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Electric sliding doors

27K views 48 replies 13 participants last post by  hayneldan 
#1 ·
If I bought a used 2002 Gr. Caravan and needed to add power to the sliding doors, is that an option? Did they offer power doors on these vans prior to 2005?
 
#2 ·
Scott,
The 2001 extended bodies (Grand and T&C) started it and had the 'Right' and 'Left' sliding doors with the power option. Most had the 'Right' power door already added. You should have no problems finding a van with a Right power door and a little more problem finding both power doors, and those will probably have the power lift gate also.
As far as ADDING the power to the vehicle, I am not sure if that is possible or even what it $$$$$$.
Good luck and let us know how it goes.
 
#3 ·
My understanding in most cases, if it has a power right sliding door it will also have a power liftgate, and vice versa.

You are better off buying one that already has the door, or even better, forget the power door. If you are going to keep the van a long time, that's one more thing that can go wrong.
 
#4 ·
I'm willing to sell you the power sliding door from our '02 SWB Caravan Sport! It's kind of a pain. When it works properly, it's nice. But we've had a deuce of a time with the "kickback" on it--it gets ready to shut itself, then pops back open. Then you have to unbuckle your seatbelt, walk around to the other side of the van and close it by hand (and swear at it under your breath a few times). We've had it adjusted a couple of times but it still works only intermittently. I've gotten so I don't even use it anymore.

We don't have the power tailgate, though I think I'd like that better than the power side door.

Our next Caravan/T&C, if we get one, won't have the power side door on it.
 
#5 ·
<<My understanding in most cases, if it has a power right sliding door it will also have a power liftgate, and vice versa.>>

I believe that should read "LEFT SLIDING DOOR". Most have the right power door and no power lift gate.
 
#6 ·
DSMLVR said:
<<My understanding in most cases, if it has a power right sliding door it will also have a power liftgate, and vice versa.>>

I believe that should read "LEFT SLIDING DOOR". Most have the right power door and no power lift gate.
Actually, no I meant right sliding door. If there's only one sliding door, it's the right--except probably in England, where the curbside is on the left.
 
#7 ·
Come to think of it, the only vans I've seen with the power liftgate have also come with *both* power side doors. I've yet to see one with only the right (passenger side) power door & a power liftgate--but then again, I may not have been paying close enough attention...

Drew
 
#8 ·
The RIGHT sliding door was standard on a few different trims (but not all). The LEFT sliding door was optional on a few different trims, but required the RIGHT sliding door also I think. The power LIFTGATE was also optional on a few different trims, but I don't think it was available separate from the LEFT sliding door...meaning anything with a power LIFTGATE also had to have BOTH power sliding doors. When I get home, I'll re-check my brochure.
 
#9 ·
When we bought our 2001 ES in December it had all doors powered. I looked at dozens of Grand Sport models that had the power liftgate, but only had the right power sliding door. The left was optional that apparently not many people went for it, or the dealers were ordering them that way. I only found one sport model that had both side doors powered, but the miloeage was to high. The power doors were needed because my wife cannot pull or lift anything that is the least bit heavy. This is in Canada, so maybe the US models were different for options. :ask_wsign
KC.
 
#10 ·
In 2003, this is how it was, for US models, regarding the power doors only:

SWB, Sport Popular Equipment Package: RIGHT sliding door optional.

LWB, SE: N/A
LWB, Sport Family Package: RIGHT sliding door optional.
LWB, Sport Popular Equipment Package: N/A (I would think the RIGHT would be optional, but it doesn't indicate so)
LWB, eL: RIGHT sliding door optional.
LWB, eX: RIGHT sliding door STANDRD; LIFTGATE STANDARD; LEFT sliding door optional.
LWB, ES: ALL POWER STANDARD.

So, I retract my statement above that anything with a power liftgate had to also have both power doors. In 2003, the liftgate was standard, and only available, on the eX and ES models. An ES would have both power doors as well as standard, but the LEFT power sliding door was optional on the eX.

I imagine the option groupings would be similar for other years.
 
#11 ·
We have passenger side power sliding door and power liftgate. When we bought the van, mom only wanted the liftgate, but the pwr liftgate only came if you had pass. side slider.

Pwr liftgate is an awsome feature, but sliding door, I can pass
 
#12 ·
Caravan_Sport said:
Come to think of it, the only vans I've seen with the power liftgate have also come with *both* power side doors. I've yet to see one with only the right (passenger side) power door & a power liftgate--but then again, I may not have been paying close enough attention...

Drew
You haven't seen mine. :)
 
#13 · (Edited)
jad**** said:
So, I retract my statement above that anything with a power liftgate had to also have both power doors. In 2003, the liftgate was standard, and only available, on the eX and ES models. An ES would have both power doors as well as standard, but the LEFT power sliding door was optional on the eX.

I imagine the option groupings would be similar for other years.
Wrong again, Jadstar!

I have an 03 Grand Caravan Sport. It has the "Popular Equipment Quick Order Package (2_K)," which consists of

4-wheel disc brakes,
pwr sliding right door,
fog lamps,
pwr liftgate,
AM/FM radio w/CD /cassette,
8-way pwr driver seat,
cloth low-back seat trim,
leather wrapped steering wheel,
illuminated visor mirrors,
touring suspension,
P215/65R16 all-season tires,
16"" aluminum wheels
body-side molding,
body-color spat molding,
SUN VISORS W/ILLUMINATED VISOR MIRRORS

Also, on my little option list, it says under the Power Liftgate: "(REQ: JRA Pwr Right Sliding Door, GNC, Sun Visors)(N/A w/CF8, CF9 or CYX Seat Deletes)." BTW this is the list that I shared with you from Fair Oaks Dodge, and is no longer available there, but I have a spreadsheet that I refer to from time to time.

On a related topic, I think we should all start calling Jason "Jadstar," because when you type his name in your post (or quote him) it comes out jad****.
 
#14 ·
Yeah, unfortunately, the sensor is too smart for me...it filters out my name!

The '03 brochure is incorrect! This is what it lists for the Sport Popular Equipment Package, as items in addition to the regular Sport model (the Sport Family Package):

Brakes - Four-wheel-disc with antilock
Sound system - AM/FM with cassette and CD player
Sun visors - Dual illuminated vanity mirrors
Fog lamps
Engine - 3.8-liter V6
Suspension - Touring tuned
Tires - 215/65R16 LBL All-Season
Wheels - 16" Europa aluminum wheels

The brochure lists the "Door - Passenger-side power sliding" as optional on the Sport Family Package, but not on the Sport Popular Equipment Package. And actually, it does also list the "Liftgate - Power" under the Sport Family package, but not on the Sport Popular Equipment Package.

I should have said where my info came from when I proclaimed that "this is how it was for 2003", but I guess I figured that Dodge's own literature would be correct. Out of curiosity, when was yours built Michael? Maybe this was a mid-year running change?
 
#15 ·
jad**** said:
Out of curiosity, when was yours built Michael? Maybe this was a mid-year running change?
Jadstar - I vaguely remember it was built in March of 03. Remember we had this conversation when I noticed the differences between our interiors. In my experience, brochures are generally inexact, because they are intended to show off the model more than to get the details right...plus I think they are printed up at the beginning of the model year and not necessarily updated...so it's probably a combination of inexact and possibly also mid-year running change.
 
#16 ·
mmahamm said:
Jadstar - I vaguely remember it was built in March of 03. Remember we had this conversation when I noticed the differences between our interiors. In my experience, brochures are generally inexact, because they are intended to show off the model more than to get the details right...plus I think they are printed up at the beginning of the model year and not necessarily updated...so it's probably a combination of inexact and possibly also mid-year running change.
I think you're right. Mine was built in October 2002, and interesting, my interior matches the pictures in the brochure exactly, notable the rear most passenger side armrest. Mine had a cover (the photographs did as well), but yours did not? I vaguely remember that. Must have been another one of those running changes.

I thought for a minute that maybe the OPTIONS on the "lesser" models would also apply to the "better" models, but there are options that show up on both...like the power pedals, side airbags, towing package, etc. There are also options that are exclusive to one or the other (according to the brochure).

I don't fault Chrysler for making these running changes...it's all about keeping up with market demands and cost requirements...but it'd sure make it easy for us'ns who buy them used to look for what we wanted. For example, I know NOW that if I made the purchase again, I'd opt for at least fog lights and the towing package. I know NOW that the van we "should" have bought was probably the Sport Popular Equipment model, although I didn't necessarily need the 3.8L engine, and we both did NOT want power doors or liftgate. It makes it hard for us to know what our choices are in the market place when equipment at the factory is constantly changing. :)

The only thing I'd really change about ours is the tow package -- if I knew that was available and knew what it included (tranny cooler, Nivomats, etc) I'd have made sure to look for it. And I wouldn't mind installing the Nivomats in ours, but that requires changing the leaf springs as well and I don't want to go to that extent.
 
#17 ·
jad**** said:
I don't fault Chrysler for making these running changes...it's all about keeping up with market demands and cost requirements...but it'd sure make it easy for us'ns who buy them used to look for what we wanted. For example, I know NOW that if I made the purchase again, I'd opt for at least fog lights and the towing package. I know NOW that the van we "should" have bought was probably the Sport Popular Equipment model, although I didn't necessarily need the 3.8L engine, and we both did NOT want power doors or liftgate. It makes it hard for us to know what our choices are in the market place when equipment at the factory is constantly changing. :)
Just look at the 2004 Sebring, it as two different brochures, the older version, where they redesigned the front end of thecar, in mid 2003, they had Sebring LX and LXi and both models were 2004, sold in 2003. When the "real" 2004 came out, in late 2003, they changed all the trim levels to Sebring, Sebring Touring and Sebring Limited. I have both brochures here and both are 2004 with different trim levels. Same with the 2005 Chrysler minivans, first edition had base Caravan as well as Caravan SXT and same for the Grand Caravan, now we got another edition of the Caravan brochure couple of months ago and they had base Grand Caravan, Grand Caravan SE (with only 3rd row stow-go) and Grand Caravan SXT...

Why make changes like that?
 
#18 ·
blackPREMIER said:
Same with the 2005 Chrysler minivans, first edition had base Caravan as well as Caravan SXT and same for the Grand Caravan, now we got another edition of the Caravan brochure couple of months ago and they had base Grand Caravan, Grand Caravan SE (with only 3rd row stow-go) and Grand Caravan SXT...
Do the Canadian LWB Stow-N-Go models only stow the 3rd row, and not the 2nd row? The American LWB vans stow both 2nd and 3rd rows.
 
#19 ·
The Canadian LWB has 2nd & 3rd row. Did not even know about the change for 3rd row only.
KC.
 
#20 ·
blackPREMIER said:
...Grand Caravan SE (with only 3rd row stow-go)...
That one I would have to see to believe. I have never heard of a GC or T&C with stow-n-go that did not have the second row. Isn't that the whole point?
 
#21 ·
OK, I'm going out on a limb again here--but I think the LWB SE models are now coming with the 3rd row stow & go as standard equipment, while the SE Plus has both the 2nd and 3rd row stow & go. That's what I've heard from the salesguy at the local dealership anyway.

I've been collecting automotive sales brochures for decades now and I LOVE the little idiosyncracies they contain. Case in point is the SWB 1999 Voyager Expresso. In the brochure, they show the 3.8L V6 as an option for this model. We went to order our '99 Voyager Expresso in February of '99 and were told the 3.3L was the ONLY powertrain available. We showed the sales manager our brochure and he started poking around; only to find that yes indeed, the 3.8L had been available in the SWB models up through December of 1998, then it was discontinued (apparently too much demand for the more senior T&C models).

I've also got other brochures that depict cars with the nameplates in the wrong place, taillights that never saw production, interior options that never were, etc. It's a whole lot of fun to pour through them and find the little flaws.

On edit: two of my prized possessions are the 2000 Voyager brochures--one is for the Plymouth brand (early 2000) and the other is for the Chrysler brand (later in the model year). Same pictures in both, but different covers AND the Chrysler logo is airbrushed into the grille & on the tailgates of the vehicles in the later brochure.

Drew
 
#22 ·
Caravan_Sport said:
On edit: two of my prized possessions are the 2000 Voyager brochures--one is for the Plymouth brand (early 2000) and the other is for the Chrysler brand (later in the model year). Same pictures in both, but different covers AND the Chrysler logo is airbrushed into the grille & on the tailgates of the vehicles in the later brochure.
In the 2003 Caravan brochure, I think the hubcaps on one particular van were Photoshopped onto the picture. You can tell because the van has the Michelin MX4 tires, but those only came on the 16" wheels. The 15" wheels ALL got Goodyear Integrity tires (at least from the factory). But sure enough, here are some Michelin MX4 tires "mounted" on wheels with hubcaps that just don't quite match the picture.

I love looking through brochures to see evidence of corner-cutting. I had an old Oldsmobile Cutlass brochure and it was showing a picture of T Tops installed in a Cutlass. That particular year, you couldn't get T Tops without also getting the center console and floor shift, but this picture shows a bench seat and column shift...which was available a few model years prior. They just kept reusing the photograph.
 
#23 ·
Caravan_Sport said:
OK, I'm going out on a limb again here--but I think the LWB SE models are now coming with the 3rd row stow & go as standard equipment, while the SE Plus has both the 2nd and 3rd row stow & go. That's what I've heard from the salesguy at the local dealership anyway.

I've been collecting automotive sales brochures for decades now and I LOVE the little idiosyncracies they contain. Case in point is the SWB 1999 Voyager Expresso. In the brochure, they show the 3.8L V6 as an option for this model. We went to order our '99 Voyager Expresso in February of '99 and were told the 3.3L was the ONLY powertrain available. We showed the sales manager our brochure and he started poking around; only to find that yes indeed, the 3.8L had been available in the SWB models up through December of 1998, then it was discontinued (apparently too much demand for the more senior T&C models).

I've also got other brochures that depict cars with the nameplates in the wrong place, taillights that never saw production, interior options that never were, etc. It's a whole lot of fun to pour through them and find the little flaws.

On edit: two of my prized possessions are the 2000 Voyager brochures--one is for the Plymouth brand (early 2000) and the other is for the Chrysler brand (later in the model year). Same pictures in both, but different covers AND the Chrysler logo is airbrushed into the grille & on the tailgates of the vehicles in the later brochure.

Drew
Well I'll be darned.

Went to the dodge website, and the following seating options are available on the Grand Caravan SE:

2nd-Row Buckets with Rear 60/40 Split Bench Seating $745.00 (2-Row Stow 'n Go Seating & Storage w/Tailgate Seat; St. Louis South Stow 'N Go Tracking) This is the stow n go we have all grown to know and love.

Dlx Bench Seats w/2 Child, Rear 60/40 Stow 'N Go $225.00 (St. Louis South Stow 'N Go Tracking) Looks like if you have little ones, you can get the second row bench with two child safety seats built in, and a 60/40 stow-n-go third row.

Wonders never cease.
 
#24 ·
My van has one power slider, right side only. Left door is manual, as is the tailgate.

Only time I use the power door is when my arms are full carrying a case of wobbly-pops, or I occasionally use it for the wife's grandmother as she has troubles locating and using the manual thumb-release button.
 
#25 ·
AMD Rules said:
I occasionally use it for the wife's grandmother as she has troubles locating and using the manual thumb-release button.
Interestingly, our passengers, like your great grandmother-in-law, can never find the side door releases. They look everywhere BUT the large thumb button on the handle, up at shoulder level, where it should be. They're feeling the lower door panel, trying to pull on the rubber door bumper, opening and closing the lock lever, everything BUT using the handle. :)
 
#26 ·
jad**** said:
Interestingly, our passengers, like your great grandmother-in-law, can never find the side door releases. They look everywhere BUT the large thumb button on the handle, up at shoulder level, where it should be. They're feeling the lower door panel, trying to pull on the rubber door bumper, opening and closing the lock lever, everything BUT using the handle. :)
ANd I bet once they find the handle, some have difficulty using it. I find that people usually do one of the following things:
- try and pull the door then push the button while they are pulling (it doesn't move)
- try and pull the door without pushing the button (it doesn't move)
- push the button, then pull the door without letting go of the button (it doesn't latch).

It's great to be able to have them just push the button, at least on the right side.

Another cool thing about the power sliding door is that if you manually close the door, and don't quite close it tight enough, the mechanism pulls it closed, much like the rear liftgate when you don't close that completely. It's a comforting servo sound then click, that lets me know it's really closed. For this reason alone, I wish I had both.
 
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