2007 Dodge Grand Caravan: jerking or lurching

Filed Jan 11, 2020 · 115,000 miles · NV

Whever I fill up the gas tank, the car starts to stall and jerks and stops all the way. It displays engine light and goes into cruise mode. I have to turn it off n back on and still jerks until the fuel is little empty. When I don't fill it full then it doesn't do this

Filed Feb 26, 2015 · Fuel system · 50,000 miles · ID

Numerous times right after I fuel up, the van sputters, shakes, and the engine quits. Even if I hold the gas pedal steady, it jerks as if I was pressing the pedal quickly then letting go. When I stop at a light, the engine dies completely. This happens almost every time I fuel up. It has never happened beyond 1 day after I fuel up. It does not matter which gas station I fill up at, nor the quality of the fuel I buy, the problem still happens. One time the engine even quit while I was driving! (usually it quits when I stop at a light or stop sign.) it takes 2-3 tries and then the engine starts again and the van shakes, jerks, and sputters once again as if it is not getting enough fuel.

Filed Sep 25, 2014 · Engine, Fuel system · 85,000 miles · KY

After fueling the vehicle, pulling out from the gas station, the van stalls violently: loses power, lurches & surges. This has become increasingly severe, most recently nearly causing a collision when the van stalled out as we were leaving the gas station in heavy traffic. The problem is the vapor/liquid separator valve located at the top of the fuel tank. The valve is designed to prevent liquid fuel from entering the charcoal canister/emissions system. When the valve fails, liquid gas can enter the line and fill the charcoal canister. After refueling the PCM on the vehicle detects a change in fuel level. Then, when the engine meets certain temperature and driving criteria, the PCM issues a purge command to the charcoal canister to remove the stored gas vapors. It?s at that point that all the liquid gas in the line gets sucked into the charcoal canister. The PCM expects to see gas vapors entering the intake manifold and it is prepared to adjust air/fuel mixtures to compensate. However, it is not prepared to see liquid gas coming into the intake. That?s what causes the engine to stall. Unfortunately, the only fix is to replace the entire gas tank. Chrysler does not sell the vapor/liquid valve as a separate unit. We are now at nearly 100,000 miles, and the problem persists and continues to get more severe. I have called dodge, but they say there is no extended warranty on the fuel tank/evaporation canister.

Filed Sep 19, 2014 · Engine, Fuel system · 38,700 miles · CA

On approximately 04/07/2014 the van was filled up with gas, I took the nozzle out when it shut off and did not put any extra gas into tank. I started up the van to exit the station we drove about 100 yards and the van jerked with a knocking sound twice and stalled. I started the van back up, when it did start the idle was rough and low. I held my foot on the gas peddle to slightly raise the RPM's for about 30 seconds before we proceeded. It took a couple of miles before the van seemed to be about normal. This has happened two other times since then. Another complaint, the front brakes squeak every time you apply them.

Filed Feb 13, 2012 · Acceleration, Engine · 105,000 miles · IN

Four separate instances of an unintended acceleration occurred within 5 minutes while traveling at low speeds (5 - 15 MPH). Each of these instances is described below: 1. While turning right out of a gas station at about 5-10 MPH, the car lurched forward and the power steering system seemed to fail (I.e., the car was steering right and it was very difficult to keep from continuing right into a curb). The brakes worked fine and prevented a collision with the curb. I headed for a friend's house located nearby. 2. Approximately 500 - 1000 feet later, while turning left at 15 MPH onto a side street, there was another unintended acceleration and the steering wheel was 'locked' left (I.e., the power steering system again seemed to fail). The brakes on and the car collided with the curb at a low speed (1-3 MPH). Had traffic been coming down the road, a car heading toward me would have hit the side of my car. 3. Approximately 500 feet down that street, while turning left onto another side street, the engine revved again for a second, and returned to normal. The steering and brakes were not adversely affected. 4. I proceeded slowly down that street for a distance of about 200 feet and was slowing down to park along the right hand side of the street. While going only about 2 MPH, the car revved hard again, and lurched forward about 3 feet until I could stop the car. I stayed at the friend's house for 3 hours. 5. A service station was nearby and I drove slowly toward it. The car made a total of 3 right turns and 2 left turns without incident. However, when just starting to make a 4th right turn, the engine revved and the power steering seemed to fail again. I stopped the car and turned off the ignition. I proceeded a half mile to the repair station (with 3 left turns and 1 right turn), without incident.