bfurth

The problem with diagnosing sounds coming from underneath the vehicle is that they could be coming from anywhere (unless you've heard the exact pitch before, and know precisely how to duplicate it - like wheel bearings or CV joints, which are quite distinct and relatively easy to duplicate). When those steps don't work, you need a better mechanic with more precise tools (chassis ears: https://www.amazon.com/STEELMAN-97202-Wireless-ChassisEAR-Diagnostic/dp/B00123J79O - think wireless stethoscope for cars - for $200, it's a bit out of the range of a typical shade-tree mechanic, but for a dealership it ought to be standard equipment). Glad to hear you both got your car issues resolved!

That sound would change with engine speed, not vehicle speed. If the noise gets louder only with vehicle speed, it's most likely a wheel hub/bearing assembly. I just replaced the front passenger one in my T&C back in November.

Modern wheel bearings are not terribly difficult to replace (assuming you have the right tools), but you do want to diagnose the issue properly first. The first step is identify that the noise changes with vehicle speed. You've done that. The next step is to see if there is a pitch change when turning left or right. When turning, the outside wheel spins faster and you should be able to notice an increase in pitch or volume. If a left turn increases the noise, replace the right wheel bearing. If a right turn increases it, change the left. The replacement itself is fairly straightforward (I don't have torque values, you'll have to research those yourself). Correct steps (confirmed with factory service manual) are: Raise and support vehicle Remove wheel from the affected side Disconnect ABS cable from wheel bearing/hub assembly and isolate cable from the steering knuckle (if present and attached to wheel hub) Loosen hub nut from axle shaft (do not completely remove yet) with an impact wrench (alternatively, put the compact spare back on the hub, lower the vehicle back down, and get a breaker bar to break it loose). If you have an impact wrench, have an assistant hold the brake pedal down while you break it loose Remove the brake caliper adapter bracket, brake dust shield, and rotor. Keep them as removed from debris as you can during the rest of the job. Support the caliper from the springs so that it won't fall off or stress the brake hose Bring the axle nut to the end of the threads on the axle shaft and strike it once with a moderate hammer - the goal is to loosen the axle from the splines on the inside of the wheel bearing, not remove it completely; excessive force can cause damage Once the axle shaft is free, remove the (typically) four bolts on the back side of the steering knuckle that are on each corner of the hub/bearing assembly (you may need torx sockets, you might need allen sockets, I don't know specifically - check a proper manual, or take a look at it before removing them and have a spare vehicle to go back and forth to get tools you don't already have Once those bolts are out, the only thing holding the wheel hub/bearing in the steering knuckle is friction and rust. Get a mallet (preferably rubber) and hit the axle shaft until it backs out of the hub (it won't go all the way, but you'll know when it's loose) , then get a chisel and a hammer and start working the wheel bearing off of the knuckle. This is the most physically demanding and time consuming part of the job. Work evenly around the bearing until it comes out. The goal is to push the wheel hub away from the steering knuckle, so aim for the seam between them, and try not to cut too much of the steering knuckle. Get to work cleaning the corroded material off of the mating surface inside the now much larger hole and on the face of the knuckle (die grinder with a wire wheel, Dremel, whatever works for you - just don't gouge the steering knuckle) Coat the mating surface with a thin layer of anti-seize Install the new hub/bearing into the knuckle and guide the axle shaft into the splines Install the four mounting bolts and torque to spec (35 ft. lbs.) - apply torque in a cross pattern for even pressure Re-install brake rotor, dust shield, and caliper bracket (bracket bolt torque = 125 ft. lbs.) Torque the NEW hub nut to spec (97 ft. lbs.) (again, have an assistant hold the brakes while you tighten it) Re-attach the ABS wires (see previous step - I hope you took photos of everything...) Re-install the wheel and torque lug nuts to spec (100 ft. lbs.) I've done this job on two different vehicles (2005 Chevy Cavalier, 2010 Chrysler Town and Country). It's about a 1 1/2 to 2 hour job if you have all the parts and tools on hand. You can rent axle nut sockets from Advance Auto or AutoZone (whatever is convenient to you). All other tools are nothing special. You can source parts from Amazon for anywhere from $40 - $200. Edit: Added a few steps and found the torque specs for the parts that get removed. The wheel speed sensor attaches to the steering knuckle. It may be a safe plan to remove it while doing the rest of the work (it's a small hex head bolt, probably about 10mm), but my resource is not showing me that removal is necessary.

If you really want to clean your brake calipers, I recommend the following: Go buy a pressure washer (electric is fine, you can get them for under $100) Let your car sit overnight (or at least until the rotors are under 150 degrees (for safety, and to prevent changes in the iron - cold water + hot metal can do undesirable things to the metal) Spray your brake area with the 40 degree nozzle Call it a day. There is no reason to disassemble the brakes unless there is something wrong with them. They don't move very far, the caliper pin boots hold up well over time, and as long as you're not leaking grease or brake fluid, you're good.

The makeshift pinch-weld adapter works pretty well. It also helps that the library system my wife works for has a subscription to All Data DIY (or something else like it) that has full factory service manuals for just about everything - which includes the correct lift points for everything. The real floor jack lift point on the Journey (for anyone who hasn't figured it out yet) is just behind and inside the front wheels, where the front lower control arm attaches to the front cross member - it's a nice big bolt with a cup around it and a few pieces of molded rubber around it to cushion a floor jack saddle. Just put a hockey puck on the saddle and you prevent any paint/powder coat damage. The jack stand/pinch weld adapter is then free to go in exactly the right spot on the weld right at the scissor jack point (if you don't put it on the cross member). Zero paint damage, no bending of the welds. No additional avenue for rust. 2 years in, still looks new. To be fair, I've only had it up twice (each August since I purchased it). I bought mine in February 2015, and I just crossed the 14,000 mile mark this month!

From what I gather from their photos - the Fumoto valves are little more than a 90 degree ball valve with a spring loaded lever to keep it closed. You can get an option with a nipple to attach a hose to better control where the used oil ends up (no drain pan needed, other than to catch what comes out with your filter). If you have the 3.6L engine, you could get away without a drain pan entirely. You still have to get under the car, and you still have to wait for it to drain. You just don't have to carry a 13mm wrench to do so.

Recognizing that I'm a bit late to this question: It's about 8 1/2 feet, give or take. 10 feet is not going to happen on the interior short of a full size SUV or minivan.

So my local dealership did the ABS recall a few weeks ago. I figured, no reason to pop the hood after this work. Big mistake. I popped the hood to check oil level this morning, and immediately notice something is off: the engine cover! The cover that the dealership who did the ABS recall had also previously done recall work on. I called them, they found it, and I got it installed again a few minutes ago. So, at least they made it right as soon as it was noticed. My question for dealerships in general - how does this stuff still happen? There is no excuse for parts of a vehicle to be missing when it leaves the work bay.

Just put some of the lugs back on that hub (no need to torque to spec) and don't mash the brake pedal. 3 ought to do it. And then I saw you had the caliper off. Get an assistant to put the pads and rotor in the caliper. Or, just lift the other wheel like you planned...

My S7 does the same thing, about 90% of the time. Answer the phone, hit transfer twice to send it to the phone and bring it back to the radio. Incompatible software is not an excuse - that just means you need to put a developer on it and fix it. And new software versions need to come out annually OR FASTER. Correct the few lines of code you need to, then make an update available for the radio. This is not that complicated. I've been to the dealer for Bluetooth audio issues (to the point where I can't have a conversation), but their testing reports no issues (even though I was ON THE PHONE with the service advisor when it was happening). Transferring the call back to my phone and putting it on speaker, no audio issues. Transfer it back to the radio - garbled nonsense. I cannot determine what causes the issue to occur - it appears to happen randomly and will continue until the car sits off for a few minutes. The incoming call automatically transferring to the phone is almost universal. I have another phone (iPhone 6s) I can test it with. That doesn't change the fact that the radio needs to have the software updated periodically to deal with newer phones that are released every 6 months. DodgeCares - are you hearing this? Software cannot be left alone. It MUST be updated as new devices are made available. Even within the short 3 year period of your factory warranty, most people will go through at least one phone upgrade cycle. If they own the vehicle for 5-8 years, that bumps the phone upgrade cycle to 3 or 4 new phones through the life of the vehicle. Are you telling me that the radio will never be updated? I'm certainly not buying a new car ever time I buy a new cell phone. I also don't have to buy a new computer or remote speakers every time I buy a new phone, either.

A twin mattress completely filled the floor of the Journey - no room to maneuver side to side or front to back. A full or bigger will not fit, nor will a twin extra long.

Well, got it back yesterday - the ABS recall is done, the tailgate is aligned properly and they buffed out the scratches. You can still see where they were, but since it can only be seen while the tailgate is open, I'm not overly concerned. They were not able to duplicate the audio issues after: disconnecting the battery, deleting all paired devices, and trying their own phone. I've still got 18+ months of factory warranty, plus another 98 years or so under my Mopar plan, so when/if it fails entirely, it will get fixed.

If you're working with the 3.6L, you might as well get a Mopar filter. I believe the part number is 68191349AB (those of you who have the Pentastar, feel freem to chime in.) They're about $10/filter on Amazon. Amazon also has shown me the best prices on motor oil (at least on 5 quart jugs). It's hard to beat their prices some times.

My '10 T&C has had nothing but Purolator One filters since I bought it at 39k miles. It's at 110k now with only one engine repair to it's name (valve seals, and not anything remotely close to the fault of the oil filter). Purolator makes a filter for all three product lines for the Journey: Purolator Classic - L12222 Purolator One - PL12222 Purolator Boss - PBL12222 The case and threading is identical, the difference is in filter media, gasket, and anti-drain back valve. My Journey (2.4L) has had three filters on it - the original Mopar filter, a Purolator One for the first oil change with Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5w-20 at ~3,500 miles, and a Purolator Boss filter with Ultra Platinum oil at ~9,500 miles. I'll let you know in 10 years how the Purolator Boss filters hold up! Assuming your SXT is using the 2.4L, anything from Fram that is Ultra Guard or higher should be fine. Anything that is Purolator should be fine. Anything K&N or Bosch or any reputable long-duration oil filter should be fine. If you have the 3.6L, I can't help you.

For any issue that does not happen 100% of the time: Take notes as to exactly what conditions are present when it happens (weather, temperature, vehicle speed, gear selection, brake application, throttle/no throttle, etc.) If you can recreate the conditions, you can get the dealer to recreate issue. If a dealer can recreate an issue, they can fix it. If it can't be duplicated, it's "not an issue." That doesn't mean the issue doesn't exist, merely that the presence of the issue cannot be proven to a point that a mechanic can repair it. Any information above "sometimes this happens" will help get your issue resolved.

I hadn't made a call to them the first time it happened because A) I'm in IT, and I don't believe a problem exists until it happens again, and B) I couldn't duplicate it the first time. Second time it happens? Problem exists (can't pinpoint the cause) and is audible on both sides of the conversation with multiple phones using different operating systems - ie, problem is isolated to the vehicle. The radio sounded fine on it's own (I didn't check Bluetooth audio, but I probably should have). And after closer inspection of my tailgate, the left side has a narrower gap than the right side. It's definitely mis-aligned somewhere. That makes the solution relatively simple.

About a week ago, my 4.3S radio started acting up with my phone (Galaxy S7). The audio during calls (from the time the phone starts ringing through hanging up) would sound distorted. Think about what audio sounds like when your computer freezes and you'll get the idea of what it sounds like - choppy, broken, and garbled. I parked, turned off the engine, and let it sit for a minute, then restarted. Everything seemed ok. It happened again this morning. I also swapped connected phones (used an iPhone 6s) and got the same issue, even after restarting the motor. In addition to this, it seems to have developed a desire to automatically transfer calls to my phone instead of keeping them at the radio for incoming calls. I called my dealership and was able to reproduce the issue while I was on the phone with the service manager (who agreed that it sounded awful on his end), so that shouldn't require any further convincing. I have it scheduled for service on Tuesday. Hopefully it just needs a replacement Bluetooth module - I'd hate to have to get the entire radio replaced since it will take longer to get that back. While they're at it, they need to take care of the ABS wiring harness recall and the tailgate/bumper paint rubbing issue (somehow, the bumper/tailgate seems mis-aligned, even though the gaps on each side appear identical - net result is some rubbing/scratching under the tailgate door on the bumper that is only visible when the tailgate is open). At least all those parts are plastic!

I'm also on a Mopar minivan forum. The 3.6 has been in use in the GC/T&C platform since 2011 as well, and no one is complaining about anything beyond the 2011 head issues and, more recently, the difficulty of changing out spark plugs. Past that, the 3.6 appears to be a rock solid engine.

Your last post nailed it - when you lock the doors while you are still sitting in it, the horn will sound three times indicating that it thinks the key is still inside. The doors should also unlock as that happens. It's all to ensure you don't lock your keys inside.

Welcome to the board! 2015 SXT with 27k miles on it = former rental (not necessarily anything wrong with that). The good thing is that the Pentastar engine doesn't require a whole lot of maintenance before 100k - just change the oil. Check your air filters (engine and cabin) and replace as necessary. Check tread depth on tires and rotate/replace if needed. Past that, there shouldn't be anything you need to do for a while.

That tape is textured (slightly). Yes, it is fingerprints/oil from your hand. Yes, it will look better if you clean the whole thing at once. Be careful with those magic erasers - they are an abrasive cleaning material.

Locking seatbelts are on the outboard passenger seats (front passenger, second row left and right passengers, third row passengers.) It is not available for the driver (as the installation of one would be a safety issue) and it doesn't exist in the second row middle seat. To activate them, pull the seatbelt all the way out. It will click, and then click repeatedly as you let it back in. Only when it retracts to a certain point will the locking mechanism release. To install a car seat using the ALR belts, position the seat first, route the seat belt through the seat, and insert the belt into the latch for that seat. Then, fully extend the belt and release it, allowing the retractor to catch. Tighten the belt as necessary. For the middle seat, use the latch plate per the instructions of the seat manufacturer. LATCH anchors are substantially easier to work with. Keep in mind the weight restrictions of the vehicle (LATCH is usually about 65 pounds or so, but the exact amount is in the manual) for using LATCH anchors, and remember that this is the combined weight of the child and the seat.

With a V6, you also have the 6-speed transmission. Owner's manual suggests that you can keep the transmission in drive, but frequent shifting is likely in hilly areas or with load changes (wind, acceleration, etc.) Set the transmission to the 5 range to reduce gear hunting (and prolong the life of the transmission).

Typically, no, they aren't covered. The powertrain warranty covers the case and everything (more or less) inside of it. It does not cover the components which hold it to the vehicle.

The idea behind putting the newer tires on the back instead of the front (if you are replacing a pair of tires out of sync) is that it is easier to correct for understeer than oversteer. You have ZERO control over the rear wheels in a FWD vehicle. You have both steering angle and brakes/throttle to control the front wheels. If you have the deeper tread on the front wheels and you lose traction on the front wheels, the back wheels were already out of control. There are plenty of videos detailing this. FWD vehicles usually have a tire rotation pattern of front straight to back, back cross to front (such has been my experience with FWD vehicles). The exception to this is if you have directional tires (think Goodyear Assurance tires with triple tread - the type that has the large V-pattern groove). Those types of tires are designed to channel water away from the center of the wheel (the point of the V hits the ground first, forcing water into the channels and away from the tire). If you put them on backwards, it will reduce traction, potentially causing hydroplaning. In that case, you rotate straight front to back, no crossing (unless you have the option of remounting and balancing tires at home, but that will probably reduce tire life by added wear on the sidewall, not to mention a higher chance of damaging your rims every 6-12 months).