2000 Dodge Caravan

DT: CONTACT STATES VEHICLE CAN BE CHANGED FROM ANY GEAR WITHOUT PRESSING THE BRAKE. THE CONTACT'S SON GOT INTO THE VEHICLE WHILE IT WAS RUNNING. TOOK IT OUT OF GEAR WITHOUT HOLDING THE BRAKES, WHICH RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE CRASHING THROUGH A GARAGE DOOR. AT THIS TIME THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN CHECKED TO SEE WHY THE VEHICLE WILL GO INTO GEAR WITHOUT PRESSING THE BRAKES.*AK

WHILE PULLING OUT OF A LOCAL MARKET PARKING LOT, THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE LEFT FRONT UNDERCARRIAGE. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE WITH THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALER. I WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER THAT THE LEFT FRONT AXLE HAD FAILED. I REQUESTED THAT THE DEALER REPLACE THE FAILED COMPONENT AND HAD THE DEALER HOLD ONTO THE FAILED PART. WHEN I PICKED UP THE REPAIRED VEHICLE, I LOOKED AT THE FAILED COMPONENT AND SAW THAT IT HAD SHEARED COMPLETELY INTO TWO PIECES. FORTUNATELY THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE. I CONSIDER THIS MECHANICAL FAILURE AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD. *NM

WITH 79,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION WENT INTO SAFE MODE AND LOCKED IN 2ND GEAR. REPAIR SHOP HOOKED VEHICLE UP TO DIAGNOSTICS AND VEHICLE WILL NEED A TRANSMISSION REBUILD. VEHICLE HAS A HISTORY OF TRANSMISSION LEAKS AND TRANSMISSION LINES LETTING GO DATING BACK TO FIRST YEAR OF OWNERSHIP. A TRANSMISSION SERVICE (AT SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS) WAS COMPLETED IN FEBRUARY AT 74,000 MILES. OWNED 96 CARAVAN -TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 51,000 MILES. WAS ASSURED BY SALESPERSON AND SERVICE MANAGER THAT TRANSMISSION ON 2000 WAS A COMPLETE REDESIGN OR I WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED A SECOND CARAVAN.

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, RING AND PINION SHEARED OFF, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO COAST. THERE WAS NO POWER TO GENERATE GEARS FOR MOVING.THE TRANSMISSION LET GO AT THE SAME TIME. ALL THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING. VEHICLE WAS CURRENTLY OUT OF WARRANTY. *AK TRANSMISSION BLEW A HOLE INTO AND THROUGH ENTIRE TRANSMISSION. *BF *NM

SOMETIMES WHILE DRIVING AT TIMES MY VAN (AUTOMATIC 4-CYLINDER 2000 CARAVAN), IT WILL CONTINUOUSLY SHIFT, MAKING THE VAN FELL LIKE ITS PULLING AND GIVING/JERKY (**SCARY WHEN THIS HAPPENS**). THE VAN WILL SHAKE(VIBRATE). THE GAS PEDAL EVEN VIBRATES. THE VAN SOUNDS LOUD(FRONT AREA OF CAR), MY SON SAYS IT SOUNDS LIKE A RACE CAR.HE GETS SCARED. THE WHEELS SEEMS TO BE HUGGING/GRIPPING THE GROUND( ANOTHER WAY TO DESCRIBE IT, IT FEELS AS IF GRAVITY WAS PULLING THE CAR DOWNWARD). THE VAN SEEMS TO LOSE POWER, AND PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL MAKES THE RUMBLING NOISE (ENGINE?) LOUDER.*AK

WE HAD 3-TRANSMISSION FAILURES IN OUR 1990 GRAND CARAVAN AT <72K MILES, WHICH DODGE HANDLED REASONABLY WELL. OUR 2000 GRAND CARAVAN SPORT HAD TO HAVE ITS SOLENOID PACK REPLACED TODAY AT ~50K MILES, SO I SUSPECT A TRANSMISSION IS IN ITS SHORT TERM FUTURE AS WELL. IV'E READ ALL SORTS OF HORROR STORIES REGARDING SAFETY ISSUES DURING THESE TRANSMISSION FAILURES, I.E., DRIVE LINES PUCHING THROUGH CASES, ETC.. WHAT IS BEING DONE ABOUT THIS? ISN'T A COMPANY EVERY LIABLE FOR ITS PRODUCTS? MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT THE TRANSMISSIONS WERE FIXED, OR I NEVER WOULD HAVE BOUGHT ANOTHER CARAVAN, ESPECIALLY IF A SAFETY ISSUE WAS INVOLVED. IS THIS A SAFETY ISSSUE OR NOT?*AK

DURING A 35 MPH FRONTAL VEHICLE COLLISION FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER SUSTAINED NECK INJURES. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHIFTS OUT OF THE PARK POSITION WITHOUT THE FOOT BEHING ON THE BRAKE. 4 YEAR OLD HIT THE SHIFT LEVER AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED DOWN THE DRIVEWAY AND ACROSS THE STREET. *TC