A few weeks ago, my brother and sister-in-law visited me. Because he only drives Dodge/Chrysler products and because he is a very knowledgeable mechanic, I asked his opinion about the problem with my van.

He suggested replacing the belt tensioner and wanted the dealership to inspect all pulleys to insure they weren't worn down. He also suggested checking the belt surface for glazing and/or slippage.

This past Wednesday, the van went into the local dealership to have those things done. Friday it rained - ever so slightly, but there was moisture.  I work odd hours, so at 3:30 a.m., I went into the office. First, however, I wanted to find a puddle so I went to the nearest shopping center and found one. I drove through it and lost ability to steer the van - not only in turning but going straight. I stopped the van and changed gears until I was able to steer again.

I went to the office and worked for about 2 hours. I decided to do one more test. I again went to the same shopping center, went through a puddle and the same thing happened, only worse. It was as if the van was trying to stall. I stopped the van and tried to change gears. It took several seconds before the van would come back to life. At no time did warning lights come on.

At 7 a.m. I called the service manager on his cell phone. He has yet to call me back. I also tried calling the dealership since they are supposed to be open until noon on Saturdays. No answer. I talked with my brother and gave him the service manager's contact information. I also sent a letter to my Chrysler contract informing her of the problem.