Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | |||||
| 181997A | 10/17/1997 | 18-19-97 | 6088897 | Exhibiting a periodic bump in power train when the a/c is operating | 01/11/2000 |
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | |||||
| 210599A | 09/03/1999 | 210599 | 607959 | This bulletin announces the availability and installation of a resuable automatic transmission oil pan gasket. *tt | 10/19/1999 |
| 210599 | 03/05/1999 | 604696 | Subject regarding reusable automatic transmission oil pan gasket. *tt | 05/07/1999 | |
| 210499 | 02/26/1999 | 604364 | Service and parts information on 1999 running changes to transmission range sensor (trs) *tt | 04/27/1999 | |
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - CONTROL MODULE (TCM, PCM) | |||||
| 181299 | 06/18/1999 | 181797 | 607298 | This bulletin explains the operation and application of the leak detection pump (ldp) monitor test. *tt | 09/17/1999 |
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - COOLING UNIT AND LINES | |||||
| 0700601 | 11/11/2001 | 632201 | Subject regarding transmission oil cooler line hose clamp service. *tt | 07/11/2002 | |
| POWER TRAIN - AXLE ASSEMBLY | |||||
| 210798 | 04/24/1998 | 600751 | Subject on delayed transaxle engagement. *ak | 06/05/1998 | |
| POWER TRAIN - DRIVELINE - CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT | |||||
| 030698 | 10/02/1998 | 602908 | Right side half shaft cv boot is made of a special high temperature resistant material that can show heavy grease sepage-enough to form droplets on the boot convolutes. *ak | 01/20/1999 | |
| POWER TRAIN - MANUAL TRANSMISSION | |||||
| 210398 | 02/13/1998 | 600372 | Subject on transaxle desensitization to intermittent faults / driveability improvements. *yc | 11/04/1999 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | |||
| 07/06/2012 | 155000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 1998 dodge caravan. the contact stated that while driving 10 mph, the vehicle lost power and became inoperable without warning. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who was unable to diagnose a failure. the failure recurred frequently however, the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact that the vehicle was no longer under warranty and offered no additional assistance. the failure mileage was 155,000 and the current mileage was 157,000. | |||
| 07/06/2012 | 155000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 1998 dodge caravan. the contact stated that while driving 10 mph, the vehicle lost power and became inoperable without warning. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who was unable to diagnose a failure. the failure recurred frequently however, the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact that the vehicle was no longer under warranty and offered no additional assistance. the failure mileage was 155,000 and the current mileage was 157,000. kmj | |||
| 07/06/2012 | 155000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 1998 dodge caravan. the contact stated that while driving at 10 mph the vehicle loss power and was inoperable. no warning lights were illuminated at all. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed no failures were found. the vehicle failure reoccured very often and was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated that the vehicle was not under any warranty and offered no additional assistance. the failure mileage was 155,000 and the current mileage was 157,000. lg | |||
| 08/15/2003 | 69000 | ||
| Transmission ------------ sudden failure of all forward and reverse gears. key off-on brings back forward drive for about 100 yards then fails again. no reverse gear at all. computer diagnostic indicates 3 transmission errors related to shifting. sensors look ok. shop had to rebuild transmission at a cost of over $2,000. brakes ------ extremely excessive wear of front brake pads. must be replaced at least once a year now. first time it occurred it destroyed one brake rotor -- had to replace that. now, at the first sign of brake squeal i must check and replace the pads as they are close to wearing out. generally get less than 15,000 miles per set. | |||
| 07/15/2003 | 65000 | ||
| Transmission not properly shifting in 2 nd gears. air conditioning stills blows semi-warm air. sway bars replaced. | |||
| 02/25/2003 | 82000 | 1 | |
| The transmission malfunctioned fourth gear which caused the vehicle to lose power. *jb | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | |||
| 01/01/2010 | 1 | ||
| I found out that the 1998 dodge caravan that i purchased has two design flaws. one is that the vehicle does not have brake-shift interlock. the other is that the vehicle is equipped with chrysler gen3 seat belts that, in some vehicles, have unlatched while people were driving. i believe that the government should order a recall of the 1998 caravan for both of these important safety issues. *tr | |||
| 04/11/2006 | 73000 | 1 | |
| Dt*: the contact stated while driving 40mph, the transmission began leaking fluid. the dealer determined the transmission failed due to a pin lost inside the transmission. the dealer recommended replacing the transmission. | |||
| 05/31/2005 | 102000 | 1 | 05/01/2001 |
| Dt: contact states there is a pin located in the hub that separates the driveshaft from the axle. this pin caused the hub to bust the casing on the transmission. *ak the consume believes the small pin is not large/strong enough for all the pressure. *nm | |||
| 11/04/2004 | 85506 | 5 | 03/01/2000 |
| While driving at low speeds transmission failed. this caused the vehicle to stall. consumer had the vehicle towed. then, dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak. transmission was replaced twice, but problem recurred.*ak | |||
| 03/20/2004 | 1 | ||
| While driving 40 mph vehicle stalled. consumer was not able to restart vehicle. had it towed to a garage for inspection, and mechanic determined that transmission needed to be replaced. *ak | |||
| 03/30/2004 | 67069 | 1 | 07/23/2000 |
| I started out in the morning to take my son to school, and we had to make a stop at the grocery store. when i got to the stop sign to turn into the grocery store i heard this clanking sound. the car had stopped and would not move. i had my car towed to a repair shop, and they said my transmission broke into pieces and fell out from under the van. he could not understand why this happened being that i only had 67,000 miles on the van. he could not fix it so i had to get a new one from the manufacturer. the whole process cost me $2400.00 (outrageous). before this incident happened there was leaking coming from under the van. with all the complaints and problems with the transmission i cannot believe dodge/chrysler has not done something about this. they should be held accountable.*ak | |||
| 02/17/2004 | 61995 | 2 | 03/09/1998 |
| I have a 1998 dodge caravan with only 66,332 miles the problem's that have come up is first the transmission had a internal pin bust which caused several parts to come apart. this caused the transmissionto break, it had to be rebuilt on 2-17-04 with 61995 miles at the cost of $1685.25. the second problem is the air conditioning system had a failure with the evaporator which seems to be very comon according to several service centers that i have contacted outside the chrysler company. which spitzer dodge wanted to charge $1100.00 to repair. i know the vehical is 6 years old but with the low milage i think this is a little uncalled for and though it should be reported.*ak | |||
| 06/22/2004 | 78000 | 1 | 05/07/2000 |
| When putting the car in reverse to leave for work, i heard a grinding noise. as i let the van run, the noise slowly stopped but the van wouldn't move. i talked to several people with caravans to see if this was common. and to my surprise, everyone said they had to replace/overhaul their transmission. i was informed to look at this site to see if any complaints matched mine and there was at least ten when i stopped counting. i notified dodge and they were of little help because they said my vehicle had 77,000 miles. | |||
| 04/01/2001 | 1 | 08/01/1998 | |
| On august, 1, 1998, allen and anne mazerolle purchased a new 1998 dodge grand caravan se manufactured by chrysler from lee dodge in westbrook, maine. at the time of their purchase, neither the dealer nor chrysler provided any disclosure to the mazerolles concerning the differential transmission defect. in 2001, anne mazerolle was operating the chrysler minivan with her children in the vehicle. without any advance warning, a thunderous noise occurred and the vehicle seized and the wheels locked in traffic. mrs. mazerolle telephoned chryslers authorized dealer, lee dodge, from the highway seeking assistance. mrs. mazerolle was informed that, while it was within three years of the vehicles purchase, the mileage exceeded the 36,000 mile limitation and the mazerolles were out of luck as to any warranty coverage. the mazerolles then inquired as to whether there was any recall or problems concerning the chrysler transmission. they were informed by the chrysler dealer that no such problems had been reported by chrysler and there was no recall concerning the transmission. in the emergency, the vehicle was towed from the highway to a transmission specialist, a&m transmission, in south portland, maine. mrs. mazerolle was informed by technicians that there was a serious defect in the transmission and that the pinion gear had seized to the pinion shaft and penetrated the bell housing of the transmission, resulting in the complete lock-up of the vehicles drive train and complete failure of the transmission. *ak *sc *jb | |||
| 06/03/2003 | 115000 | 1 | |
| Transmission failure at 115,000 miles. *nm | |||
| 03/03/2004 | 104000 | 1 | 07/20/1999 |
| I own a 1998 v6 dodge caravan. my wife was traveling on the interstate and the transmission literally blew apart. it was not merely a transmission failure, but the transmission case was destroyed along with the transmission. i have checked the transmission monthly since i purchased the van in 1999, and i have properly maintained and changed the fluid. the damage to my vehicle was $2,511.00.*ak | |||
| 02/24/2004 | 80000 | 2 | |
| Transmission failed at 80,000 miles. also, engine head gasket was replaced two months ago.*ak | |||
| 07/02/2002 | 1 | ||
| Consumer noticed grinding sound in front end. replaced brake pads, noise still exist. service manager found that noise was coming from vehicle's transmission, and was replaced because inspection revealed that numerous parts had been damaged. *la *mr | |||
| 02/02/2004 | 1 | ||
| Emergency brakes inoperable, airbag light turns on, horn does not work, hard time removing key from ignition and i can go from p to r or d without pressing on the brakes (even if there is no key in the ignition). *jb | |||
| 01/21/2004 | 98000 | 3 | |
| Dealer replaced three times the automatic transmission in the last past two years at owner's expense. *ak | |||
| 01/01/1999 | 42000 | 6 | 08/26/1998 |
| Six different cases of mechanical problems the vehicle experienced. problems with head gasket, the transmission twice and three times on the flywheel. *la the mechanic found that the bolts on the flywheel and the torque converter were loose. *sc the consumer was informed that the vehicle was known to have problems with the crankshaft, which causes the flywheel to break off, the consumer was told the crankshaft was out of round, which caused the problem. *jb | |||
| 12/02/2003 | 60000 | 1 | |
| While driving at 15 mph and turning to the left, the vehicle stalled. the vehicle was towed to the dealer. the technician stated that the automatic transmission needed to be replaced. *ak the consumer wanted to know what the criteria was for issuing a recall. *scc *jb | |||
| 11/10/2003 | 80000 | 1 | 01/07/1998 |
| 1998 dodge grand caravan se id#1b4gp44gowb500517 with under 100,000 miles ended the life of the transmission with a loud metalic clunk.*ak | |||
| 03/07/2003 | 1 | 03/01/2002 | |
| Vehicle fire caused from defective transmission system. *mr (under sized transmissions, inadequate sized cooling lines and internal parts) the transmissions did not last over and average of 25k miles and had to be replaced more than once at times. while driving, the dash showed everything being, normal, the vehicle suddenly started to smoke. the transmission was not responsive. the transmission dripped balls of flames. *scc *jb | |||
| 10/16/2003 | 63820 | 1 | 01/16/2000 |
| Transmission failed at 63,000 on the highway, on a cold day, 90 miles from home when i had my children, ages 2 and 5 in the van. this is supposed to be a family vehicle! it should be reliable and safe. i've always had toyotas and hondas and put 200,000 miles on them with no transmission failure. the public is being dumped by daimler chrysler into thinking that replacing transmissions is a normal part of vehicle ownership. i just had to spend $2800 to fix a vehicle that is worth about $7000. i've recently learned that many, many people have had this same problem and that caravans are notorious for bad transmissions and motor failure in under 100,000 miles. if they are going to market family vehicles they should be safe and reliable! *la | |||
| 08/25/2003 | 81525 | 1 | 03/05/2001 |
| Total transmission failure. we drove to nj from our house, no problems, noises or warnings parked the car and 1/2 hour later go in the car and car would not move either back or forth. had car towed to mechanic and next day he told me i needed a new transmission, i was shocked, so decide to get a 2nd opinion, took car to amaco , they diagnosed also that a needed new transmission or rebuild transmission. i was going away on vacation on friday , so had no options but fix transmission which cost me $2,021.25. i was glad it didnt brake while we were driving in the highway and no one got hurt. i asked the people at amaco , what made the transmission just die, at 81,525 miles and they told me is a very common problems with this particular car, so i decide to research and found out that they were right, by your own records of complaints. so, i hope the manufacturer will do something about it or be forced to do so. i also found out that there were other recalls that i was never notified about, such as seat belts and fuel system problems. *ph | |||
| 1 | |||
| Problems with fuel rail on 1998 dodge caravan. *mr the consumer had taken the vehicle in for a recall repair for the fuel line in which the dodge dealer repaired it, but there was a continued leak that had come from the engine. the consumer then took the vehicle to good year who replaced the faulty line to stop the leak, and all the dealer did was place a stronger clamp around the leaking line. the consumer was denied a refund, because an authorized dealer did not perform the work. recall#00v268000 *scc. the consumer also stated the transmission had to be replaced. *jb | |||
| 06/29/2003 | 60600 | 1 | 08/26/2002 |
| Transmission failure at 60,400 miles that resulted in having to replace the transmission. *ak | |||
| 07/06/2003 | 65000 | 1 | 01/09/1998 |
| I have a 1998 dodge caravan with a transmission problem at 65,000 miles with a cost of repair at $2140.00, the dealer telling me i have a 15% off total cost to fix. an actual replacement is a $2600.00, a rebuilt at the cost of 2,140.00. a complaint has been made with chrysler, with no response from them as yet. the dealer said the would contact the zone mgr, but not available for me for at least a week. when i asked why this would happen, the dealer did reply, well, the van is 5 years old. meaning? a disposable van at 5 years or 50,000 which ever comes first. ridiculous! *ak | |||
| 07/02/2003 | 57500 | 1 | 09/20/1999 |
| I have a 1998 dodge caravan sport with 57000 miles. today 7/2/03 the transmission failed, it appears that the casting cracked due to an internal failure. i know of two other owners of the same year van that had the same problem. i contacted the chrysler district office and was told i was out of luck.. *ak | |||
| 06/05/2003 | 68000 | 11/29/1987 | |
| 1998 dodge grand caravan sport (68,000 miles) driven on dry pavement on a clear day at speed limit or below (45mph zone) threw differential pin through transmission housing, destroying transmission. vehicle was transported to dealer and assessed. repair cost (new transmission) stated to be $3,445. this vehicle was purchased new from herb gordon dodge of silver spring, md. research indicates that this is a recurring problem with this make and model of chrysler produced vehicle. *ak | |||
| 03/01/2003 | 73000 | 1 | 06/01/1998 |
| The air bag light illuminated, which caused the horn and cruise control to be inoperative. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated the drivers side frontal air bag had to be repaired. *nlm. also the transmission down shifted hard *ts *jb | |||
| 04/11/2003 | 59450 | 0 | 06/11/2002 |
| Bought used 1998 dodge caravan in june 2002 with 42k miles. heard noise in engine in october 2002 and took to independent mechanic. said transmission was bad. transmission went out while traveling to work in april 2003. only has 59,500 miles on it. *nlm | |||
| 03/17/2003 | 186000 | 1 | |
| A humming noise could be heard from the transmission. the transmission also started to slip and the vehicle would jerk forward when the gears were changed. *nlm | |||
| 03/13/2003 | 4 | ||
| 1998 dodge caravan: (1.)twice in the past two years flex plate between the engine and transmission has failed breaking in the center imitating the sound of a failing main bearing. under 100,000 miles. (2.) transmission failed 100,000 mi., (3.)wiring harness caught fire while engine running - destroyed harness. (sparks shooting out from beneath vehicle - fire extinguished before major damage @ 110,000 miles. ,000 mi. ( 4.) headlight lens plastic turned milky and inhibits proper light projection - difficult to see well at night even when lights are on bright. *nlm | |||
| 03/11/2003 | 137000 | 07/27/2000 | |
| I purchased my vehicle in 2000. two months later my transmission went. 16 months after that my motor went. i had to let my vehicle sit for nine months not being able to drive it and yet still making payments on it before i could afford to replace to the motor. so 3 weeks ago i had the motor replaced and now my transmission has gone again. supposedly it was replaced with a factory rebuilt transmission the first time around. this seriously upsets me that the transmission has gone again. i still owe 2 and 1/2 years of payments on this vehicle and i am back to i cannot drive it again because i cannot afford to get it fixed. i was told of some factory problem with the transmissions and i wondered if this could be the reason that my vehicle is out of commission again. for the amount of money this used vehicle is costing me i would have been better off to buy a new one. the vehicle is a 1998 dodge caravan. *nlm | |||
| 1 | |||
| Prior to recall the clockspring was replaced, however dealer refused to refund consumer, also the transmission was replaced.*jb | |||
| 01/11/2003 | 56100 | 1 | 07/16/1998 |
| Automatic transmission failure. extent of rebuild/repairs being assessed by benchmark transmission, wilmington de. probable failure of shift governor due to internal failure of part/parts was preliminary diagnosis of brandywine chrysler, wilmington de and benchmark transmission, wilmington de. preliminary estimate of rebuild is $1400, but dependent on extent of internal damage. benchmark reported no electronic failure or cause. mileage is 56,111. vehicle purchased new in july 1998 and still owned by original owner. | |||
| While applying the gear the transmission will slip and will not move. please provide additional information dealer is aware of the problem. ts | |||
| The transmission can be shifted from park to drive without having foot on brake. also, when shifting into drive, indicator not really locked in drive position even if shown in drive. the mechanic has to replaced the transmission (twice) because of damage done while trying to shift properly. ts | |||
| 07/15/2002 | 60000 | 1 | 03/14/1998 |
| While driving the consumer heard a knocking noise and the vehicle started jerking then stalled. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was determined that the planetary gears failed. *ts *nlm | |||
| 09/22/2002 | 37000 | 1 | |
| Consumer stated the transmission failed, the manufacturer offered to reimburse consumer 50% of the cost of the repair. ts *jb | |||
| 10/18/2002 | 1 | 06/01/2000 | |
| On going problem with dodge/chrysler transmission. mine failed at 17,200 miles and i believe chrysler should pay for the repairs. dt | |||
| 06/19/2000 | 1 | 12/01/2097 | |
| 06/00 front carrier came apart, 07/01 transmission stopped working, dealer unable to replicate problems, 05/02 complete failure of planetary gear mechansim. *ak | |||
| 05/10/2002 | 1 | ||
| While driving, transmission went out, causing vehicle to stall.*ak *slc | |||
| 1 | 01/01/1998 | ||
| Vehicle hesitates and jerks before going into gear. dealer has inspected vehicle and informed consumer that transmission needs to be overhauled. *ak prior to taking the vehicle to the dealer, it would not shift into gear. then it would jerk into gear. the engine light never illuminated. there has never been any indication of a transmission problem until two weeks before taking to the dealer. the rubber seals in the transmission got hard and needed replacing. *jg | |||
| 05/15/2002 | 1 | 08/01/1998 | |
| While driving 45mph driver heard a loud boom just before stalling out. driver had difficult time steering vehicle to the side of road. vehicle was towed to mechanic. mechanic said a pin broke inside of transmission, causing it to fail. other dealers stated there was no problem regarding transmission.*ak *yh | |||
| Vehicle would not engage into third gear. after vehicle warms up it will not shift in and out of gear, stays in same gear.*ak | |||
| 02/28/2002 | 1 | 04/01/1999 | |
| Failed transmission - after to talking to several dodge owners it is quite apparent that there is a problem with their transmissions. our family vehicle normally carries precious cargo of three small children. having a vehicle with a poor transmission and a company that does not believe in standing behind there product could be very life threatening to our family as well as others. it is at potential risk of causing a serious accident if it fails at the wrong time. prior to the 1998 products and currently dodge stands behind their drive train but for many years that stopped. which makes me wonder did they have a temporary problem with the transmissions in their vehicles which made them temporarily discontinue warranting them for 100,000 miles. as for the car seats i have contacted dodge as well as the nhtsa about the defect in the chest clip. the chest clip should snap safetly and not be able to be pulled apart but i have had them replaced several times and all of them with a little pressure can be pulled apart. i have had them inspected by several local officers and there has been papers filled out for the dmv by a local car seat check notifying them of the defect also. i have a buckle in my vehicle if you would like to inspect one. thank you for your time!*ak | |||
| After shifting vehicle into gear to drive vehicle would not move. dealer service technician noticed metal inside transmission broke. please provide further information. *ak | |||
| 02/20/2002 | |||
| Main transaxle shaft went through body of transmission and it would not change gears. dealer contacted. please add vin. *ak | |||
| 5 | |||
| As a concerned citizen, who handles the fleet for a state agency, i unhappy that nothing has been published from the manufactured as recalls to fix the problems which seems to happen around 35,000 miles or if the vehicle happens to be parked for anytime over two weeks. *ak | |||
| 02/03/2002 | |||
| While driving at highway speeds vehicle began to stall. dealer was contacted, informed consumer that transmission failed and needed to be replaced. please provide further details.*ak | |||
| 01/02/2002 | 1 | 03/01/1998 | |
| Transmission failed while my wife was driving home from my daughters home which is about 3 miles distance. on the way home ther is a one mile stretch that has a 50 mile speed limit. my wife said that the van never got out of low gear on that stretch. when she got home ,i immediately went and took the van for a test drive, and found that what she had told me was in fact correct. the van does not want to kick into high gear .she drove it home in 2nd gear.*ak | |||
| 06/30/2001 | 1 | 02/01/2000 | |
| Transmission failure (leak bad) high rpm. *ak | |||
| 10/01/2001 | 02/01/1998 | ||
| Van will not shift into reverse when first started, needs to warm up for at least 5-10 minutes. was evaluated by independent garage, needs complete transmission overhaul. why did chrysler's goodwill warranty end on 1997 models? obviously, they did not fix the transmission problems. a 3.5 year old vehicle with 51,000 miles on it should not need a complete transmission overhaul! this is quite costly, the fact that there was a goodwill warranty tells me chrysler knows there is a problem. why are they choosing to abandon their new customers (after 1997?) are they trying to loose our business? if this is how chrsyler treats it's customers, it certainly makes me want to look elsewhere for a vehicle in the future. please provide me with any information you can. thank you.*ak | |||
| 01/21/2001 | 2 | 11/01/2000 | |
| During january 2001 the transmission would completely shut off in mid traffic or at a turn then either stall or turn back on by itself. we had it into the dealership 3 times before engine check light came on and they could tell us what they say the problem was : the egr valve and some kind of transmission leak. they completed the work for several hundred dollars and now in october 2001 the transmission while driving started making revving (accelerating) noises then stalled with no warning, now it will not shift from first gear without stalling and another chrysler dealership says we need a whole new transmission for over two thousand dollars.*ak | |||
| 08/23/2001 | |||
| Transmission malfunctioned while driving 50mph. dealer inspected vehicle and will replace transmission at consumer's expense.*ak | |||
| 07/21/2001 | |||
| While traveling 60-65 mph on the highway on wet road conditions transmission stalled. dealer has been contacted for problem. please provide further details.*ak | |||
| 04/04/2000 | 1 | 11/01/1997 | |
| When putting my vehicle in park i heard a horrible loud grinding/groaning noise. when i tried to put my car back in geer i heard the same noise and my vehicles wheels locked up and would not move forward or backward.i had it towed and the transmission specialist inspected it and showed me that the planitary exploded inside the transmission he said this is a manufactures defect and should never have happened. he gave me the parts that were shattered and cracked many in such little pieces you cant find that got mixed in with the transmission fluid. he also told me i'm lucky it didn't happen when i was driving it with my children in the van. i imagine we wouldn't be here now. this repair cost me $1600.00 dollars i called crysler and they told me they weren't responsible and couldn't help with this. if it's a defective part than aren't they responsible? please help. thank you ,julie ann hit. *ak | |||
| 05/30/2001 | 1 | 05/01/1998 | |
| Transmission failed without warning. parts were so badly damaged that nothing was salvagable and a new transmission had to be rebuilt. we have kept the parts if they are needed for an investigation. we notified dodge who said they were not responsible for any repairs, and that we have no appeal to this decision (amey, file no. 8723066). we had a mechanic fix it. the charge was $2,417. is there any course of action we can take against dodge? it doesn't make sense that a transmission could fail in this way with so few miles on the car. | |||
| 06/19/2000 | 03/01/2000 | ||
| I am having alot of problems with my van over the past year i have put over 1500 worth of work into this van they made the engine too small for this size of a van. i continue to have problem with the engine and now the transmission is acting up. i have already replaced head gasket all the motor mounts timing belt it has been one thing after another and now my engine is making a rattling sound everytime i push the gas petal i don't know where else to complain. | |||
| 10/11/2000 | 1 | 04/01/1998 | |
| On october 6, 2000 i was taking my son to school when i lost all ability to accelerate. i was going fast enough i was able to coast into the parking lot. my vehicle was towed to the dealership where we purchased it. they were not cooperative or friendly and were unable to diagnose my vehicle within the 3 day time frame they had promised. so on 10-09-2000 we had to have it towed to an independent garage to be diagnosed and fixed. the diagnosis was total transmission failure. we had to have them fix it b/c our dealer was going to be 3-5 weeks to fix it, and we had a rental car during this time. the cost was $1455.00, that we paid out of our pocket. during their investigation of our problems they also found an oil leak. my husband is very good with cars and has made several attempts to fix the problem, to no avail. on 3-9-2001 i had the car oil leak diagnosed by an independent garage. they said the head gasket was leaking oil and would have to be replaced. a cost of approximately $600.00 and down time of the vehicle being 2-3 days. as this is our main vehicle this presents a problem. we have been told by many people and garages that these 4 cylinder engines are widely known to have transmission and head gasket problems. one garage went so far as to tell us that chrysler knew they had these problems but just would not put out a recall. we have had the van for 23 months. nothing went wrong during the valid warranty time. when the transmission went out the vehicle was only over warranty by approximately 5000 miles. our dealer was not willing to work with us within the time frame they had originally given us, so we were forced to go somewhere else and pay out of our pocket for the repairs, as we could not afford a rental car for the 3-5 weeks the dealer was going to take to diagnose and repair the problem. we would like to see chrysler be forced to take responsibility for these problems.*ak | |||
| 10/26/2000 | 1 | 06/01/1998 | |
| Had to have transmission rebuilt at 58,498 miles because of lots of metal found in pan during routine maintenance. found planetary & sun gear and carrier all bad from msun gear bearing going bad. clutches were also showing signs of slipping. something needs to be done about their bad transmissions. there is a very long history of it and the consumer is the one getting screwed. | |||
| 03/01/2001 | |||
| Consumer heard a growling noise when taking foot of gas pedal. transmission blew a quarter size hole in it. also, losing oil*ak | |||
| 02/03/2001 | 04/01/1999 | ||
| Contacted chrylser they have agreed to pay 50% of damage but i want to know what is going to keep this from happening again or if it has happened before. i was passing a car on the turner turnpike when i heard a pop and my tires vibrated i thought i had had a flat. so i pulled over and left a trail of transmission fluid behind me. the pin in the spidergear snapped and flew threw the transmission. found the piece on top of my transmission. i haul kids and got on trips i don't want this to happen again. how can i see if it has happened before.*ak | |||
| 12/27/2000 | 1 | 03/01/1998 | |
| Many people i have spoken with, including the employees at kennedy transmission, have said these transmission have a reputation of going out around 60-70,000 miles. our differential was also damaged. the parts needed for this repair, i was told, is on a national backorder because this is such a common occurance. shouldn't the consumer be forwarned about have a $2800 repair after 60,000 miles? otherwise, shouldn't they put in a different transmission in these mini-vans?*ak | |||
| 1 | 02/01/1998 | ||
| Transmission prematurly failed while driving through intersection. cause unknown. *ak the transmission drive works but constantly slips in and out of gear. *yh | |||
| 12/20/2000 | 1 | 04/20/1996 | |
| Consumer was having trouble with transmission. took vehicle to dealer, and dealer checked it out. currently, vehicle is not driveable. *ak the dealer indicated that the transmission should be replaced. *yh | |||
| 10/24/2000 | 05/01/1998 | ||
| After backing the car out of the driveway i hear a clunking noise, put the car into drive and it will not move. only after restarting the engine and then putting it into 2nd gear could we move the car out of the street. *ak | |||
| 01/30/2000 | 2 | 01/01/1998 | |
| While driving the transmission failed, the pin went trough the case and caused the front end to lock up and the van went skidding down the road i had no steering the gears were on the road surface. this happend a second time with the transmission that was put in at 61000. miles. i am currently on my third transmission and fearful that at a highway speed this catastrophic mechanical breakdown would cause a major accident.*ak | |||
| 06/02/2000 | 08/21/1997 | ||
| While driving vehicle came to a complete stop/died due to coolant and transmission fluid mixing together in radiator, and causing transmission failure. consumer has contacted dealer, transmission specialist has replaced transmission and radiator. *ak *ml | |||
| 3 | |||
| Engine check light has illuminated on the dash. also, computerized transmission is locked into second gear. consumer has contacted the dealer. found broken wire in the harness that connects the transmission computer to the main computer. break in harness in dash-firewall. *ak.et. | |||
| 03/08/2000 | |||
| While driving down the road came to a complete stop, felt like someone was hit from the rear end, but it was the transmission shifting gears. contacted dealer and manufacturer, and they were not able to duplicate the problem. *ak | |||
| At 47,000 miles the automatic transmission has completely disintegrated, cause unknown. dealer cannot identify the problem. please give any further details. *ak | |||
| While traveling 55 mph consumer noticed a noise form under the hood at the same time the vehicle stalled. dealer has been notifed that transmission was not functioning. please provide further informaton. *ak | |||
| 10/29/1999 | |||
| While driving at 65 mph with cruise control set smoke was coming from under the vehicle due to transmission being replaced. when consumer stopped vehicle. it wouldn't start back up. *ak | |||
| 11/02/1999 | 1 | 06/01/1998 | |
| No summary | |||
| 08/21/1999 | 1 | 05/01/1998 | |
| My car was in park and running at idle. the car threw itself into reverse and crashed into a fence. no one was in the car to stop it. | |||
| 03/19/1998 | 1 | 02/21/1998 | |
| Transmission failed. *yc | |||
| 06/25/1999 | 1 | 12/01/1997 | |
| This is a major problem in the transmission, everyone i know is having this same problem. each time it's the nut backing off on 5th gear. time and money are lost when this occurs, and it's being repaired not solved. some of my friends have had their trucks in the shop numerous times to repair for this annoying and costly problem. *ak | |||
| 02/15/1999 | 1 | 08/01/1998 | |
| Transmition failure; due to snow weather conditions, one wheel moving faster than the other. stuck in the snow! poor design for northern states. weak design. consumer should not be responsible for poor design and lack of technology for driving in the snow. *ak | |||
| 01/05/1999 | 1 | 07/12/1998 | |
| Transmission leaking due to failure of the front pump housing oil seal. | |||
| 12/29/1998 | 1 | 06/01/1998 | |
| Engine check light illuminated while traveling on route i77. pulled off highway and vehicle slipped into neutral. vehicle then would only shift from 1st to 2nd (limp along mode). dealer in virginia determined that transmission had completely failed. large chunks of metal in pan. replaced transmission and torque converter. vehicle has since slipped into neutral 1 more time. *ak | |||
| 12/23/1998 | 04/01/1998 | ||
| Just a little concerned that after 8 months my transmission has gone bad. it may be a manufacturer problem, but i think it should be checked out. | |||
| 10/05/1998 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle rolled while in parked gear resulting in collision with home. | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - COOLING UNIT AND LINES | |||
| 12/01/2001 | |||
| While vehicle was inside of the driveway backing out transmission fluid was leaking. *ak | |||
| 12/01/1998 | 8 | 08/01/1998 | |
| Consumer states left front side of vehicle appears to be lower than the right and the brakes wear down only on the front left side, vehicle skidded when brakes were being applied which caused an accident consumer was advised front caliper, rotor and brake pads were needed because they were worn, dealership advised consumer they could not explain why vehicle was skidding, consumer is having to replace the rotor, caliper and brake only on front side every 8000 miles, consumer was advised by delearship that this type of vehicle is known to have problems with the brakes and would probably have to be replaced every six months. *jb key would not turn in ignition, dealer attempted to remove cylinder and it broke, dealer replaced. tape dragged in the tape player, dealer replaced. at times when starting vehicle, there is no radio, lights, or horn, dealer could not find any problems. serpentine belt was replaced. slight fluid leak from transmission cooler line,consumer states transmission jerked. arm rest fastner backed off. left front brakes continue to wear and pull vehicle, brakes lock up causing vehicle to skid. *slc | |||
| 01/22/2001 | 0 | ||
| While on interstate heard a crack. consumer looked out rear view and saw smoke. pulled over, and looked under car and saw transmission fluid pouring out. *ak | |||
| 08/27/1998 | 1 | 07/12/1998 | |
| Axle seal,transmission,torque converter oil cooler hoses failed resulting in leakage. | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL) | |||
| 10/10/2004 | 66000 | 1 | 07/24/2002 |
| Vehicle was parked in a level parking lot, and while idling in neutral vehicle suddenly slipped into reverse inadvertently. then, vehicle rolled backwards into another vehicle's left side panel in front of the left rear wheel. *ak the consumer was caught in the drivers side door and dragged to the ground. *tc | |||
| 10/02/2002 | 1 | ||
| Consumer states that their child was able to switch gears from park to drive with vehicle turned off. vehicle rolled down the hill. mr | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - PARK/NEUTRAL START SWITCH | |||
| 07/10/2002 | |||
| Vehicle was parked with key in ignition. 2 year old child got into vehicle, turned the key one notch,and shifted to reverse and vehicle moved. brake was not applied. vehicle hit 2 parked vehicles, child was not injured. damage to vehicle was $3800.00. *ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| Consumer states that while warming up the vehicle, nine year old daughter put the vehicle in reverse and crashed the vehicle into garage door causing property damage, consumers research found that the vehicle does not have a safety feature requiring the operator to depress the brake pedal in order to shift the car from park into drive/reverse. *tt | |||
| Transmission gears can be changed without applying brakes. please give any further details.*ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| Consumer states that while warming up the vehicle, nine year old daughter put the vehicle in reverse and crashed the vehicle into garage door causing property damage, consumers research found that the vehicle does not have a safety feature requiring the operator to depress the brake pedal in order to shift the car from park into drive/reverse. *tt | |||
| 01/01/1998 | |||
| Car is not equipped with with brake/shift lock and our 3.5 year old son was able to sneak into the car, start it, and put in in drive, drove forward into a ditch. no one injured. *ak | |||
| 10/02/1998 | |||
| Vehicle was in park and shifted on its own into reverse, vehicle moved and was stopped by the garage center pillar. no one was in the car. dealer and manufacturer contacted, attempting an investigation (still pending). *ak | |||
| Consumer was able to release vehicle out of park gear without placing foot on the brake pedal. please provide any details. *ak | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - TORQUE CONVERTER | |||
| 08/25/2003 | 81525 | 1 | 03/05/2001 |
| Total transmission failure. we drove to nj from our house, no problems, noises or warnings parked the car and 1/2 hour later go in the car and car would not move either back or forth. had car towed to mechanic and next day he told me i needed a new transmission, i was shocked, so decide to get a 2nd opinion, took car to amaco , they diagnosed also that a needed new transmission or rebuild transmission. i was going away on vacation on friday , so had no options but fix transmission which cost me $2,021.25. i was glad it didnt brake while we were driving in the highway and no one got hurt. i asked the people at amaco , what made the transmission just die, at 81,525 miles and they told me is a very common problems with this particular car, so i decide to research and found out that they were right, by your own records of complaints. so, i hope the manufacturer will do something about it or be forced to do so. i also found out that there were other recalls that i was never notified about, such as seat belts and fuel system problems. *ph | |||
| 08/27/1998 | 1 | 07/12/1998 | |
| Axle seal,transmission,torque converter oil cooler hoses failed resulting in leakage. | |||
| 12/29/1998 | 1 | 06/01/1998 | |
| Engine check light illuminated while traveling on route i77. pulled off highway and vehicle slipped into neutral. vehicle then would only shift from 1st to 2nd (limp along mode). dealer in virginia determined that transmission had completely failed. large chunks of metal in pan. replaced transmission and torque converter. vehicle has since slipped into neutral 1 more time. *ak | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AXLE ASSEMBLY - AXLE SHAFT | |||
| 02/20/2002 | |||
| Main transaxle shaft went through body of transmission and it would not change gears. dealer contacted. please add vin. *ak | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AXLE ASSEMBLY - AXLE SHAFT - SEAL | |||
| 08/27/1998 | 1 | 07/12/1998 | |
| Axle seal,transmission,torque converter oil cooler hoses failed resulting in leakage. | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AXLE HUBS | |||
| 05/31/2005 | 102000 | 1 | 05/01/2001 |
| Dt: contact states there is a pin located in the hub that separates the driveshaft from the axle. this pin caused the hub to bust the casing on the transmission. *ak the consume believes the small pin is not large/strong enough for all the pressure. *nm | |||
| POWER TRAIN - DRIVELINE - CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT | |||
| 07/03/2003 | 63000 | 3 | 07/02/2003 |
| On my way home from the dealership i heard a noise in the front end when i arrived home i called a mechanic the next day. he looked at my van on that monday to find the stabilizer bar broke and zippity strip to the strut which was also bad. the dealer let me drive 180 miles with my son in the vehicle, and the front end was like this. the following week i was driving down the road and white smoke started to come from the vents so i returned to the mechanic and paid $105.00 to have freon with dye ran through my system to find the evaporator was bad and needed replaced, which would cost at least $860.00. then at 36 days of ownership and only 64000 miles the constant velocity joint is bad and a new transaxle is going to have to be put in this week. i have called the dealership where it was purchased and all they can say is were sorry we got the vehicle in 2 days prior to my purchase and was never inspected, there money was more important than me and my son. i then called the daimler chrysler corporation where they were rude and said there is no recalls on your vehicle theres nothing we can do for you. i know from some research there has been a big problem with the evaporators on chrysler products. please help me i do not know what else to do. this is the van i will be driving my two sons to school in, i starting to wonder how safe we will be. *ak | |||
| POWER TRAIN - DRIVELINE - DIFFERENTIAL UNIT | |||
| 11/15/2004 | 86000 | 5 | 05/05/2003 |
| Transmission failed at 86000 miles. the transaxle was perforated by broken pin. the 2nd transmission at the transmission shop could not be installed because of a crack in housing due to same problem. transmission #3 that was installed lasted about 3 months and failed in the same manner. #4 could not be installed because it arrived with a crack in housing due to same problem. i now have transmission #5 installed in this vehicle. the failure is a pin in the transaxle becoming loose and flying out at a high rate of speed.the pin then creates a hole in the transmission case and allows fluid to escape causing transmission failure. the pin is usually stopped by the transmission case but it is only a matter of time before one flies out and injures somebody. roll pin that secures gear pin is breaking. this is a manufacturing defect. total cost of repairs was $1950.00. *jb | |||
| 06/05/2003 | 68000 | 11/29/1987 | |
| 1998 dodge grand caravan sport (68,000 miles) driven on dry pavement on a clear day at speed limit or below (45mph zone) threw differential pin through transmission housing, destroying transmission. vehicle was transported to dealer and assessed. repair cost (new transmission) stated to be $3,445. this vehicle was purchased new from herb gordon dodge of silver spring, md. research indicates that this is a recurring problem with this make and model of chrysler produced vehicle. *ak | |||
| 03/04/2003 | 79984 | 1 | 08/04/1998 |
| I was driving down the highway at 60 mph when i heard a loud noise and my car shook. i pulled over and looked for a flat. there wasn't one. my power train differential pin went through the casing rendering my transmission useless, it had to be towed to the shop. the repair bill is $2500 for a new transmission. the transmission repair shop said this is very common on these vans. a search on the web revealed they usually blow out between 60,000-70,000 miles. this is a major flaw in the transmission. a phone call to chrysler was useless.8jb | |||
| 06/19/2000 | 1 | 12/01/2097 | |
| 06/00 front carrier came apart, 07/01 transmission stopped working, dealer unable to replicate problems, 05/02 complete failure of planetary gear mechansim. *ak | |||
| 04/04/2000 | 1 | 11/01/1997 | |
| When putting my vehicle in park i heard a horrible loud grinding/groaning noise. when i tried to put my car back in geer i heard the same noise and my vehicles wheels locked up and would not move forward or backward.i had it towed and the transmission specialist inspected it and showed me that the planitary exploded inside the transmission he said this is a manufactures defect and should never have happened. he gave me the parts that were shattered and cracked many in such little pieces you cant find that got mixed in with the transmission fluid. he also told me i'm lucky it didn't happen when i was driving it with my children in the van. i imagine we wouldn't be here now. this repair cost me $1600.00 dollars i called crysler and they told me they weren't responsible and couldn't help with this. if it's a defective part than aren't they responsible? please help. thank you ,julie ann hit. *ak | |||
| 10/26/2000 | 1 | 06/01/1998 | |
| Had to have transmission rebuilt at 58,498 miles because of lots of metal found in pan during routine maintenance. found planetary & sun gear and carrier all bad from msun gear bearing going bad. clutches were also showing signs of slipping. something needs to be done about their bad transmissions. there is a very long history of it and the consumer is the one getting screwed. | |||
| 02/03/2001 | 04/01/1999 | ||
| Contacted chrylser they have agreed to pay 50% of damage but i want to know what is going to keep this from happening again or if it has happened before. i was passing a car on the turner turnpike when i heard a pop and my tires vibrated i thought i had had a flat. so i pulled over and left a trail of transmission fluid behind me. the pin in the spidergear snapped and flew threw the transmission. found the piece on top of my transmission. i haul kids and got on trips i don't want this to happen again. how can i see if it has happened before.*ak | |||
| 12/27/2000 | 1 | 03/01/1998 | |
| Many people i have spoken with, including the employees at kennedy transmission, have said these transmission have a reputation of going out around 60-70,000 miles. our differential was also damaged. the parts needed for this repair, i was told, is on a national backorder because this is such a common occurance. shouldn't the consumer be forwarned about have a $2800 repair after 60,000 miles? otherwise, shouldn't they put in a different transmission in these mini-vans?*ak | |||
| POWER TRAIN - MANUAL TRANSMISSION | |||
| 03/24/2002 | 4 | ||
| Vehicle began making whining sounds and started to shift erratically. consumer was advised it needed a rebuilt transmission. consumer had the work performed, only to have it go out again. this time a factory rebuilt transmission was installed, which subsequently failed also. a total of four (4) times the transmission failed. *jg | |||
| 04/01/2000 | 07/01/1999 | ||
| Transmission leaks | |||
| 3 | |||
| Engine check light has illuminated on the dash. also, computerized transmission is locked into second gear. consumer has contacted the dealer. found broken wire in the harness that connects the transmission computer to the main computer. break in harness in dash-firewall. *ak.et. | |||