2000 Dodge Caravan jumped from drive to neutral while driving 35 mph. The vehicle has been taken to the dealer over five times for this problem.

- Unknown, DC, USA

While driving 35 mph without warning the vehicle shifted into neutral. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection but the mechanic can not duplicate the problem.

- Spencer, MA, USA

While driving 60 mph transmission locked up. Consumer was forced to pull over. Consumer had the vehicle towed to dealer, but dealer was not able to resolve the problem.

- Cambridge, OH, USA

After 22800 miles (Feb 7, 2002), the transmission solenoid pack failed (slight leaking), causing a check engine light to come on and forcing bad shifting. The dealer replaced this under warranty. At 49,500 miles (September 8, 2003), the check engine light came on again and the van was shifting rough again. Since the main warranty had been exceeded at 36K miles and the part from the first dealer repair was warranted for 1 year/12000 miles, the dealer offered no recourse. Found a good (non-dealer) mechanic to replace it for less (still cost $525...dealer wanted over $600). Dealer claimed that this was unusual to happen once, let alone twice, but still wouldn't help me.

- Scottsdale, AZ, USA

At 41,000 miles suffered total transmission failure w/ no warning. Veh would buck when shifted into reverse, as well as forward gears. Brought to dealership and was told it was a failed differential, needed total replacement and was not covered under warranty. (this van is 10 days/ 5000 miles beyond the warranty period). We had a previous problem of trans fluid leakage which was repaired approx a year ago, and we have followed the reccomended service schedule. This time around the repair totaled $1900.

- Ft Collins, CO, USA

While driving the gear shifter shifted into neutral and as a result the vehicle would not accelerate. This also happened while stopped in traffic. The consumer has several witnesses to the problem but the dealer mechanic could not duplicate or determine the cause of the problem. Please provide any additional information.

- Amherst, NH, USA

Transaxle pin slipped out of position and ripped transmission case open. Transmision was destroyed. Fluid drained out in local driveway. Ealership says will cost $3,100 to $3,400 to replace transmision with, not a new one, but a Chrysler rebuilt transmision. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3 years old... 71,000 miles... when tranny busted. Dealership preformed $150 powerflush to transmision 1 1/2 years ago with superior fluid that was avert any problems due to original equipment fluid not recomended because of not being good enough. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ amy whitford stopped van in the middle of the road when she thought she hit something (the noise of the transmision pin breaking through the case) and got out in traffic walking around vehicle with 3 young children inside. She noticed fluid on ground and pulled into nearest driveway, where remainder of fluid ran out. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I am outrage to find that thousands of these exact falures happen with these Chrysler automatic transmisions and continue. The consumer pays the $3,300 price for these known defects after they tear the transmision apart. These failures are dangerous and only ignored because it will cost the manufacturer instead of me. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Chrysler has made a blunder here and wants me to pay for it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ cameron R. whitford ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ whitfordcr@bluefrog.com please email with any assistance. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ how do I get Chrysler to own up to this customer nightmare. I will do anything!

- Orchard Park, NY, USA

Transmission fluid leaking from transmission pan seal at 24000 miles.

- New Milford, CT, USA

Hi, my name is [xxx], I live in bradley, il. In June of 2000, my husband and I purchased a 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan from, taylor Dodge in kankakee, il. On October 20, 2000 with only 4500 miles on it the van began slipping into neutral while driving. This van has been in over and over to that shop. I have been with out my van on a regular basis, with out resolution. The owner of the dealership, [xxx], was in the van - in his shop and the van dropped into neutral when he put it into drive. (not moving). After many visits of we cannot duplicate the problem, the Chrysler Corp was contacted by Dodge. A return fax to the prior service manager [xxx], told them not to do anything until the problem is duplicated. I have talked to [xxx] asking him to replace this van, of course he cannot do that. I have emailed Dodge Corp asking them to fix or replace as this is a safety issue. A couple of weeks ago they replaced the transmission, within 2 weeks the van was doing this again. I called and was told they would get back with me. I had to call them back. The resolution this time was bring it in will take it for a drive. Which of course I did, of course in a 10 minute drive it did not do this. The bottom line is, I cannot manipulate the van to do this and when you are driving 45 miles pr hour and the van drops into neutral it is a safety issue. We have had many close calls with this van in being rear end. I have put large size lemons in my windows and pained on the van, 3 years and Dodge cannot find problem, I have only $35,000 miles and have had problems since 4500, I purchased the extended warranty about 15 months ago due to these issues. Today Dodge tells me that until a certified service person, experiences the problem first hand, nothing will be done. I asked [xxx] (service manager, does that mean someone has to die in this van before it is fixed, he stated they have made an honest effort to try and fix the van -that is all they can do.) information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (

- Bradley, IL, USA

Vechile will shift into reverse or drive without brakes applied. Any child could shift while engine is running and could cause fatal accident.

- Brazil, IN, USA

Last night my transmission blew up for the 2nd time. The first time the van was a year old. This time I am past my warranty, but the brakes locked up on me & 2 of my children almost ended up in the pompton water falls. The dealership and manufacturer basically told me "oh well--your on your own." This should not have happened twice in three years.. this is a dangerous situation and I hope you can help prevent this from happening to others... my van was meticulously cared for... this should not have happened!! thank you for any help you can give me..

- Kinnelon, NJ, USA

2000 Dodge Grand Caravan sport purchased new Jan 26, 2000; well maintained with 30,000 mile warranty maintenance performed; transmission failed at 41, 343 miles with no warning; required total overhaul. No new transmission available; no rebuilt transmission available in us with a backlog of around 275 awaiting delivery. As a result, transmission had to be locally rebuilt and the vehicle was out of service for 10 days. Failure occurred 671 miles from home causing great personal inconvenience and expense.

- Oklahoma City, OK, USA

I just found this web site. And never realized how many people have had the same problems. My first problem was when my 3 year old daughter drove my car on the neighbors lawn because you do not need to step on the brake to pull it out of gear. I then looked in the owner manual which stated it was equipped with that feature. I have contacted everyone I could and no one is willing to help or solve this problem. My next incident was when my serpentine belt broke which caused my power steering pump and pulley to break and had parts dangling. Thank goodness I was in my driveway. I have had my brakes done 3 times, and my latest problem was my heater core and there was water leaking inside my car. I wish someone could help I paid a lot of money for this car!

- Oakley, CA, USA

When the vehicle was in second gear, it became stuck. The dealer informed consumer, the transmission needed to be replaced.

- Richmond, VA, USA

Pinion pin of the automatic transmission came out and destroyed the transmission. A standard pin retaining clip would have precluded the problem.

- New Hope, MN, USA

I have owned a 2000 Grand Caravan for 6 months and it has 40 thousand miles on it and I am already having transmission problems. This is the 4th time I have had to take it to be looked at about the transmission, now the dealership says it needs a totally new transmission this van is not that old and does not have that many miles on it. I am starting to think I made a bad choice trading my Ford in for a Dodge van.

- Festus, MO, USA

The transmission failed without warning, the dealer stated the differential pin went through the transfer case.

- Colden, NY, USA

In January 2003 I experienced a problem getting my van to shift into drive after I had backed out of my driveway. On February 17, 2003 my husband was driving the van and experienced problems getting it to shift gears while he was driving it. He added transmission fluid and later that evening I drove the van to a store two miles from our house and at 35 mph the rpms would not go below 3 and the check engine light came on. I called the dealership first thing Tuesday morning and took it the shop on Thursday. They repaired a leak in the transmission (which we had had repaired previously) and replaced the water pump. Two days later while out running errands the check engine light came on again. I had to exit the freeway because the engine would not shift gears again and at 50 mph (in a 60 mph zone) the engine was at 4 rpms. Before I could get home the engine quit in the middle of a highway intersection with traffic coming at me from behind at 55 mph. I was able to get it started but it lurched for about a quarter mile or so and I just drove no more than 30 mph for the next 5 miles to my home. My husband took it back to the dealership on Monday and was told that the solenoid (sorry if I misspelled it) needed to be replaced. He was told to take the van home and they would call when the part came in. On Monday, March 3, he called and spoke with the parts department and they informed him that there are 24,000 of this part on backorder nationwide.

- Spokane, WA, USA

My car just died in the middle nowhere on route 42 on the way to work. Only to find out that the transmission needs to be replaced. The Caravan I own has only 42,000 miles on it. I do not even own it for 2 years. It was a buy back from the dealer. The warranty was only for 3 years of 36,000 miles. I was told by the mechanic from the dealer I purchased the vehicle from that this should not have happened. Now I am forced to pay over $1100 for a new transmission. I was told that they have agreed to split the bill of approximately $2200. I feel I should not have to pay anything as this should never have happened and is a defect from the Chrysler manufacturer. I am not the only one complaining. There is a whole web site dedicated to complaints by consumers which I have down loaded and is over 11 pages long.

- Lexington, NY, USA

The vehicle lurched forward when it was put into gear, the dealership indicated it was caused by the transmission cylinder pack, however the part was on national back order.

- Hephzibah, GA, USA