25 of the
256 complaints filed about the Dodge VAN
are about the transmission —
10% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1997.
25
Complaints
10%
Share of all complaints
1
Crashes
2
Fires
Transmission & Drivetrain complaints by model year
I PURCHASED 1977 DODGE VAN. NEW IN 1977. THE HEADLINER CONSTANTLY FELL DOWN ON ME. THE TRANSMISSION WAS THE FIRST YEAR USING A LOCK OUT TORQUE CONVERTER. BUT CHRYSLER DID NOT USE A BRACE FOR THE SHAFT, SO THE SHAFT WOBBLE EVERY TIME IT ENGAGED AND DISENGAGED AND DESTROYED MY TRANSMISSION AT 12,500 MILES. IT HAD A 12,000 MILE WARRENTY AND CHRYSLER WOULD NOT REPAIR. I HAD TO PAY TO FIX IT. THE ENGINE BLEW UPO AT 13,000 MILES, AND THE MECHANIC SHOWED ME THE CYLANERS HAD INDENTATIONS IN THEM., HE SAID THE WORKERS ARE UPSET WITH CHRYSLER AND ARE SABATOGING THE VEHICLES. IT LOOKS LIKE THEY BANGED THE JUGS WITH A BALLPEEN HAMER, AS HE FOUND THE HAMMER IN THE DRIVERSIDE DOOR, THAT WAS MAKING A RATTLING SOUND. THE HEAD OF HE HAMMER FIT THE INDENTS IN THE JUGS PERFECTLY. THE DAY I BOUGHT IT IT STOPPED RUNNING 60 MILES FROM THE DEALERSHIP. THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION BOX WAS BAD. BECAUSE I WAS MORE THAN 50 MILES FROM THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED IT FROM, I HAD TO PAY TO HAVE IT TOWED BACK INTO THE SHOP. ABOUT 1 HOUR AND 20 MINUTES AFTER I DROVE OFF THE LOT. THIS VAN WAS HORRIBLE. CHRYSLER DID NOT HELP AT ALL BECAUSE I WAS 500-1000 MILES BEYOND THE 12,000 MILE WARRENTY. >THE METAL IN THE VAN STARTED TO RUST AFTER 8 MONTHS. CHRYSLER SAID I WAS NOT COVERED BECAUSE ON OF THE WHEEL WELL WELD WAS LEAKING, WATER CAME INTO THE VAN THRU IT FROM OUTSIDE... BUT, IT RUSTED FROM THE INSIDE OUT , SO I WAS NOT COVERED. I HATE CHRYSLER.
NHTSA complaint #10873482 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN; RATTLING SOUND FROM ENGINE AREA FOR A FEW WEEKS, INTERMITTENT. SOUNDED FINE WHEN WE BOUGHT IT, USED, IN JULY. TOTALLY LOST THE TRANSMISSION OVER LABOR DAY WEEKEND, STRANDING MY HUSBAND AND I AND OUR 6-YEAR OLD DAUGHTER ALMOST 2 HOURS FROM HOME. NOW HAVE TO INVEST NEARLY $2,000 TO REBUILD THIS TRANSMISSION.
NHTSA complaint #10136247 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON. I PULLED THE VAN OVER AND SHUT IT OFF TO READ THE OWNER'S MANUAL, WHICH STATES CERTAIN CONDITIONS SUCH AS A LOOSE OR MISSING GAS CAP, POOR FUEL QUALITY, ETC. MAY ILLUMINATE THE LIGHT AFTER ENGINE START. THE VECHILE SHOULD BE SERVICED IF THE LIGHT STAYS ON THROUGH SEVERAL OF YOUR TYPICAL DRIVING CYCLES. IN MOST SITUATIONS THE VECHILE WILL DRIVE NORMALLY AND WILL NOT REQUIRE TOWING. THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT FLASHES TO ALERT YOU TO SERIOUS CONDITIONS THAT COULD LEAD TO IMMEDIATE LOSS OF POWER OR SEVERE CATALYTIC CONVERTER DAMAGE. THE VECHILE SHOUL BE SERVICED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IF THIS OCCURS. AT NO TIME DID THIS LIGHT FLASH SO I CONTIUED DRIVING, ON THE WAY HOME THE VAN WOULD NOT MOVE WHEN I STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN. WHEN MY HUSBAND CAME TO TOW THE VAN HOME IT WOULD ROLL WHEN IN PARK. WE HAD THE VAN TOWED TO WHERE WE PURCHASED THE VAN. WITHIN THREE DAYS WE WERE TOLD WE WERE NOT COVERED BECAUSE WE WERE OVER THE WARRANTY. THIS IS A 2002 DODGE CARAVAN SE THAT IS NOT EVEN THREE YEARS OLD WHICH COST US AN ADDITIONAL $2909.27 BECAUSE THE" TRANSMISSION HAS INTERNAL PROBLEM" AND HAD TO BE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10124258 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WAS IN FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, AND AT 117,000 MILES I LEARNED MY TRANSMISSION IS ALSO GOING. I KNOW TWO OTHER PEOPLE WHO REPLACED THEIR TRANSMISSIONS BEFORE 100,000. DON'T BUY ONE.
NHTSA complaint #10116062 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED STEERING WHEEL JERKED AND VIBRATED UNCONTROLLABLY. SUDDENLY, THE VEHICLE STALLED. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10109655 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE HIT A SUPPORT POST AND THE BACK DOOR TO THE HOUSE WHILE CONSUMER WAS PARKING IT IN THE DRIVEWAY. *PH THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING WHEN THE VEHICLE JUMPED OUT OF GEAR AND RAN INTO THE CONSUMERS GARAGE. *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10042449 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT
MY 3 YEARS OLD DOUGHTER WAS ABLE TO DISENGAGE THE GEAR FROM PARK TO NEUTRAL WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BRAKES. SHE RAN OVER MY SON WHO WAS GOING AROUND THE CAR TO ENTER FROM THE OTHER SIDE. THE CAR IS A DODGE VAN 1997. I SPOKE TO THE DEALER ABOUT THE INCIDENTS AND THEY SAID THAT THE CARAVAN MODEL 1997 DID NOT COME WITH THIS SAFETY FEATURE"TO CHANGE GEARS FROM BRAKE, DRIVE OR NEUTRAL. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PRESS THE BRAKES' I BELIVE THIS IS A AFTY FEATURE THT SHOULD BE RECALED AND FIXED.
NHTSA complaint #10026018 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
OVER 3 DAY PERIOD OF TIME REVERSE GEAR COMPLETELY FAILED. FEW DAYS LATER, IT WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO THE HIGHEST GEAR. PAN REMOVED. NO SLUDGE/SHAVINGS IN IT. NEW FLUID AND FILTER PLACED IN IT. NO HELP. HAVE FRIEND WITH SAME VEHICLE WITH BAD TRANSMISSION
NHTSA complaint #766130 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TRANSMISSION IS HARD WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK REAR DOOR LEAKED WATER AT TOP. DEALER FOUND FRONT CLUTCH SEAL IN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED, DEALER REPLACED ALL CLUTCHES AND SEALS AND REBUILD O/D ASSEMBLY, THE COOLER HOSE WAS REPLACED DUE TO A BUBBLE ON SIDE OF HOSE. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #891757 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I SENT A DEFECT INVESTIGATION IN EARLIER TODAY BUT I HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT THIS ONE UNTIL NOW. WE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION & HAD TO HAVE IT COMPLETELY OVERHAULED.
NHTSA complaint #742812 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES
THE HIGH PRESSURE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLING UNIT AND LINE THAT CONNECTS TO THE FRONT OF TRANSMISSION, THE QUICK DISC CONNECTING SEAL IS ALLOWING THE PRESSURE TO SHOOT OUT OF THE TRANMISSION ONTO THE HOT EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. THE OWNER STATES THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THE 1994-1997 LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. OWNER SAYS THAT THESE VEHICLES ARE IDENTICAL AS FAR AS THE TRANSMISSION AND THE CHASSIES GO.
NHTSA complaint #816746 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.