1997 Plymouth Grand Voyager

I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK AT 6:30 ONE MORNING ON A TWO-LANE HIGHWAY, DRIVING ABOUT 60 MPH, WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND PARK. I SHUT OFF THE ENGINE, STARTED THE VAN AGAIN, AND TRIED TO PROCEED. THE VAN WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR. I PULLED OFF AGAIN AND CALLED MY HUSBAND. HE CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT "SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS AN ELECTRONIC PROBLEM" AND IT WOULD BE SAFE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME IN "LIMP" MODE. THE VAN IS STILL IN THE SHOP. WHAT WAS THOUGHT TO BE AN ELECTRONIC PROBLEM HAS NOW TURNED INTO A MAJOR PROBLEM. IT SEEMS THAT SOME GEARS INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION BROKE. THE ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIR IS $1500.00 OR HIGHER. THE DEALER TOLD US THAT HE HAS NOT SEEN A PROBLEM WITH THESE TRANSMISSIONS. I WAS TOLD BY TWO DIFFERENT TRANSMISSION PLACES THAT THEY HAVE SEEN A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THESE TRANSMISSIONS. SEVERAL SITES ON THE WEB ALSO LIST CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THESE TRANSMISSIONS. THIS VAN HAS BEEN MAINTAINED PROPERLY SO I THINK IT IS UNREASONABLE FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL LIKE IT DID. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS AT ALL. WHAT UPSETS ME IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A MAJOR ACCIDENT IN A CASE LIKE THIS. WHAT IF I HAD BEEN PASSING SOMEONE, SOMEONE HAD BEEN TAILGATING ME, ETC.? I ALSO WONDER HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM BUT DID NOT REPORT IT? WHAT, IF ANYTHING, CAN BE DONE? MM. *AK

I WAS DRIVING MY PLY. GRAND VOYAGER SE HOME ON WED JULY 18TH AT APPX 6 PM. I STOPPED AT A LIGHT ( I WAS THE FIRST CAR AT THE INTERSECTION ) AND WHEN I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND PRESSED ON THE ACCELERATOR, THE CAR MADE AN AWFUL GRINDING NOISE. THE PERSON BEHIND ME ASSUMED THAT I WAS MOVING AND CAME WITHIN INCHES OF CRASHING INTO ME. I STOPPED THE CAR AND TURNED IT OFF. AS I STEPPED OUT (INTO TRAFFIC) I DID NOT SEE ANY DEBRIS OR LEAKAGE UNDERNEATH. I TRIED PUTTING THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. I HAD TO CALL THE POLICE AND AAA TO TOW ME TO THE DEALER. I WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. I HAVE ALWAYS KEPT UP WITH MY REPAIRS AND HAD NO PRIOR HISTORY OF SLIPPAGE. I WAS TOLD THAT A PIN BECAME LOOSE AND THAT THE GEARS SIMPLY FELL OUT OF PLACE. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING! THIS SCARED ME DUE TO THE FACT THAT I HAVE A FAMILY AND MY LIFE WAS IN JEOPARDY WHILE DRIVING WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A SAFE FAMILY VEHICLE. I COULD UNDERSTAND IF I HAD PRIOR WARNING SIGNS OF THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING, BUT FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO HAPPEN WITHOUT ANY WARNING IS ALARMING. I HOPE THAT THIS IS NOT A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER. I HAVE OWNED 5 CARS IN MY LIFETIME. THEY HAVE ALL LASTED WELL INTO THE 100,000 MILE RANGE WITHOUT ANY MAJOR PROBLEMS DUE TO MY DILIGENT MAINTENANCE. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE IN WORKMANSHIP THAT CAN CAUSE A POTENTIAL CATASTROPHIC END TO A DRIVER OR A FAMILY(IES). I HOPE THAT THIS ISSUE BE LOOKED INTO FURTHER, BECAUSE I FEEL THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED CASE. THANK YOU, [XXX]. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *JS *TR