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Dodge Grand Caravan: Gear Shift Indicator

strokeoluckstrokeoluck Member Posts: 99
edited April 2014 in Dodge
Ok guys...what did I do? I degreased & hosed the engine compartment this morning, followed by a quick check of the oil and transmission levels (only checked them; didn't add anything). Took the van on a couple short 1-2 mile trips around town this afternoon. This evening I noticed that, while pulling the van in the garage, the gear shift indicator is not always moving in sync w/the actual gears!

I guess this isn't that big of a deal because the transmission is working properly. For instance when I shift out of Park and into Drive the transmission goes into Drive and the gear shift indicator shows I'm in Drive. But if I then switch it to Reverse or Neutral the transmission complies but the gear shift indicator doesn't move!

Any thoughts?

- Rob
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    candlemaker2candlemaker2 Member Posts: 67
    We have a 2003 Caravan that we bought new Nov. 29/03. In January I noticed red fluid leaking and had the van towed to the nearest dealership. They repaired a ruptured transmission cooling line and found a loose connection where it goes into the radiator. I asked the service dept. if this could cause damage to my transmission and was told NO WAY.
    A few times since then, when we start the van, all of the gear shift indicators light up. The van went in for a leak in the power steering lines in February and I asked them to check this too. They said there were no codes.
    Yesterday I was driving and the road was blocked so I had to back up. Well the thing would not go into reverse. I am wondering if there was damage caused by low fluid. Any info would be greatly appreciated. There are less than 4000 km on the van and we are ready to park it and refuse to make payments. Thanks
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    ghislainghislain Member Posts: 34
    2002 Dodge caravan V6, Today in Ottawa Canada(bitterly cold) Van started fine drove about 35 miles then stopped for about six hours when I went to get back all the lights for the gear shift indicator were on(could not tell which gear you were in) The engine light stayed on and the speedometer would not work. The engine was running on reduced power, could not get over 25 mph. had to get towed.

    any ideas????

    Thanks
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    badgerfanbadgerfan Member Posts: 1,565
    Weak batteries can do some odd things to these vehicles. My '96 Caravan showed some really strange symptoms as well when the battery went and I had to get a jump start. After a jump start, dash indicators were very strange.

     

     A new battery put everything back to normal.
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    ghislainghislain Member Posts: 34
    Got the Van fixed, Apparently a faulty relay
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    tlong60tlong60 Member Posts: 1
    '99 Grand Caravan 120,000 miles. Frequent but intermitent problem: When in drive, gear indicator shows "D" put it in Park, feel it shift but indicator still says "D" shift it into Reverse, shifts and indicator shifts to "R" but then put it in Neutral or Park and indicator stays on "R" when it does this, it shifts harder then normal. During this time, if you are driving down the road and shift into Neutral, all the dash guages go to "0" including the speedometer. When the gear indicator moves correctly, it shifts easily and registers the speed in Neutral. Dealer has replaced the body control module but problem still there. They are stumped and have had it for another week but do not know what the problem is. I have seen several other posts on this site with the same issue but no solution ever posted. Please help!
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    xmanmtaxmanmta Member Posts: 4
    :confuse: I have a 1999 3.8 AWD with abs, 4 wheel discs T/C and would like to know when you have the van in PARK do you have to depress the brake paddle to move the column shifter into DRIVE? My van will go into gear without doing so. If so, and I have to press the brake paddle, how can I fix this?

    Also does the front seat belts lock when braking hard, or when pulling the front seat belts themselves real fast when seating in the seats?
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    xmanmtaxmanmta Member Posts: 4
    :blush: I PUT THIS IN THE WRONG PLACE
    SORRY FOR THE MIX UP
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    bladerunner5bladerunner5 Member Posts: 2
    2001 Grand Caravan Sport w/ 195K.
    Re-trans indicator problems. I also had my engine / trans power washed after a streering hose broke and covered everything in steering fluid..BIG mistake!!!

    I had it cleaned because a mechanic at the dealer where I took it to fix the hose tried to tell me I needed a NEW modulator valve...A $560.00 job BTW. ( because it had red fluid on it)....just like most everything else under there after the hose broke.

    I didn't think that was right because my fluid never needed topping up.
    The problem is that the three multi-pin connecters that go into the trans get wet..that causes all sorts of wierd things to happen.

    I was OK for about a week,then all the shift indicator lights were on all at once.
    then, the trans started to not shift properly, finally it would not shift into 3rd or 4th.
    I found a small trans shop in Barrie and fearing the worst; I was very surprised when the owner told me ( without even looking at my van) that it was all an electrical problem, he told me to disconnect and CLEAN the 3 muti-pin plugs that go into the trans.
    I did that and all was well..for a couple of weeks.
    It started again, I went back and he told me to clean ALL the connections under and going into the relay / fuse pannel under the hood. Sure enough....they were mostly green!

    That was the fix!! After some time the connections under that relay box can become corroded. Since I cleaned and sprayed them with "Rust Check" I have had no other problems at all. That was back in March 2008.

    For a couple of hrs work and a few $ I saved what I thought would be a trans rebuild.
    BTW, my speedometer also stopped working when this happened until I cleaned all those connections.
    It's not hard to do, but, you have to remove the battery; The relay / fuse box is on a "hinge" and you can't move it until the battery is out of the way.... :)
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    reddog607reddog607 Member Posts: 6
    you got the TCM wet and when it dryes out it will act correctly
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