8.6
pretty bad- Typical Repair Cost:
- $1,890
- Average Mileage:
- 135,000 miles
- Total Complaints:
- 16 complaints
Most common solutions:
- replace transmission again & again (10 reports)
- make a transmission that can last to 500,000 miles! (2 reports)
- buy a toyota! (1 reports)
- how about a design without a flaw! (1 reports)
- not sure (1 reports)
- replaced (1 reports)
Transmission started leaking, slipping out of gear. Took forever for mechanic to find out where it was leaking
- emay, Nashville, TN, US
We had to buy a new transmission in 2000 and then it went out again in 2005. There is a problem with the transmission in these vehicles. When we had a problem with the transmission the first time, we went to the dealer and they said that it was not the transmission. After the warranty on the car was out, the transmission went complete out and Chrysler would not honor the warranty when we told that they we had complained about the transmission before the warranty went out. Then it went out again in 2005. We did not get it fixed the second time. We still own the vehicle.
- psnixon, Portsmouth, VA, US
I bought this car new in 1996. At the end of the third year I had 31000 miles on the car. The transmission broke with my wife and daughter in the car and stranded them. The car didn't even make it's first scheduled transmission visit at 36000 miles. Dodge paid $750.00
- Michael K., Eatontown, NJ, US
Today, January 28, 2007 with 91000 miles on my car (keep in mind that I am the original owner and the original transmission failed at 31000 miles and was replaced with a new transmission, so this transmission only had 60,000 miles on it), locked up and had to be towed home. Please don't tell me this transmission isn't a lemon! I will never ever even consider buying a Dodge again. This car hasen't even made it to 100,000 miles yet for God's sake. Nice product Dodge (and you wonder why people buy foreign!).
- Michael K., Eatontown, NJ, US
I bought the van for 1200 knowing it needed a new tranny or a tranny rebuild. Paid 1800 to have the mechanic rebuild it. Four months later, the differential pin went and put a hole in the side of the transmission housing. Leaked the ATF everywhere. Barely got it to the mechanic. He thinks because it is a small hole, he may be able to epoxy it up and replace the pin. The cause of the pin going is because when it snows and you get stuck, your tires spin and when they catch, it causes strain on this pin causing it to go. He says he sees it happen about two weeks to a month after snowfalls that all these Dodge vans end up in getting a new tranny. I do daycare from home, so I need a van. It sucks being without a vehicle.
- corina, Kelowna, BC, Canada
The transmission only lasted 235,000 in the Arizona heat, they need to make one that can at least last 500,000 miles! Next thing you know i'll have to change the original fuel injectors or some other stuff like that, that are still factory on my van!
- Phill M., Goodyear, AZ, US
Output shaft shattered at steady speed. No warranty.
- Roger D., Georgetown, IL, US
First time was in 1999, replaced transmision, replaced transmission in Jan 2005, part warranty-part cash-then again july 2005, under 12 month warranty. Dodge transmissions are a piece of junk!!!!
- alfred j. jr, Albuquerque, NM, US
1996 Dodge Grand Caravan In My word is JUNK !! Should have seen it coming.. Had the transmission worked on for a leaky pan and front seal ( $450.00) The van was running good for about 5 weeks and then all the sudden I was coming to a stop and the van started shaking when it was trying to down shift and then it would shut off found out it needs a torque convertor and a major overhaul ($ 1,200.00) . Everyone that I know that has a Dodge product has had some major problems with the transmission THEY ARE CRAP !!!!!!! Somehow They ( the dodge people ) cannot make a good product to last at all !!!
- Jeff R., Kokomo, IN, US
I had a 92 Dodge Caravn and the Trans broke 3 times, and at the end dodge stores said to me is AWD is not good for Dodge. So I got a 96 Caravan from a friend and that van nothing is wrong with it because my friend showed me receipts on everything, once a mo. oil change, 6 mo. brake change, and it was fine, Then Trans brakes down on the dam highway, and i do not want to replace it and and replace it again like my old old because in the 92 caravan i lose 9,000 and with that money i should got a new car, I am sueing Dodge.
- ahmad04, Hawthorne, NJ, US
Second failure of this transmission in this car. What a real pain in the rear.... This time it failed 65 miles from home. Same type of failure as the first. Transmission was replaced with a factory rebuild at a cost of $2000.
- Mike C., Merrimack, NH, US
Transmission failure now for third time.... Same problem(s) as previous failures. Driving along and the transmission fails. Goes into second gear (on the highway of course) limiting speeds to 30mph. According to transmission repair shop, common problem here. Small pin in transmission breaks because it is too weak for the task. Car is driven to and from work and other family tasks.
- Mike C., Merrimack, NH, US
I had to replace the transmission in my 1996 Grand Caravan at 65,000 miles, then again at 103,000. Both were complete transmission failures requiring replacement because the old one could not be rebuilt. As an extra added attraction, both times it occured on a vacation trip far from home. I won't bother to detail the many other problems with this vehicle that were not fixed while it was under warranty. To paraphrase Scarlett O'hara, "With God as my witness, I will never drive a Chrysler product again." P.S. My father-in-law works for Chrysler in Detroit and I can buy them at the employee discount price. I still won't buy another one.
- lehmanx8, Columbus, GA, US
Hello!
I want to organize a class action lawsuit about the tranny problems with the Chrysler Minivans! my parents have had alot fo problems with them. they have a '96 caravan and a 98 voyager and the caravan had this problem several times! and we just bought a 98 voyager off a dealer (I forget how many miles but I dont think that much) and the tranny gave up. These trannys are defective and Chrylser went downhill since Iococa left!!! their service is bad!!! they dont car about anyone!!! I hope that you join me!!!! thanks and please reply to the owners at dorothykowalsky@msn.com thanks alot!!!!
Yours Sincerely, Liz Kowalsky Parents Not so proud owners of two chrysler minivans
- ciscokidd, Cutler, OH, US
The first time the transmission failed we were going on vacation. It cost $600.00 to have it delivered back home on a ford truck. We didn't get a vacation that year and all the vacation money was spent on the Transmission. The transmision was just serviced 16,000 miles before the failure. It didn't stop there. The transmission failed again and again and again. Chrysler refused to help with the repairs. My wife finally refused to drive it anymore because it left her and the kids walking too many times. She was sold on Fords because she had to sit in the van looking at Ford on the back of the wrecker as it was towed the Caravan back to the repair shop. I could go on and on with electrical problems and gremlins, but suffice it to say, Chrysler can kiss my _. Hell will freeze over before I buy another one. I've always heard that birds of a feather flock together - so I've decided that the Mercedes retirement car I planned to buy would be a mistake. I don't need another boat anchor in my yard.
- clwills, Raleigh, NC, US
I have had 3 Dodge Caravans and on all of them I had to replace the transmission. This is getting really annoying. I am a mother of 6 children and I need to have a good working van. I hope you can come up with a solution to not keep having to replace transmissions on your Caravans! I can't afford to be doing this every 2 years! Please find a solution or tell me where I can become like a gold member so I can get a better price for transmissions every time my transmission goes out!
- Diana A., Santa Maria, CA, US