2000 Dodge Grand Caravan

TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKS. FIRST IT APPEARED THAT IT WAS LEAKING FROM THE TRANSMISSION OIL PAN, 3 WEEKS LATER THE TRANSMISSION HOSES AND CLAMPS, TWO WEEKS LATER, ITS LEAKING FROM THE TRANSMISSION COOLANT PACKS. THE VEHICLE IS ONLY TWO AND A HALF YRS OLD, THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING. BETWEEN EACH VISIT IT STOPPED LEAKING FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

@37,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE LIGHT CAME ON THE DASH BOARD AND THE TRANSMISSION WENT INTO SAFETY MODE KEEPING IT FROM SHIFTING OUT OF FIRST GEAR. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE MODULE AND THE VEHICLE WORKED OK FOR ANOTHER 2000 MILES BEFORE IT DID THE SAME THING. THE DEALERSHIP ADVISED IT WAS A DIFFERENT MODULE HOWEVER (THEREFORE IT WOULDN'T BE COVERED UNDER THEIR REPAIR WARRANTY) THE FIRST REPAIR COST $160.00 AND THE SECOND ONE WAS ANOTHER $130.00. THE DEALERSHIP WAS VENICE DODGE IN VENICE, FLORIDA

MY 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SPORT ALL WHEEL DRIVE DEVELOPED A THUMPING NOISE IN THE FRONT DRIVE TRAIN. I TOOK IT TO COUNTY CHRYSLER, HAMBURG, PA - A 5 STAR CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP. THE SERVICE DEPT. THERE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS THE RESULT OF A WORN OUT POWER TRANSFER UNIT. THE COST TO REPLACE IT INCLUDING THE DIAGNOSTIC AND REPAIR LABOR WILL APPROACH $3,000. SINCE THE VAN IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD AND HAS ONLY 67 THOUSAND MILES ON IT, IT SEEMS LIKE THE POWER TRANSFER UNIT MUST BE EITHER CHEAP OR DEFECTIVE. WITH ONLY THIS MUCH MILEAGE TO HAVE TO REPLACE MAJOR POWER TRAIN COMPONENTS MAKES ME THINK THAT THERE MUST BE A PROBLEM WITH EITHER THE DESIGN OR THE PARTS QUALITY.

TRANSMISSION FAILURE - WHEN PLACED INTO DRIVE THE GEARS FAILED TO ENGAGE (ESPECIALLY WHEN COLD). THIS VAN IS 2+YEARS OLD WITH ~62,000 MILES. FIXED AT SMITH BROTHERS IN OLD SAYBROOK, CT AND REQUIRED NEW PART DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE CLUTCH HUB IMPUT WHICH BROKE DOWN SENDING METAL PARTS THROUGHOUT THE TRANSMISSION. (VERY EXPENSIVE FOR A CAR THIS NEW!). I CAUGHT THIS PROBLEM EARLY ENOUGH TO AVOID THE POTENTIAL DISASTER OF A HIGH SPEED FAILURE. IN ADDITION, THIS VEHICLE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN IT'S FRONT END ALIGNMENT. SINCE PURCHASE THE FRONT END HAS BEEN ALIGNED TWICE. ON 12/20/00 THE FRONT 2 TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED ANT THE FRONT END ALIGNED (NATIONAL TIRE, NIANTIC CT). THIS PAST SUMMER (I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT DATE HANDY) THE FRONT END HAD TO BE REALIGNED AGAIN AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE DRIVER SIDE WAS WAY OUT (AUTO SERVICE OF OLD SAYBROOK, 4 JADE COURT, OLD SAYBROOK, CT). THIS ISSUE HAS CAUSED EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR BUT DANGER WAS MINIMIZED DUE TO REGULAR INSPECTION.

TRANSMISSION FAILURE OCCURRED AT 58,822 MILES ON THE 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN I OWN. THE PROBLEM WITH MY TRANSMISSION WAS THAT THE SPLINES OF THE FRONT PLANETARY STRIPPED BECAUSE THEY WERE MADE WITH A SOFTER METAL THAN THE UNDERDRIVE CLUTCH HUB. I FEEL THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW THAT DAIMLER CHRYSLER SHOULD ADDRESS. WHEN I CONTACTED DAIMLER CHRYSLER, I WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM WAS MY FAULT, BECAUSE I HAD NOT CHANGED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AT THE RECOMMENDED SERVICE INTERVAL, AND I WAS 22,000 MILES OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY. HOWEVER, THERE IS NOT A TRANSMISSION FLUID I AM AWARE OF THAT WILL MAKE THOSE SPLINES STRONGER. TS