1991 Dodge Stealth Transmission Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 DODGE STEALTH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE WHEELS SEIZED AND AS THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT GEARS TO UNLOCK THE WHEELS, THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD GRINDING NOISE FOLLOWED BY A LOUD EXPLOSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED, WHICH LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE TRANSMISSION TRANSFER CASE. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V143002 (POWER TRAIN: TRANSFER CASE: 4-WHEEL DRIVE), BUT DENIED ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIRS DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 160,000. UPDATED 04/10/12*LJ

NHTSA ID

10450081

Incident

Dec 17, 2010

Mileage

160,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING DOWN MY BLOCK, STOPPED FULLY AT A STOP SIGN, ACCELERATED GENTLY AND THE OUTPUT SHAFT IN MY 1991 DODGE STEALTH TWIN TURBO SNAPPED, CAUSING THE CAR TO RUN FRONT WHEEL DRIVE FOR A BIT UNTILT HE VCU BURNT. I HAD TO REPLACE THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION BECAUSE IT SNAPPED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10112753

Incident

Jan 13, 2003

Mileage

650,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING AND WHEN I WENT TO PUT IT INTO GEAR, CAR QUIT MOVING. *JB

NHTSA ID

10102790

Incident

Sep 1, 2004

Mileage

96,500 mi

THE TRANSMISSION OUTPUT SHAFT HAS FAILED FOR THE SECOND TIME ON MY 1991 DODGE STEALTH RT TURBO. WHEN THIS FAILURE OCCURS, POWER IS NO LONGER TRANSMITTED TO THE REAR WHEELS WHICH CAUSES THE CAR TO "TORQUE STEER". BASICALLY EVEN MODERATE ACCELERATION CAN CAUSE THE CAR TO UNPREDICTABLY VEER TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10065932

Incident

Apr 9, 2004

Mileage

113,775 mi

I HAVE A 1991 DODGE STEALTH R/T TURBO AND IT HAS HAD TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSON AND TRANSFER CASE REPLACED TWICE, INCLUDING THE OUTPUT SHAFT. CLEARLY THIS IS A DEFECTIVE DESIGN AND CAN CAUSE THE CAR TO LOSE CONTROL.*AK

NHTSA ID

10058131

Incident

Jan 1, 1997

I OWN A 1991 DODGE STEALTH R/T TWINTURBO. THIS CAR USES A 5 SPEED GETRAG TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION IS THE FIRST INITIAL DESIGN WITH AN 18 SPLINE OUTPUT SHAFT. MY CAR HAD TO BE REPAIRED BECAUSE OF TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THE SHOP THAT DID THE WORK EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THE OUTPUT SHAFT OF THE TRANSMISSION WAS WORN, AND THIS WAS AFTER ONLY 25K MILES OF REGULAR DRIVING. I EVENTUALLY HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AND TRANSFERCASE WITH MITSUBISHI'S/GETRAG'S REVISED VERSION WHICH FEATURED A STRONGER 25 SPLINE OUTPUTSHAFT. THIS REPAIR/PARTS COST ME UPWARDS OF 2500 DOLLARS. I BELIEVE THAT ITS THE MANUFACTURERS RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE THESE TRANSMISSIONS RECALLED BECAUSE OF POTENTIAL PROBLEMS THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED HAD I BEEN DRIVING. I ALSO FEEL ITS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION WAS OBVIOUSLY NOT ADEQUATE FOR THE CAR, HENCE THE NEWER DESIGN IN LATE 92 AND 93.*AK

NHTSA ID

10058111

Incident

Dec 27, 2002

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE WAS LEAKING TRANSMISSION COOLANT FROM UNDERNEATH TH VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

8019031

Incident

Jan 1, 2001

TRANSAXLE FROZE UP AND BUSTED AND THE SYNCHRONIZERS IN THE TRANSMISSION ARE SHOT MISTU/DODGE ONLY SELLS REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSIONS NOT PARTS TO REPAIR ORIGINAL. AND AFTER CONTACTING THEM AND FINDING OUT THIS IS VERY COMMON BOTH THEM AND GETRAG HAVE GIVEN US THE RUN AROUND. *AK

NHTSA ID

757554

Incident

Aug 25, 2001

TRANSFER CASE SEALS FAILED ALLOWING ALL TRANSFER CASE FLUID TO DRAIN FROM COMPONENT. TRANSFER CASE RAN DRY AND COULD HAVE SEIZED UP LIKE MANY DO. TRANSMISSION HAS SYNCROS GOING OUT WHICH IS A FAILURE IN THE MAJORITY OF TRANSMISSIONS PRODUCED ON THIS CAR. TRANSFER CASE SEALS WERE REPLACED AND BUT TRANSMISSION IS STILL GOING OUT*AK

NHTSA ID

757522

Incident

May 1, 2001

TRANSMISSION SYNCROS FROM 1-2 AND 3-4 AND REVERSE STARTED GRINDING ON SHIFT, GOT WORSE, TRANSMISSION STARTED LEAKING. WAS BARELY SHIFTABLE SO AFTERMARKET WARRANTY COMPANY REPLACED, REPLACEMENT TRANNY WAS "NOTCHY" AND SLOWLY OVER 4 MONTHS HAS GOTTEN ALMOST AS BAD AS THE FIRST. WE'VE SPENT ALMOST $5500 ON NEW PARTS/LABOR TO TRY TO FIX THIS. ALSO ORIGINAL TRANNY'S 'OUTPUT SHAFT' WAS MISSING TEETH. CURRENT OUTPUT SHAFT GIVING SIMILAR "TEETH SKIPPING" SYMPTOMS UNDER HARD ACCELLERATION. MITSUBISHI/GETRAG DOES NOT SUPPORT FIXING THE TRANNY, WE MUST BUY AN ENTIRE NEW TRANNY TO FIX THE SYNCHROS WHICH ARE VERY SMALL PORTIONS OF THE OTHERWISE FAIRLY STRONG TRANNY. NO SUPPORT FROM MITSU, WHEN WE GO TO THE DEALERS THEY SAY "OH, ANOTHER BAD TRANNY" AND EXPECT TO SEE THEM ALL THE TIME. SOMETHNG NEEDS TO BE DONE!

NHTSA ID

755939

Incident

Oct 1, 2000

I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT SYNCROS ON THIS CAR WENT OUT EVEN BEFORE PASSING THE 70,000 MILE MARK. I'VE TALKED TO OTHER STEALTH AND 3000GT OWNERS AND THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED. *AK

NHTSA ID

755371

Incident

Apr 28, 2001

TRANSMISSION OUTPUT SHAFT (TRANSFER CASE INPUT SHAFT) SPLINE FAILURE. *AK

NHTSA ID

754649

Incident

May 15, 2001

AS YOU ARE SEEING, MANY OF US ARE FED UP WITH TRANSMISSION FAILURES. ANY PROBLEM CONSTITUTES REPLACEMENT, COSTING $4000+. I HAVE HAD 3 FAILURES, ALL UNDER 60K MILES ON THE TRANSMISSION, AND ONE OF WHICH HAD BEEN _PROFESSIONALLY_ REBUILT. THE MANUFACTURER WANTS NO PART OF THIS, BUT WE LOVE OUR CARS AND CAN'T AFFORD TO KEEP THIS UP. PLEASE DO WHATEVER YOU CAN TO HELP US, ALL IS APPRECIATED.*AK

NHTSA ID

752618

Incident

Oct 10, 1999

TRANSMISSION/TRANSFER CASE LOCKED UP DESTROYING CARRIER BEARING AND REAR DIFFERENTIAL. I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED AND AM NOT AWARE IF THIS IS THE ORIGIONAL UNIT FOR THIS CAR. FROM WHAT I HAVE HEARD, MANY OF THESE CARS HAD TRANSMISSIONS/TRANSFER CASES REPLACED WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY.*AK

NHTSA ID

743706

Incident

Mar 29, 2001

THIS IS FAR TO COMMON OF A PROBLEM FOR EVERY TWIN TURBO IVE EVER SEEN. THERE ARE NO AFTER MARKET PARTS ON THE CAR, AND IT WAS NOT ABUSED. I GOT LUCKY, OTHERS HAD ALL FOUR TIRES LOCK UP WHILE DRIVING, WICH IS SERIOUSLY DANGEROUS. MITSUBISHI HAS ADMITTED THAT THE GETRAG IS FAULTY, YET DOES NOTHING ABOUT IT. PLEASE, THEY DONT EVEN MAKE REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR THE THING. IT S A CONSPIRACY. I HAVE YET TO MEET AN OWNER OF A VR4 OR DODGE STEALTH TWIN TURBO, WHO HAS NOT HAD TRANSMISSION FAILURE. SINCE THIS IS THE CASE, HOW CAN THEY NOT BE LIABLE TO RECALL THESE THINGS, AND FIX WHAT THEY KNOW IS FAULTY@!

NHTSA ID

742219

Incident

Sep 22, 1997

1ST TIME IT WAS REPLACED WAS BECAUSE OF 2ND GEAR SYNCHRO GOING OUT, (26,000) ENTIRE TRANS HAD TO BE REPLACED! 2ND TRANS WENT OUT AT 57,000, TRANS/CASE BROKE APART, 3RD TIME WAS FOR 2ND GEAR SYNCHRO AGAIN AT 67000, 4TH TRANS/TRANS CASE WAS REPLACED BECAUSE OF A BAD CLUSTER GEAR IN TRANS. THIS PUTS ME ON THE 5TH TRANSMISSION WITH 83,000 MILES, EVERY OTHER STEALTH/3000GT OWNER I KNOW HAS HAD THE SAME LUCK WITH THE DRIVETRAIN ON THEIR CARS AS WELL.

NHTSA ID

741555

Incident

Oct 1, 1993

SYNCHROS FAILING. CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH THESE GETRAG TRANS -FAR TOO SOON FOR A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. *AK

NHTSA ID

738899

THE TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY IS LEAKING AND CANNOT BE REPAIRED. MANUFACTUER STATES A COMPLETE UNIT IS REQUIRED AS THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO RESEAL IT. THIS TRANSMISSION HAS KNOWN DEFECTS AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE SERVICED. *AK

NHTSA ID

705485

THE DESIGN OF THE TRANSMISSION AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAUSE CONTINUED FAILURE OF THESE PARTS. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED OCCURRENCE, BUT A CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH OVER 50% OF ALL OWENERS. NO REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE MADE AVAILABLE FOR THE TRANSMISSION ,CAUSING ALL FAILURES TO COST IN EXCESS OF $5000. *AK

NHTSA ID

705344

Incident

Jan 1, 1994

THE 5 SPEED GETRAG MANUAL TRANMISSION USED IN THIS CAR HAS A HISTORY OF FAILURE. YOU NEED ONLY VISIT THE DISCUSSION GROUPS AT WWW.3SI.ORG OR WWW.3000GT.COM TO SEE HOW MANY OWNERS ARE ON THEIR 2ND OR 3RD TRANSMISSION. MITSUBISHI/DODGE CHANGED TRANSMISSIO

NHTSA ID

701639

AFTER GETTING INFORMATION OFF THE WEB FROM OTHER STEALTH OWNERS, THE 2 ITEMS REPORTED ARE COMMON PROBLEMS. I HAVE HAD 5 BATTERIES IN MY CAR SINCE 1991 AND EACH ONE HAS DIED AFTER A YEAR. ELECTRICAL SHOPS CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG AND WAS TOLD I HAD BAD BATTERIES. ONE MAYBE BUT NOT 5! OTHER OWNERS REPORTED THE SAME PROBLEMS. THE SECOND PROBLEM IS FAILURE OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AFTER 63,000 MILES. THIS COST OVER $2,600 TO REPLACE AND I COMPLAINED TO CHRYSLER TO NO AVAIL. I HAD PROOF OF THE REQUIRED MAINTENANCE ON THE TRANSMISSION AT 30,000 AND 60,000 MILES. THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN MANY FAILURES ON THE MANUAL GETRAG TRANSMISSION ON THE STEALTH AND 3000 GT. BOTH CARS ARE MADE BY MITSUBISHI. I BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM IS COMMON ONLY MANY PEOPLE DONT KNOW WHERE TO REPORT THESE ISSUES. I HOPE THAT THE DEPT WILL SERIOUSLY INVESTIGATE THESE PROBLEMS. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ID

701608

Incident

Feb 4, 1997

POWER TRAIN/TRANSFER CASE. TRANSMISSION FAILURE IF COMMON AND EXPECTED ON ANY YEAR DODGE STEALTH WITH TURBO ENGINE AND MANUAL TRANSMISSION.

NHTSA ID

536647

TRANSMISSION FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE TO GRIND WHEN SHIFTING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR, NO REPLACEMENT PARTS AVAILABLE ONLY COMPLETE REPLACEMENT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

530564

TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP/FAILED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

NHTSA ID

533833

Incident

Dec 1, 1997

WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY THE TRANSMISSION MADE A NOISE AND THE GEARS JAMMED, CAUSING THE CAR TO LOSE POWER AND THE TRANSMISSION TO DISENGAGE AND NOT RUN.

NHTSA ID

524299

Incident

Oct 10, 1997