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2003 Dodge Caravan having issues with acting likes is gonna die

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lovemami22

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My Caravan has started actibg up and i cant figure out why. I have replaced the fuel pump and fuel filter and air filter in the last day or 2. I have even got better gas. What is happening is when i let off the gas peddle it acts like it is going to die (even when doing 60 down the highway). It has died once at a stop light but i was able to get it started rofht away. The plugs and wires were also just replaced just under a year ago....

Please help he figure out what to look at next...thank you
 
My 2002 jeep liberty 3.7l would do something similar, start up and die, start up and die, start up and die. If you pressed on the gas it would rev up and be fine but the moment you let up it would die. Eventually it would stay on but that was after the computer realized it was having a fuel problem (20-30 on/off cycles). I dont remember exactly what was wrong with it but the local dealer took it in and cleaned something and it was fixed. Id have to look at the receipt to know for but I think it was the fuel pump or injectors.

Look at your service manual and see what it says your suppose to do, and if you didnt do it, have it done.
 
You can also try cleaning the Manifold Absolute Pressure sensor using electric contact cleaner ($5 can at auto parts stores), although the first thing that came to mind for me was replacing the O2 sensor(s). I'm not certain, but it appears that your car has four @ $40/each. Another thing that comes to mind is the Idle Air Control valve, which does what it's name implies.

Possibly it may be something in the ignition system (coils, igniter, etc.) but the TPS, MAP, IAC, O2 sensors are more probable. Cleaning the TPS, MAP, and IAC is very inexpensive and an easy way to eliminate problem sources, start there. I would check on how to clean the TPS and IAC beforehand, but the MAP should just be spraying it with contact cleaner and getting crud off iirc.

Prices (rockauto.com, excl. shipping)
TPS: $15
MAP: $50
IAC: $50
O2: $40 (need 4?)
 
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Check the routing of the Fuel Injection harness. Chrysler routes the harness and it goes around the head. After many years of heat, they tend to melt and start shorting out. It is actually bad design on Chryslers part. Either way, do a wiggle test with the car ideling. If you can wiggle the wiring harness and it makes a different, then you have a shorted harness. To repair, just remove harness at connectors, solder/tape shorted wiring and reinstall.
 
alkalinetaupehat said:
You can also try cleaning the Manifold Absolute Pressure sensor using electric contact cleaner ($5 can at auto parts stores), although the first thing that came to mind for me was replacing the O2 sensor(s). I'm not certain, but it appears that your car has four @ $40/each. Another thing that comes to mind is the Idle Air Control valve, which does what it's name implies.

Possibly it may be something in the ignition system (coils, igniter, etc.) but the TPS, MAP, IAC, O2 sensors are more probable. Cleaning the TPS, MAP, and IAC is very inexpensive and an easy way to eliminate problem sources, start there. I would check on how to clean the TPS and IAC beforehand, but the MAP should just be spraying it with contact cleaner and getting crud off iirc.

Prices (rockauto.com, excl. shipping)
TPS: $15
MAP: $50
IAC: $50
O2: $40 (need 4?)
Click to expand...

I think you mean the MAF (mass air flow) sensor, located just behind the airbox, it spins around relative to the amount of air the engine is drawing in and are known to get dirty and cause problems. The MAP (manifold absolute pressure) sensor is located on the intake manifold itself and tells the ECU how much vacuum is in the intake manifold at any given time.
 
Chrysler generally uses speed/density fuel control on their engines, and thus they do not have MAF sensors. Additionally, depending on how it failed, a MAP sensor failure may be detectable, which would cause the ECU to revert to a backup mode where fuel metering only takes into account the throttle position. It is extremely unlikely that both those sensors would fail.

My guess is that you have an issue with the EGR valve stuck open. EGR full flow occurs in steady state cruising like going down the highway. When one comes to a stop from those conditions (or when one accelerates briskly), the EGR valve must close as excessive exhaust gas causes problems with combustion in both those conditions (stalling at idle speed and low performance under heavily loaded, high throttle conditions). This is a common eventual occurrence as the EGR valve has a solenoid actuated pintle that tends to get clogged when exposed to unfiltered exhaust gas. As a quick check, try removing the electrical connector to the EGR solenoid. The ECU will recognize that there is a fault and take into account that the EGR valve is not working at all. After that, you can get the EGR valve cleaned or replaced.
 
"acts like it is going to die " describe what you noticed.

shaking? surging?
check engine light on?
gotten codes read anyway to look for stored codes?
 
alpineranger said:
Chrysler generally uses speed/density fuel control on their engines, and thus they do not have MAF sensors. Additionally, depending on how it failed, a MAP sensor failure may be detectable, which would cause the ECU to revert to a backup mode where fuel metering only takes into account the throttle position. It is extremely unlikely that both those sensors would fail.

My guess is that you have an issue with the EGR valve stuck open. EGR full flow occurs in steady state cruising like going down the highway. When one comes to a stop from those conditions (or when one accelerates briskly), the EGR valve must close as excessive exhaust gas causes problems with combustion in both those conditions (stalling at idle speed and low performance under heavily loaded, high throttle conditions). This is a common eventual occurrence as the EGR valve has a solenoid actuated pintle that tends to get clogged when exposed to unfiltered exhaust gas. As a quick check, try removing the electrical connector to the EGR solenoid. The ECU will recognize that there is a fault and take into account that the EGR valve is not working at all. After that, you can get the EGR valve cleaned or replaced.
Click to expand...

You would think that a problem as serious as OP's would cause the ECU to throw a code or go into "limp" mode..
 
I did get codes
P1496....5 volt output too low
P0107....MAP voltage low
P0108....MAP voltage high

And by trying to die i mean that its acting like its not getting gas or vapor lock....i also have noticed that driving up a hill causes it to do it more and i have little power
 
DTC P1496: 5 VOLT SUPPLY, OUTPUT TOO LOW
Monitored & Set Conditions
The 5-volt supply output is monitored when ignition is on. DTC will be stored in Powertrain Control Module (PCM) memory if 5-volt supply output to sensors is less than 3.5 volts for 4 seconds. Possible causes for DTC to set are: intermittent condition, defective A/C pressure sensor, defective Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) sensor, defective Throttle Position (TP) sensor, defective PCM, or defective connectors or wiring.

given the specific codes you saw it seems like it is the map sensor.

(the possible causes for each of those codes include bad map sensor)
 
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