1999 Dodge Grand Caravan

WE HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSON SINCE SEPTEMBER 1999. THE DEALER SAID THAT THE COMPUTER SHOWS IN SPEC. THE SPEED SENSOR WENT AND THE VAN COULD NOT SHIFT GEARS. REPLACED AND FAILED AGAIN TAKING OUT THE SPEEDOMETER. TOLD IT WAS JUST A LOSE WIRE THIS TIME. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT ALL 1998-99 VEHICLES HAVE THE SAME REV OF SENSOR AND CHRYSLER WILL NOT REPLACE THEM UNTIL THE FAIL. AT THE SAME TIME THE AIRCONDITIONER FAILED -TOLD THAT THE CONDENSER FAILED DUE TO LEAVES ROTTING THE SYSTEM. A VACUUM HOSE FAILED AND ANOTHER ONE CAME LOSE. NOW THE TRANS SHUDDERS WHEN SHIFTING. TOLD THAT THE TRAN IS BUILT LIKE THIS AND MOST PEOPLE DON'T NOTICE IT. CHRYSLER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT WON'T FIX IT. DEALER SUGGESTED THAT I NOT KEEP THIS VEHICLE PAST WARRANTY AS IT WILL CONTINUE TO FAIL AND BECOME COSTLY TO ME. THEY ALSO TOLD ME MY EXPECTATIONS WERE TOO HIGH AND I SHOULD HAVE PURCHASED A FOREIGN VEHICLE IF I WANTED RELIABILITY. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER. THEIR CUST SERVICE SAID THAT THEY ARE ONLY CONCERNED WITH FIXING THE VEHICLE AND NOT BUILDING CUSTOMER RELATIONS. I WAS TOLD THAT MANAGERS WILL NOT SPEAK TO CUSTOMERS. MY WIFE WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND IS AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE.

MY FIRST INCIDENT HAPPENED ON 5/21/99; DEALER SERVICE SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. SECOND INCIDENT WAS 6/1/99, THIS TIME THE DEALER SERVICE SAID THEY REPAIRED THE PROBLEM. AGAIN, I REPORTED TO DEALER SERVICE THE SAME PROBLEM ON 9/9/99; DEALER SERVICE SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM FOUND. AGAIN, I REPORTED THE SAME PROBLEM TO DEALER SERVICE ON 1/18/2000; AGAIN, THEY SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM FOUND. THE DAY I TOOK THE VAN TO DEALER TO POSSIBLY TRADE FOR A NEW CAR, THE SALESMAN DROVE THE VAN AND IMMEDIATELY SAID IT HAD A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, AND WITHIN AN HOUR THE TRANSMISSION WOULDN'T EVEN SHIFT GEARS. THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED; HOWEVER, CHRYSLER SAID THEY WOULD COVER THE REPAIR SINCE I HAD HAD THE VAN IN SO MANY TIMES BEFORE FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS WAS 5/20/00. THEY KEPT THE VAN ALL WEEK, AND FINALLY SAID IT WAS REPAIRED. I PICKED UP THE VAN ON 5/27/00, AND BEFORE I GOT 5 (FIVE) MILES FROM THE DEALERSHIP, AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY AT 65 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AGAIN, AND IT WAS LIKE SOMEONE SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES. THE SPEEDODEMETER WENT TO ZERO AND IT KICKED BACK DOWN INTO FIRST GEAR AND WOULDN'T SHIFT BACK. WHEN THIS HAPPENED ALL FOUR OF MY CHILDREN AND MY HUSBAND WERE IN THE VAN, AND ONE OF MY CHILDREN'S HEAD WAS SLUNG FORWARD AND THEN BACK. SHE HAS BEEN COMPLAINING WITH A HEADACHE EVER SINCE. I TOOK THE VAN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP, (IN 1ST GEAR), AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD TRY AGAIN. MY CHILD IS HURT, AND MY VEHICLE IS A LEMON! WHAT CAN I DO?*AK

WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS IN OVERDRIVE, THERE IS A WHISTLE SOUND WHEN THE TROTTLE IS PRESSED. RELEASING THE TROTTLE STOPS THE WHISTLE. THIS HAPPENS WHEN CRUISE CONTROL IS ON AS WELL AS WITH OUT, CAN BE REPRODUCED VERY EASILY AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. AT HIGHER SPEEDS IT IS LOUDER, I.E. IT IS LOUDER ON THE HIGHWAY THAN ON SURFACE STREETS.

APPROXIMATEL;Y AN HOUR AFTER MVA (DAMAGE TO FRONT DRIVERS SIDE), I LEFT TO ACCIDENT SCENE. TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT, SO PULLED OVER AT FIRST AVALIABLE AREA. THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. INSURANCE ESTIMATES IN EXCESS OF $6000 OF STRUCTURAL DAMAGE FORM ACCIDENT IN ADDITION TO FIRE. VEHICLE IS TOTAL LOSS. I DON'T BELIEVE THE CRUMBLE ZONES PROPERLY PROTECTED TO FRAME. I DON'T THINK THE VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE. INVESTIGATION OF NHTSA WEB SITE PRODUCED NHTSA ACTION NUMBER EA99013 WHICH PROMPTED CONTACT. *AK