RoadVitals

1994 Dodge Spirit Transmission Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Transmission reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
11
Latest Nov 27, 2003
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
13%
of 87 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1994 Dodge Spirit submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 11 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.

Owner reports naming transmission

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Transmission
Filed Nov 27, 2003

SINCE WE BOUGHT THIS USED CAR FROM A DEALER IN 1999, THE TRANSMISSION SEEMED TO SLIP. WE COMPLAINED, BUT NOTHING WAS EVER DONE. IN 2001, WE TOOK THE CAR TO YET ANOTHER DODGE DEALER. AT THIS TIME, THE CAR HAD 80,000 MILES ON IT. THEY SAID THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED A COMPLETE OVERHAUL. IF MEMORY SERVES ME CORRECTLY, THE PRICE THEY QUOTED WAS $1,800. SO NOW, WE DRIVE A CAR WITH A HORRIBLE TRANSMISSION THAT SLIPS UPON TAKE OFF AND HARD ACCELERATION WHILE PASSING. *LA

NHTSA ID
10047688
Incident
May 31, 2001
Mileage
80,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Jan 9, 2002

THE TRANSMISSION ON THIS CAR STARTED DOWNSHIFTING VERY HARSHLY & GOING OUT OF GEAR WITH NO WARNING. I WAS ALMOST REAR-ENDED. THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS A $2,000 RE-BUILD AFTER ONLY 25,000 MILES. CHRYSLER IS NOT WILLING TO HELP OUT. ON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I HAVE LEARNED THE CHRYSLER CARS AND MINI VANS HAVE BEEN NOTORIOUS FOR BAD AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. HOW HAS THIS BEEN PERMITTED TO GO ON FOR SO LONG? ONE OF THEIR PRODUCTS EXPERIENCING A MAJOR DRIVETRAIN FAILURE AT SUCH LOW MILEAGE IS RIDICULOUS. THIS AUTOMOBILE WAS ORIGINALLY PURCHASED BY AN ELDERLY COUPLE WHO MAINTAINED IT TO THE MAX. AND BABIED IT ON THE ROAD. THE CAR LOOKS BRAND NEW AS IT HAS BEEN HOUSED IN A HEATED GARAGE. SUCH A MAROF FAILURE AT SUCH EXTREMELY LOW MILEAGE IS UNREASONABLE, TO SAY NOTHING OF THE FACT THAT SUDDEN POWER LOSS TO THE DRIVE WHEELS AND HARSH DOWNSHIFTING, SLOWING THE CAR UNEXPECTEDLY IS DANGEROUS. IT WOULD APPEAR THAT CHRYSLER HAS BEEN GIVEN A "BYE" ON THIS ISSUE IN SPITE OF SO MANY PRODUCT FAILURES. WHY? THE4 TRANSMISSON SHOPS TELL ME THAT THEY DO NOT EVEN USE FACTORY PARTS WHEN THEY RE-BUILD. THIS IS RIDICULOUS, ESPECIALLY FROM A COMPANY THAT WAS SAVED FROM BANKRUPTCY BY "WE THE PEOPLE".*AK

NHTSA ID
756622
Incident
Dec 15, 2001
Transmission
Filed May 23, 2001

HAD TRANSMISSION REBUILT AT 65K AND REPLACED AT 83K--MECHANIC STATES THE ONLY WAY THIS IS POSSIBLE IS A DEFECT FROM THE FACTORY. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER WHO TOLD ME THERE WERE NO RECALLS REGARDING THE TRANSMISSION, I CONTACTED THE BBB WHO HAVE NOT RESPONDED. I HAVE SPENT OVER $4000 ON TRANSMISSIONS. WHAT AM I TO DO?*AK

NHTSA ID
745749
Incident
Apr 1, 2000
Transmission
Filed Aug 11, 1999

TRANSMISSION SHOULD NOT FAIL AT 33,000 MILES

NHTSA ID
709872
Incident
Aug 6, 1999
Transmission
Filed Jun 23, 1999

THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF THE TCM, TORQUE CONVERTER, VALVE BODIES, VALVE BODY SEALS, AND OVERHAUL OF REST OF TRANSMISSION.

NHTSA ID
707826
Incident
May 14, 1999
EngineFuel systemPowertrain (other)+1 more
Filed Sep 29, 1998

FAILED DRIVE BELTS AND DIRTY FUEL INJECTION UNIT CAUSED VEHICLE TO EXPERIENCE LOSS OF POWER.

NHTSA ID
541394
Transmission
Filed Jan 21, 1997

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION: BOUGHT CAR FEBRUARY 94, HAD NEW TRANSMISSION PUT IN IN 1996. CURRENTLY, WHEN DRIVING ALONG IT DOWN SHIFTS ON ITS OWN AND SOMETIMES IT WILL POP BACK INTO GEAR, AND SOMETIMES IT JUST GOES INTO SECOND AND WILL NOT GO BACK INTO GEAR. *AK

NHTSA ID
807925
Incident
Feb 21, 1996
Transmission
Filed Dec 5, 1996

DURING VEHICLE OPERATION, THE VEHICLE JUMPS OUT OF GEAR FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL. *AK

NHTSA ID
805959
Incident
Dec 4, 1996
BrakesPowertrain (other)Steering+2 more
Filed Feb 27, 1995

REPLACED NOISY TRANSMISSION. *AK

NHTSA ID
960646
Incident
Dec 12, 1994
BrakesPowertrain (other)Transmission+1 more
Filed Feb 15, 1995

REPLACED NOISY TRANSMISSION. TT

NHTSA ID
960099
Incident
Dec 12, 1994
Transmission
Filed Jan 4, 1995

TRANSFER GEARS ON THE TRANSMISSION NEED TO BE REPLACED. TT

NHTSA ID
958202
Incident
Dec 29, 1994

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .