78 of the 599 complaints about the 1999 Dodge Grand Caravan are about the transmission — 13% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 69,000 miles.
78
Complaints
6
Crashes
1
Fires
4
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VEHICLE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AND TRANSMISSION WAS IN PARK, WHEN IT SUDDENLY CHANGED TO REVERSE, KNOCKING DOWN AND RUNNING OVER THE DRIVER.
NHTSA complaint #10257037 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
MY 10 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER ACCIDENTALLY KNOCKED THE SHIFTING LEVER OUT OF PARK WITH OUT HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE. THE VAN WENT IN TO NEUTRAL AND CAME DOWN OUR DRIVE WAY AND HIT A SNOWBANK COMING CLOSE TO A FOOT FROM HITTING MY HOME. THE DOOR HIT MY HUSBAND'S TRUCK AND CRUSHED THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR ON THE VAN INTO THE FENDER. THE LIFT GATE ON THE BACK CAVED IN. LUCKILY MY DAUGHTER WAS ABLE TO GET OUT FROM BETWEEN THE DOOR AND THE VAN BEFORE IT ROLLED. IT NEVER SHOULD HAVE SHIFTED WITH OUT THE BRAKE BEING PRESSED.
NHTSA complaint #10223417 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE
THE FUEL LINE IS NOT SECURED TO THE UNDERCARRIAGE. IT CAME OUT OF ITS OPEN U SHAPED HANGER AND FELL AGAINST THE DRIVELINE. THE DRIVE LINE THEN WORE A HOLE IN THE GAS LINE SHUTTING DOWN THE VEHICLE AND SPEWING FUEL ALL OVER. STRANDING EVERYONE. LUCKILY IT DID NOT START A FIRE FROM THE MUFFLER. IT HAS BEEN REPAIRED AND TIED TO THE HANGER SO THAT IT WILL NOT COME OUT AGAIN.
NHTSA complaint #10195385 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION BROKE FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE. METAL PENETRATED THE CASE, VEHICLE ONLY HAD 38,304 MILES ON IT. IT IS A 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SE. DODGE WOULD NOT COVER IT SINCE THEY BELIEVE IT WAS WEAR AND TEAR. FOR ME THIS WAS A SAFETY HAZARD. THIS WAS AN ACT OF GOD THAT MY HUSBAND WAS NOT KILLED WHILE DRIVING 55 MILES PER HOUR ON THE EXPRESS WAY GOING TO A WEAPONS TRAINING SITE ON THE WISCONSIN/ILLINOIS BOARDER. WE HAD AAA MOTOR CLUB BUT THE NEXT DEALERSHIP WAS OVER 35 MILES AWAY AND THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE COST. OUR BILL FROM GURNEE DODGE, 7255 GRAND AVENUE (ROUTE 132), GURNEE, IL 60031 WAS $3499.27. AND OUR TOW WAS $125.00. WE NOT ONLY BABY THE CAR, CLEAN IT AND DO PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE ON IT EVERY 6 MONTHS, IT SHOCKED THE HELL OUT OF ME TO KNOW MY HUSBAND WAS JUST DRIVING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR ON AN OFF RAMP W/ NOTHING BUT A GALLY DROP TO LOOK FORWARD TO. I WAS ANGRY TO SEE THAT DAIMLER CHRYSLER WOULD NOT HELP US WITH THIS KNOWING THAT IT HAS A 7 YEAR 70,000 MILES POWER TRAIN WARRANTY (BUMPER TO BUMPER). THIS WAS NOT MY HUSBAND'S FAULT AND HE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THANK GOD HE'S A COP AND CAN MANEUVER EVEN FROM THE TOUGHEST SITUATIONS. THE AVERAGE CONSUMER IS NOT MY HUSBAND, SO I WRITE YOU THIS NOTE TO MAKE COMPANIES LIKE DAIMLER CHRYSLER HONOR THEIR WARRANTY AND HELP THE CONSUMER WHEN A FAULTY TRANSMISSION BLOWS FROM THE INSIDE OF THE MECHANISM UP TO THE VEHICLE. THE MECHANIC AT GURNEE SAID MY HUSBAND WAS LUCKY IT HAD NOT PENETRATED THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE. IT COULD HAVE KILLED HIM, CUT HIM IN HALF OR EVEN CAUSED MORE DAMAGE. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR HEARING MY VOICE.
NHTSA complaint #10169265 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE PIN CAME OUT OF THE DIFFERENTIAL CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO LOCK UP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED HOME. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT BEEN ALERTED.
NHTSA complaint #10159602 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE WHEELS LOCKED UP. THE VEHICLE SLID OFF OF THE ROAD INTO A SNOW BANK AND WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE REPAIR SHOP DETERMINED A PIN IN THE TRANSMISSION CAME OUT, CAUSING THE WHEELS TO LOCK UP. THE PIN IN THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 03/15/06.
NHTSA complaint #10150988 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
DODGE GRAND CARAVAN DIFFERENTIAL FAILURE CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL.
NHTSA complaint #10145170 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN HAS EXCESSIVE RUST EATING AWAY AT THE INNER STRUT PLATE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE.*MR THE DEALER'S TECHNICIAN WAS REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE WHEN HE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS EXCESSIVE RUST ON STRUT PLATE. *BF
NHTSA complaint #10122648 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO LOW GEARS. CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED THAT VEHICLE WILL BE REAR ENDED IF PROBLEM CONTINUED.
NHTSA complaint #10119089 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD BECAUSE OF THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO.
NHTSA complaint #10111463 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I HAVE A 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN, VIN # [XXX] WITH 47,300 MILES. HERE LATELY IT WILL SHIFT ROUGH SOMETIMES AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS A SERVICE BULLITTEN CONCERNING THIS SITUATION OR IF IT NEEDS TO BE SERVICED AND WHAT I SHOULD ADVISE THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO CHECK. I AM NOT SURE THEY SERVICE THE TRANSMISSION AT 25,000 MILES. AS A SERVICE AND TRAINING MANAGER FOR YORK I KNOW THE VALUE OF CORRECT SERVICE. THANKS. *AK UPDATED 07/24/2012
NHTSA complaint #10105919 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES
THE PLANETARY SET FROM THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS DISCOVERED BROKEN BY THE DEALER AFTER THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. *AK HEADLIGHTS WERE TO DIM ON THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10099891 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
AT APPROXIMATELY 80,000 MILES AXLE PIN COME LOOSE AND BREAKS THROUGH THE TRANSMISSION CASE. NEED NEW TRANSMISSION. HAVE TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION BUT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE TRANSMISSIONS. I THINK IT SHOULD BE UNDER WARRANTY NO MATTER WHAT THE MILES BECAUSE IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM. THEY DO NOT SELL THE VEHICLE AS A 80,000 MILE THEN REPLACE VEHICLE AND IF IT IS COMMON, I THINK THEY SHOULD REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AND REPAY EVERYONE WHO HAS HAD TO GET THERE TRANSMISSION REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10080927 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH THERE WAS A SUDDEN GRINDING NOISE. A TECHNICIAN INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FALLING APART AND THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULDN'T BE DRIVEN. THE CONSUMER SPOKE TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO INDICATED THAT THESE TRANSMISSIONS HAVE A HIGH FAILURE RATE, BUT THEY DIDN'T INDICATED WHAT IS CAUSING THE FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #10074338 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
THE TRANSMISSION FAILED IN MY 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SPORT WITH LESS THAN 66,000 MILES ON IT. I WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT IT USING THE "LIMP HOME" MODE! I CONTACTED DAIMLERCHRYSLER AND ASKED THEM TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS AND THEY DECLINED. I WAS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM WHEN I BOUGHT IT FOUR YEARS AGO BUT WAS TOLD THAT IT HAD BEEN RESOLVED!
NHTSA complaint #10070378 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I HAVE A POORLY MANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION, 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. IT WAS REBUILT ONCE, NOW IT NEEDS TO BE TOTALLY REBUILT AGAIN THIS TIME 1600.00 DOLLARS.MAYBE YOU ALL CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM . SEARCHING THE INTERNET MANY OTHERS HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH FAULLTY CHYSLER TRANSMISSIONS. THANKS.
NHTSA complaint #10060306 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE "JERKED", THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON, SPEEDOMETER WENT TO ZERO AND THE VEHICLE WON'T SHIFT OUT OF 2ND GEAR. MILEAGE = 55000.
NHTSA complaint #10060190 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED. TOWED VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, TECHNICIAN INDICATED THE NEED FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION, ALSO TIE ROD AND STEERING WHEEL PROBLEMS.
NHTSA complaint #10053819 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP IN LOW RANGE WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. MECHANIC FOUND THAT TRANMISSION WAS SHOT AFTER 80,000 MILES.
NHTSA complaint #10050760 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH THE VEHICLE WENT OVER A POT HOLE AND BOTH FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE AXLE ALSO BROKE. *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10048720 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING GEAR CAN BE EASILY MOVED FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL. VEHICLE WOULD LOSE POWER WHILE DRIVING.
NHTSA complaint #10048039 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN, BLOWN TRANSMISSION, 41000 MILES. DEALER SAYS TRANSAXEL ASSEMBLY PIN BROKE? UNKNOWN WHY? FACTORY WON'T STANDBY PRODUCT ITS OUTSIDE THE 3YR, 36000 MILES. FACTORY CLAIMS THERE ARE NO PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION. IT APPEARS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE.
NHTSA complaint #10045890 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE
UNIVERSAL BELT HAS COMPLETELY FALLEN OFF AND HAD TO BE REPLACED THREE TIMES IN THE LAST EIGHT MONTHS I HAVE HAD THIS AUTO. IT HAS FALLEN OFF THE PULLY AND HAD TO BE PUT BACK ON TWO OTHER ADDITINAL TIMES.
NHTSA complaint #10037068 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WITHOUT WARNING VEHICLE "LUNGED FORWARD" AND LOST SPEED AND SPEEDOMETER WENT TO "0MPH". VEH WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF 1ST OR 2D GEAR. WE ARE MILITARY STATIONED IN GERMANY AND THIS IS OUR OWN VEH. VEH TAKEN TO A LOCAL SHOP THAT HONORS U.S. WARRANTY AND WE WERE TOLD THAT 27 OTHER VANS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AT THIS TIME AND WERE ALSO WAITING FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION. IT TOOK 6 WEEKS FOR A TRANSMISSION TO BECOME AVAILABLE...OBVIOUSLY A PROBLEM IF THAT MANY OTHER VEHICLES HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND TOOK THAT LONG TO GET A TRANMISSION.
NHTSA complaint #10028642 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I OWN A 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SPORT. THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED WITH LESS THAN 66,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. FROM MY RESEARCH, DAIMLERCHRYSLER HAS KNOWN ABOUT THE PREMATURE TRANSMISSION FAILURE FOR OVER 15 YEARS BUT HAVE REFUSED TO REMEDY THE SITUATION WHILE CONTINUING TO INSTALL THE SAME TRANSMISSIONS IN ALL DODGE, CHRYSLER AND PLYMOUTH VANS. IN 1992, CHRYSLER RENAMED THE A604 ULTRADRIVE AS THE 41TE TRANSMISSION TO ESCAPE BAD PUBLICITY! WHY IS THE GOVERNMENT LETTING THIS CONTINUE? DO WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE GETS KILLED?
NHTSA complaint #10021397 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING AND MAKING A LOUD STREAKING NOISE. DEALER IS AWARE OF PROBLEM, PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #10021873 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND FOUND THE TRANSMISSION FLUID RUNNING OUT. THE SERVICE DEALER STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE DIFFERENTIAL PIN HAD WORN LOOSE, AND FOUR HOLES WERE IN THE HOUSING. (MODEL/SPORT). *MR *SCC *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10017726 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
THE DIFFERENTIAL PIN CAME THROUGH THE SIDE OF THE TRANSMISSION, WHICH CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL.
NHTSA complaint #10014944 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE DRIVING. *JB THE CONSUMER FELT AND HEARD A LOUD BANG UNDER THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE CONSUMER CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD, TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS FLOWING OUT. THE MECHANIC FOUND A PIN THAT HAD FLOWN THROUGH THE TRANSMISSION AND RIPPED APART. *SCC
NHTSA complaint #10011310 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE UP HILLS VEHICLE LOSES POWER AND SOMETIMES CUTS OFF. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. MR
NHTSA complaint #8020712 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.