2000 Plymouth Grand Voyager

JUST A MINUTE OR SO AFTER ENTERING THE MASS TURNPIKE, WE HEARD A VERY LOUD BANG, FOLLOWED A FEW SECONDS LATER BY A SIMILAR BANG. WE KNEW THERE WERE NO POTHOLES ON THE MASS TURNPIKE, SO AFTER I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE TURNPIKE, I INSPECTED ALL FOUR TIRES, WHICH WERE FINE. I THEN NOTED THAT TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS POURING ONTO THE SURFACE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED FROM THE HIGHWAY TO THE GARAGE. TODAY I LEARNED THAT A PIN IN THE DIFFERENTIAL/ TRANSMISSION UNIT HAD COME LOOSE, AND THAT A LARGER PIN THEREFORE FELL INTO THE DIFFERENTIAL / TRANSMISSION UNIT, WHERE IT WAS SHEARED IN TWO AND TORE THE ALUMINUM CASING AROUND THE DIFFERENTIAL / TRANSMISSION UNIT TO SHREDS. MY MECHANIC SAID THAT HE HAS SEEN AT LEAST TEN VEHICLES WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS, AND THE DEALERSHIP PEOPLE INDICATED THAT THIS IS A WELL-KNOWN PROBLEM WITH DODGE CARAVANS. IF SO, WHY HASN'T DAIMLERCHRYSLER HAD TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES??? I FEEL FORTUNATE ONLY IN THAT IT WAS ME RATHER THAN ONE OF MY TEENAGERS WHO WAS DRIVING WHEN THIS OCCURRED.*AK

ON 1-13-01 ROUEN CHRYSLER TIGHTENED TRANS. COOLER LINE CLAMPS(2250MI.) ON 1-27-01 ROUEN CHRYSLER R/R TRANS. PAN + GASKET (2589MI) ON 2-26-01 ROUEN REPLACED A TRANS. COOILING LINE CLAMP(3269MI) ON 2-28-01 ROUEN CHRYSLER R/R TRANS. PAN AND USED SILICONE SEALANT (3335MI.) ON 3-19-01 I SPOKE TO CHARLES OWENS A CHRYSLER DISTRICT REP. WHO INSTRUCTED ME TO TAKE MY VAV TO CHARLIES DODGE IN MAUMEE, OH. FOR FURTHER SERVICE. (TRANSMISSION STILL IS LEAKING FLUID ON FLOOR OR DRIVEWAY). ON 3-22-01 CHARLIES DODGE REPLACED A SOLENOID PACK AND TIGHTENED TRANS. COOLER LINES(3950MI) TRANSMISSION IS STILL LEAKING FLUID. ON 4-12-01 CHARLIES DODGE REPLACED THE ENTIRE TRANSAXLE ASSEMBLY WITH A "CHRYSLER RECONDITIONED" TRANSAXLE ASSEMBLY. ON 4-14-01 I ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE THE VAN TO FLINT MICHIGAN TO BRING A RELATIVE HOME FOR EASTER. AFTER DRIVING 60 MILES ON THE EXPRESSWAY WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED AT 70 MPH THE VAN SUDDENLY SHIFTED FROM OVERDRIVE TO A MUCH LOWER GEAR NEARLY EJECTING MY WIFE AND I FROM THE VAN. ALSO WE WERE NEARLY STRUCK IN THE REAR BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. I DISENGAGED THE CRUISE AND IT MADE NO DIFFERENCE THE VAN DID THE SAME THING SEVERAL MORE TIMES. WE EXITED THE FREEWAY AND DROVE HOME AT 35-40MPH ON TWO LANE ROADS. WHEN THE VAN WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER ON 4-16-01 THEY FOUND THE PROBLEM TO BE A DEFECTIVE VEHICLE SPEED SENSOR THAT WAS INSTALLED WITH THE "RECONDITIONED "CHRYSLER TRANSAXLE. WHY WOULD A DEALER PUT A "USED TRANSAXLE" IN A "NEW" VEHICLE AND TAKE A CHANCE OF HAVING SUCH A CRITICAL COMPONENT AS A VEHICLE SPEED SENSOR USING AN OLD COMPONENT THAT COULD CAUSE SUCH A SEVERE ACTION AS TO INJURE SOMEONE OR MANY PEOPLE? THE CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP SERVICE MANAGER COULD NOT ANSWER THIS QUESTION. I THINK I KNOW THE ANSWER IT MUST BE COST.*AK