NHTSA Complaint #10093029 — 2002 DODGE CARAVAN

WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE THROUGH VARYING SPEEDS THE VEHICLE SHIFTS IMPROPERLY. SOMETIMES IT IS AN EXTREMELY HARD SHIFT BETWEEN SECOND AND THIRD GEAR AT SPEEDS OF 20-30 MPH WHERE THE VEHICLE WILL PULL BACK AND THEN LURCH FORWARD AND A LOUD THUD OCCURS. IT SHIFTS IMPROPERLY WITH THE SAME ACTIONS WHEN IT SHIFTS DOWN INTO FIRST GEAR WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP. IT ALSO SHIFTS ERRATICALLY BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH GEAR ON THE EXPRESSWAY AT SPEEDS OF 55-65 MPH. HOWEVER THESE ISSUES ARE NOT CONSISTENT AND THE PROBLEM DOESN'T OCCUR EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE SHIFTS IN TO THESE GEARS. THE FIRST TIME THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN INTO SERVICE THEY IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS A BAD TRANSMISSION PROGRAM. HOWEVER, AFTER THEY CLAIMED TO HAVE "FIXED" THE ISSUES, MY VEHICLE' S TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WORSENED INSTEAD OF IMPROVING. SINCE THEN THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICE TWO MORE TIMES WHERE THE DODGE MECHANIC SAID THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM I AM HAVING, AND REFUSED TO FIX MY VEHICLE. THEY WILL ONLY DRIVE IT AROUND THE BLOCK AND IF IT DOESN'T ACT UP THEY SEND IT HOME AND SAY THERE IS NO PROBLEM. *AK