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1998 Plymouth Voyager Dealer Fixed PCM+sensors. I have a qu

Tiny
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  • 1998 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER
1998 Plymouth Voyager 6 cyl Front Wheel Drive Automatic

Hi,

My Grand Voyager minivan's PCM and the two sensors were replaced this morning. The mechanics did a road test. Now the car runs fine (doesn't shut off any more), and the dealer said that not fixing the fuel gauge problem (by replacing the fuel pump and the sender unit) should not harm the vehicle in the long run. I think the dealer did a great job, and my advisor was great.

But I do have a few concerns.

I think the dealer pumped up the prices a little, especially the amount that was charged for labor. I think I ended up paying an extra 100-200 dollars, although they made me seem like I was paying the right amount. I mean, maybe I miscalculated something, but I might have been lied to as far as labor charge is concerned. I didn't want to get into a heated argument about the labor charge, especially when a difference of 100-200 dollars was something I could live with. Have you had any experience with dealerships' service departments lying to you in the past?

Finally, they also told me the warranty for the PCM and sensors is 1 year, 12,000 miles. Does this make sense? Do you think they actually got the genuine Chrysler parts like they said, or maybe got parts that will last ONLY just beyond 12,000 miles, then die? Do you think I might have been lied to in any other way, based on your experience with dealerships?

Thanks.
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Tuesday, August 4th, 2009 AT 5:16 PM

11 Replies

Tiny
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Hi there,

Over the years I have been in the trade including working as a service manager at dealership level, I have found that nearly all are honest and you can approach them with any question that you have with bills or parts, if you want to take it further contact head office as they don't want un happy customers and if there is a problem there is nothing like getting a rocket from head office to get it right with the customers,

mark (mhpautos)
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Tuesday, August 4th, 2009 AT 6:34 PM
Tiny
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Hi,

Thanks. I also have two more concerns: how do I prevent damaging the PCM and other electrical components of my van? Shoud I take extra care when I help jump-start another vehicle or jump-start my vehicle using someone else's vehicle? What else should I do or should I not do?

Finally, does shifting from gear "D" to gear "3" or to gear "L" without first pressing the break and stopping the car damage the automatic transaxle in the long run for the van?

Thanks again.
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Wednesday, August 5th, 2009 AT 7:09 PM
Tiny
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HI there,

you should alway use a set of jumper leads with built in spike or surge protection, this will stop any damage to the ECU, as for the transmission, changing down with the auto is the same as in a manual, you can drop to 3rd with out much issue, the revs will jump and the load on the transmission will be ok as long as you are not at top speed say over 100KMp, if you try and hit L this is like trying to select 1st in a manual at speed, the good thing with modern autos is that most have a built in safety that will stop L being selected if the road speed is to high, don't ever try to select L at any more than around walking pace as you don't want to temp fate.

Mark (mhpautos)
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Wednesday, August 5th, 2009 AT 7:37 PM
Tiny
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Hi,

The ECU includes the PCM and the sensors, right? Are there any other things I should avoid doing in order to ensure that the ECU is not damaged?

Can I drive my minivan at more than 100 km/hr (about 62 mi/hr) while the gear is at position "3"?

I think I have already had several situations in the highway in which I switched from "D" to "3" at about 113 km/hr, when going up elevations, without slowing the vehicle and while the vehicle was on cruise control. After going up the elevation, I switched back to "D". I repeated this as the elevations changed. Do you think that was okay?

Thanks again.
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Wednesday, August 5th, 2009 AT 8:13 PM
Tiny
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As long as you use surge protection all will be ok, but the best thing to do is avoid jump starting and use a power pack, if you must jump place the jumpers Pos to Pos on the batteries and the neg of the flat battery on its terminal and the other on the engine of the jumping car try not to use battery neg if possible. Driving for extended periods in 3rd will over load the trans, avoid doing this, selecting down for steep inclines or over taking is ok, this is what the trans dose when you kick it down with full throttle it selects the next lowest gear,

mark
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Wednesday, August 5th, 2009 AT 8:25 PM
Tiny
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The vehicle's manual says that driving with "3" under heavy driving conditions (van is carrying a heavy load, or is going up a steep incline, among other examples) prolongs transaxle life by preventing heat buildup. So if my van is packed with lots of people or luggage, or is going up a steep incline, using "3" should actually help the trans shouldn't it, even it means driving for an extended period of time at that gear (but not always doing this on a routine basis)?

So you are saying selecting down is fine even if it means switching gears at high speeds (113 km/hr+) and under cruise control?
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Thursday, August 6th, 2009 AT 12:11 AM
Tiny
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If you have a heavy load and the incline is steep you wont have the high speed so a lower gear is ok for extended periods, just don't sit on highway speeds in 3rd for extended periods, you will have overheating problems as well. There is no reason to manually select 3rd if you are at highway speed, if you go to overtake a car, and you accelerate it will kick down and then re select top when you back off the throttle.

Mark
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Thursday, August 6th, 2009 AT 12:29 AM
Tiny
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Yes, but sometimes when I am on a long drive and I am on the highway, and the van is on cruise control set at 115 km/hr for example, under gear "D", the vehicle slows down just a few km/hr upon coming to a steep incline on the highway. I then switch to gear "3" with the cruise control still on, and the cruise control is then able to maintain the 115 km/hr going up the incline. Once I reach the peak of the incline, again with the cruise control still on, I switch back to gear "D". What do you think of this? If doing this overheats the trans, then what other way is there to maintain constant speed going up an incline using cruise control on the highway?

If I have a heavy load, and I am in a rush to go somewhere, and I am on the highway and need to use high speeds (e.G. 113 km/hr), do you advise me to use gear "D"?
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Thursday, August 6th, 2009 AT 12:50 AM
Tiny
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The cruise control will pick up the vehicle speed on the incline and if the road speed dose drop down the trans will kick down a gear and away you go, if you choose to do this manually that is not a problem, as long as you re select D again, what I am trying to say is don't leave it in 3rd for to long, its the same for a manual, you don't drive in 3rd or 4th in a 5 speed on the highway. You can pull it back manually with out any problem, for that extra pull up an incline, thats not an issue, just re select D as soon as practicable.

Mark.
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Thursday, August 6th, 2009 AT 12:57 AM
Tiny
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Thanks Mark. Your advice is very helpful. I will let you know if I have any other questions. Thanks again.
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Thursday, August 6th, 2009 AT 1:02 AM
Tiny
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Ok, sorry it took so many mails to sort this out, thanks for using 2carpros.

Mark (mhpautos)
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Thursday, August 6th, 2009 AT 1:05 AM

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