1997 Dodge Grand Caravan Transmission Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHENEVER THE CONTACT SHIFTS, THE VEHICLE MAKES AN UNFAMILIAR NOISE. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED, IT OPERATES NORMALLY. THE TRANSMISSION STALLS AND WILL START BACK UP, BUT IT IS UNRELIABLE. THE VEHICLE WOULD REV AND HAVE TO BE RESTARTED IN ORDER FOR THE REVVING TO STOP. IF THERE IS A POWER FLUCTUATION, THE REAR WIPERS WILL TURN ON AND OFF AT RANDOM. THE HIGH BEAMS ON THE HEADLIGHTS DO NOT WORK, BUT THE FAILURE WAS REPAIRED. THE PARKING LIGHT ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE FAILED. HE REPLACED THE BULB, BUT IT STILL DOES NOT WORK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE IS CONSTANTLY REPLACING THE LOW BEAM LIGHTS. THE SERPENTINE BELT SLIPS OFF; HOWEVER, IT HAS BEEN REPAIRED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHES ON AND OFF AND THERE IS A BURNING ELECTRICAL SMELL COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE FRONT STRUT ASSEMBLY IS RUSTING AND ROTTING. THE ROCKER PANEL ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE IS RUSTED COMPLETELY. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 186,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 149,766. UPDATED 09/10/08 *BF UPDATED 09/11/08.*JB

NHTSA ID

10237378

Incident

Sep 13, 2006

Mileage

149,766 mi

TWICE IN THE LAST 6 YEARS THE TRANSMISSION HAS HAD TO BE COMPLETELY REBUILT IN OUR 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN DUE TO FAILURE. THE FIRST TIME, IN 2002, OCCURRED AS THE TRANSMISSION PERMANENTLY SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR. THE SECOND TIME, MARCH 2008, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD DOWN-SHIFT INTO FIRST GEAR - AT ANY SPEED AND AT ANY TIME. MORE OFTEN THAN NOT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SHIFT OUT OF GEAR BEFORE DOWN-SHIFTING CAUSING THE ENGINE TO RACE HIGH. THE VAN IS NOT USED FOR ANYTHING BUT PASSENGER TRAVEL NOR IS IT USED FOR TOWING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10220764

Incident

Mar 6, 2008

Mileage

135,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. AFTER THE CONTACT PARKED AND EXITED THE VEHICLE, IT BEGAN TO ROLL FORWARD. SHE MANAGED TO GET INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL BEFORE A CRASH OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

10215626

Incident

Jan 21, 2008

TOOK OFF FROM STOP LIGHT TRANSMISSION FAILED HAD BEEN SLIPPING FOR A WHILE BEFORE. ALSO SHIFTED HARD INTO GEAR. ALREADY HAD THE COOLING SYSTEM REPLACE DUE TO OVERHEATING PROBLEMS AT THE COST OF $1,000.00 NO THEY SAY THE TRANSMISSION WILL COST ABOUT $2,000.00 TO REPLACE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10171287

Incident

Jul 24, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE RPMS DROPPED TO ZERO, THE VEHICLE JERKED, AND THE ENGINE STALLED COMPLETELY. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AFTER 10 MINUTES. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN IN FOR INSPECTION. THE CONSUMER STATED SEVERAL ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO FIX THE VEHICLE. THE OIL PAN WAS LEAKING OIL. THE VALVE COVER GASKETS WERE REPLACED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS HEAVILY DAMAGED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED. THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT. UPDATED 08/15/06. *JB

NHTSA ID

10163047

Incident

Jul 20, 2006

Mileage

135,995 mi

I PURCHASED THE 1997 GRAND CARAVAN IN JANUARY 1998 AT THE MARLOW HEIGHTS DEALERSHIP IN MARLOW HEIGHTS, MARYLAND. THE FIRST TIME I STARTED EXPERIENCING ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE WAS 5/1999 AT 24,006 MILES VEHICLE HAD LITTLE POWER WHEN ACCELERATING, TRANSMISSION NOT ENGAGING, TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE RECONDITIONED. IN 12/1999, THERE WAS TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKING INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE CAUSING A VERY STRONG NASTY ODOR. CARPET HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS CAUSED A HAZARDOUS CONDITION TO MY FAMILY ESPECIALLY MY KIDS HAVING TO BREATH IN THIS FLUID. 3 /2000 SAME FLUID LEAKED AGAIN IN AUTO BECAUSE OF DEFECTIVE HEATING COIL. THEN AGAIN IN 8/2001 THE LEAK HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS TIME I CONTACTED DAIMLER CHRYSLER IN NORTH CAROLINA AND COMPLAINED DAIMLER CHRYSLER AGREED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE UNDER WHAT THEY CALLED ONE CONSUMER REPAIR PER CUSTOMER PER VEHICLE. IN 11/2001, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON 3 TIMES. AT THIS POINT, THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO DUE FOR EMISSIONS TESTING AND DID NOT PASS THE TEST BECAUSE OF A CYLINDER MISFIRE CODE. ONCE I WAS ABLE TO OBTAIN THE FUNDS FOR REPAIR, IN 5/2004 @ 118,668 MILES, I DECIDED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE REPAIRS. I WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED TO HAVE THE SPARK PLUGS REPLACED AND THAT WOULD SOLVE THE ISSUE. SO I PAID $114.24 TO REPLACE THE 6 .SPARK PLUGS, PROBLEM NOT SOLVED I ENDED UP PAYING $3,758.82 IN 7/2005 TO REPLACE CYLINDER HEADS, TIMING BELT, AND WATER PUMP . THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME I HAD THE TIMING BELT REPLACED. RECENTLY, IN 3/2006, OIL LIGHT CAME ON. HAD TO REPLACE BOTH VC GASKETS, CAM PLUGS, BOTH FT CAM SEALS AND REAR CAM SEALS AND TIMING BELT ONCE AGAIN FOR THIRD TIME. THIS COST TO ME WAS $2,677.50. NOW THE OIL LIGHT IS BACK ON AGAIN. *NM

NHTSA ID

10153128

Incident

May 18, 1999

Mileage

24,006 mi

VAN WAS SLIPPING NOT GOING INTO GEAR WHEN IT WAS COLD AND NOW JUST WILL NOT GO INTO GEAR. THE TRANSMISSION IS SHOT HAS TO BE REBUILT WILL COST ANYWHERE FROM $2300 TO $2800 TO FIX. *JB

NHTSA ID

10108509

Incident

Jan 9, 2005

Mileage

80,020 mi

IN THE PAST THREE YEARS CONSUMER CHANGED FOUR TIMES AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE WAS IMPORTED FROM CANADA. *AK

NHTSA ID

10042752

Incident

Oct 10, 2003

TRANSMISSION GEARS SLIPPING. SOMETIMES TAKES A FEW MOMENTS FOR IT TO 'CATCH' FIRST GEAR TO GO FROM A LIGHT OR SHIFTS 'HARD' WHEN ACCELERATING. ALSO, DOWN SHIFTS 'HARD' WHEN DECELERATING.*AK

NHTSA ID

10030478

Incident

Oct 16, 2002

Mileage

96,700 mi

CHILD WAS ABLE TO MOVE GEAR SHIFT INTO REVERSE WITHOUT DEPRESSING BRAKE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10013753

Incident

Mar 31, 2003

Mileage

62,000 mi

CONSUMER STATED THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSION SOLENOID PACK PRNDL. *JB

NHTSA ID

10000951

Incident

Jan 10, 2003

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN IN REVERSE THE VEHICLE WOULD POP OUT OF GEAR WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

NHTSA ID

10002237

Incident

Dec 29, 2002

CONSUMER STATES WHILE WIFE WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 10MPH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED PREMATURELY. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS *TR

NHTSA ID

10002005

Incident

Jan 3, 2003

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING TRANSMISSION FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

NHTSA ID

10001620

Incident

Dec 10, 2002

CAR HAD SERIOUS DAMAGE WHOSES SOURCE CANNOT BE DETERMINED BY DEALER AND MANUFACTURE WILL NOT INVESTIGATE.

NHTSA ID

10000366

Incident

Dec 18, 2002

Mileage

63,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION FAILED, ALMOST CAUSING A COLLISION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8019114

Incident

Apr 20, 2002

THE TRANSMISSION BROKE DOWN DUE TO DIFFERENTIAL PIN FAILURE AND WAS REPLACED. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AGAIN FOR THE SAME REASON, BUT THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE FAILURES WERE DUE TO A DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE. *YH

NHTSA ID

566130

Incident

Jan 1, 1999

WHILE DRIVING RPM STAYED HIGH AND WOULD NOT SHIFT GEARS. DEALER STATES TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACEMENT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8008357

Incident

Dec 1, 2001

CONSUMERS IS ABLE TO PUT VEHICLE IN GEAR WITHOUT PRESSING BRAKE, THIS COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS. *AK *YD

NHTSA ID

8007506

Incident

Oct 1, 1996

THE DEALER HAD REPLACED A LEAKING FUEL RAIL PRIOR TO THE RECALL. (00V-268). *YH

NHTSA ID

564820

Incident

Jan 1, 2001

WHILE BACKING UP THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE UNDER THE HOOD, THEN AT 40 MPH TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT. DEALER DETERMINED THAT TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK *YD

NHTSA ID

8005672

Incident

Mar 8, 2002

WHILE DRIVING TO SUPER MARKET THERE WAS SOME NOISE COMING FROM VEHICLE. THEN, AFTER PARKING VEHICLE AND GETTING BACK IN, AND TRYING TO PUT VEHICLE INTO REVERSE, VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. *AK

NHTSA ID

899644

Incident

Nov 28, 2001

VEHICLE WAS PARKED/ ENGINE OFF/ EMERGENCY BRAKE NOT APPLIED, AND 2 YEAR OLD MOVED GEAR SHIFT FROM PARK TO THIRD GEAR, CAUSING VEHICLE TO ROLL AND HIT A TREE. NO INJURIES.*AK

NHTSA ID

898821

Incident

Nov 1, 2001

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 70 MPH TRANSMISSION LOST POWER AND CONSUMER MANAGED TO DRIVE OFF THE ROAD. THEN, TOWED VEHICLE TO A SHOP, WHERE THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE WHAT HAD CAUSED THE PROBLEM. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFOMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

897423

Incident

Sep 28, 2001

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER COULD SMELL SMOKE, WHEN ARRIVING HOME, A FIRE WAS DETECTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 42-1396-385. *SLC

NHTSA ID

6900652

Incident

Aug 17, 2001