NHTSA Complaint #10074782 — 1998 DODGE CARAVAN

ON AUGUST, 1, 1998, ALLEN AND ANNE MAZEROLLE PURCHASED A NEW 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SE MANUFACTURED BY CHRYSLER FROM LEE DODGE IN WESTBROOK, MAINE. AT THE TIME OF THEIR PURCHASE, NEITHER THE DEALER NOR CHRYSLER PROVIDED ANY DISCLOSURE TO THE MAZEROLLES CONCERNING THE DIFFERENTIAL TRANSMISSION DEFECT. IN 2001, ANNE MAZEROLLE WAS OPERATING THE CHRYSLER MINIVAN WITH HER CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE. WITHOUT ANY ADVANCE WARNING, A THUNDEROUS NOISE OCCURRED AND THE VEHICLE SEIZED AND THE WHEELS LOCKED IN TRAFFIC. MRS. MAZEROLLE TELEPHONED CHRYSLERS AUTHORIZED DEALER, LEE DODGE, FROM THE HIGHWAY SEEKING ASSISTANCE. MRS. MAZEROLLE WAS INFORMED THAT, WHILE IT WAS WITHIN THREE YEARS OF THE VEHICLES PURCHASE, THE MILEAGE EXCEEDED THE 36,000 MILE LIMITATION AND THE MAZEROLLES WERE OUT OF LUCK AS TO ANY WARRANTY COVERAGE. THE MAZEROLLES THEN INQUIRED AS TO WHETHER THERE WAS ANY RECALL OR PROBLEMS CONCERNING THE CHRYSLER TRANSMISSION. THEY WERE INFORMED BY THE CHRYSLER DEALER THAT NO SUCH PROBLEMS HAD BEEN REPORTED BY CHRYSLER AND THERE WAS NO RECALL CONCERNING THE TRANSMISSION. IN THE EMERGENCY, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED FROM THE HIGHWAY TO A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST, A&M TRANSMISSION, IN SOUTH PORTLAND, MAINE. MRS. MAZEROLLE WAS INFORMED BY TECHNICIANS THAT THERE WAS A SERIOUS DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSION AND THAT THE PINION GEAR HAD SEIZED TO THE PINION SHAFT AND PENETRATED THE BELL HOUSING OF THE TRANSMISSION, RESULTING IN THE COMPLETE LOCK-UP OF THE VEHICLES DRIVE TRAIN AND COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION. *AK *SC *JB