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1998 Plymouth Voyager Vehicle Shuts Off at Idle - Please He

Tiny
MOUNTAIN123PEAK
  • MEMBER
  • 1998 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 95,000 MILES
Hi,

I have a 1998 Plymouth Grand Voyager Expresso, and it sometimes shuts off at idle and deceleration/slow speeds. When I start the vehicle, sometimes the van just turns off within a few seconds, and then I restart and it's fine. Sometimes, when the vehicle is in the "drive" gear, and I am decelerating, stopped at a traffic light, or just operating the vehicle at relatively slow speeds, it just shuts off. When it does shut off, the Low Engine Oil Pressure and Service Engine Soon lights appear. I restart the car and continue driving, until the problem occurs again, when I have to restart again.

I took it to the mechanic, but he didn't know what the problem was after checking. He plugged in the device that checks with the vehicle�s computer, but after checking with the device and physically checking the vehicle, he said that everything seems fine. Someone else told me that it was the EGR valve. I replaced that, but the same exact problem still occurs.

Please help. Thanks.

Asad Choudhury
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Tuesday, June 30th, 2009 AT 1:20 AM

20 Replies

Tiny
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Check the two harness connectors under the battery for damage from battery acid leaks. Look inside the splices.

An easy diagnosis for the ignition switch could simply be made by moving it slightly to cause or cure the failure.

A remanufactured PCM from Chrysler May be a solution also. This is difficult to diagnose due to the intermittancy. A caution on the pcm packaging that the VIN and Mileage must be programmed to the pcm or it may not work right or it may set codes.
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Tuesday, June 30th, 2009 AT 4:50 AM
Tiny
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Hi,

Do you think those are the only possibilities? Is there any way, that based on my description of the problem it could by the IAC or something else?

How do I move the ignition switch? Do I have to open the entire assembly behind the steering wheel?

Is it very expensive to replace the PCM? How would I get a remanufactured one from Chrysler, and would a mechanic other than someone at the Chrysler dealer be able to replace the old PCM with a new one? If I do replace the PCM where do you recommend that I get it replaced, without spending too much money?

Thanks again.

Asad Choudhury
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Tuesday, June 30th, 2009 AT 11:06 AM
Tiny
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I believe thsese are the logical possiblilities. Frankly in theis industry 100% gaurantees are just not always there.

The ignition swith is where your key goes in. Just budge it forward or backward. I have a lot of doubt that this is the case but it is simple to try and would be disappointing if I didn't say it and it turned out that way. Don't put a lot of thought into this.

IF you give me your zip I can probably locate someone nearby that is capable. You don't have to go to the dealer but it will have to be programmed. I have found the aftermarket ones have a higher failure rate and I steer away from them in this particular instance.

I suggest that you give a shop the opportunity to try to diagnose this or you may be spending money unwisely.

As far as price shopping, I don't really get too invloved with it. A shop has to charge a rate that keeps them in business and I don't begrudge a shop for their charges. An honest shop that is expensive far outweighs a dishonest or incompetent one in the long run.
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Tuesday, June 30th, 2009 AT 7:19 PM
Tiny
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Hello again,

I haven't done anything to the vehicle since last week, except drive it to Washington D.C. Over the weekend. Whereas at idle and relatively slow speeds the vehicle sometimes shuts off with the "Low Engine Oil Pressure" and "Service Engine Soon" coming on right after, at high speeds on the highway, the vehicle performs fine.

But even at high speeds in infrequent instances, a kick is felt with the "Service Engine Soon" light coming on temporarily. On the long drive over the past weekend, I used cruise control. Whenever the kick was felt and the "Service Engine Soon" light came on, the cruise control light on the instrument panel disappeared, but the vehicle did not turn off. Once the Service Engine Soon light went away, I tried turning cruise on again, but the only way I was able to see the cruise light on the panel was after I had pressed BOTH the Cruise On button and the speed setting button, not just after I had pressed the Cruise On button.

Also, I have noticed that when the fuel indicator approaches the 1/2 mark, the needle of the indicator moves back and forth coming close to "E", then moving towards "F", and then finally settling on the current fuel level.

I went to another mechanic before the long drive, and he said the vehicle was fine. He didn't find anything. I asked him about the fuel indicator issue, and he said that something floats somewhere in the fuel system, which is why the indicator on the instrument panel moves back and forth. But I still think this isn't normal though.

My zip code is 11432. Where do you think I can go to get the problem with the vehicle accurately diagnosed and fixed?

Thanks again.

Asad Choudhury
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Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 AT 1:30 PM
Tiny
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Those year caravan/voyagers did have trouble with the instrument cluster. Sometimes rapping on the dash will make it react. You sem to have too many issues that tie back into the cluster.
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Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 AT 7:26 PM
Tiny
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Do I test the cluster by pressing only the "trip" button, only the "reset" button, or both the "trip" and the "reset" button? The video on Youtube isn't clear on this, so can you please tell me what to do? If there is a problem, do you think a shop that I look up using the link you gave me will be able to fix the cluster?

Based on my latest description of the problem the vehicle is experiencing, and the first description that I gave, do you still think a solution could be resolved by fixing the ignition switch, by replacing the pcm, or by checking acid in the battery area? Could it be anything to do with the vacuum system or the IAC valve?

I have also noticed that the service engine soon light on the highway turns on a set amount of time after the vehicle has been started. A kick is felt and the service engine soon light comes on temporarily in such a case. Then the vehicle continues to run fine.

I have been to two different mechanics, and both of them have not been able to detect a problem. They did a basic physical check-up of the vehicle, and plugged in the computer device to the lower left hand side of the driver's area, near the emergency break area. No problem was detected.

Yet, I still experience the problem of the vehicle shutting off sometimes, along with the fuel indicator problem.

Please tell me what to do next, and what I should tell the next mechanic I go to.

Thanks!

Best,
Asad Choudhury
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Wednesday, July 8th, 2009 AT 1:43 PM
Tiny
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Sorry for not replying sooner, I didn't see this pop back up.

If you hold the Trip and Reset Buttons for 5 seconds and turn the Ignition switch to the OFF Position, it does a Code Check. Record the numbers and post them.

Check engine light may be a separate problem, the pcm codes need to be read for that.

I would check the harness that I mentioned before.
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Monday, July 20th, 2009 AT 4:59 PM
Tiny
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Hi,

I took my minivan to a Chrysler Dealer Service Department and they found the stalling problem to be the PCM, the Crankshaft Sensor and the Camshaft Sensor. Chrysler told my advisor at the service department of the dealer that I went to that the PCM is on backorder as of today, July 20th. How long do you think it will be until Chrysler is able to supply the PCM? Will it be a week or two, or a month or two?

Please let me know what you think?

Thanks,

Asad Choudhury
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Monday, July 20th, 2009 AT 5:27 PM
Tiny
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Good question. IT is an unknown. I have run into this with different things, time frame is unknown.

Give me you VIN number and I'll see if I can find anything out. I need the last 9 digits.
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Monday, July 20th, 2009 AT 7:49 PM
Tiny
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The last 9 digits of my vehicle's VIN number is 5WB653782.

Please help, especially with finding out the length of time that Chrysler will take to supply the dealer with the PCM, which is on backorder.

Let me know as soon as you can. Thanks again.
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Monday, July 20th, 2009 AT 8:27 PM
Tiny
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I'll call my local dealer and see what I can find out.

In the event of a possible long wait, there is always a remanufactured unit.
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Tuesday, July 21st, 2009 AT 5:41 AM
Tiny
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I got the same thing you did. Unknown time frame.

Try a remanufactured one.
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Tuesday, July 21st, 2009 AT 7:28 AM
Tiny
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Would a remanufactured one cause any problems? Also, I think my advisor over at the Chrysler dealer I went to told me that the PCM he was ordering from Chrysler might be remanufactured. Would that mean that the wait time will be 1-2 weeks as opposed to 1-2 months?
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Tuesday, July 21st, 2009 AT 8:21 AM
Tiny
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As long it was done right, it would be good. I would expect a 1 week turn around.
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Tuesday, July 21st, 2009 AT 1:18 PM
Tiny
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I went to the dealer today to get my minivan and cautiously use it until it is scheduled to be repaired around August 3rd. August 3rd is the estimated time of arrival of the PCM from Chrysler. It was originally supposed to come in September but the adviser over at the Chrysler dealer I went to was able to get Chrysler to ship it by around August 3rd.

Let me know your thoughts on this.

Thanks,
Asad
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Tuesday, July 21st, 2009 AT 4:35 PM
Tiny
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You might a problem if there is a problem with it, and may not if there isn't. Or get lucky.
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Tuesday, July 21st, 2009 AT 7:59 PM
Tiny
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Yeah it has shut off a few times after I brought it back to use it until it gets repaired in about two weeks. I am using it cautiously.
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Tuesday, July 21st, 2009 AT 8:19 PM
Tiny
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Hi,

The Chyrsler dealer told me that the vehicle shut off, as I described before, because of the PCM, Camshaft Sensor, and the Crankshaft Sensor. My vehicle also had a fuel tank sending unit problem, so the dealer recommended that I get a new pump assembly.

I asked them which of the two problems was causing the vehicle shutting down. They said it was the PCM, Camshaft Sensor and the Crankshaft Sensor, NOT the fuel problems. I agreed only to have the PCM and the sensors issue repaired.

What do you think? Do you think the fuel problem is also causing the vehicle to shut down?

Please let me know. Thanks.
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Monday, August 3rd, 2009 AT 5:29 PM
Tiny
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What are the symptoms for the fuel pump replacement recommendation?

IF it is only for the gauge not reading right, then that is an inconvenience but something you could live with.
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Tuesday, August 4th, 2009 AT 5:14 AM
Tiny
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Did your vehicle ever get fixed? I have the same exact problem. We were thinking it to be the fuel pump.
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Sunday, February 22nd, 2015 AT 4:44 PM

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