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Rusting Strut Tower 2000

32K views 24 replies 11 participants last post by  Bernard Feltzer 
#1 ·
Need some help. I have a 2000 Grand Caravan which we purchased brand new and was babied from day one. Heated garage kept, wiped off every day, etc. Looks brand new. However, the left front strut tower is starting to rust through! My husband is furious. Chrysler has been of little or no help now that it is out of warranty. My husband thinks it's going to pop through soon. I heard there was a bulletin concerning this issue, but can't seem to get a copy of it. I'd also like to know if anyone has had this repaired and what they paid for it. I neither can afford or want to purchase a new van, so repair is our only option. I feel Chrysler should pay for this as it would seem to be some type of a defect in workmanship. Has anyone received any assistance from Chrysler? Please help. Thank you!
 
#2 ·
busybarb said:
Need some help. I have a 2000 Grand Caravan which we purchased brand new and was babied from day one. Heated garage kept, wiped off every day, etc. Looks brand new. However, the left front strut tower is starting to rust through! My husband is furious. Chrysler has been of little or no help now that it is out of warranty. My husband thinks it's going to pop through soon. I heard there was a bulletin concerning this issue, but can't seem to get a copy of it. I'd also like to know if anyone has had this repaired and what they paid for it. I neither can afford or want to purchase a new van, so repair is our only option. I feel Chrysler should pay for this as it would seem to be some type of a defect in workmanship. Has anyone received any assistance from Chrysler? Please help. Thank you!
So yay for worrying- your van is four years younger than mine and that's happening. How bad is the damage so far?
 
#3 ·
Chrysler1924 said:
So yay for worrying- your van is four years younger than mine and that's happening. How bad is the damage so far?
Has visable crack and rust. Like I said, my husband thinks it's going to pop through soon. We've heard some creaking noises of late, but maybe I'm just getting paranoid. My van only has 47,000 miles on it, so this is really frustrating to me.
 
#4 ·
Sorry to hear about the rust problem. You need to have a professional bodyshop look at the problem. If it rust through you could have an unexpected change in the front end and the strut tower could let the strut shift and cause problems. I had this problem on a 98 T&C but sold it and do not know what was done to fix it. You may want to lower the temp in your heated garage. A friend of mine had a heated garage and had all kinds of rust problems on his cars. When you bring the car in from the cold moisture will build up on the inside of the metal panels and condense into the seams and cause corrosion to start. Even worse salt and road dirt caught in areas like the strut tower area will be more corrosive in the temp change bringing the cold car into a heated garage. This in it's self did not cause all the problems. Poor metal prep is usually the cause of the strut tower rust problem but the heat cool cycle does cause extra corrosion to start.
 
#5 · (Edited)
There is a TSB's on that:


1999 Dodge Truck Grand Caravan FWD V6-201 3.3L VIN R SFI
Vehicle Level Technical Service Bulletins All Technical Service Bulletins Suspension/Body - Strut Tower Corrosion


Suspension/Body - Strut Tower Corrosion
Notes

NUMBER: 23-044-02

GROUP: Body

DATE: Oct. 14, 2002

SUBJECT:
NS Strut Tower Corrosion

OVERVIEW:
This bulletin involves correcting a corrosion staining, surface corrosion, or corrosion perforation condition at the top of the strut tower/s.

MODELS:
1996 - 2000 NS Town&Country/Voyager/Caravan

SYMPTOM/CONDITION:
Cosmetic corrosion or perforation at upper strut tower/s usually between the strut and upper load path beam inner panel (inner fender).

DIAGNOSIS:
Inspect left and right strut towers for condition. If corrosion is present, perform one of the following repair procedures.

NOTE: ANY UNDER HOOD LABELS REQUIRING REPLACEMENT DURING THESE REPAIRS SHOULD BE OBTAINED PRIOR TO BEGINNING REPAIRS.







PARTS/MATERIALS REQUIRED







EQUIPMENT REQUIRED

REPAIR DESCRIPTION:

Repair A - Cosmetic corrosion removal and the application of corrosion resistant materials and/or primers and topcoats.

Repair B - Corrosion perforation removal and installation of 1 or 2 new cap/s and kit/s.

NOTE: REPAIR PROCEDURES ARE OUTLINED IN THE INSTRUCTION SHEET INCLUDED IN THE PARTS KITS.

POLICY:
Reimbursable within the provisions of the warranty.


© 2003 ALLDATA LLC. All rights reserved.
Terms of Use

If you want a copy of the tsb, e-mail me at : trdstr2000@sbcglobal.net
Put STRUT TOWER CORR. in the subject line so I know it is not junk mail.
 
#9 ·
THere are 2 things helping to cause this. One is battery placement. The gasses from the battery cause sufuric acid to stay on top and 2 is your heated garage. BTW a heated garage is the WORST thing you can do to a vehicle. It's actually better to leave them outside. An unheated garage is next best but heated is definitely a no no.
BTW I have the same issue on my 99 and I got a quote from a trusted body shop for $500. to weld in a new cap. Considering that the kit is $95.00 and the structural adhesive is about $135.00 I will have the body shop do it and know I didn't do something wrong. ;-)
Larry
 
#11 ·
alvin said:
I believe that would meet definition of "publishing" and be against the terms of my Infotraxx subscription. I hope this answers it.
Yep. That just about does it. Thanks.
KC.
 
#12 ·
sellinghomes4u said:
It's actually better to leave them outside. An unheated garage is next best but heated is definitely a no no.
It sounds like you are saying that keeping your car outside is better than keeping it in an unheated garage. I disagree.

I know when the hail storm came back in 99, I was glad my Miata was in the garage (though the van was NOT :( ). When the leaves fall, if the car is in the garage, they don't block up the drains in the air intake plenum. Squirrels do not put paintballs or peanuts in my airbox when the car is in the garage (unless I leave the garage doors open), and when it rains, the car stays dry in the garage.

All in all, in my experience, an unheated garage is better than outdoors.
 
#13 ·
Thanks to everyone who replied to my problem and to those who supplied information to me. We will be looking into resolving it soon and post the repair costs for anyone who might be interested. I'm also still going to argue the repair costs with Chrysler, as the TSB was dated October of 2002, so they knew they had a problem well before my warranty expired but failed to let any of their customers know. The "authorized dealer" service technicians kept telling me to pay no attention to the rust as it was just surface. (I brought it to their attention several times.) Then when it started to crack all of a sudden it was a "problem" and because it's out of warranty, it's now my problem to repair. I still feel that it was faulty manufacturing and poor workmanship on Chrysler's part. We have ten vehicles in our household and have never encountered anything like this before. Our vehicles are well maintained and the van is mint with only 47K on it. When the van or any of our vehicles gets wet, every door jam, hood and truck jam gets wiped out. As for our garage, the heat goes on only when my husband is working out there. It is not on continuously so ninety percent of the time the van is in a cold garage. Although the battery acid fumes and occasional condensation could contribute to the problem, it still all comes down to the original design and workmanship; at least in my opinion.
We are also taking into consideration another problem that has been brought to our attention due to a very tragic accident that occurred right in our town. A 1999 caravan was involved in a side impact collision and exploded in flames (the vehicle who hit it sustained little damage). Two children were killed and the three other members of the family severely burned. Turns out that the Caravan model years, I believe it's 1997 to 2000 but I may be off in the beginning year, have a faulty o ring or something in the gas line that allows the gas to escape upon impact. Chrylser knew about the problem but never issued a recall to repair even though several accidents involved fatalities. Our Channel 5 news did a report on the whole thing. After the year 2000, Chrysler redesigned the gas tank valve which prevented the gas from escaping. Needless to say, with this in the back of our minds and the rusting strut tower, we considered selling the vehicle and getting something else. Money,the fact that I don't want someone else's problems and also the fact that I really like my van prevent me from going that route. So I'm in a dilemma right now. However, I want owners of the Caravan to be aware of this potential lethal problem. I'm sure there is a TSB out there some where covering this problem too.
So thanks again and I'll keep you all posted as to the repair costs for the strut tower. :)
 
#14 ·
Things faflling out of the sky and animals aside yes it IS better for the metal to just be outside. Even though it may rain on it or snow etc. it's still will stay more free of CORROSION. It si however far more convenient to have it in a garage. I keep mine in there too.
To busybarb, remember television stations are paid to tell stories of this type. Remember the infamous passenger ejection issues? All due to not being buckled in the vehicle all were ejected through broken glass but boy Chrysler took all kinds of heat on that. Do you think Toyota would take heat like that? **** no! Nor would HOnda. NOw regarding the "burst into flames" Yes ANY vehicle I repeat ANY can do that if hit correctly or if something silly like the gas cap is not put back on. I have seen more vehicles go up in flames than I can count from being hit. Oddly never a Pinto and never a mini van. The recall of Orings you refer too was on the fuel rail BTW in the engine compartment.
Larry
 
#15 ·
sellinghomes4u said:
Things faflling out of the sky and animals aside yes it IS better for the metal to just be outside.
But things do fall out of the sky, and animals exist. Won't the paint oxidize more readily if it is left outside in the snow and rain? A six year old car that has not been garaged, given the same care, will never look as good as a six year old car that has been garaged.

I definitely disagree with the assertion that it is better for the metal, paint, glass, plastic, etc. to be outside.
 
#16 · (Edited)
Actually, I believe that recall on the O-ring was issued. I have the repair history from the dealer on my '99 Caravan and the recall for the O-ring is listed on there. Owner notification of this recall began in January of 2002 on all 1996-2000 (I think) 3.3L and 3.8L powered DaimlerChrysler vans. All of the information regarding this recall is available on the NHTSA website. Obviously your local news authority did not do their research.

As far as the rusting on the strut tower, it may or may not be Chrysler's fault. It could be the fault of whoever they sourced the metal from, it could be Chrysler's fault for using recycled metal or something similar, or any other of things. But without getting the rusted area analyzed by a professional, there's no way to tell what caused the rust to... well, rust. I would agree with 02AWDT&C that it is most likely poor metal prep, however.
 
#18 ·
If there was a recall for the o-ring on the gas tank, I never got one and when I brought it in for service, no one ever mentioned that there was a recall in progress or anything and as I said, I bought my van brand new. Yes, the news media always looks for sensationalism, but it can also bring to your attention potential problems. As the old saying goes; believe only half of what you see and nothing of what you hear. After seeing the pictures of the van that exploded by us and seeing those kids die (I work for the fire department that responded to the scene), there has to be at least some kind of truth to the story. I'm still researching.

As far as keeping a car in or out of a garage; If you put two pieces of metal, one inside a garage and one left out in the elements, my conjecture would be that the one in the garage would fair far better than the one left out. When you live in the Midwest, you can taste the salt in your mouth in the winter; that's how much salt gets dumped on the streets. You can almost see the salt eating away at the metal on cars. Our daughters' cars and son's are kept outside and they definitely need more care in terms of washing, waxing and rust prevention than our cars kept inside the garage. Not to mention the times it hails and we're out there trying to throw covers on the cars to prevent dent damage. Plus, my daughter's second car is red and the sun beats the heck out of that color. If it were better to store a car outside, there would be no need for vehicle storage facilities. However, everyone has the right to their own opinion and if it works for someone to keep it outside, then that's their right. Personally, I HATE snow and salt on my van, so keeping my van out of it and snug in a garage works for me. :eek:
 
#19 ·
busybarb said:
If there was a recall for the o-ring on the gas tank, I never got one and when I brought it in for service, no one ever mentioned that there was a recall in progress or anything and as I said, I bought my van brand new. Yes, the news media always looks for sensationalism, but it can also bring to your attention potential problems. As the old saying goes; believe only half of what you see and nothing of what you hear. After seeing the pictures of the van that exploded by us and seeing those kids die (I work for the fire department that responded to the scene), there has to be at least some kind of truth to the story. I'm still researching.
What engine do you have? This is only an issue with minivans that have either the 3.3L or 3.8L V6 engines. If you have either the 4 cylinder or the 3.0L V6, your van is not affected so that's why you didn't get a recall. I bet your news station didn't say that.

I'm not saying there isn't truth to the story, but I am saying that I have no doubt your local news authority did not cover all of the story- just the part that will make them money. I KNOW this was recalled because mine was, and my source on the recall is THE authority of recalls- the NHTSA. You can get a report on what was recalled on your van at their website- NHTSA Website It also might be worth a look at the Dodge Website under "Owner Services" to see if your car was affected as well.
 
#20 ·
jazztrumpet216 said:
It also might be worth a look at the Dodge Website under "Owner Services" to see if your car was affected as well.
It should be pointed out that going to the Dodge website will only let you know about recalls affecting your vehicle that have not been performed. Once you have a recall done, it will no longer show up on the Dodge website.

Additionally, there is some variation, in addition to the engine type, on recalls like this. When a flaw is discovered, and a recall notice goes out, the production line also changes, to incorporate the improved design. So any vehicle manufactured after a given date--and with a VIN after a certain number--may not require the recall. So it is possible that your particular vehicle is not subject to the recall, even if it does have one of the engines in question. It may have effectively received the new "o-rings" or whatever the fix was, because it was identified and the assembly process was modified.
 
#22 ·
The O-ring recall applies to the seal between the fuel rail and supply line. It does not apply to flexible-fuel 3.3s which is what a 2000 3.3 is likely to be.
I'm not sure there was a recall for anything near the gas tank. If there was, it should aply to all engine types.
 
#23 ·
Yes if you leave 2 CLEAN pieces of metal as you describe. THere isn't space here to go into the chemistry but regarding CORROSION bring in a cold vehicle covered in dirt and salt that is dry (which in the midwest we have ALOT of the time) into a warmer garage with no ventilation or air circulation to keep it that way water will begin to condense on the seams and panels (especially inside the vehicle) and cause saltwater to creep and sit in those seams and hollows and voila you have a soup that WILL corrode your car FASTER than if it was left outside in the cold and dry air (which again there is alot of in the MW). A garage will make YOU feel better and your car more convenient but from a condensation and corrosion standpoint it's worse (I have a 17 yo daughter in AP Chem who can explain this far more elegantly than I can btw) but for now that's about all I can tell you with my education (school of hard knocks). BEst of both worlds. Keep a window open in the garage and a fan circulating air to keep things dry (especially the floor). Many don't realize this but Corvettes have SERIOUS rust issues (not the body as they are fiberglass) but the undercarriage because of this condensation issue. Most vette owners park their precious beasts overwinter in garages yet they rust out like crazy. You do the math I will not discuss the point any further as I am guilty of garaging my vehicle too. I do keep my window open and a fan going and NEVER heat the garage unless I am working in there.
Bye Bye
Larry
 
#24 ·
Hi guys,
First posting so bear with till I find my feet. After reading threads on the strut towers, checked my wife's '97' caravan and sure enough the driver's side is shot, so today I picked up a left and right hand strut tower cap from the dealership ($32.00 CDN), and will plan the job for during the summer vacation.
I do not have access to air tools so I will make the best job I can with what ever I can lay my hands on.
If anybody out there who has done the repair would like to share the proceedure I am all ears.
 
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