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Chrysler Minivan Transmission Problems

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Comments

  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Given Honda's on going problem with their transmissions, it seems that Hell hath frozen over already. ;-)

    Regarding the Toyota, I'd be much more worried about engine sludge (Toyota's current bug-a-boo) than a transmission failure.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    Yep. Honda transmissions are punky on everything they make. Despite having the transmission rebuilt once and apart two more times on our Avalon, those are generally okay. But the Sienna's transmissions are fairly popular at transmission repair places.
  • impact01impact01 Member Posts: 95
    I was under the mistaken impression that only Honda had unwavering and apologetic faithful, but you guys are proving me wrong. LOL.

    Hondas 4 speed auto transmissions for 4/6 cyl while may not shift as smoothly as GM/ Toyota, they are bullet proof. Also the 04 Sienna 5 speeds are too new (actually they have been in Lexus for sometime now I think), older Sienna tranny failures are very few and far between. There is not even a transmission problem forum on the Sienna side. As much as people dig GM's reliability, their transmissions are one of smoothest shifting and relatively reliable ones. Just my opinion of course.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    There is a Honda Odyssey Transmission Problems discussion and a recent recall involving 600,000 trannies (including Odys). I guess you'll say these are 5 speeds or something, but still not entirely bulletproof :-).

    Even though we don't have tranny boards for the Sienna (or Quest, Windstar/Freestar, MPV etc.) minivans in general seem to have their fair share of transmission problems. Probably a normal amount, but sometimes it seems high.

    Steve, Host
  • antonioantonio Member Posts: 12
    I guess I am in a similar situation as the guy looking at the '98 GC except I am a little farther along in that I just purchased my '97 GC 3.8liter with 67k! I initially took it for a pretty extensive test ride, had a mechanic check it out, etc.... and it drove great, was really clean, no problems found by the mechanic expcept needing a front break job which they did. Days later when the deal was done and I drove it home.....after riding it for a few hours here is what I noticed.....
    - When accelerating from a coast - a few times the transmission "jumped" into a higher gear
    - When coming to a quick stop, transmission does a slight surge before coming to a stop. One time it was more of a thump, but I think it is more like a noticeable one second lag that the transmission has between when you want to stop and it wants to stop
    - When parked on a downhill, going from Park to Drive, the transmission clunks.

    I know I am a very obsessive person, so forgive me if I am being a bit anal here! But, this car is brand new for me and I can't afford a bad car. Being a brand new Dodge owner (have owned Toyotas for the past 10 years), is this what to expect? Is this normal? Or, is this the 1st symptom of troubles to come? (If the latter is the case, I will be bringing it back while I still may have the chance!)

    Many, Many Thanks,

    Anthony (^_^)
  • Jason5Jason5 Member Posts: 440
    Was searching today and discovered that Chrysler is offering a "marketing incentive" of $5500 on 2004 mini-vans. Combining that with the usual discount, loyalty incentives, and others is what allows some dealers to advertise $8000-10,000 off 2004's as I've seen in the local paper. FYI.. If you don't need or prefer Stow N'Go these incentives could prove useful.
  • masterpaul1masterpaul1 Member Posts: 421
    antonio, did the previous owner give you the maintenance history on the van? It sounds like the transmission. Did you check the trans fluid level and color? If I were you, I'd take it to a 5 star Chrysler/Dodge dealer to have them to test drive it and look at the trans.

                                      Good Luck!
  • antonioantonio Member Posts: 12
    I did not have any info from the previous owner. It bought the van from a dealership - a reputable one at that and I did ask for the number of the previous owner, but they were not willing to do that. I've only had the darn thing for one day. I can't believe that I amy be looking at a bad trans already! I am not sure why I did not notice anything in the test drive either! Bummer! I may also be way over-reacting as well and am just not use the way this thing drives. That's why I am posting here!

    Antonio (^_^)
  • davids1davids1 Member Posts: 411
    Hope it turns out to be a non-issue.

    As far as getting the name/number of the previous owner, it's a state law that dealers must provide that information. Can't waffle at all. They must provide it. Maybe not that way in your state, but it sure is worth checking out for future reference.
  • badgerfanbadgerfan Member Posts: 1,565
    Since you bought it at a dealer who is supposedly reputable, and I assume you did it just recently, you must have at least a 90 day warranty, right? I would think if this is a very recent purchase, you should go back to dealer and have them check out the transmission even to the point of having the mechanic drive it with you along, or with you driving it with the mechanic along.

    Another thing you can do is check Carfax, for paying a fee you can I believe get a history of the car, maintenance and ownership, though I have never used it myself. They are an Edmunds sponser so you can click on a link thru Edmunds. It might give you a way of tracking down the previous owner.

    By the way, we have a 1996 Caravan with the 3.3 liter engine(we bought new) and at 75K miles, the transmission has been fine, aside from a small drive shaft leak and a valve pack gasket leak that showed up recently, which were fairly inexpensive to fix. And we only recently did the first transmission fluid and filter change. They don't all self destruct (knock on wood), as you might get the impression on some of these discussions.
  • antonioantonio Member Posts: 12
    Thanks badgerfan. I already did a carfax long ago, but Carfax will never tell you an owners name. As far as it being the law to reveal a previous owners information, I do not think that is the case in New York (privacy issues). That is actually the reason they denied me the info in the first place.

    I actually have an appointment tomorrow at a different place which is a 5 Star certified dealer. They are going to charge me $19.95 to do a test drive with a mechanic as well as check out the trans fluids, put it on the lift, etc..... I feel this is a $20 well spent. After I tune in with them, I will probably head back to the place I purchased it from and have them check it out with me as well. I think that overall, I am just being over sensitive because it is a new car for me that I am not sued to and I've got some of the complaints from this board lodged into my brain (^_^)

    Thanks Again!

    Antonio (^_^)
  • masterpaul1masterpaul1 Member Posts: 421
    antonio, make sure that you get everything in writing including detailed repairs if any needs to be done. Good Luck!
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Regarding your slight surge when slowing down, we have two 3.8 caravans, one of them a 1998, and in both cases, when we are slowing down, and nearly stopped, the transmission will automatically shift into first, and under very light braking, I too feel a surge.

    We bought both vans new, and they have both done this since new. If you only feel the surge under light braking, the answer is fairly simple; as you are nearing a stop, the transmission shifts into first gear and that transmits more of the engine torque from the idling engine to the front wheels, thus the surge. If you feel the surge under heavy braking, then you might well have a problem.

    Good Luck,
    Shipo
  • antonioantonio Member Posts: 12
    That sounds about right to me shipo! I am just not used to driving this type pr transmission let alone one with a 3.8liter V6. This is the most powerful vehicle I have ever owned. I previously had a couple of 4banger Toyota vans and an Isuzu Trooper. Thanks for the advice! I am going for the checkup tomorrow anyways! I guess it can't hurt to have a 5 star check it out. I will for sure be on guard for the "we want to make money off of you" trouble pitch! I will be taking my visit with a grain of salt (^_^)

    Many Thanks..... and on to the next round.....

    BTW Shipo - I posted in another area regarding a rough idle / idle vibration as well as a hissy sound when my air unit is in defrost mode. Either of these two familiar to you?

    Thanks again,

    Antonio (^_^)
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Hmmm, rough idle, that is a tough call for me as my normal mount is a BMW 530i which has arguably the smoothest six cylinder engine in the world. Next to the I6 of my car, any V6 (one of the worst engine configurations from a smoothness standpoint ever devised by mankind) is going to be rough. That said, now that I think about it, our 1998 does idle a little rougher than our 2003, although given that (if I'm not mistaken) the first actual tune-up of the 3.8 is at the 100,000 mile mark, and the 1998 has 60 some thousand more miles on it, I guess a little extra idle roughness should be expected.

    Regarding the hiss from the defrost mode; most cars these days (if not all) turn on the A/C compressor to dry the air that is then being sent to the windscreen. That facilitates the defrost/defog process dramatically. To confirm if this is what is going on, simply engage your A/C button when your vent selector is pointing anywhere from the floor position or left (note: one click to the right of the floor position will auto-engage the A/C circuit). If you hear the hiss, you will then have confirmed my theory, and as such, it's normal.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    As I said in an earlier post, mini-vans of all makes in general have a higher rate of transmission repairs or failures than anything else. I believe it is the way they are used and maintained.

    Transmission problems with the Sienna, while maybe being less than others by rate, is still not stellar. I most certainly can't agree that they are "rare." As to GM's transmission reliability, I know better!

    Dusty
  • djb63djb63 Member Posts: 11
    My 2002 T&C LXi AWD lost it's transmission at 22,343 miles. It looks like Chrysler has not fixed their Tranny problems..
    I now have a brand new transmission. Hope this one lasts a little longer than the original Tranny.. Transmission was never right from day one. I pointed this out to the dealer while having my first oil/filter change, their response was are there any red lights on, and I said no and they told me not to worry.
    Approximately 20,000 miles later the transmission failed and there were still no red lights.. So much for Chrysler's Improved Quality.
    djb63
  • masterpaul1masterpaul1 Member Posts: 421
    I'm going to need a trans. flush in about 1000 miles. The dealer wants $149.00 and Jiffy Lube wants $99.18. As far as price is concerned I would go with Jiffy Lube, but not sure as to the quality of work and I don't know anybody that has had this done with them. The dealer said they would still honor the powertrain warranty if I had the trans. flushed at Jiffy Lube or any other Trans. place. I haven't had any trans. problems but concerned because of all the comments on edmunds regarding how other places like Jiffy Lube didn't flush it correctly or put the wrong type fluid in. Any help or opinions with this would be helpful. Thanks
  • just4fun2just4fun2 Member Posts: 461
    if they are going to use the same transmission fluid that you would get at Chrysler?? I would be willing to bet that they will use something other, but not what should go into your transmission.

    My advise is..... DON'T DO IT. Take it to the dealer and get the correct transmission fluid and you will avoid problems with your transmission.
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    Without knowing the year of your vehicle, the current automatic transmission fluid for Chrysler vehicles is ATF+4. It is expensive compared to Dexron-Mercon, but Dexron-Mercon should never be used in a Chrysler vehicle.

    Around here there have been a rash of lawsuits against quick oil change establishments because they used the incorrect ATF in Chrysler products. Personally, I would trust a dealer on this type of service regardlesss of the price different. No quick lube place can replace 14-18 quarts of ATF+4 for $98.

    Best regards,
    Dusty
  • masterpaul1masterpaul1 Member Posts: 421
    Thanks a lot for your comments. I will take it to the dealer when the time comes. It's better to be safe then sorry. I don't mind paying the extra cash. At least I won't have to worry about the wrong fluid being put in and have peace of mind. By the way it is a 2001 GC.
  • Jason5Jason5 Member Posts: 440
    Dusty.. Do any of the minivans in your fleet have the Towing Prep Package? I'm wondering if the enhanced cooling and load leveling shocks would be worth it given that I will likely carry some heavy loads.
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    All of our mini-vans have heavy duty suspension. These vehicle are used by our technical representatives or field service engineers and they generally carry a lot of machine parts. They can drive them for personal use but must pay for that based on mileage.

    The individual is allowed to order her/his vehicle with just about any option above the company specification (except for engine) at purchase time. Some do, I'm sure, have the trailer towing option but fleet performance reports would not reflect this information. I'd have to go into the database and pull up individual vehicles by our number in order to see which options were selected by the assigned driver.

    Based on years past, I would say that about 2-3% might opt for trailer towing option.

    Best regards,
    Dusty
  • Jason5Jason5 Member Posts: 440
    Many thanks... I thought you might be familiar with the components of this package. I believe the "load leveling" suspension are just rear shocks that "level" themselves based on load and motion..
  • katlinkatlin Member Posts: 1
    this discussion got my attention since I had to replace the transmission on my grand caravan at 70000 mi. at over $3000. Now I'm told that my power steering pump is going out too! Poor quality product from Dogde--will not get another one-have a 2000 van and have kept maintence and oil changes as required but am very dissappointed with this van!
  • mountainmommymountainmommy Member Posts: 5
    I am purchasing a 2000 T&C limited AWD 3.8 engine with 58,000 miles. Beautiful van, every available option and drives like a dream.

    what is my best course to maintain the tranny? I need maintenance 101 :D How often do you do a flush and fill, I would have to have the dealer do it, I am not mechanical nor is my DH. What is this about the tranny oil and filter? do they do that when they flush?

    Can someone tell me how to look at the fluid and what is should look like?

    I wanna own this van a LONG time! :D
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I keep reading that it's better not to flush. Just empty and refill at the scheduled interval. But I'm not a wrench turner.

    Try the Transmission Traumas? discussion for advice too.

    Steve, Host
  • dougd7dougd7 Member Posts: 71
    We have the exact same minivan. Ours now has 104K miles with no problems. As far as tranny fluid changes, I would have your local Chysler dealer do simple fluid & filter change every year. The 2000+ minivans use ATF+4 fluid which is only available at the Chrysler dealers. And it is somewhat expensive - $7/qt. It is a semi-synthetic. Some dealers sell it by the gallon for $16 which gets the price down to $4/qt.

    Some owners have a flush done every other year with filter & fluid change done in the intervening year. A filter & fluid change normally does not get all the fluid changed out - about half is trapped behind the torque converter. Check with your local dealer as to what the tranny service includes. Some change the filter (requires dropping the pan) while others do not drop the pan while doing a flush. And do not let anyone put or use Dexron III or Dexron III with friction modifiers in your van's tranny. The use of Dexron will spell death for your transmission. Only use ATF+4.

    Fluid should appear red in color with no burnt smell. Purchase a quart to compare.

    Enjoy your new van. :)
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    I believe that up to 2001 or 2002 Chrysler owners' manuals stated that the transmission filter should be changed at 60,000 miles under "normal" operating service, 30,000 under "severe duty" service. The definitions of both should be listed in the manual, but in general if you do any towing or drive in a lot of city traffic (stop & go) you qualify for severe service.

    There are opinions on whether to flush the entire transmission -- which is a complete purge and evacuation of the old fluid -- or just change the filter and the corresponding amount of fluid lost from the filter removal (about 4 quarts).

    The rationale behind the "no flushing" philosophy is that the pressure of force-flushing will dislodge accumulated debris and cause more of a problem soon afterwards. The problem with this is that the professional evacuation systems that are used by many transmission shops does not "force" the new ATF into the transmission. In fact, done correctly it is not desirable to move fresh ATF into the transmission faster than the normal flow. This is to prevent aeration of the fluid and potential damage to the transmission.

    The problem with only replacing the three to four quarts of fluid that is lost when replacing the filter is that a significant quantity of highly oxidized ATF still remains. Oxidation is the primary depletion of the friction qualities of the fluid. The transmission is designed to operate at the optimum with non-oxidized ATF. While the three to four fresh quarts help, the remaining 10-14 quarts of old ATF depletes the friction determining component of the fresh ATF very quickly.

    A complete evacuation of the ATF and replenishing with fresh fluid should pose no harm to the transmission.

    The admonition to never use Mercon-Dexron is extremely valid. Dexron has probably ruined more Chrysler automatics than abusive or neglectful operation.

    By the way, Chrysler has just recently lower the price of ATF+4 to under $5.00 a quart, or $27 a gallon.

    Best regards,
    Dusty
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Dang it Dusty - I need to do a 90k service on my minivan and now you have me leaning on the side of the flush fence (again).

    decisions, decisions :-)

    Steve, Host
  • dougd7dougd7 Member Posts: 71
    Our local dealer has +4 by the gallon for only $16.
  • mountainmommymountainmommy Member Posts: 5
    Thanks for the response guys, I feel like I have a lot to learn about tranny's :D

    How much does it cost (estimate) to get the filter/fluid change? the full flush?

    You all are talking about the price of the fluid, how much fluid does it take?

    So if I get it service 1x a year that should be pretty sufficient eh?

    closed on the van yday and took possession, so far so good! finally got to drive it today (my DH drove it on test drive) still learning all the buttons but enjoyed driving it! after driving a piece of crap KIA I forgot what it's like to drive something with some POWER! I can pull out onto a dangerous highway I work off of without having to turn the A/C off! LOL
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    Doug,

    Yeah, that was a mis-type. My mind was instructing to type $17, but my fingers were not responding.

    Dusty
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    Mountainmommy,

    It depends on which engine you have, but some of the "T" series front-wheel drive Chrysler transmissions take up to eighteen quarts.

    My neighbor just had the transmission flushed on his Toyota Sienna at Jiffy Lube and they charged him $150. But that vehicle takes Dexron-Mercon I'm pretty sure, so a transmission that took ATF+4 would be more.

    Unless you put on a lot of miles or will be towing or live in real hilly country, you wouldn't need to do a complete purge every year. Heck, I see Chrysler mini-vans all the time that have 100,000 miles plus and have never touched the transmission.

    Where do you live?

    Best regards,
    Dusty
  • dougd7dougd7 Member Posts: 71
    A while back I checked with a friend of mine who is a secretary at the local Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep dealership and she said a transmission service is $140 but I'm not sure if that includes changing the filter. Even at 18 qts +4 would only be about $75 with the rest being labor and shop supplies. A simple drop the pan, change the filter and refill would be considerably less. Probably under $100.

    I know what you mean by power. Even with the A/C on our T&C accerlerates pretty good. Our previous van, 1993 Aerostar, couldn't get out of its own way with the A/C off.

    Depending on how many miles you drive yearly and if the type of driving you do falls under 'severe' driving would dictate how often you would need to change the fluid. As Dusty said some tranmissions have gone over 100K mile without being serviced and run fine. Our T&C has over 104K miles. When we bought it it had 78K miles and to date we haven't serviced the tranny which is running fine. As we will be traveling to Florida in July I plan to have it serviced before we leave.
  • russlarussla Member Posts: 74
    I just bought a 04 3.8 DGC, and it didn't have the tow package that has the extra oil and tranny cooler. I would like to put an Auxilary cooler for the tranny on the vehicle.

    Are their any preferred brands? or kits that have all the parts? that someone here has experience with.

    Since I plan to keep this vehicle a long time, I'm also thinking about a bypass filter for the engine oil, I don't know if there's any room up front though for the double filters.

    Thanks for any advice

    new caravan owner
  • carbuff1carbuff1 Member Posts: 1
    This is for everyone with a Pentastar (Dodge, Chrysler, Plymouth, Jeep, & Eagle) product, The manufacturer (Chrysler and most all makes) recommend complete flushing of your transmission every 30,000 miles. This is sufficient for all except Chrysler products. For these vehicles a complete flush is needed every 15,000. This is required to maintain the transmission and this will also MOST OF THE TIME, not always, prevent problems in these vehicles. Perfect example, my 97 t&c has over 100,000 and all i have had to do is serpentine belt and idler pulley, other than recalled items which were taken care of promptly at my local dealership. A friend has a 94 GV and he has around 150,000, no problems, 94 T&C, no problems at 150,000. Also, regarding fluid and costs of service, YOU DO NOT NEED TO GO TO THE DEALERSHIP! Your local fast lube (i.e. jiffy lube, pepboys, etc.) are perfectly capable of servicing these transmissions, and cost is anywhere from 75.00 to 110.00 for complete flush and filter, which is NOT just 14-18 quarts as a previous message stated, but they actually have a machine that pumps about 24-25 quarts of clean fluid through your transmission. If you ask, they will usually let you watch the hoses (they're clear) and you can see for yourself the difference between the clean and dirty fluids. THIS MAINTENANCE NEEDS TO BE DONE FROM THE BEGINNING!!! Otherwise it helps, but it really needs to be maintained properly from the time the vehicle is new. And PLEASE don't fall for the crap the dealership tells you about using only Chrysler fluid. Fast Lubes, etc. know what can and cannot be used. The only vehicles that it matters what tranny fluid you use is pre-1996 Honda Automatics. (knowing this from experience, lol, just one quart of non honda fluid caused complete failure.) I sincerely hope this information helps those with questions about this matter! If you have any questions, you may email me @ centercityaaron@hotmail.com

    P.S. If you have problems with your wiper motor running for a cycle by itself, that is because the motor is going out. I believe they recalled that problem, or at least issued a TSB on it, (can't remember off the top of my head). And they have issued multiple TSB's on the power locks whirring, has anyone gotten that problem fixed? My dealership has charged us enormous prices to find that problem and have since replaced all lock cylinders, and it continues to make noise intermittently. I would appreciate any feedback on this problem, please email me @centercityaaron@hotmail.com.
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,146
    Since this is a message board format, please don't ask other members to e-mail you with problems solutions - our purpose is to have problems & solutions present on these boards to benefit all of our members. Additionally, posting your address on a public message board exposes you to tons of spam.

    Regarding the transmission flush for Chrysler minivans, I checked my 2003 maintenance guide, and there's no recommendation for this service until something like 48K miles. I wonder if the 15K service is recommended only for earlier models.

    kirstie_h
    Roving Host & Future Vehicles Host

    MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
    Need help navigating? kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
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  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    >>>PLEASE don't fall for the crap the dealership tells you about using only Chrysler fluid. Fast Lubes, etc. know what can and cannot be used.<<<

    Great care should be taken when advising Chrysler vehicle owners on the use of automatic transmission fluid. As written, your message implies that something else can always substitute Chrysler packaged ATF. In it's broad sense that is incorrect.

    If a Chrysler vehicle is specified to use ATF+3, then the statement MAY be valid. I say "may" because not all ATF+3s are certified to meet the full requirements of ATF+3.

    When it comes to those Chrysler vehicles requiring ATF+4, then currently ONLY Chrysler ATF+4 can be used because no one else is certified or licensed to make it or sell to direct retail markets.

    >>> Fast Lubes, etc. know what can and cannot be used.<<<

    That should read "should know." Unfortunately in this area there have been fast lubes places that used Dexron-Mercon ATF in Chrysler vehiles, a real no-no. This resulted in 100s of prematurely failed transmissions and subsequent lawsuits.

    My recommendation is that the person know which fluid is required for her/his vehicle and verify with the servicing establishment what they intend to use before having the service performed on their Chrysler vehicle.

    Best regards,
    Dusty
  • fhohiofhohio Member Posts: 10
    I wouldn't bet that the Fastlubs of the world know what transmission fluid to use. As earlier posts indicated, probably more Chrysler transmission failures over the years were due to using Dextron or some other fluid rather than the fluid Chrysler recommends. I would be very cautious before trying something else.
  • paxpax Member Posts: 1
    I just replaced an output sensor on my 2000 Plymouth Voyager that failed. Upon removal, the sensor showed some metal. Obviously now I'm thinking I need to immediately flush the trans, replace the filter, etc (For 2000 models, Chrysler recommends this trans service at 48K miles if hard driving, 100K for normal, my car has 42K miles of normal driving and has never had the trans flushed before.)

    Has anyone ever heard of an output sensor failing for this reason? Will a flush/filter change be enough to solve this problem or does this suggest a more serious trans problem? The trans is functioning ok otherwise.
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    Pax,

    Yes, I've seen this before. In fact, sometimes the sensor is not really defective at all. Small bits of metal can disturb the magnetic operation of the sensor, throw codes and cause all kinds of sporatic transmission operation.

    It's hard to say if a complete flush will remove all pieces of metal. I know that normal flow flushes will not remove everything, that's why some advocate a power flush. However, that too is potentially fraught with unintended consequences.

    A full transmission flush and new filter is not going to hurt anything. I would do it. It will give you an opportunity to clean out the transmission oil pan and clean off the magnetic that's inside the pan.

    Remember, ATF+4 is the transmission fluid to use.

    Best regards,
    Dusty
  • rrgrrg Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2002 voyager, 19,000 miles. The transmission has been acting up since about the 5,000 mile mark. When coming to a stop, at just a couple MPH I get a lite thud from the transmission. You can feel it in the floor board. It's intermittent. May happen several times in a day and might go a day without it. The dealer could not duplicate the problem the first 3-4 times I brought it in. Finally we got it to duplicate so they could personaly witness. They said it may be a pressure problem and said they replaced the pump. No change and no matter how many times I take it back they say all readings on the diagnostic are normal. I had to have it serviced at roughly 12,000 miles for a Check Engine light. They said then that it was a vacuum hose, also determined that my water pump needed replacement. Months later while discussing the transmission problem the svc dept said I would have a Check Engine light if the transmission was having problems. Was that earlier Check Engine light related to the transmission all along?? We've been told everything from "it's the way you drive the van" to "it's normal for these newer fully electronic transmissions to have that hard downshift". Anyone have any information or experience with this downshift? Thanks
  • bbloaderbbloader Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2000 Voyager and Have the same problem. I would love to know what the Hell it is.

    Shane
  • jamesfletcher2jamesfletcher2 Member Posts: 127
    russla,

    Have the Chrysler dealer put in an actual Chrysler/Dodge Transmission Cooler. That will ensure that with warranty claims that the manufacturer or dealer won't try to blame the 3rd party product, plus it should be completely covered by the remainder of your warranty like any dealer-installed Chrysler accessory.
  • hansiennahansienna Member Posts: 2,312
    Under normal service, NO transmission service is recommended.
         Under severe service the owner's manual recommends service at 48,000 miles if 50% of driving is at high speeds when the temperature is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    Hans,

    Are you sure that's 48,000 miles and not 48,000 KMs?

    Bests,
    Dusty
  • hansiennahansienna Member Posts: 2,312
    That is what I wrote down. Will have to double check when he gets back from Texas.
  • mngolfermngolfer Member Posts: 18
    Intermittent problem with transmission not engaging when put in gear. Also a very harsh/hard downshift about 30MPH when deaccelerating. Problem has been present since the van was new. Dealer replace the solenoid pack and that was not the fix. Then said there was new software expected in July 2003 from Chrysler to fix it. Now have 21K miles and still have the same problem. Dealer reflashes the software and works OK for a little while. Van is going back in to the dealer today for the "no engagement" and hard downshift. No hard downshift with the Overdrive Disabled.
  • feldmanbdfeldmanbd Member Posts: 12
    If there's no hard downshift when your overdrive is not engaged, you may be having a problem with the torque converter clutch not disengaging. It'll try to shift and the torque converter will still be locked up instead of unlocked, and that may be causing your harsh downshift. Just a thought. Hope this helps!
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