NHTSA Complaint #10144516 — 1998 DODGE DODGE

WE WERE JUST DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE TRANSMISSION GAVE OUT (A COUPLE OF JERKS AND THEN NO ACCELERATION ABILITY). WE WERE ALMOST KILLED BY A SEMI WHO ALMOST RAN INTO US WHEN WE SUDDENLY AND DRASTICALLY SLOWED AND HADN'T BRAKED AND HE COULDN'T MOVE TO ANOTHER LANE BECAUSE OF OTHER TRUCKS IN THAT LANE. OUR 98 GRAND CARAVAN HAS ONLY 79K MILES ON IT AND THIS IS THE SECOND TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, (THOUGH I THINK THE FIRST TIME IT WAS REPAIRED RATHER THAN REPLACED TO THE TUNE OF $1000 AND JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS PAST THE YEAR WARRANTY). NOW WE FIND THAT IT WILL BE $3000 TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. WE HAVE IT SERVICED REGULARLY AT THE DODGE DEALER. WE HAVE ALSO HAD THE BATTERY REPLACED TWICE (ONCE WHEN THE FIRST TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WAS MIS-DIAGNOSED AS A FAULTY BATTERY). ALL WORK HAS BEEN OR IS BEING DONE BY THE DODGE DEALER. NOW I SEE ON THE INTERNET THAT THIS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON WITH THIS MODEL. WHY ISN'T DODGE DOING SOMETHING ABOUT THIS INSTEAD OF GOUGING THE PUBLIC (NOT TO MENTION PUTTING US IN DANGER)?*JB