Owner-reported complaints naming the powertrain system, filed with NHTSA
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Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Dodge Caravan submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 17 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 5 MPH WHEN THE SERPENTINE BELT BECAME DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
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.
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
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
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.
TRANSMISSION NOT PROPERLY SHIFTING IN 2 ND GEARS. AIR CONDITIONING STILLS BLOWS SEMI-WARM AIR. SWAY BARS REPLACED.
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
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
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
THE TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED FOURTH GEAR WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER. *JB
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
MAIN TRANSAXLE SHAFT WENT THROUGH BODY OF TRANSMISSION AND IT WOULD NOT CHANGE GEARS. DEALER CONTACTED. PLEASE ADD VIN. *AK
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
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.
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
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
WHEEL CYLINDER, SHOE AND LINING AND BRAKE ASSEMBLY FAILED RESULTING IN LEAKAGE.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
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