOP THE PART GET REPLACED ON WARRANTY THAT WAS MANY YEARS AGO,THERE NEVER HAD THE PART TO REPLACE IT. NOW I AM IN THE STATES ,IN WASHINGTON, AND THE RECALL PART FAILED ME. SECOND: MY HEADLIGHT HAVE A FILM HAZE,THERE IS NO WAY TO CLEAN IT TAKE IT APART OR ANYTHING. WE WENT TO USED AUTO PART STORES EVERY LAST ONE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. I CANT SEE AT NIGHT,AND CAN COST ME AN EXTENT. THAT SHOULD BE A RECALL. A NEW LIGHT WOULD COST $ 270.00 PLUS TAX PER LIGHT. IT IS ON BOTH LIGHTS. I AM DISAPPOINTED WITH THE CHRYSLER. I ALSO JUST READ ON YOUR WEB THERE MANY OTHER RECALLS I NEVER KNEW ABOUT IT. WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR ME. *JB

NHTSA ID

10142257

Incident

Oct 6, 2005

DT: CONTACT WENT TO HAVE BRAKES CHECKED ON 8-3-05, JUST A ROUTINE CHECK, AND THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT LEFT FRONT CALIPER BOLTS WERE INCORRECT AND HAVE DAMAGED THE STEERING KNUCKLES. HE TOLD HER THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL WAS SPINNING INSIDE THE KNUCKLES, WITHIN 7 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. ALSO, THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS BAD. *AK

NHTSA ID

10132269

Incident

Aug 3, 2005

Mileage

100,000 mi

VEHICLE WAS SHOOTING SPARKS FROM UNDER THE DASHBOARD ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THEN, THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS COULD NOT BE TURNED OFF. MECHANIC HAD TO TURN THE LIGHTS OFF BY DISCONNECTING OR TOUCHING A WIRE. *AK THE SES LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING. THE HORN STOPPED WORKING. THE BRAKE LIGHT BECAME STUCK AND THE BRAKES FELT SPONGY. THE INTERIOR LIGHTS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. THE REAR DOOR LOCK WOULDN'T WORK WITH THE KEY. THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARINGS WERE NOISY. ONE OF THE FRONT TIRES HAD CORD SEPARATION. *NM

NHTSA ID

10097759

Incident

Sep 15, 2004

Mileage

99,569 mi

WHILE DRIVING SRS AIR BAG LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON AND THE HORN FAILED TO COME ON WHEN APPLIED. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE CLOCK SPRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK *SC

NHTSA ID

10097633

Incident

Oct 25, 2004

WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH AND TURNING VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE. CONSUMER WILL CONTACT THE DEALER IN THE NEAR FUTURE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10097657

Incident

Aug 12, 2004

TOTAL POWER SHUTDOWN WHILE TRYING TO START. STARTED 10 MINUTES LATER. VARIOUS COMPONENTS STARTED FAILING - DOOR LOCKS, INTERMITTANT WIPER, REAR WIPER, REAR WASHER, POWER MIRROR. TOOK TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD I NEEDED A NEW BCM. REPLACED BCM FOR $600 AND WAS TOLD THAT EVERYTHING HAD TO BE REPAIRED! THEY REPLACE DEFECTIVE BCM 50-60 TIMES A YEAR SO THAT THEY CAN TELL YOU YOUR CAR IS NOT WORKING! WHAT A RACKET! AND APPARENTLY THE ONE THEY REPLACED HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED BEFORE - HOW MANY TIMES I DON'T KNOW. $220 OF RECOMMENDED REPAIRS WERE NOT GUARANTEED TO FIX THE PROBLEMS EITHER! I REPORTED THE DETAILS TO "CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE" AND WAS TOLD THEY WOULD CALL BACK - THEY DIDN'T. WHEN I CALLED THEM THEY SAID THAT ALL ASSISTANCE WAS DENIED! I HAD TO PAY $600 SO THEY COULD TELL ME WHAT I HAD ALREADY TOLD THEM! I'LL TAKE IT TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP WHERE THEY CHARGE TO FIX THE CAR.*AK

NHTSA ID

10096216

Incident

Oct 22, 2004

Mileage

109,000 mi

AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING ,AND HORN/CRUISE CONTROL WERE INOPERATIVE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER, WHO INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE CLOCK SPRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

10092106

Incident

Aug 14, 2004

Mileage

100,000 mi

MY HEADLIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS COME ON BY THEMSELVES WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS A HEADLIGHT SWITCH, PUT IN A NEW ONE, CHARGED ME AND IT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THEN THEY SAID IT WAS A COMPUTER. I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT WAS NOT THE COMPUTER, BUT DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. A THIRD VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SHOP SIMPLY HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS CAUSING THE LIGHTS TO COME ON. SO FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, I HAVE REMOVED THE FUSES FROM THE HEADLIGHTS AND ONLY DRIVE THE VEHICLE IN THE DAY TIME. AS LONG AS THE FUSES ARE NOT IN AND I DO NOT TURN ON THE HEADLIGHTS, THE PROBLEM DOES NOT HAPPEN. OF COURSE HAVING A CAR YOU CAN'T DRIVE AT NIGHT IS A BIT OF A HINDRANCE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10080437

Incident

May 1, 2002

Mileage

56,000 mi

MY HEADLIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS COME ON BY THEMSELVES WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS A HEADLIGHT SWITCH, PUT IN A NEW ONE, CHARGED ME AND IT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THEN THEY SAID IT WAS A COMPUTER. I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT WAS NOT THE COMPUTER, BUT DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. A THIRD VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SHOP SIMPLY HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS CAUSING THE LIGHTS TO COME ON. SO FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, I HAVE REMOVED THE FUSES FROM THE HEADLIGHTS AND ONLY DRIVE THE VEHICLE IN THE DAY TIME. AS LONG AS THE FUSES ARE NOT IN AND I DO NOT TURN ON THE HEADLIGHTS, THE PROBLEM DOES NOT HAPPEN. OF COURSE HAVING A CAR YOU CAN'T DRIVE AT NIGHT IS A BIT OF A HINDRANCE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10080436

Incident

May 1, 2002

Mileage

56,000 mi

1998 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON IT IS NOW GONNA COST ME ROUGHLY $300 TO HAVETHE CLOCK SPRING FIXED. I FEEL THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10075276

Incident

Jun 10, 2004

Mileage

97,455 mi

TRANSMISSION DISINTEGRATED, WIPER MOTOR PROBLEMS, AND LOST OF HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL. *PH *MR

NHTSA ID

10065193

Incident

Dec 1, 2003

Mileage

50,000 mi

WHEN VEHICLE IS STARTED AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON. WHEN AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL DO NOT WORK. CONSUMER SAW A NHTSA ARTICLE CONCERNING AN INVESTIGATION OF THESE VEHICLES. *AK

NHTSA ID

10057517

Incident

Jan 21, 2003

Mileage

80,000 mi

IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO BLOW THE HORN. YOU PRESS ALL YOU WANT AND CAN'T FIND IT.*AK

NHTSA ID

10056535

Incident

Jan 1, 1998

IT IS JUNE OF 2003 AND THE CAR IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP AGAIN FOR THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. IT HAS HAD A POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE, SERPENTINE BELT FAILURE TIMES 5 AND NOW A COMPUTER PROBLEM. I HAVE CONTACTED CHRYSTLER CORP AT LEAST 5 TIMES REGARDING THE PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. THEIR ANSWER IS WELL, IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE CARE TRADE IT IN.

NHTSA ID

10070075

Incident

Mar 15, 2002

Mileage

58,000 mi

THE HORN ASSEMBLY SOUNDED OFF AND ON INTERMITTENTLY, WHICH CAUSED A SHORT THROUGH THE VEHICLE. WHILE PRESSING THE HORN THERE WAS ONE MINUTE COMMUNICATION. *AK AT TIMES IT STAYED ON FOR 30 SECONDS TO A MINUTE. THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED FOR A COST OF $350. WHEN THE DEALER DIAGNOSED IT, THE COST WENT UP TO $1000. AS A RESULT OF THE PROBLEM BEING IN THE STEERING UNIT WHICH HOUSED THE AIR BAG. DEALERSHIP DISCONNECTED THE HORN. *PH. THERE WAS A RECALL REGARDING THE CLOCK SPRING WHICH WAS REPLACED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10034585

Incident

Aug 25, 2003

Mileage

67,000 mi

1998 PLYMONTH VOYAGER SE IGNITION- SECURITY SYSTEM FAILURE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10032872

Incident

Aug 9, 2003

Mileage

78,116 mi

IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER FAILED. DEALER REPLACING SAYS THAT IT HAPPENS FREQUENTLY. PUT KEY IN LOCK AND KEY WOULD NOT TURN OR STEERING WHEEL UNLOCK.

NHTSA ID

10032583

Incident

Aug 11, 2003

Mileage

50,000 mi

CONSUMER STATES AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON, AND THE HORN DOES NOT SOUND WHEN PRESSED. DELAER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10031335

Mileage

72,000 mi

WHEN TURNING VEHICLE OFF IT CONTINUED TO RUN AND THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10025022

Incident

May 25, 2003

Mileage

70,000 mi