1998 Dodge Grand Caravan With Front End Problem
Posted in Steering Component | Asked on Jul 29, 2010
I own a 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan with 223,000 miles and a 3.8 liter engine. While driving on the highway, I started to go down a steep hill and the steering wheel started to shake hard and irregular. I thought the wheel was falling off. The next day a Chrysler mechanic looked at it and said the wheels and all front end suspension components looked good and he could not duplicate the problem. I decided to drive the 90 miles home. 10 miles into it, the shaking started again. I noticed that it only does it when faster than ~30 mph and when decelerating. Applying brakes does not affect it. I drove it home. Can anyone tell me what this is? I am thinking differential pin after research but it sounds like that happens during acceleration and is more of a whine.
There are 4 Answers
Have the transmission/engine mounts checked and although i am not sure about your year, but some of those minivans could have an adjustment on the transaxle position side to side which can cause the axle to bind.
without being able to drive it ,its hard to tell,you might want to have the mounts checked on it and also have the transmission checked it may not be down shifting and trying to stay in another gear,that will cause it to shake like that ,i had one that was trying to stay in lock up mode and that caused it to shake real bad,have a transmission shop test drive it,this could be a bad axle or a bad motor mount or transmission mount and it may be binding it up ,good luck with it.,,PS you could also have a bad tire on it,that will cause that too happen also,have it checked again,they should be able to find it,good luck.
Tires, must have broken a belt and a good tire guy can test drive and find out. The other possibility is a bad strut and I do not know why dealers can’t find these! Not just Chrysler/Dodge, but Toyota and GM too! Trust you regular Tire/Alignment guy to figure it out. We know we have to look you in the eye next week.
ASE Cert Auto Tech, 96 T&C, 95 Neon(Why buy new?)
It might be the transmission.