SUSPENSION SYSTEM COULD NOT SUPPORT 7 PASSENGERS + LUGGAGE + FUEL, WITHOUT EXCESSIVE BOUNCING, CAUSING A REDUCTION OF SPEED (10-15MPH) BELOW POSTED SPEED LIMITS. REAR BRAKES WERE NOT FULLY ENGAGING, CAUSING UNSAFE STOPPING, ESPECIALLY ON HILLS. REAR BRAKES WERE ADJUSTED MANUALLY TO IMPROVE BRAKING, BUT PEDDLE IS STILL SOFT. THE GSVWR IS NOT GREAT ENOUGH FOR VEHICAL CAPAITY. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS A DRY-WEIGHT RATING. MUD FLAPS BOTH FRONT & REAR WERE WORN OFF EXCESSIVILY, DUE TO BONCING. SOMETIMES IT FELT LIKE I WAS LOOSING CONTROL. ALL SUSPENSION COMPONENTS WERE CHECKED BY DEALER AFTER RETURN FROM VACATION, BUT VAN STILL EXHIBITS EXCESSIVE BOUNCING AND BOTTOMING OUT, EVEN WITH ONLY TWO PASSENGERS AND NO LUGGAGE. AT A HIGHWAY SPEED OF 70MPH, THE VAN WOULD DOWN-SHIFT AT EVERY OVERPASS, AND SLIGHT HEADWIND, DURING TRIP ACROSS THE DESERT ON I-70 TO S.L.C., UT. THERE IS NO HD SUSPENSION PARTS FOR THIS VEHICLE, WHICH SHOULD BE AVAILABLE, IF ONE WANTS TO TOW A BOAT. BY THE WAY, A REDUCTION IN PASSENGERS IS REQUIRED, IF A BOAT IS TOWED (300 LBS DRAW-BAR WT) AND 3500 LBS TOW WT. THIS IS A VERY UNDER-RATED. NLM
1999
STRUCTURE
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON ENTERING THE VEHICLE, THERE WERE NOTICEABLE WATER PUDDLES ON THE FLOOR OF BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES. THERE WAS ALSO A NOTICEABLY FOUL SMELL COMING FROM THE INTERIOR CARPETS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, WHO REFERRED THE CONTACT TO A SERVICE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONER DRAIN ELBOW WAS MISSING. THERE WERE NO REPAIRS MADE. UPDATED 10/25/06. *JB