1998 Dodge Grand Caravan Transmission Problems

VEHICLE ONLY HAS PARK INTERMITTENTLY, MUST USE PARKING BRAKE TO INSURE VEHICLE DOES NOT MOVE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10211399

Incident

Jul 1, 2005

Mileage

100,000 mi

TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE GOING 60 ON INTERSTATE. POWER WOULD COME AND GO LEAVING ME STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AND ATTEMPTING TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT GETTING HIT. THE ENGINE LIGHT DIDN'T COME ON UNTIL I WAS PULLED OFF THE ROAD. NO PRIOR WARNING OF THE PENDING FAILURE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10179286

Incident

Oct 24, 2006

Mileage

141,000 mi

MY 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WAS STOPPED AT A LIGHT, WHEN I WENT TO MOVE FORWARD, IT CLUNKED, AND DID NOT MOVE FOR 1-2 SECONDS, THEN JUMPED FORWARD. TOOK TO TRANNY SHOP AND WAS TOLD I WILL NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THE SHOP INDICATED THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT COMPLETELY DAMAGED AT THE TIME, BUT RECOMMENDS THAT IT BE REPLACED. *NM

NHTSA ID

10175442

Incident

Nov 21, 2006

Mileage

83,988 mi

DT: CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A RACK AND PINION STEERING AND OTHER PROBLEMS. CONSUMER DROVE OVER A ROUGH POTHOLE WITH A METAL FLATBED ON TOP AT A LOW SPEED. WHILE DRIVING AT A STREET AT 25 MPH CONSUMER MADE A RIGHT TURN AND THERE WAS POPPING NOISE IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE NOISE WAS EVIDENT ONLY WHEN TURNING TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER, WHO SAID THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH FRONT ALIGNMENT , BUT THAT WAS ALL. HOWEVER, INSURANCE COMPANY NOTED THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH RACK AND PINION STEERING /FRONT ALIGNMENT/ RADIATOR, AND THE TRANSMISSION PAN. ALSO, CONSUMER NOTED THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS CONSTANTLY ON AND IT SMOKED AFTER DRIVING A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. OIL WAS CHANGED REGULARLY. VEHICLE HAS HAD A RECENT FRONT END ALIGNMENT BUT NO OTHER REPAIRS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10130602

Incident

Feb 1, 2005

Mileage

25,000 mi

WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AT A LOW SPEED TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP. VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT A TRANSMISSION SHOP BEING SERVICED. *AK THE UPPER AND LOWER PLANETARY ASSEMBLY FAILED. *NM

NHTSA ID

10099761

Incident

Nov 9, 2004

Mileage

103,000 mi

WHEN PARKED AND WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL VEHICLE SHIFTED OUT OF PARK, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ROLL BACK UNTIL CONSUMER GAINED CONTROL. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

10093973

Incident

Aug 16, 2004

Mileage

80,000 mi

TRANSMISSION FAILURE OCCURRED ON MY 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN AT 60,000 MILES. DIFFERENTIAL PIN RELEASED AND SHATTERED THE CASING. THE CAR JOLTED AS I WAS DRIVING AS IF I FELL IN A DITCH. LUCKILY I HAD JUST PULL OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND WAS TRAVELING AT A SLOW SPEED(25 MILES/HR). TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS RELEASED ALL OVER THE ROAD.. THE VAN IS AT THE TRANSMISSION SHOP RIGHT NOW AND WILL COST IN EXCESS OF $2500. COMPLETE REBUILD IN A NEW CASING REQUIRED. I CAN ASK FOR THE OLD PART SINCE THE CORE IS NO LONGER USABLE FOR A TRADE IN. *JB

NHTSA ID

10088157

Incident

Aug 15, 2004

Mileage

60,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH TRANSMISSION FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF IN TRAFFIC. NO IMPACT REPORTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10087617

Incident

Aug 10, 2004

Mileage

122,000 mi

WHEN VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF THE FAN CONTINUES TO RUN. CONSUMER DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY SO IT WOULDN'T BURN OUT THE MOTOR. THIS OCCURS BECAUSE THE RADIATOR FAN RELAY DOES NOT TURN THE COOLING FAN OFF OR ON, WHICH IS CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM DEALERSHIP HAS TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR FAN RELAY, AND REPROGRAM THE POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE AS STATED IN THE RECALL. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

10075724

Incident

May 30, 2004

Mileage

66,000 mi

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. WHEN VEHICLE WAS STARTED TRANSMISSION WENT FROM SECOND GEAR TO NEUTRAL BEFORE GOING INTO THIRD GEAR. *AK

NHTSA ID

10073561

Mileage

40,000 mi

WHILE ALLOWING VEHICLE TO IDLE IN PARK IN RESIDENTIAL GARAGE, DRIVER STEPPED INSIDE HOUSE AND WITHIN 30 SEC HEARD LOUD CRASH. UPON INVESTIGATION FOUND VEHICLES ENGINE IDLE AT 5500 RPMS AND HAD COLLIDED WITH WASHER/DRYER 4FT IN FRONT OF VEHICLE. *AK DAMAGE WAS TO THE W/D AND MINOR SCRATCHES WERE FOUND ON BUMPER. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. WASHER WAS TOTAL LOSS.

NHTSA ID

10066313

Incident

Apr 16, 2004

Mileage

121,349 mi

DIFFERENTIAL PIN CAME OUT, HIT TRANSMISSION HOUSING AND BROKE A HOLE IN IT. COSTING ME OVER $1700 TO REPAIR. TRANSMISSION SHOP COMMENTED THEY HAVE SEEN THIS IN CHRYSLER PRODUCTS OTHER TIMES.*AK

NHTSA ID

10064204

Incident

Mar 23, 2004

Mileage

83,500 mi

WHEN TAKING TRANSMISSION IN FOR ROUTINE FLUID & FILTER CHANGE, SEVERAL FRAGMENTS OF METAL WERE FOUND IN THE PAN. SOME FROM GEAR TEETH, OTHERS FROM BEARINGS. TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE COMPLETLEY REMANUFACTURED, AND THE COST IS ASTONOMICAL. THIS IS MY SECOND (AND NOW MY LAST) CHYSLER MINIVAN. I HAD SIMILAR TROUBLE WITH AN OLDER MODEL, HOWEVER CHRYSLER HONORED THE REPAIR, EVEN THOUGH IT DID NOT LAST VERY LONG. THIS TIME HOWEVER, THEY WERE NOT ONLY NASTY TO ME ON THE PHONE WHEN I CALLED, BUT THEIR RESPONSE WAS "WE WILL NEVER PAY FOR OR REPAIR THIS VEHICLE" WHICH I FIND ODD, CONSIDERING WHAT THEY WOULD DO IF THEY WERE FORCED TO RECALL IT FOR THIS PROBLEM. I'VE LOOKED INTO THIS, AND IT SEEMS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME TROUBLE WITH THESE VANS. NOW, I ASK CHRYSLER "FOR OVER 13 YEARS YOU'VE CONTINUED TO MANUFACTURE DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSIONS, HOW LONG WILL YOU CONTINUE TO BILK THE CUSTOMERS WHO HELPED MAKE YOU ONE OF THE BIGGEST AUTOMAKERS IN THE WORLD" YOU HAVE TURNED YOUR BACK ON THOSE OF US WHO HAVE BEEN FAITHFUL TO YOUR PRODUCT, DON'T BE SHOCKED WHEN WE RETURN THE FAVOR. WHEN THE FOREIGN AUTOMAKERS EVENTUALLY PUT YOU OUT OF BUSINESS, IT WILL BE BECAUSE YOU HAVE NO INTENTION OF CORRECTING YOUR BIGGEST AND LONGEST LASTING MISTAKE IN THE HISTORY OF YOUR VEHICLES. I SUGGEST YOU CHARGE A LITTLE MORE FOR YOUR CARS, AND INVEST IN THE TRANSMISSION LONGEVITY. SAVING A FEW PENNIES PER VEHICLE TODAY, WILL COST YOU BILLIONS SOME DAY. I WAS HOPEFULL THAT DAIMLER WOULD COME IN AND STRAIGHTEN THINGS OUT, BUT THAT IS NOT THE CASE. SHAME ON YOU DAIMLER FOR EMBARRASSING YOURSELVES WITH POOR QUALITY, AND FOR THE POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE YOU ALLLOW TO CONTINUE. YOUR PREVIOUS HISTORY WAS TO BE ADMIRED WITH YOUR MECEDES LINE OF VEHICLES. NOW YOU ARE SLOWLY BECOMING AN EMBARRASSMENT. I WAS EXPECTING BETTER FROM YOU, AND YOU LET US DOWN. IF IT IS YOUR INTENTION TO SLOWLY DISSOLVE CHRYSLER, THEN YOU ARE CERTAINLY ON THE RIGHT TRACK. *AK

NHTSA ID

10063988

Incident

May 20, 2004

Mileage

82,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING ON 95 IN VIRGINIA IN 1998 GRAND CARAVAN LE (80,000) , AND I HEARD A BANGING NOISE. IT SOUNDED AND FELT LIKE THE ENGINE WENT FROM THE FRONT TO THE BACK OF THE CAR. THERE WAS A PUFF OF SMOKE IN BACK OF ME, AND THE CARS BEHIND ME BACKED OFF. AT THIS POINT I REALIZED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL AND BRAKES DID NOT WORK. I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE RIGHT OF THE HIGHWAY. IT WAS A FRIGHTFUL EXPERIENCE FOR ALL US. WE CALLED THE STATE POLICE AND THEY PROCEEDED TO CALL AAA WHERE THEY TOWED US INTO WHITTEN DODGE. ALL OF THE FLUIDS HAD COME OUT OF THE CAR AND THE ENGINE WAS LOCKED UP. SEEING AS WE WERE ON OUR WAY TO FLORIDA ON A SATURDAY AFTERNOON OUR ONLY OPTION WAS TO BUY ANOTHER DODGE. WE PURCHASED A 2004 GRAND CARAVAN. I HAVE A DIARY OF EVERYTHING THAT HAS EVER BEEN DONE TO MY VAN. IT WAS VERY WELL KEPT. JOSH A MACHANIC WITH WHITTEN DODGE WENT OVER THE WHOLE CAR AND FOUND THE TRANSMISSION DIFFERENCIAL PIN (THAT HOLDS THE SPIDE GEARS) IN THE TRANSMISSION FELL OUT. THIS PIN ALONG WITH THE SPIDER GEARS TOTALED THE TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE. DUE TO THIS UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENT WE GOT NOTHING FOR THE CAR. IN CLOSING, I WANT TO SAY THAT WE WERE SO LUCKY THAT WE WERE NOT SMEARED ON THE HIGHWAY. WE STRONGLY FEEL THAT MAJOR RESTITUTION IS DUE IN THIS SERIOUS SITUATION. NOW I HAVE A 04 GRAND CARAVAN, SHOULD I BE WARY OF THIS VAN? WE WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION TO THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

10062658

Incident

Feb 28, 2004

Mileage

81,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH TRANSMISSION BLEW OUT. THIS CAUSED TRANSMISSION FLUID TO LEAK. CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER ,AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

10059599

Incident

Feb 13, 2004

Mileage

84,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT TRANSMISSION BLEW OUT, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10059270

Incident

Feb 18, 2004

NOVEMBER, 2003 - 1998 GRAND CARAVAN WITH 73500 MILES. HEAD GASKET FAILURE. LEAKING COOLANT TO THE OUTSIDE OF ENGINE FROM REAR HEAD. HAD TO REPLACE BOTH HEAD GASKET AND OIL PRESSURE SWITCH. VEHICLE HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AND SERVICED REGULARLY. DRIVEN BY "SOCCER" MOM. ALSO, COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE-SEE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SECTION. *JB

NHTSA ID

10056601

Incident

Nov 12, 2003

Mileage

73,551 mi

FEBRUARY, 2004 - 1998 GRAND CARAVAN WITH 75100 MILES STARTED SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING. NO PREVIOUS WARNING OF PROBLEM. TOTAL REBUILD OF TRANSMISSION COSTING $1500.00. VEHICLE WAS WELL MAINTAINED AND SERVICED REGULARLY. DRIVEN BY "SOCCER" MOM. OBVIOUS THROUGH RESEARCH THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES. *JB

NHTSA ID

10056590

Incident

Feb 1, 2004

Mileage

75,100 mi

1998 CHRYSLER GRAND CARAVAN EXPERIENCING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS.*MR 1998 DODGE CARAVAN SUFFERED FROM AVEHICLE FIRE AS A RESULT OF A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE WAS DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS. CONSUMER IS SEEKING A FAIR SETTLEMENT FOR LOSS OF VEHICLE.*MR

NHTSA ID

10054009

TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 40 MPH. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED BY THE MECHANIC.*AK *MR

NHTSA ID

10053381

IF THE VEHICLE WAS NOT WARMED UP BEFORE BEING DRIVEN, IT WOULD HESITATE. THE CAUSE HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, HOWEVER THEY WERE UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ID

10051607

Incident

Dec 2, 2003

Mileage

80,000 mi

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE TRANSMISSION IN MY 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN BEGAN TO SLIP AND STAY IN SECOND GEAR AROUND 50K MILES. I HAD IT DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER AND THE COST OF REPAIR IS MORE THAN I COULD EVER AFFORD. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO TWO OTHER MECHANICS AND THERE IS NOT MUCH VARIATION IN PRICE. GENERALLY THE COST IS GOING TO BE FROM $16,000 TO $2,400. I CANNOT AFFORD A NEW CAR EITHER. I AM READING ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS, SO WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN A RECALL? THE DEALER SHOULD GLADLY REPLACE THE TRANSMISSIONS SINCE THEY ARE AWARE THAT THIS IS OCCURRING ON A REGULAR BASIS. IT IS BECAUSE THEY DO NOT WANT TO ABSORB THE COST THEMSELVES. THEY WILL RECALL SOMETHING SMALL LIKE BRAKES OR FAN BELT. I ALSO HAVE HAD THE SERPENTINE BELT SLIP OFF TWICE WHEN DRIVING THROUGH PUDDLES OF WATER. BOTH TIMES MY ENGINE OVERHEATED AND THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED, BOTH FATALLY SERIOUS PROBEMS. WHAT IS THE DEAL? I DEMAND RELIEF! NO ONE IS GOING TO TRADE THIS PIECE OF JUNK WITH ME. WHAT IS THE DEALER WILLING TO DO?

NHTSA ID

10039529

Incident

May 8, 2003

Mileage

57,796 mi

I HAVE EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH UNEVEN SHIFTING FROM THE BEGINNING OF OWNERSHIP OF THIS GRAND CARAVAN. THE ENGINE WOULD REV UP TO A HIGHER RPM THAN IT SHOULD HAVE BEFORE SHIFTING INTO HIGHER GEAR. INITIALLY WE WERE TOLD THAT THE CAR WOULD ADJUST TO THE DRIVER AND THUS ACCEPTED THE EXPLANATION. THERE HAVE BEEN AT LEAST TWO DIFFERENT RECENT OCCURRENCES, WHEN IN GEAR, THE CAR DID NOT ENGAGE AND SEEMED TO BE STUCK IN NEUTRAL. THE THIRD TIME, WHILE MOVING AND MAKING A LEFT-HAND TURN, THE CAR SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR AND INTO NEUTRAL, CAUSING A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND PUT ME IN THE PATH OF INCOMING TRAFFIC. WHEN I TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE, DIAGNOSTICS INDICATED A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM AND THUS NEEDED TO TAKE TRANSMISSION APART. UPON DISASSEMBLY, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE GEARS HAD BEEN GROUND OFF AND NOT REPAIRABLE AND I WAS TOLD THIS WAS NO FAULT OF ANYTHING I DID. THE REMEDY WAS A $3000 COST TO PUT IN A FACTORY-REBUILT TRANSMISSION. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A FATAL ACCIDENT EXCEPT THAT THE INCIDENT OCCURRED LATE AT NIGHT ON A MAJOR ROAD WHEN TRAFFIC WAS LOW. THIS FAILURE IS NOT UNIQUE TO THIS VEHICLE AS OTHER COMPLAINTS AGAINST IT HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO THE NHTSA. THIS GRAND CARAVAN TRANSMISSION DESIGN FLAW NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER BEFORE FATALITIES OCCUR. THE CAR OWNERS LIVES SHOULD NOT BE PUT AT RISK, NOR SHOULD THEY HAVE TO SPEND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FIXING A PROBLEM WHICH IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURER DESIGN FLAW.

NHTSA ID

10039510

Incident

Sep 19, 2003

Mileage

65,800 mi

TRANSMISSION IN 1998 GRAND CARAVAN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. ACCORDING TO THE TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP, I HAVE A BROKEN DIFFERENTIAL PIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

10030883

Incident

Aug 5, 2003

Mileage

78,027 mi

1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN: MASSIVE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE SHAFT OF A PIN EXTENDING INTO THE CORE (SORRY IF I HAVE THE TECHNICAL DETAILS WRONG) SHEERED OF COMPLETELY AND DESTROYED THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION AT AROUND 50,000 MILES. SHORTLY AFTER THE FAILURE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS FIRST BEING LOOKED AT BY MY MECHANIC, THE TRANSMISSION "LOCKED UP", MEANING THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE STARTED OR MOVED. THE REASON I AM REPORTING THIS IS BECAUSE MY MECHANIC INDICATED THAT HAD THIS "LOCK UP OCCURRED" AT THE WRONG TIME AND PLACE THAT THERE IS GOOD CHANCE MY WIFE (WHO DRIVES THIS VEHICLE DAILY) AND MY CHILDREN (WHO RIDE IN THIS VEHICLE DAILY) WOULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. I HAVE DIGITAL PICTURES SHOWING THE FAILURE AND DAMAGE INSIDE OF THE TRANSMISSION, AND MY MECHANIC IS AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER TECHNICAL DETAILS OR INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

10029296

Incident

Jul 7, 2003

Mileage

50,000 mi