NHTSA Complaint #10157783 — 2002 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

WHILE VACATIONING IN ATLANTA, GA. WE WERE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AND EXPERIENCED A LOUD THUD. WE HAD DIFFICULTY IN GETTING OUR CAR TO GO FORWARD OR REVERSE. WE DROVE IMMEDIATELY TO A DODGE DEALERSHIP ABOUT 1 1/2 MILES DOWN THE ROAD. THEY CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS OUR TRANSMISSION. NO PRIOR PROBLEMS HAD BEEN EXPERIENCED WITH THE TRANSMISSION. WE HAD 64,000 MILES ON THE VAN, AND ALL WORK HAD BEEN KEPT UP ON THE VEHICLE. THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. THE DEALERSHIP ESTIMATED THAT THE WORK WOULD COST BETWEEN $2900.00 TO REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION, OR $3500.00 TO REPLACE IT. THEY WOULD DETERMINE WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE WHEN THEY PULLED THE TRANSMISSION. WE DECIDED TO GO DOWN THE STREET ANOTHER 2 MILES TO AN AAMCO TRANSMISSION SHOP. THEY ESTIMATED THE REPAIR TO BE $1400.00 TO REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION, OR $2900.00 TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. WE DECIDED TO HAVE THEM DO THE JOB SINCE THE ESTIMATES WERE CONSIDERABLY DIFFERENT. FOUR DAYS LATER THE JOB WAS DONE, AND THE FINAL COST WAS $3000.00! THEY PUT A REBUILT TRANSMISSION IN. WE HAVE APPROACHED DODGE FOR A REIMBURSEMENT. THEY WILL NOT GIVE US A PENNY TOWARDS THE JOB. THEY CLAIM THAT HAD WE STAYED AT THE DODGE DEALERSHIP, A PARTIAL CONSIDERATION COULD HAVE BEEN WORKED OUT. SINCE WE DO NOT HAVE THE OLD TRANSMISSION, THEY SAY THAT WE CANNOT PROVE WHY THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THIS VAN ONLY HAD 64,000 MILES ON IT......THIS SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED. AND WHY DID THE DEALERSHIP THAT WE TOOK IT TO, NOT TELL US THAT SOMETHING MIGHT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BE WORKED OUT WITH DODGE.*JB