NHTSA Complaint #10088723 — 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

(1)DRIVING ALONG AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEED WHEN WITH NO WARNING VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO "LIMP" MODE. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF 2ND GEAR. VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAINTAINED EXACTLY AS CALLED FOR IN SERVICE MANUAL. (2)TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP AND WAS INFORMED THAT TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. COST WOULD BE $2000 TO $2500. INFORMED THAT THE REAL PROBLEM WAS THAT THERE WAS A BACKLOG ON ORDERING A REBUILT TRANSMISSION. WAIT COULD BE AS LONG AS 6 MONTHS. IF THIS IS NOT A SERIOUS PROBLEM, THEN WHY IS THERE SUCH A BACKLOG IN OBTAINING A REPLACEMENT? ALSO AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE I WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS CHRYSLER HAD IN THE PAST WITH CARAVAN TRANSMISSIONS SO I ASKED THE SALESMAN ABOUT THE PROBLEM. WAS INFORMED THAT CHRYSLER HAD FIXED THE PROBLEM. LATER FOUND OUT THAT THEY DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM AS THERE ARE STILL AS MANY PROBLEMS AS BEFORE THEY JUST REDUCED THE WARRANTY PERIOD SO THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO REPAIR AS MANY UNDER WARRANTY. (3)EVERYTHING IS STILL AVAILABLE AS I CAN NOT AFFORD TO PAY FOR REPAIRS BECAUSE I STILL HAVE TO MAKE MY PAYMENTS. *JB