Chrysler Minivan Transmission Problems

seattlebob1 · April 2003

If your trans fluid looks and smells good, and the stuff in the pan is very fine (VS chunks), all may be well. It is sure a lot of work to bust open the pan (not to mention the mess and gaskets) since there isn't a drain plug, VS having a machine set up between the transmission and cooler lines. They claim to get it all out while it is running. Whatever. I would rather DIY my engine oil, too, but I can't get my car into the garage, and the driveway is about 8 degrees. Somehow the Jiffy Lube 20 minute service looks better all the time. 'Don't have to recycle the oil, either. I still have to rotate the tires. I have winter tires mounted on rims and get that done at Goodyear along with an alignment, and try to keep up with all the other maintenance on a DIY basis, including the K&N filter cleaning and recommended inspections of the CV boots, etc. Convienence more than anything.

mrnimmo · April 2003

I've never really been sold on the "suck em dry" tranny machines, but the convenience is certainly there.

bfly0714 · May 2003

I have a 1995 Caravan 4-speed with 120k miles on it. Recently I have noticed a problem, usually when the car has not been driven for a couple of days. Once the car is started, the shifter is put in reverse or drive and nothing happens. It seems that turning the car completly off and on a couple of times makes this problem go away.
What I was wondering is this a sign of more problems to come, or does this sound like maybe some type of small part or linkage problem that would not be outrageously expensive to repair. The van has been great, and is in great shape. I am thinking about trying to sell it, but I don't want to sell it to someone and have the trans. die on them . I also do not want to have to replace the transmission to sell it, I would not be able to cover the cost of the transmission. I want to take it to have it looked at, but I have heard horror stories about people needing 10 dollar parts, and being told that they need a complete rebuild.

vcheng · May 2003

...Clutch Volume Indices (CVIs) which will tell you the amount of life left in the clutch packs. That'll give you an idea of what to expect.

Sounds like the clutch packs are on their way out, but if the CVIs are good, then you may want to look for something else.

A good idea would be to have a fluid level check, and drain and refill with Type 7176 (ATF+3) fluid.

What is the maintenance history on the transmission, and your style of driving?

120k miles is darn good overall I think.

xpat · May 2003

I am in the processing of deciding which new Minivan to purchase and have been following the discussions regarding transmission problems and comparisons to the Odyssey and Sienna. I had a new 95 Grand Voyager that I shipped over here when I moved here but recently sold due to the beginning of the nagging repairs and potential tranny problem. Basically, I enjoyed the van when I was single and also now with 2 kids. I took the risk of shipping it here since the guarantee was invalidated outside of North America. One option that I see as a way to avoid the tranny problem is to buy a 2.5 CRD (Diesel)Manual 5 speed transmission model. These are not offered in the states and are quite popular over here since diesel is cheaper than normal gas. Unfortunately, there are no real alternatives to the Voyager as both Honda and Toyota do not offer their large minivans in Europe. A Honda dealer will import one but the price gets up over $45K! It is funny how different cultures consider which things are important. VW sells a lot of minivans without sliding doors which to me is one of the main reasons for a minivan. The Germans also consider the magic seat to be a safety risk as opposed to the fixed seat. Go figure. I would like to get the Sienna but it looks like I am "doomed" to the Chrysler as the headache of importing a Toyota or Honda and getting it inspected is not worth the aggravation. If anyone has had any experience with the Diesel Grand Voyager or shipping a Honda or Toyota to Germany, please contact me. Thanks

elf6 · June 2003

After 6 months and 5K miles driving my 02 T&C LXI with 3.8L engine developed a transmission problem. Several times the transmission shifted into reverse very slowly when started cold but other times shifted normally. Then it developed a hard downshift at 30 mph. No check engine light was seen and the oil level was good and smelled good. Dealer checked it out and said there was a TSB on the 02's only to replace the front oil pump which is bolted on the front of the transmission. Two hours later the transmission was fixed and at 7.5K miles continues to shift smoothly. 01 and 03 vans do not appear to have this problem so they must have had a bad batch of pumps. Other than this problem my van has been flawless. Two previous vans I have owned, a 95 Voyager LE with 98K miles and a 98 T&C LX with 57K miles, have not had any transmission problems. I guess I can no longer say my van has been flawless. That's what I get for bragging.

smulvey · July 2003

I had two transmission in my chyrsler front drive vehicle and your very fortunate your dealer got you going with so little trouble.

Tips to the wise: based on my experience with my car and my neighbors Caravan , change the tranny fluid every 20K miles. this will reduce the amount of metal particles building up in it.

If you end up needing a repair some day, a good repair man will flush the transmission cooler lines for up to an hour to get the broken fragments out of it before he sends you on the road with the repaired transmission.

I learned this " the hard way"

Good Luck.

flotrevino · July 2003

I have a 2003 Caravan SXT with about 4000 miles on it. It has been to the shop twice already. First was a bad Trans pump, apparently there was a defect in the production of these pumps. Second time the driver side power window motor went out. My question is about the gas mileage. It gets about 17-20 miles to the gallon. It has a 6cyl with 4 speed auto. Is this normal? The dealer says everything checks out fine.

stever · July 2003

It's probably doing fine. Most people find that their mpg increases as the engine breaks in and keeps increasing for at least the first 10,000 miles.

Hope the other stuff gets worked out.

Steve, Host

crkeehn · July 2003

You haven't stated what kind of driving you do. That was the kind of mileage that I used to see in My Windstar during the summer when I used the A/C. If you are in a hot climate and are running the air conditioning you can probably figure on a 1-2 gallon drop in mileage. BTW, that mileage was on a suburban commute. The commute fell somewhere between City and "mixed" driving.

If you are doing city driving or a lot of short runs, then you are probably getting excellent mileage. If you are driving more a "mixed" commute, then you may be at the low end of the range but certainly within accepted mileage. If that were all highway driving then the figure is a bit low.

uga91 · July 2003

I have a 2003 Chrysler Voyager LX with the 3.3l V6 and 4 speed transmission with about 3800 miles on it now. When was your van made? My transmission shifts smoothly and flawlessly, but if there was a bad batch of pumps, I would like to know when yours was made in relation to mine. As far as your mileage goes, what kind of driving do you do to get 17-20 mpg? If that is city driving, you are doing very well. Here in the stop and go driving of Atlanta with the A/C blasting and the engine idling, I can get as low as 14-15 to as high as 16-18 mpg. Now, if I mix in some highway driving or find myself not having to idle very much or run the A/C as much, then the figure goes up, of course.

icnjill · August 2003

Here's my question. I'm considering buying a 2000 T&C Limited ... 41,000 miles... one owner... excellent condition overall.
Roughly $15,000 OBO.

However, in the last month, after their 40,000 service, the first potential indication of transmission malfunction occurred. The car engine light turned on and it was difficult for the car to shift from 3 to 4th. The car did not slip into neutral... just very slow shifting.

Dealer serviced it and replaced the input speed sensor. The diagnostics revealed the following

"5 codes stored. Fault immediately after shift P1790, speed sensor error P0715, gear ratio error in 4th P0734, gear ratio error in 1st P0731, gear ratio error in 3rd P0733."

The owner had it serviced at regular intervals but was not aware of the transmission issues. Assumed that the transmission fluid was replaced on routine service but was unaware if this had been done. Given the history of transmission failures, particularly in situations where the fluid has not been replaced, this could be a potential risk.

Would YOU buy it?
Would this be more of a computer error or the onset of a transmission failure??

I've a bad pelvic injury and am desperate for a smooth suspension and cushy seats. Would rather not buy a new Sienna though it drove wonderfully. Odyssey seats were too uncomfortable for me. I need the cargo space. Loved the Chrysler Pacifica but, again, pricey.

Any other suggestions for the error above and car choice.

Jill

vcheng · August 2003

....will generate error codes for improper gear ratios for all gears except the second gear. Once corrected, the transmission should work fine, provided it has been serviced regularly with the correct type of fluid.

The speed sensors are a known issue at around 40-50k miles, and perhaps not a big deal. Why don't you consider a third party mechanical evaluation such as AAA?

kersey68 · August 2003

my van limited has 19000 miles and i just got 17.6 mpg on a 1000 mile trip to north carolina, when going through gradual hills the van feels like itis missing and struggles, no engine light comes on, so the dealar says there is no problem
the sticker says 21-28 on the hwy ive never gotten over 17 since ive had it, any one else have this problem

vcheng · August 2003

...approach 22-24 mpg easily. Something is amiss. The reasons can be varied: Bad gas, clogged injectors, dirty air filter, fouled plugs, igntion module and/or cable problems, in short, it should be checked out thoroughly.

royallen · August 2003

I agree with vcheng. Get an opinion from a knowledgeable independent mechanic who has access to TSBs for your van. The diagnosis expense will not be covered by warranty but how else are you going to get it addressed. If this were a new problem on an older van, I'd bet on electrical more likely than fuel. Your case seems to be a problem when new so one bad part is as likely as another. Roy

lxpatel · August 2003

I have 96 T&C, currently has 140k and still original transmission, i have had the transmission service done by dealer every 15k, with type 7176 mopar trany oil, where they tell me that they also adjust the bands.

now since it has so many miles, i am cosidering just plain dextron III ($$$) or equivalent oil for the transmission, the dealer tells me the if i dont use mopar fluid the shifting quality may change.

Is this bunch of bull or do i really need to use type 7176 and have the bands adjusted, what the hell are they?

vcheng · August 2003

badgerfan · August 2003

I am answering this from memory, but I believe my manual on our '96 Caravan 3.3L engine with 4 speed specifically states something about Dexron fluids producing rougher/poorer shifting and should only be used in an emergency if the proper fluid is not available. If I were you, I wouldn't mess with success and keep using the Chrysler recommended transmission fluid. I'm not so sure you really have to do it every 15K, though, that sounds conservative, unless you tow a lot which could put a lot of extra strain (heat) into the transmission. My 96 has 68K on it and has never been changed, but we do not tow either, and it does not have a towing package.

crkeehn · August 2003

the Chrysler 4 speed transmission is designed around and requires the Chrysler ATF, either Type 3+ or 4+. I believe that type 4+ is suggested for use in almost all transmissions now. The use of Dextron with it's different coefficient of friction, would lead to premature failure of the internal clutches. The Allpar site has a good discussion of the Chrysler 4 speed transmission.

lxpatel · August 2003

It is 4 speed transmission,

The reason why i do the trany service at 15k because i live in San Francisco and do a lot of city driving, but never tow. i think the tow package is only a cooler in transmission and wiring harness (never used), according to service rep.

I did got the type 7176 oil, but this time the i had it done at firestone, where they dont have machines that completely change 100% of the oil, but the mechanic assures me that the drain and flush will get the most sediments.

Thank you

butchnh · August 2003

We have a 1998 Drand Caravan with over 125,000 miles. We have had the transmision serviced according to the owners manual. our only issue was related to a leakey transmision line caused by physical damage(we live on a rough road) that allowed the fluid to leak out. Once the leak was repaired no further problems. I understand the transmision problems are real but the people that tend to post on a forum like this are the ones experiencing problems. Does anyone have any hard statistics to reflect what the overall reliability is?

hansienna · August 2003

Only one DC minivan has had transmission failure of the many owned by people I know. That was a 1996 T&C LXi used to tow a large trailer all the time and the transmission failed at 180,000 miles.
     Meanwhile, 3 sisters in a family I know had purchased Ford Taurus. The 1990 Taurus transmission failed at just over 100,000 miles, the 1993 Taurus transmission failed at 115,000 miles and most recently the 1994 Ford Taurus transmission failed at 58,600 miles.
     A 1997 Ford Escort was purchased to replace the 1990 Taurus, a Camry LE replaced the 1993 Ford Taurus, and now a 2003 Camry LE replaced the 1994 Ford Taurus.
     The 1997 Ford Escort was given to the daughter of the owner of the 1990 Ford Taurus when she got a new Odyssey EX. The manual transmission of the 1997 Ford Escort broke (along with many other problems with the 1997 Ford Escort) so the daughter got rid of the 1997 Ford Escort and got a used 2000 Chrysler Grand Voyager which she loves.
     I think DC minivan transmissions are now reliable and hope my son's 2002 Grand Caravan Sport will have no problems. He got the GC Sport even after knowing of my experience with the 1970 Dodge van. Should I give him the benefit of the doubt since he was only 2 years old when I got the 1970 Dodge van and 8 years old when it was traded on a 1976 Volkswagen Bus?

seversuave · September 2003

I have a 1999 T&C LXi with only 36K on it now out of warranty, and now the transmission is acting up. It has a history under warranty of at least two visits to the dealer for transmission problems and fluid leaks. Now, the dealer replaced a solenoid unit, and the valve body, and thinks it is fixed, but I am not so sure. Has cost me $830 so far. The dealer thinks I am just having some bad luck...Any advice?

pluto5 · September 2003

Try calling DC customer service and ask them to cover it. If they say no, try again another day cause they may have met their quota for goodwill repairs. The dealer will typically not help because they make more money if they do the repair for you than for DC.

meola5 · October 2003

#1 of 2 2003 Grand Caravan transmission problems by meola5 Sep 26, 2003 (4:35 pm)
My Grand Caravan has 6,ooo miles on it and its been to the dealer 2X for transmission work. At 5000 miles the trans pump went, causing it to jump down into gear at 40 miles per hour. Now the car shudders when upshifting from first gear at around 10 miles an hour. The dealer said the second trans problem was a failed injector port on cylinder #3. On my way home from the dealer I felt the same problem at 10 miles an hour. Ths is my 3rd GC. Had a 96 with no problems. My 2000 had the transaxle blow at 16,000 miles, but that was a lease, so who cares. This one I bought. Big mistake.

dustyk · October 2003

Please excuse me if this information is redundant.

There are general rules that apply to Chrysler-built automatic transmissions:

*DO NOT use Dexron, Mercon, ATF+ "booster" additives for Dexron/Mercon, or any "universal" type of ATF under any circumstances, regardless of the year.

* Whether FWD or RWD (truck), any transmission originally equiped with ATF+4 must continue to use ATF+4 (Chrysler 9602), pn 05013457AA. Only ATF+4 should be used to add or flush in these transmisions.

*ATF+4 can be used to top-off vehicles originally equiped with ATF+3. ATF+3 should NEVER be used to top-off vehicles originally equiped with ATF+4.

EXCEPTION - Jeep AW & AX transmissions (4.0 6-cyl engine), and 1999 and older mini-vans with 3-speed or 4-speed automatics, should continue to use ATF+3.

REFERENCE: Chrysler service bulletin #21-006-01

Regards,
Dusty

clainesse · October 2003

Anyone have a clue of the maximum cost I should pay to have the transmission replaced by a new one, including parts and labor???

dustyk · October 2003

When you say "new," does that mean a factory supplied brand new unit, not rebuilt or reconditioned, I'd say it would be over $3000. I don't think you'd find one for a '98 anyways.

Some transmissions are rebuilt by vendors who supply general service repair places as a stock item. These are usually more expensive.

I would suggest an independent rebuilder. Often times when only the defective components are replaced the cost is much lower. But that all depends on what has failed.

On Chrysler mini-vans the price around here is anywhere from a few hundred dollars to $1500 - $1800 for more extensive repairs.

Regards,
Dusty

mmisbin · October 2003

Will be picking up my T&C LXi after a full week at the dealer for a bad torque converter and some other transmission repair. We have had the car for slightly over 2 years, with 28k miles so it was done under warranty. I think I read in this forum that all Chryslers purchased after July 2001 are covered under a 7y/70k limited powertrain warranty, is this true? We love the luxury and comfortable ride of this vehicle but are concerned about getting stuck again in the future both for the cost of the repair and having the van out of service for an extended time. Anyone know about this limited power train warranty?

eandlcubed · November 2003

the 7 yrs powertrain warranty is for autos made after 7/2001. the important word is "made after" since you could have bought the van made before 7/01 but was bought after 7/01, then the extended warranty doesn't apply at least where i am.

stever · November 2003

hmmm, tough one. Bummer!

If you replace the tranny, what's the private party sale price going to be? $1,500? Maybe $2,500?

If you don't replace the tranny, it's really not going to be worth much except to a mechanic.

You could buy a used econobox (or DC minivan?) for $1,000 and hope it lasts 6 weeks. Then you'd have two cars to sell!

What if the new car you purchased really doesn't get here for 8 or 10 weeks?

My feeling is that you should replace the tranny, but it's not my money.

Steve, Host

jackleg · November 2003

2001 Town and Country trans dies at 83,000 2 weeks ago . A/c compressor and drivers side window motor at 77,000.
Mechanic knew it was the trans after a 2 minute conversation . I think he loves Chryslers . The guy will retire a rich man .
My advice is to dump any Chyrsler minivan while you can and don't end up like me . 2,500 bucks in repairs just to trade it in . Didn't get the A/C fixed ($1200 more) as it is almost winter and no one checked at the trade in . Not that that mattered anyway as NO dealer wanted to give me anything close to what I owed on it . They all told me my best move would be to trade it back to Chrysler I would get the best value BUT I would be buying another Chrysler . I refused to do that and had to eat the loss on top of the 2500 in repairs . Good luck because if you are on this page the worst has probably already happened . I know no car lasts forever but major failures like mine are just unaceptable . I never envisioned this van not lasting 5 years without drivetrain failures . Then I started doing some research on the web and found that it is more common than I could've ever imagined .

vcheng · November 2003

...the information. What was the service history on the transmission, and type of use?

My 99 GCS is still going okay at 4+ years, 56k+ miles, and counting......

volfan4 · November 2003

what causes a chrysler trans to not engage into gear and also what does a hard downshift from overdrive to drive at exactly 30mph mean for the transmission.please help

Kirstie_H · December 2003

If you owned a Chrysler minivan before 1995, a midwestern newspaper reporter wants to talk with you. Please send your daytime contact information to bclanton@detnews.com or jfallon@edmunds.com by Friday, December 5, 2003.
Thanks,
Jeannine Fallon
PR Director
Edmunds.com

maregan · December 2003

I just got back from a Thanksgiving trip to NC after paying $2300 for transmission work on my '01 T&C with only 61K. The Dodge dealer didn't have a tranny guy in on Sat so had to go to another shop (CorTran in Charlotte) to try to get home to FL ASAP. Unfortunately, I bought in Jan of '01 so I only have the 3/36 warranty. Has anyone been successful in getting the work covered anyway?? (refund?) The the 3rd generation Cortran owners thank Chrysler for the steady stream of business over the past 40 years. I'm thinking Toyota or Honda for the next one...

P.S.: I had to replace the AC condenser this Spring - $1100. (Also out of warranty).

pluto5 · December 2003

My DC van has similar mileage and is on its third trans all paid for by DC except for $600 on the last one. If you think this van is going to see it's fourth trans it will have to be with another owner.

If you mean the condenser coil you should be able to get DC to at least pay for the part since this is one of many items in their hidden warranty list.

I keep my DC van parked on the street hoping someone will steal it or run into it. So far no luck.

blk97aurora · December 2003

My wife and I just bought a 2004 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT to replace our 1990 Plymouth Grand Voyager LE, which has been totaled due to a rear-end collision.

The GV (3.3-liter) has 191,000 miles on it; transaxle fluid was changed once at 100,000 miles. The only problem in all those miles was one speed sensor replacement. When I ordered the GV in 1990, I specified the AHT trailer prep package which included (as is still the case, I believe) an auxilliary transaxle oil cooler. I don't know for sure how much that cooler may have helped, but I have added aftermarket coolers to my vehicles before and after the 1990 GV.

ace33 · January 2004

We are looking at a 1996 GC with 127,000 miles.
How many miles can you get out of these vans? Do they have major transmission or engine problems
at that mileage? Obviously a car that old will need some TLC but we are wondering what major things we might be getting into. Thank you!

vcheng · January 2004

...you are looking at a vehicle with most of the life of its major components used up. A lot depends on the maintenance history of course, but No.1 on the list of potential failures would be the transmission, followed by things such as alternator, water pump, belt and tensioner, AC compressor, evaporator, suspension ball joints, shocks, etc. etc. If cared for, the engines tend to be robust, but there is a lot of other stuff that can cost a lot to rectify.

Unless the price is great, I would suggest looking at a newer one with less mileage. There are a lot of choices with these vans, and it should be possible to locate a better one easily.

sxt4me · January 2004

Anyone just purchase a new 04 T&C w/3.8L? Do you hear a wining sound that kicks in as you slow down, or are coasting to a stop, especially down hill?. We have a new 04 Grand Caravan SXT that is making an annoying high pitch wining sound as the van is coming to a stop. When the gas is pressed slightly the sound goes away and then comes right back when the gas peddle is not pressed. Dealer says transmission is normal. We are test driving a new one on the lot tomommorw to compare.

rg144 · January 2004

I have a '96 at 125K and it is running fine. Tranny does a funny wiggle at times and the A/C is dead. The wipers died and it cost $400 for the control computer. I think with *any* used vehicle you role the dice - who knows what could fail. If well maintained I don't see why 200K is not possible but you should see if they changed the oil every 3k since it *will* smoke soon if not. I like the following with GC: exhaust systems really last (my 1985 Caravan never needed a thing), better ride than Ford's, 3.3 has plenty of power.

One other note - I was going through serpentine belts pretty quick and had even replaced the tensioner. I finally fixed it myself by putting a shim on the bottom side of the tensioner (just a washer on the peg of the tensioner) because it was not aligning with the next pully - Pep Boys and mechanics had failed to spot it.

nvbanker · January 2004

Guess I will join this forum for a while. My 96 Caravan has had the very best of care and maintenance, and I really thought I would get a couple hundred thousand miles out of it before something this major happened. But the transmission started acting wierd between gears for a few weeks, then self destructed totally. Complete new unit required, including casing, which was cracked by flying internal parts, the dealer tells me. $2600 for those who would like to know. 3/36 warranty on the new one. I haven't put a new transmission in any car I have ever owned before, so I'm disappointed.

vcheng · January 2004

....tell us a bit more about the maintenance done, especially to the transmission? Thanks. I have a 99 GCS coming on to 60k miles, and I just want to hear more from other people about whether I should be thinking of selling it before something like this happens.

rinfantino · January 2004

The transmission on my 02 Voyager completely disintegrated over the holidays - the day after a long trip. Had it towed to the dealer - completely covered under warranty. Very unhappy with this van - the second Voyager. Also had major problems with the brakes/rotors not covered under warranty, but that is for another board. I am looking elsewhere for another van. Just hope my Jeep stays together longer.

nvbanker · January 2004

I simply had all maintenance done per specs in the manual, by the dealer since new. The car was never abused, or over loaded. There's no neglect, no abuse, and the dealer agreed. The transmission threw a differential pin, that broke the casing and got jammed in the cogs, he said. Whatever that means.

just4fun2 · January 2004

Yes, very disappointing when that happens. Honda Odys transmissions were having bearing failure and that caused the bearing to break into pieces causing transmission failure.

Every make has some horror stories. Good Luck.

dustyk · January 2004

The differential pin coming loose is not uncommon problem in those years. In fact, I doubt your transmission was really a problem at all. Anytime you hear of a cracked or perforated transaxle case, you can bet the differential pin was the problem.

Unless you're getting one from an independent, the remanufactured ones from Chrysler have the fix for that.

Regards,
Dusty

nvbanker · January 2004

No I insisted on a Dodge rebuild from the dealer. The warranty company wanted to bring in one from a wreck, but I paid the difference for a new one. My daughter and grandkids use this van when we're in Vegas, and I don't want a repeat. Glad to hear that problem should be resolved.

Chrysler Minivan Transmission Problems

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