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2013 Grand Caravan. The acceleration seems sluggish, as in I want to go faster, I press on the accelerator, nothing happens for several seconds, then it ZOOMS forward (tach goes up).
3.6L V6 DOHC 24V
3600 cc
Would an engine cleaner additive help? Any suggestions? TIA
If I remember right, the 3.6L is drive-by-wire. Had it in 2 of my Jeeps. Might need to be looked at before assuming it's a mechanical problem - could be the software. I also remember the 3.6 having a problem with one of the heads and sluggish performance is one of the symptoms - can't remember if they had it fixed by MY13 though. If it's still under warranty, take it in.
It could be normal, as I remember my C300 had a painful delay when you'd floor the gas, to when the transmission would downshift and the car would actually go.
This sounds like an ECU timing problem that could be due to either changing weather or air filter being clogged which changes the fuel air measurement.
The simplest cure if this works is to yank the negative lead off the battery for 10 mins or so then put it back.
Afterwards your car's ECU will reset and drive it around for a few minutes normally for the ECU to sense and then load the right program.
I tune my cars with a programmable ECU and often when there's a delay in power then I know my program is off or needs a reset.
2013 Grand Caravan. The acceleration seems sluggish, as in I want to go faster, I press on the accelerator, nothing happens for several seconds, then it ZOOMS forward (tach goes up).
3.6L V6 DOHC 24V
3600 cc
Would an engine cleaner additive help? Any suggestions? TIA
Did it always do this? Enough miles on it to maybe need plugs?
A cleaner like Techron might help if you have been driving a lot of short trips and the intake valves are dirty. If things are clean in there it won't help much.
Sounds like the van is hesitating before downshifting (AT I assume, were any of these ever built with stick shifts?)
Define "several seconds" - you mean like 1 or 2, or like 5 seconds (an eternity by hesitation standards) ?
The poster who said "turn off economy mode" may have a point.
I have owned various 6-cylinder minivans......none of them are were that peppy. You usually have to hit the gas pretty good, and get the rpm up, to get some decent acceleration.
I just had the PCM flashed on mine and now it shifts smoother.
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