1996 Plymouth Grand Voyager Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe transmission failures that leave the van stuck in second gear or without drive, and electrical faults that affect wipers, horns, locks and charging. Front strut towers rusting through, fuel leaks and stalling in hot weather also appear repeatedly in the complaints, usually on a van that is well past 70,000 miles.

1. 1
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission failure or sticking in second gear

   • 94 complaints (17%)
   • median 82,707 mi at 7.9 yrs old (14 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $2,000 (median of 15 quotes)
   • filed 1997–2008

   Complaints describe the automatic transmission failing without warning, sometimes with a loud noise and fluid loss, or shifting into and staying in second gear while driving. Some owners had the unit rebuilt or replaced at their own expense, in some cases more than once. A few note a differential pin coming loose and damaging the internals. Mostly reported between roughly 60,000 and 150,000 miles, often during highway driving.

   What to check: Ask for service records of any transmission rebuild or replacement, and check fluid level and color on a test drive. Drive at highway speed and confirm it holds gear rather than dropping into second.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I bought my mini-van in 1999 with 68,000 miles on it, after looking through the paper work that came with the vehicle I learned that the transmission had been overhaulded by the dealership at 36,000 miles. In 2001 I had about 84,000 miles when the transmission failed again, it cost me $1800.00 to have it re-built. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10070340, filed 2004-01, 142,000 miles

   “While driving down the interstate doing about 70 MPH I heard a loud noise. Looked at speedometer and it registered 0. I had no power. Barely managed to get van off the road. Got out and looked under it, there was transmission fluid everywhere. Had it checked out by personal mechanic. He then told me that there have been numerous complaints about this year of Plymouth grand voyagers. I only have 86,000 miles on it. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10023598, filed 2003-06, 89,000 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Electrical faults: wipers, horn, locks, power loss

   • 168 complaints (30%)
   • median 101,000 mi at 7.7 yrs old (19 state mileage)
   • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,000 (median of 15 quotes)
   • filed 1996–2019

   Owners describe intermittent or total failures of wipers, horn, power windows, radio and door locks, frequently with no fault found at the dealer. Several reports trace the problem to connectors, the power distribution center or the body control module, which can also cut fuel pressure and engine power while driving. Some mention repeated paid repairs without a lasting fix. Reported across a wide mileage range from under 50,000 to over 200,000 miles.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Test every electrical item in turn, including wipers at different speeds, horn, windows, locks and the warning lamps. Ask whether the battery and charging system have been tested, and check for a check-engine lamp that lights at key-on.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My 1996 Plymouth Grand Voyager has had numerous, ongoing electrical problems. The wipers no longer work, the ignition frequently does not work. I have taken it in to a repair facility and they have replaced numerous parts and the problem still persists. They believe there is an electrical short in the steering column that they cannot locate. I have two other friends who also own chrysler product minivans and they are having the same problems. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10020628, filed 2003-05, 120,000 miles

   “Failure of dealer to fix recalled airbag clockspring recall #b24 issued on november 14th. Dealer refused to fix the recall because my van windows have chalk on them to tell the public the problems I have had with this vehicle.”

   NHTSA complaint #10000059, filed 2002-12, 135,000 miles
3. 3
   Body and structure

   Front strut towers rusted through

   Mentioned in 9 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners report heavy rust and metal fatigue at the front strut towers, sometimes noticed during routine inspection or while chasing a front-end creak. According to the complaints, the tower metal can separate from the body, and owners say dealers either declined to cover it or offered only a patch-type repair. Several mention finding similar reports online after buying the van. Reported from around 68,000 miles upward, most commonly on higher-mileage vans over 100,000 miles.

   Recall 95V225000

   What to check: Open the hood and inspect both front strut towers and surrounding sheet metal for rust, flaking or cracks, and push down on the front fenders to watch for movement at the mounts.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Like sed befor on a few other complants I have a 96 plymounth Grand Voyager se and my strut towers are rusting out at a fast pase and is very un safe to be driving these vans with this problem... Strut tower failur can lead to crash and death if at highway speed buy causing defent roleover this problem shuld be fixed imeadetly by dcx”

   NHTSA complaint #10115987, filed 2005-03, 80,000 miles

   “I have a 96 Grand Voyager with 82000 miles. The towers which support the front struts are both grossly rusted and fatigued. When the strut breaks through the tower it is inevitable that the tire will lock up in the wheel well causing loss of steering and vehicle control. I have contacted chrysler regarding this and they say that there is no recall for this defect.”

   NHTSA complaint #10040862, filed 2003-09, 68,000 miles
4. 4
   Engine cooling

   Engine stalling or cutting out while driving

   • 78 complaints (14%)
   • median 97,535 mi at 7.8 yrs old (10 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,000 (median of 9 quotes)
   • filed 1996–2014

   Complaints describe the engine quitting at speed, on deceleration or at traffic lights, with some owners restarting after a wait and others unable to restart at all. Reported remedies include replacing the idle speed motor, cleaning the throttle body, and chasing crank sensor or auto shutdown relay faults without codes. Owners also mention overheating and coolant loss from rusted hoses and water pump failures. Reported from about 30,000 to 170,000 miles, with several incidents noted in hot summer months.

   Recall 96V0060001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether the idle speed motor or throttle body has been serviced, and check coolant hoses, radiator and water pump for leaks or rust. Note any stalling history during a long test drive in warm weather.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Upon driving at highway speeds of 70-80 MPH, my van lost power suddenly. I was unable to steer because the engine cut off. It was a rapid speed decrease, I watched the tachometer drop in speed. I was in the fast lane and at a dead stop. A few minutes later I was able to restart the van and pull to the left shoulder of the freeway. I took it to a chrysler dealer and they pulled 2 codes from the van's onboard computer. However, they tell me that they cannot pinpoint the problem without it occurring again. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10023523, filed 2003-06, 85,000 miles

   “After having the water pump replaced for the third time, while driving home the pulley flew off of the water pump, went into the air, rendering the vehicle inoperable. The consumer was told that the water pump pulley was pressed on to the shaft. As a result of the pulley falling off there was a loss of power steering.”

   NHTSA complaint #10092477, filed 2004-12, 108,000 miles
5. 5
   Fuel system

   Fuel odor and leaks from fuel rail and tank area

   • 68 complaints (12%)
   • median 141,500 mi at 10.1 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $719 (median of 6 quotes)
   • filed 1996–2010

   Complaints describe a gasoline smell inside or outside the van, sometimes with visible fuel running over the engine, and a few report engine-compartment fires. Owners say dealers traced the leak to the fuel rail or its O-rings, and some note a prior recall repair that later leaked again. Others describe fuel leaks at the tank or evap canister from the same area. Mostly reported between roughly 100,000 and 160,000 miles, sometimes after a 20-minute drive.

   Recall 00V268000Recall 99V216000Recall 95V236000Recall 96V002000

   What to check: Ask whether the fuel rail O-ring recall (00V268000) and fuel pump module recall (99V216000) were completed, and check under the hood and around the tank for a fuel smell after a drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Smell of gas after driving for about 20 min. Lead to a pop sound from under vehicle. Smoke filled the inside of the van and after I brought it to a stop on a median the vehicle was engulfed in flames before I managed to exit. After exiting the vehicle and having the fire put out soon on with use of a fire extinguisher I noticed the evap canister had dropped all of its charcoal. Possible that gas was being directed into this canister and when it popped the fumes and gas ignited from the exhaust system.”

   NHTSA complaint #10204171, filed 2007-09, 142,000 miles

   “This van has had the fuel rail leak recall done to it however it has now developed a leak under their fix. Their fix does not work - I have fuel running out over the top of the engine, valve cover and onto the exhaust. I found this on the recall web site: the fuel injection delivery system can leak fuel from some of the sealing o-rings or from hair line cracks in the thermostat fuel injection rail. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source can result in a fire. 1,163,000 vehicles are affected by this recall. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10054857, filed 2004-01, 137,000 miles

Buying note. Inspect this model year carefully for rust at the front strut towers and for fuel smells, and ask for proof that the fuel-system recalls were completed. A transmission service history and a working electronics check are worth confirming before purchase.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.