2001 Dodge Grand Caravan Powertrain & Transmission Problems

MY MINIVAN WAS IN PARK WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING WHILE I DELIVERED A PACKAGE TO A NEIGHBOR DURING A THUNDER, LIGHTNING, RAIN STORM. THE VAN JUMPED INTO GEAR, RACED FORWARD AND PINNED ME TO THE NEIGHBOR'S DOOR FOR MORE THAN AN HOUR BEFORE BEING RESCUED. I SPENT SEVERAL DAYS IN THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT OF A HOSPITAL WITH A SEVERE CRUSH INJURY AND HIP SPRAIN TO MY RIGHT LEG. WHEN THE CAR WAS EXAMINED BY MY DEALER/MECHANIC, NOTHING REGISTERED ON THE COMPUTER. I HAVE LOCATED AT LEAST 2 OTHER INSTANCES OF THIS MAKE, MODEL, YEAR JUMPING INTO OR OUT OF GEAR, WITH INJURIES. *JB

WELL MY VAN ALL OF A SUDDEN DECIDES , NO REVERSE, AND THEN LIMP MODE, AND ENGINE LIGHT ON. CANT GET PAST 30 MILES HR, MY VEHICLE UN SAFE TO DRIVE, SO I GUESS TRANSMISSION OR TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULAR GOING BAD OR POWER TRAIN MODULE. THE 2 DEALERS I WENT TO THE FIRST DIDN'T SCAN FOR CODE THEY JUST SAID YOU NEED A NEW TRANNY, B/C OF NO REVERSE THEN OPEN DAY MY REVERSE CAME BACK AND NO LIMP MODE, SO THAT EVEN MADE ME WONDER I NEED A TRANNY BUT NOW IT WORKS, EXCEPT IT START TO LIKE MAYBE SHUDDER, NOT SURE. WELL THE OTHER DEALER CHARGE ME 80.00 CAME BACK AND SAID THEY DIDN'T KNOW THEY WOULD TRY CHANGE FILTER AND UPDATE SOFTWARE, AND I SEEN THE CODES 1790-1791- AND I SAID I JUST CANT YOU JUST REPROGRAM IT TO SEE IF IT WORKS AND THEY GAVE ME THE RUN AROUND AND SAID NO THERE NO UPDATE THAT CAN BE DONE OR NO BULLENTINS FOR MY VEHICLE AND I SAID YES THERE IS I READ ON THE COMPUTER AND THEY GO WE DON'T HAVE THEM. SO I SEE A LOT OF THE TCM AND PCM GOING BAD AND THEY WONT TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM AND IF IT IS A TRANSMISSION ISSUE THEN HOW CAN ONE GO BAD IF YOU HAVE IT SERVICE RIGHT. SO I DECIDED NOT TO FIX IT B/C I NO THEY LYING AND THEY DIDN'T WANT TO FIX IT OR TAKE CARE OF IT B/C ALL THEY OFFER WAS AND FILTER CHANGE AND THEN AT THE END THE GUY GOES OH I WOULDN'T WANT TO PUT MONEY IN THAT AND IT DON'T WORK, WHY DON'T YOU JUST BUT A TRANNY. THIS IS SAD YOU CANT FIND NO ONE HONEST TO TELL SOMEONE WHAT WRONG WITH THE VAN BUT WANT TO SAY THIS AND THAT AND NO PROPERLY DIAG OR DO AND ONLY GIVE YOU PARTIAL THE TRUTH, WHY WOULD YOU SAY TO A CUSTOMER THAT IT MIGHT FIX IT WE CAN RE PROGRAM IT AFTER THE FLUID CHANGE AT 350.00 AND INSTEAD OF REPROGRAM TO SEE AND THEN SAY THEY CANT SOUND LIKE A DISHONEST PERSON, ALSO IF THEY DIAG THEN THEY SHOULD KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, SO THEY DECIDE TO TAKE ME A RIDE. I LOST 80.00 BUT NOT 350.00. *NM

2001 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN - 41TE TRANSMISSION JUST QUIT AFTER 64,000 MILES WITH NO WARNING. GO TO THE FOLLOWING WEB SITES FOR TRANSMISSION DEFECT INFORMATION: HTTP://WWW.ALLPAR.COM/FIX/TRANS.HTML HTTP://WWW.GEOCITIES.COM/PLUMRAPTOR/ HTTP://WWW.DAIMLERCHRYSLERVEHICLEPROBLEMS.COM/. *JB

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I HAD IT CHECKED AND WAS TOLD THAT IT IS A COMPUTER FAILURE. (PCM HAS FAILURE.) THE VAN ONLY HAS 59,000 MILES ON IT. THE DODGE DEALERSHIP SAYS PCM IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND THERE IS A $900 CHARGE FOR REPLACEMENT. THE VAN HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY AND I FEEL THAT SOMETHING THIS ESSENTIAL AND EXPENSIVE SHOULD NOT GO OUT ON A VAN THIS AGE WITH THIS MILEAGE. *NM

IN FEBRUARY 2004, WHILE DRIVING MY 2001 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN ON THE INTERSTATE IN KNOXVILLE, TN WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT WITH NO WARNING. AT THAT TIME, WE HAD JUST OVER 34,000 MILES ON THE VAN. THESE WERE NORMAL MILES WITH NO HEAVY TOWING OR OTHER ABUSIVE DRIVING. THE VAN WAS TOWED TO JIM COGDILL DODGE FOR REPAIR. THIS REPAIR WAS STILL COVERED UNDER OUR WARRANTY. WE WERE TOLD AT THE TIME OF THE REPAIR THAT IT ONLY REQUIRED THE TRANSMISSION BE ??REFURBISHED?? AS THE WARRANTY DID NOT REQUIRE THEM TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AGAIN AT JUST OVER 60K MILES. THIS TIME THERE WAS A LOUD POP, A HARD JERK OF THE VAN AND THEN IT CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP AS I WAS CROSSING ONCOMING TRAFFIC TO PULL INTO A PARKING LOT. I AM VERY LUCKY THIS DID NOT HAPPEN ON THE INTERSTATE AS MYSELF, AND OTHERS, WOULD SURELY HAVE BEEN ENDANGERED BY THIS PRODUCT FAILURE. I ASKED TO SPEAK IMMEDIATELY TO THE SERVICE MANAGER, MR. LARRY DAUGHTRY. HE PROCEEDED TO INFORM ME THAT EVEN THOUGH THE TRANSMISSION WAS FIXED PREVIOUSLY BY A DODGE DEALER, I WOULD BE FULLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS . HE ALSO INFORMED ME HE HAS NEVER SEEN SUCH DAMAGE IN A TRANSMISSION THAT IT WAS OBVIOUSLY A PRODUCT DEFECT. I COULD UNDERSTAND THEIR UNWILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY IF THE SERVICE HAD BEEN PERFORMED BY SOMEONE OTHER THAN A DODGE DEALER, BUT THIS WAS NOT THE CASE! HE THEN OFFERED TO CONTACT THE DISTRICT MANAGER, WHOSE NAME AND CONTACT INFORMATION SEEMS TO BE HELD IN THE UTMOST SECRECY AS HE WILL ONLY ACCEPT CALLS FROM THE DEALER, BUT HE MAY BE WILLING TO PROVIDE SOME ASSISTANCE. UPON CALLING FOR A STATUS. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED IN ITS ENTIRETY AT A COST OF ALMOST $3000.00! THE DISTRICT MANAGER DID OFFER TO TAKE CARE OF 50% OFF THE TOTAL COST. WE HAVE CONTINUED TO ARGUE THIS WITH THE DEALER AND THEIR CORPORATE OFFICE. THEY GAVE US A CONTINUOUS RUN AROUND OF CALLING ONE ONLY TO BE TOLD WE HAVE TO SPEAK WITH THE OTHER. *JB

2001 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN HESITATED IN TRAFFIC, BUCKED, DIED AT A STOP SIGN. *AK

AT ABOUT 32,000 MILES I HAD TAKEN MY VAN IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND ASKED THE DODGE DEALER TO LOOK AT THE TRANSMISSION. IT HAD BEEN SHIFTING ROUGH OCCASIONALLY, AND THEY LOOKED AT IT, AND SAID IT WAS FINE. LAST WEEK I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE 10 FREEWAY AT ABOUT 70 MPH WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SEIZED FOR ABOUT 2-3 SECONDS, THE VAN'S FRONT WHEELS LOCKED UP, AND THE VAN SLID SIDEWAYS, THEN THE TRANSMISSION BROKE LOOSE, AND I WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL AND GET THE VAN TO THE SLOW LANE AND PROCEED TO EXIT. I THEN HAD THE VAN TOWED TO DODGE WERE THEY SEEMED SURPRISED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. AND NOW I READ ABOUT ON THE INTERNET THAT ITS NOTRIOUS FOR THIS. I HAD A CO WORKER WITH ME AND WE WERE BOTH PHYSICALLY SHAKEN. I BELIEVE THIS IS A MAJOR DEFFECT IN THE VEHICLE AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED! PLEASE HELP DO SOMETHING. *AK

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION SEIZED. THIS CAUSED THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *JB *NM

DURING NORMAL DRIVING THE TRANSMISSION TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED WHICH TEHN RESULTED IN A TRANSMISSION PUMP FAILURE. VEHICLE BECAME UNDRIVEABLE. TRANSMISSION REQUIRED TOTAL BUILD. VEHICLE HAD ONLY 56K MILES AND WAS NEVER USED TO TOW ANYTHING. PER DEALER, CHRYSLER DENIED ANY RESPONSIBILITY AND REFUSED TO OFFER FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.*AK

I HEARD A WHINING NOISE COMING FROM TRANSMISSION, WITHOUT WARNING THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY WENT OUT. I ONLY HAVE 38K MILES ON MY VAN. THE BRAKES WENT OUT AT 20K MILES AND THEY ALREADY NEED REPLACED. THE WINDOWS STICK INTERMITTENTLY, AND WON'T ROLL UP. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH TRANSMISSION FAILED. VEHICLE JERKED FORWARD, MADE A LOUD NOISE, AND THEN IT WAS HARD TO SHIFT GEARS. *AK

2001 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN- BAD PUMP & TORQUE CONVERTER ON TRANSMISSION. NLY 55, 000 MILES! ARRANTY IS INSUFFICIENT.*AK

2001 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. AT 57,000 MILES THE FRONT PUMP ON THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED, RESULTING IN COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. $3,500 TO REPLACE WITH RECONDITIONED TRANSMISSION. DAIMLER-CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE REFUSED TO PAY ANY AMOUNT FOR REPAIRS.*AK

DODGE GC 2001 STALLED WHILE IN MOTION WITH NO WARNING DURING A VERY HEAVILY TRAVELED AREA IN A SCHOOL ZONE WITH MANY POTENTIAL HAZARDS. LUCKILY I WAS ONLY GOING ABOUT 10 MPHS AND COMING TO A STOP. I INTERRUPTED FLOW OF TRAFFIC AT TIME OF FAILURE AND WHEN THE TOW TRUCK CAME. A POLICE OFFICER HELPED DIRECT TRAFFIC. MECHANIC SAID LEAK DETECTION PUMP WENT OUT WHICH CAUSED THE PCM (POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE) TO SHORT OUT. THIS PCM CONTROLS MANY ELECTRICAL ELEMENTS. THE ENGINE LIGHT IS ON, THE SPEEDOMETER AND PASSENGER WINDOW DOESNT WORK AND I AM TOLD THAT SEVERAL SYSTEMS COULD FAIL BUT IT IS DRIVEABLE. I HAVE SEARCHED MANY DEALERSHIPS IN MANY STATES WITH ALL THE SAME ANSWER. THE PART I NEED, THE PCM, IS ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER. THERE ARE NONE AVAILABLE IN THE US. THIS IS THE ONLY VEHICLE I HAVE TO TRANSPORT MY CHILDREN. I CONTACTED DC CORP AND THEY WILL NOT TELL ME IF IT IS SAFE TO DRIVE W/ A FAULTY PCM. IT HAS BEEN 3 WEEKS AND MY VAN IS NOT FIXED. I AM AT THEIR MERCY AND THEY HAVE DENIED RESPONSIBILITY AS WELL AS A RENTAL REQUEST UNTIL MY VAN CAN BE FIXED PROPERLY. "UNFORTUNATELY, YOUR REQUEST FOR A RENTAL VEHICLE HAS BEEN DECLINED." THEY CLAIM "WE ARE UNABLE TO BE OF ASSISTANCE IN EXPEDITING PARTS THAT ARE NOT ON ORDER" THE PART HAS BEEN ORDERED. AGAIN I QUESTIONED THE SAFETY OF DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH A FAULTY PCM WITH NO ANSWER AS OF YET. THEIR ARE OVER 250 PCM'S ON BACK ORDER.*AK

TRANSMISSION DISINTEGRATED. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE BECAME INOPERATIVE. *AK

PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION AND GEAR SHIFT.*MR THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED INTO A LOWER GEAR WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN. THE FRONT AND REAR PLANATARY GEARS WERE REPLACED.*TS *JB

AT APPROX. 59,000 MILES, THE TRANSMISSION ON OUR 2001 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN STARTED LURCHING AND SLAMMING WHEN YOU PUT IT IN GEAR. AFTER ONLY 1 1/2 DAYS OF MINOR OCCURRENCES, BEFORE WE COULD HAVE THE CAR LOOKED AT, THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY LOCKED UP. FORTUNATELY, MY HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO GET IT INTO GEAR TO GET IT OUT OF THE STREET, BUT IT WOULD NOT GET INTO GEAR AT ALL AFTER THAT. WE HAD TO TOW IT. WE ARE NOW HAVING TO PAY $2000 TO REBUILD THE TRANSMISSION. THIS IS OUR ONLY CAR FOR CARRYING OUR TWIN TODDLERS, AND THIS IS THE SECOND CHRYSLER VEHICLE WE HAVE OWNED THAT HAS HAD TRANSMISSION FAILURE BEFORE 70,000 MILES. MY BEST FRIEND ALSO HAD TO GET RID OF A CHRYSLER LEBARON WITH THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. THERE IS A SYSTEMATIC PROBLEM WITH CHRYSLER TRANSMISSIONS, AND IT IS A KNOWN DEFECT THAT IS SOLD TO CONSUMERS. IF WE HAD BOUGHT THIS VAN NEW INSTEAD OF 1 YEAR OLD, I WOULD BE FINDING A LEMON LAW ATTORNEY. *NLM

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING NORMALLY LESS THAN .2 MILES FROM THE HOUSE. THE SPEED LIMIT IS 40 MPH. THE ROADS WERE DRY. MY WIFE HEARD AND "EXPLOSION" AND PULLED OFF THE ROAD BELIEVING THAT SHE HAD A BLOW OUT. THE CAR STALLED. NOT KNOWING WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, ALL THE TIRES WERE INFLATED, SHE RETURNED HOME. BY THE TIME SHE RETURNED TO THE HOUSE THERE WAS NO TRANSMISSION FLUID IN THE VEHICLE. I HAD IT TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP (BUDDIES AUTOMOTIVE 410-679-6300) THE REPAIR SHOP INDICATED THAT THE PIN THAT DODGE USES IN THE DIFFERENTIAL IS UNDERSIZED AND HOLLOW, AND THAT IT HAD SHEARED OFF SENDING PARTS THROUGH THE CASING OF THE TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION IS BEING REPLACED. THE REPLACEMENT IS BUILT BY A COMPANY WHO HAS PERFORMED STUDIES ON THE TRANSMISSION AND HAS MODIFIED THIS SECTION OF THE TRANSMISSION TO MAKE THEM SAFE AND RELIABLE. IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL ME. THE VEHICLE IS A 2001 GRAND CARAVAN EX, WITH A 3.3L ENGINE AND A 4 SPEED AUTOMATIC. *JB

DT: 2001 GRAND CARAVAN SPORT, CONSUMER SAYS HEADLIGHTS FLICKERED UNPREDICTABLY. ENGINE RAN ROUGH, AND BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON. THIS HAPPENED AT NIGHT AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, WHO CHECKED THE VAN BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, NO FAULT CODES FOUND IN COMPUTER, UPDATED PCM. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED REGULARLY. PROBLEM BEGAN NOT MORE THAN A MONTH AFTER PURCHASING VAN.*AK *SB THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS PERIODICALLY.*SB *NM

WHEN LEAVING FACTORY REAR AXLE HAD NO NUT. *AK WHEEL FELL OFF, CONSUMER STATES IT DID NOT HAVE THE COTTER PIN, WHICH HOLDS THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY TO THE AXLE, IT LEFT THE FACTORY WITHOUT THE PARTS. *SLC