2000 Plymouth Grand Voyager Transmission Problems

EMAIL FROM CONSTITUENT RE HIS CONCERNS ABOUT THE QUALITY OF CHRYSLER MINIVANS, THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM HE HAS WITH HIS 2000 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER; FEELS THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. *NJ THE COSNUMER NOTICED TRANSMISSION FLUID ON THE GROUND. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THERE WAS A PIN A CHRYSLER TRANSMISSION THAT COMES LOOSE. THEY ALSO SAID THE PIN IN THE LINKAGE FOR THE DIFFERENTIAL SHOOTS OUT VERY FAST AND RUINS EVERYTHING IN ITS PATH. *JB

NHTSA ID

10238188

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, WHO DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEED TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA ID

10151289

Incident

Feb 27, 2006

Mileage

136,000 mi

WHILE SHIFTING GEARS TRANSMISSION SHIFTED FROM SECOND GEAR TO OVER DRIVE AT THE SAME TIME ON ITS OWN. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC INFORMED DETERMINED THAT THE SOLENOID SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO WORN PARTS. THE FAULTY SOLENOID SWITCH CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL COMPUTER. *NM

NHTSA ID

10071496

Incident

Apr 23, 2004

Mileage

58,000 mi

10/30/03 KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE. TOOK TO FIRESTONE IN DECEMBER AFTER IT GOT EXTREMELY LOUD. WAS INFORMED TO GO TO DEALER AS THEY COULD NOT FIND THE ISSUE. 12/10/03 CHRYSLER REPLACED FLYWHEEL. WAS INFORMED THAT THE DELAY IN REPAIRS WAS BECAUSE 2 OTHER REPLACEMENT FLYWHEELS HAD CRACKED IN THE SAME FASHON. I FOUND NO RECALLS FOR THIS ISSUE. I DO NOT HAVE THE OLD FLYWHEEL NOR DID I SEE THE DAMAGED ONE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10074876

Incident

Oct 30, 2003

THE CAR WAS DRIVING FINE ALL ALONG. THEN IN THE EVERNING WHEN I STARTED TO DRIVE, I NOTICED THE TRANSMISSION CAN'T SHIFT UP AND THE SPEEDOMETER IS GONE, AND THE TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHT TURNS ON. DEALER CALLED BACK AND WANTED TO CHARGE $150 FOR DIAGNOSTIC SERVICE BECAUSE THEY CLAIMED TO HAVE 3 PROBLEMS. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS ALL RELATED SO TRYING TO RACK UP ON DIAGNOSTIC IS NOTICED. THEN THEY REPORTED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A MALFUNCTION TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE WHICH ALSO SHORTED OUT THE INPUT AND OUTPUT SPEED SENSORS. THE TOTAL REPAIR BILL IS $600. AND THE CAR HAS ONLY 52K MILES. SPOKE TO CHRSYLER CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE. THEY DO NOT ADMIT IT IS A COMPONENT OR DESIGN DEFECT. AND THEY WILL NOT REIMBURST OR PAY FOR THE REPAIR.*AK

NHTSA ID

10050658

Incident

Dec 12, 2003

Mileage

52,000 mi

CONSUMER STATED THAT VEHICLE CAN BE PUT IN ANY GEAR WITHOUT STEPPING ON THE BRAKES FIRST. TODDLER WAS ABLE TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN GEAR WHILE STANDING ON THE SEAT. CONSUMER CALLED CHRYSLER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS A SPECIAL FEATURE OF THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE HAS, AND IT WILL NOT BE CHANGED OR RECALLED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10050571

Incident

Dec 15, 2003

FROM DAY ONE OF GETTING THIS VAN I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH REPAIRS THE LAST STRAW HAPPENED ON 03/11/03 . MY TRANSMISSION HOSES CRACKED AND LOST ALL THE TRANSMISSION FLUID ON A 2000 CHRYSLER GRAND VOYAGER SE. I NOTICED A PROBLEM LAST YEAR BUT REPAIR SHOP SAID THEY DIDN'T SEE THE PROBLEM. NOW I HAVE TO PAY $$$$ TO HAVE IT FIXED AND OTHER REPAIRS AT THAT FACILITY WERE MISSED TO. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10010527

Incident

Mar 11, 2003

Mileage

47,000 mi

MY DAUGHTERS (AGES 5 AND 2) WERE SITTING IN THE FRONT SEAT OF MY VAN AND HIT THE GEAR SHIFT AND KNOCKED IT INTO GEAR AND THE VAN ROLLED INTO MY BROTHER-IN LAWS TRUCK ALMOST PINNING ME BETWEEN THE TWO VEHICLES.*JB

NHTSA ID

10008080

Incident

Jul 17, 2002

Mileage

54,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING OUR 2003 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER (WITH 72000 MILES) WE HEARD A LOUD BANG FROM UNDER THE FRONT OF THE CAR. TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS FOUND UNDER THE CAR. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND LEARNED THE TRANSMISSION PIN HAD BROKEN. WE WERE INFORMED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, MORE THAN 30 REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSIONS ARE ON BACK ORDER. THE COST OF THE REPARIS IS SIGNIFICANT AND WE CANNOT BE GUARANTEED WHEN THE PARTS WIL BECOME AVAILABLE. I CALLED CHRYSLER/PLYMOUTH TO DETERMINE IF THERE WAS A RECALL AND THERE IS NOT. IN THEIR OPINION, IT IS NOT A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE. HOW DO WE, AS CONSUMERS, MAKE THIS ISSUE KNOWN TO ENSURE A RECALL NOTICE IS ISSUED AND THE PROPER REPAIRS ARE MADE? GOD FORBID THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED ON A BUSY HIGHWAY!

NHTSA ID

10003008

Incident

Jan 17, 2003

Mileage

72,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY CAR SUDDENLY DECELERATED AND WOULD NOT TRAVEL OVER 40MPH. DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED. CONSUMER CONCERNED BECAUSE VEHICLE'S MILEAGE IS VERY LOW. PH

NHTSA ID

10004006

Incident

Jan 14, 2003

Mileage

50,000 mi

THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE HAS A SERIOUS DESIGN DEFECT. THE DEFECT IS USAULLY MISDIAGNOSED, RESULTING IN COSTLY REPAIR BILLS FOR THE OWNERS AND IS NEVER CORRECTED. PROBLEM-THREE FRONT AXLES. PER ARTICLE-THE VEHICLE WOBBLES WHEN ACCELERATING. THE INNER JOINT ON THE FRONT WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE AXLE IS CALLED A PLUNGE JOINT. THERE IS A LOT OF GEOMETRY GOING ON IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION WHICH REQUIRES THE ABILITY OF THE FRONT DRIVE AXLES TO CHANGE LENGTH. WHEN THE INNER PLUNGE JOINT IS FAILING , THERE WILL BE A HIGH SPEED SHAKE THAT DEVELOPS. THIS IS BECAUSE THE AXLE WILL BE SPINNING OFF CENTER. THE TIRES WILL HOLD A STRAIGHT LINE AND PUSH AGAINST THE AXLE, PUSHING BACK ON THE TRANSMISSION, WHICH MOVES THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE.*SCC

NHTSA ID

758507

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING THE ENGINE WILL START RACING AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. TS WHILE IN MOTION THE VEHICLE EMITTED A LOUD WHINING NOISE FOLLOWED BY EVIDENT T JERKING AND LURCHING. THE TRANSMISSION INTERMITTENTLY LOCKS IN GEAR AND WILL NOT SHIFT. *JG

NHTSA ID

8021544

Incident

Oct 16, 2002

Mileage

71,522 mi

WHILE MAKING A "U" TURN THERE WAS A LOUD CRUNCHING NOISE AND THE VAN WOULD NOT MOVE BUT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING. AFTER CONTACTING THE DEALER & HAVING THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER I WAS TOLD THAT THE AXLE SEPARATED FROM THE DIFFERENTIAL AND HAD CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION AND IT WOULD COST $1400 TO REPAIR BECAUSE THE WARRANTY WAS UP AT 36OOO MI.THE NEXT DAY THEY TOLD ME THAT CHRYSLER WOULD PAY FOR EVERYTHING BUT $250.00. I TOLD THEM THAT THIS WAS NOT RIGHT THAT THIS SHOULD HAPPEN TO A VAN WITH ONLY 39600 MILES ON IT AND THAT THIS HAD TO BE A DEFECT. THEY TOLD ME THAT WAS NOT THE CASE.*AK

NHTSA ID

764036

Incident

Jun 2, 2002

CONSUMER IS ABLE TO SHIFT GEARS WITHOUT APPLYING BRAKE, 3 YEAR OLD CHILD SHIFTED GEARS. NO INJURIES.*AK

NHTSA ID

8013136

Incident

Jan 1, 2001

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

758249

Incident

Feb 12, 2002

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

749707

Incident

Aug 2, 2001

VEHICLE CAN BE PUT INTO GEAR WITHOUT DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTATCED FOR PROBLEM, AND STATED THAT IT WAS NORMAL UNTIL THEY VIEWED THE MANUAL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID

892499

TRANSMISSION GEARS CAN BE SHIFTED WHITOUT DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

888472

CONSUMER IS ABLE TO SHIFT GEARS WITHOUT APPLYING BRAKES WHEN VEHICLE IS SITTING AT IDLE. *AK *JB

NHTSA ID

887447

Incident

Apr 1, 2000

ON 1-13-01 ROUEN CHRYSLER TIGHTENED TRANS. COOLER LINE CLAMPS(2250MI.) ON 1-27-01 ROUEN CHRYSLER R/R TRANS. PAN + GASKET (2589MI) ON 2-26-01 ROUEN REPLACED A TRANS. COOILING LINE CLAMP(3269MI) ON 2-28-01 ROUEN CHRYSLER R/R TRANS. PAN AND USED SILICONE SEALANT (3335MI.) ON 3-19-01 I SPOKE TO CHARLES OWENS A CHRYSLER DISTRICT REP. WHO INSTRUCTED ME TO TAKE MY VAV TO CHARLIES DODGE IN MAUMEE, OH. FOR FURTHER SERVICE. (TRANSMISSION STILL IS LEAKING FLUID ON FLOOR OR DRIVEWAY). ON 3-22-01 CHARLIES DODGE REPLACED A SOLENOID PACK AND TIGHTENED TRANS. COOLER LINES(3950MI) TRANSMISSION IS STILL LEAKING FLUID. ON 4-12-01 CHARLIES DODGE REPLACED THE ENTIRE TRANSAXLE ASSEMBLY WITH A "CHRYSLER RECONDITIONED" TRANSAXLE ASSEMBLY. ON 4-14-01 I ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE THE VAN TO FLINT MICHIGAN TO BRING A RELATIVE HOME FOR EASTER. AFTER DRIVING 60 MILES ON THE EXPRESSWAY WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED AT 70 MPH THE VAN SUDDENLY SHIFTED FROM OVERDRIVE TO A MUCH LOWER GEAR NEARLY EJECTING MY WIFE AND I FROM THE VAN. ALSO WE WERE NEARLY STRUCK IN THE REAR BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. I DISENGAGED THE CRUISE AND IT MADE NO DIFFERENCE THE VAN DID THE SAME THING SEVERAL MORE TIMES. WE EXITED THE FREEWAY AND DROVE HOME AT 35-40MPH ON TWO LANE ROADS. WHEN THE VAN WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER ON 4-16-01 THEY FOUND THE PROBLEM TO BE A DEFECTIVE VEHICLE SPEED SENSOR THAT WAS INSTALLED WITH THE "RECONDITIONED "CHRYSLER TRANSAXLE. WHY WOULD A DEALER PUT A "USED TRANSAXLE" IN A "NEW" VEHICLE AND TAKE A CHANCE OF HAVING SUCH A CRITICAL COMPONENT AS A VEHICLE SPEED SENSOR USING AN OLD COMPONENT THAT COULD CAUSE SUCH A SEVERE ACTION AS TO INJURE SOMEONE OR MANY PEOPLE? THE CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP SERVICE MANAGER COULD NOT ANSWER THIS QUESTION. I THINK I KNOW THE ANSWER IT MUST BE COST.*AK

NHTSA ID

744205

Incident

Apr 14, 2001

TRANSMISSION GEAR SWITCHES FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAPPENS WHEN FIRST STARTING AND WHEN DRIVING ABOUT 15-20 MPH. ON JANUARY 19, 2001 DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR. BUT THIS DID NOT REMEDY PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

884074

Incident

Oct 1, 2000

WHEN PUTTING VEHICLE INTO GEAR CAR HESISTATES. THEN, IT LURCHES FORWARD, AND WILL GO INTO GEAR.*AK

NHTSA ID

878139

Incident

Dec 25, 2000

VEHICLE PULLS RIGHT WHILE ACCELLERATING. REPLACED WAS THE TRANSMISSION, POWER STEERING RACK, AXLES, CAPERS, ETC..(TOO NUMEROUS TO MENTION). ALIGNMENTS, SWAPPING TIRES, ETC, DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. FILED UNDER LEMON LAW, CHRYSLER IS REFUNDING PURCHASE PRICE. VEHICLE IS NOT FIXABLE PER DEALERSHIP AND CHRYSLER. *AK

NHTSA ID

736987

Incident

Aug 6, 2000

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH GEAR SHIFT IN PARK AND ENGINE STILL RUNNING, CONSUMER GOT OUT OF VEHICLE AND CLOSED THE DOOR. SUDDENLY VEHICLE TOOK OFF AND RAN INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE WHILE GEAR SHIFT STILL REMAINED IN PARK. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

860321

Incident

Apr 11, 2000