2002 GC Steering Noise...

This is what I suspect.

I had to replace a pump on my 1994, but that was at more like 180,000
kms! NOT 98,000 kms!

Then again, I did not purchase my 1994 until about 125,000 kms. So
maybe the pumps only last between 80,000 and 100,000 kms! That is
pretty damn bad if you ask me!

It will take me a while to get on with having this addressed, but I
will post back updates.

On Sat, 18 Nov 2006 07:19:27 -0500, philthy > wrote:

>sound like a bad pump
>
>NewMan wrote:
>
>> I have a 2002 Grand Caravan. When the van is "cold" first thing in the
>> morning, there is a nasty noise coming from the steering system -
>> kinda sounds like Godzilla.
>>
>> Once the van has warmed up - after 20 or more minutes, the noise goes
>> away.
>>
>> This noise is directly related to the movement of the steering wheel.
>> If the wheel is striaght, no noise, when I turn the wheel - LOUD.
>>
>> I presume that this is the pump working very hard. I have checked the
>> Power Steering Fluid levels, and all is fine there.
>>
>> There is about 98,000 km on the van, and I have an extended warranty.
>>
>> I am just looking to see if there have been any common issues with the
>> pump and/or steering rack before I take it in. I like to at least have
>> an idea of what is going on and make suggestions when I take my car
>> in. In many cases my suggestions have lead to resolution to the
>> problem!
>>
>> All advice and opinions appreciated.
>>
>> Thanks

philthy > wrote in :

> typical dealer response lets sell them maintence before we fix the
> real issue
>
> maxpower wrote:
>
>> "NewMan" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> > I have a 2002 Grand Caravan. When the van is "cold" first thing in
>> > the morning, there is a nasty noise coming from the steering system
>> > - kinda sounds like Godzilla.
>> >
>> > Once the van has warmed up - after 20 or more minutes, the noise
>> > goes away.
>> >
>> > This noise is directly related to the movement of the steering
>> > wheel. If the wheel is striaght, no noise, when I turn the wheel -
>> > LOUD.
>> >
>> > I presume that this is the pump working very hard. I have checked
>> > the Power Steering Fluid levels, and all is fine there.
>> >
>> > There is about 98,000 km on the van, and I have an extended
>> > warranty.
>> >
>> > I am just looking to see if there have been any common issues with
>> > the pump and/or steering rack before I take it in. I like to at
>> > least have an idea of what is going on and make suggestions when I
>> > take my car in. In many cases my suggestions have lead to
>> > resolution to the problem!
>> >
>> > All advice and opinions appreciated.
>> >
>> > Thanks
>>
>> The first thing to do is have the P/S system flushed and clean fluid
>> added. Not a warrantable item
>>
>> Glenn Beasley
>> Chrysler Tech
>

Glenn has been a frequent disperser of knowledge here; please don't bash
him. I for one would hate to lose his assistance and expertise in this
forum.

Steph,

This personal feud has been going on here for longer than you'd care to
know. Glenn has shown that he can take care of himself and Philthy also
contributes to this newsgroup as well.

Bob
..
"Steph" > wrote in message
...
> philthy > wrote in :
>
>> typical dealer response lets sell them maintence before we fix the
>> real issue
>>
>> maxpower wrote:
>>
>>> "NewMan" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>> > I have a 2002 Grand Caravan. When the van is "cold" first thing in
>>> > the morning, there is a nasty noise coming from the steering system
>>> > - kinda sounds like Godzilla.
>>> >
>>> > Once the van has warmed up - after 20 or more minutes, the noise
>>> > goes away.
>>> >
>>> > This noise is directly related to the movement of the steering
>>> > wheel. If the wheel is striaght, no noise, when I turn the wheel -
>>> > LOUD.
>>> >
>>> > I presume that this is the pump working very hard. I have checked
>>> > the Power Steering Fluid levels, and all is fine there.
>>> >
>>> > There is about 98,000 km on the van, and I have an extended
>>> > warranty.
>>> >
>>> > I am just looking to see if there have been any common issues with
>>> > the pump and/or steering rack before I take it in. I like to at
>>> > least have an idea of what is going on and make suggestions when I
>>> > take my car in. In many cases my suggestions have lead to
>>> > resolution to the problem!
>>> >
>>> > All advice and opinions appreciated.
>>> >
>>> > Thanks
>>>
>>> The first thing to do is have the P/S system flushed and clean fluid
>>> added. Not a warrantable item
>>>
>>> Glenn Beasley
>>> Chrysler Tech
>>
>
> Glenn has been a frequent disperser of knowledge here; please don't bash
> him. I for one would hate to lose his assistance and expertise in this
> forum.

it's the truth i know i have seen it and still do esp. were i work now
sorry you don't like it come to think of it
a guy comes into my shop today with a noise his van makes backing up
i find a worn motor mount and a bent upwards skid plate smacking the all
wheel drive unit so we bent the skid plate bac and let him go no charge and
i say if it is fixed ok, u owe us 3000.00 grand if not we will need to
replace that mount so it sits higher
he laughs and tells me how the local dodge dealer wanted to sell him a new
trans for 2800.00 then when he declines the dealer states they do it for
2400.00 the guys says no thanks and drives the van away to the local trans
shop that replaces the speed sensor and it's all fixed and that was 75000
miles ago hes at 148 k now.
dealer's suc thats why they try to scam maintence out of customers and the
vehicles go back 3 times befire it's fixed how many times have you heard no
problem found??? glen is the exception and as he becomes the top dog as i
was he will be expected to fix more and more hard warranty stuff while the
lower level techs get all the easy flatrate hours and he will also leave
the dealer, very few techs retire from the same dealer


Steph wrote:

> philthy > wrote in :
>
> > typical dealer response lets sell them maintence before we fix the
> > real issue
> >
> > maxpower wrote:
> >
> >> "NewMan" > wrote in message
> >> ...
> >> > I have a 2002 Grand Caravan. When the van is "cold" first thing in
> >> > the morning, there is a nasty noise coming from the steering system
> >> > - kinda sounds like Godzilla.
> >> >
> >> > Once the van has warmed up - after 20 or more minutes, the noise
> >> > goes away.
> >> >
> >> > This noise is directly related to the movement of the steering
> >> > wheel. If the wheel is striaght, no noise, when I turn the wheel -
> >> > LOUD.
> >> >
> >> > I presume that this is the pump working very hard. I have checked
> >> > the Power Steering Fluid levels, and all is fine there.
> >> >
> >> > There is about 98,000 km on the van, and I have an extended
> >> > warranty.
> >> >
> >> > I am just looking to see if there have been any common issues with
> >> > the pump and/or steering rack before I take it in. I like to at
> >> > least have an idea of what is going on and make suggestions when I
> >> > take my car in. In many cases my suggestions have lead to
> >> > resolution to the problem!
> >> >
> >> > All advice and opinions appreciated.
> >> >
> >> > Thanks
> >>
> >> The first thing to do is have the P/S system flushed and clean fluid
> >> added. Not a warrantable item
> >>
> >> Glenn Beasley
> >> Chrysler Tech
> >
>
> Glenn has been a frequent disperser of knowledge here; please don't bash
> him. I for one would hate to lose his assistance and expertise in this
> forum.

Did you ever get your van fixed? I just discovered I'm having the same
problem If you got it fixed let me know what you did. I'm going to
take the advice from fellow board members and try the p/s flush and new
added.

Thanks


NewMan wrote:
> I have a 2002 Grand Caravan. When the van is "cold" first thing in the
> morning, there is a nasty noise coming from the steering system -
> kinda sounds like Godzilla.
>
> Once the van has warmed up - after 20 or more minutes, the noise goes
> away.
>
> This noise is directly related to the movement of the steering wheel.
> If the wheel is striaght, no noise, when I turn the wheel - LOUD.
>
> I presume that this is the pump working very hard. I have checked the
> Power Steering Fluid levels, and all is fine there.
>
> There is about 98,000 km on the van, and I have an extended warranty.
>
> I am just looking to see if there have been any common issues with the
> pump and/or steering rack before I take it in. I like to at least have
> an idea of what is going on and make suggestions when I take my car
> in. In many cases my suggestions have lead to resolution to the
> problem!
>
> All advice and opinions appreciated.
>
> Thanks

This may be unrelated, but I have had a simular issue with both of the
Dodge Neons I own (2001 and 1995).
In my case, this only occurred when it was fairly cold outside. I did
notice that if I plugged the block heater in, there was very little, to
no noise, even at -45'C (my cars only ever get plugged in at temps
below -30'C).

As I mentioned, I do not know if this totally applies to this issue,
even though mine is also steering pump related.

Mike
mlawrenc(at)gmail.com


wrote:
> Did you ever get your van fixed? I just discovered I'm having the same
> problem If you got it fixed let me know what you did. I'm going to
> take the advice from fellow board members and try the p/s flush and new
> added.
>
> Thanks
>
>
> NewMan wrote:
> > I have a 2002 Grand Caravan. When the van is "cold" first thing in the
> > morning, there is a nasty noise coming from the steering system -
> > kinda sounds like Godzilla.
> >
> > Once the van has warmed up - after 20 or more minutes, the noise goes
> > away.
> >
> > This noise is directly related to the movement of the steering wheel.
> > If the wheel is striaght, no noise, when I turn the wheel - LOUD.
> >
> > I presume that this is the pump working very hard. I have checked the
> > Power Steering Fluid levels, and all is fine there.
> >
> > There is about 98,000 km on the van, and I have an extended warranty.
> >
> > I am just looking to see if there have been any common issues with the
> > pump and/or steering rack before I take it in. I like to at least have
> > an idea of what is going on and make suggestions when I take my car
> > in. In many cases my suggestions have lead to resolution to the
> > problem!
> >
> > All advice and opinions appreciated.
> >
> > Thanks

Not yet.

My extended warranty has a $100 deductable per invoice - no matter how
much work is done. So I am looking into a couple of other issues at
the moment. I will likely schedule the van in for a couple of days and
get a loaner some time in the next month.

I'll let you know how it goes.

On 20 Nov 2006 18:54:46 -0800, wrote:

>Did you ever get your van fixed? I just discovered I'm having the same
>problem If you got it fixed let me know what you did. I'm going to
>take the advice from fellow board members and try the p/s flush and new
>added.
>
>Thanks
>
>
>NewMan wrote:
>> I have a 2002 Grand Caravan. When the van is "cold" first thing in the
>> morning, there is a nasty noise coming from the steering system -
>> kinda sounds like Godzilla.
>>
>> Once the van has warmed up - after 20 or more minutes, the noise goes
>> away.
>>
>> This noise is directly related to the movement of the steering wheel.
>> If the wheel is striaght, no noise, when I turn the wheel - LOUD.
>>
>> I presume that this is the pump working very hard. I have checked the
>> Power Steering Fluid levels, and all is fine there.
>>
>> There is about 98,000 km on the van, and I have an extended warranty.
>>
>> I am just looking to see if there have been any common issues with the
>> pump and/or steering rack before I take it in. I like to at least have
>> an idea of what is going on and make suggestions when I take my car
>> in. In many cases my suggestions have lead to resolution to the
>> problem!
>>
>> All advice and opinions appreciated.
>>
>> Thanks

If you notice when the temperature gets cold outside the complaint of Power
steering noises start to rise with the vans,convertibles, Pt cruisers and
so on.And im sure other manufactures as well) The fluid does not circulate
very well on cold mornings and that is the most common fix is to flush the
fluid. You keep selling those pumps Dirty!!! And you keep telling people
they are fixing the noise. But the real fix when you replace those pumps
is because when you remove the pump you are removing the old fluid and
install new fluid......so what is fixing the problem? The pump or fluid. I
will give you a hint (ITS THE FLUID)

Glenn

I will see what the dealer recommends. I have no objection to a little
preventive maintenance. After all, if I do that, and the noise
persists, then they have NO CHOICE but to fix the problem under my
warranty! Certainly not the worst that could happen. And at that point
the problem would either be the rack or the pump - neither of which I
would really want to pay for out of my own pocket!

And seeing as I likely have a van with 98,000 kms, and the original
fluid in the P/S system, then it is probably good PM to flush the
system anyways.

Thanks Glenn

On Wed, 22 Nov 2006 06:44:57 -0500, "damnnickname"
> wrote:

>If you notice when the temperature gets cold outside the complaint of Power
>steering noises start to rise with the vans,convertibles, Pt cruisers and
>so on.And im sure other manufactures as well) The fluid does not circulate
>very well on cold mornings and that is the most common fix is to flush the
>fluid. You keep selling those pumps Dirty!!! And you keep telling people
>they are fixing the noise. But the real fix when you replace those pumps
>is because when you remove the pump you are removing the old fluid and
>install new fluid......so what is fixing the problem? The pump or fluid. I
>will give you a hint (ITS THE FLUID)
>
>Glenn

When my 02 Grand Caravan was near new and still under full factory warranty I got a recall notice in the mail that the power steering hoses were defective and needed to be replaced. After taking it to the dealer for this, the power steering started making those noises when I started it cold in the morning. It took 3 or 4 more trips to the dealer for them to get rid of the noises. At first they told me that the problem was "air trapped in the system" and tried to bleed the air out by just turning the wheel all the way lock to lock several times. When that didn't work they flushed the fluid. Twice. But the noise persisted. So they finally replaced the power steering pump. And that fixed the noise. But what puzzles me most about this is that there was never any noise from the system before I brought it in for that power steering hose recall. Was is just a coincidence?

On 11/22/2006 7:28 AM NewMan wrote:
> I will see what the dealer recommends. I have no objection to a little
> preventive maintenance. After all, if I do that, and the noise
> persists, then they have NO CHOICE but to fix the problem under my
> warranty! Certainly not the worst that could happen. And at that point
> the problem would either be the rack or the pump - neither of which I
> would really want to pay for out of my own pocket!
>
> And seeing as I likely have a van with 98,000 kms, and the original
> fluid in the P/S system, then it is probably good PM to flush the
> system anyways.
>
> Thanks Glenn
>
> On Wed, 22 Nov 2006 06:44:57 -0500, "damnnickname"
> > wrote:
>
>> If you notice when the temperature gets cold outside the complaint of Power
>> steering noises start to rise with the vans,convertibles, Pt cruisers and
>> so on.And im sure other manufactures as well) The fluid does not circulate
>> very well on cold mornings and that is the most common fix is to flush the
>> fluid. You keep selling those pumps Dirty!!! And you keep telling people
>> they are fixing the noise. But the real fix when you replace those pumps
>> is because when you remove the pump you are removing the old fluid and
>> install new fluid......so what is fixing the problem? The pump or fluid. I
>> will give you a hint (ITS THE FLUID)
>>
>> Glenn
>