NHTSA Complaint #10162673 — 2001 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE 2001 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY WHEN SHE HEARD A NOISE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON. SHE IMMEDIATELY DROVE HOME CANCELLING THE APPOINTMENT SHE HAD, I TOOK CAR TO MY MECHANIC. HE PLACED THE CAR ON HIS COMPUTER AND A CODE RELATED TO A TRANSMISSION SOLENOID CAME UP. HE SAID THE CAR WAS IN "LIMP MODE". THIS IS SOMETHING UNIQUE TO CHRYSLER TRANSMISSIONS.(CAR CAN GO INTO 2ND GEAR ONLY) HE CLEARED THE CODE AND SUGGESTED TO SEE IF LIGHT CAME BACK. IT DID. I TOOK CAR TO A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST THE FOLLOWING DAY. HIS COMPUTER PULLED UP A DIFFERENT CODE BUT IT WAS RELATED TO THE TRANSMISSION. HIS CODE SAID IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE, WHICH WAS LOCATED IN THE FRONT WHEEL WELL. HE OPENED THE WHEEL WELL TO INSPECT THE MODULE. HE SAID THE MODULE WAS RUSTED THROUGH AND CRACKED. THE REPLACEMENT COST IS ESTIMATED TO BE IN THE $400.00 RANGE. THE TRANSMISSION MECHANIC SAID THAT HE HAS SEEN A NUMBER OF CASES WHERE THE MODULE BECOMES DETERIORATED PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF ITS LOCATION IN THE WHEEL WELL. IT IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE ENGINEERS USING "LOGIC" IN THE PLACEMENT OF COMPONENTS. IF THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW, I BELIEVE THE REPLACEMENT COST SHOULD BE BORNE BY THE MANUFACTURER. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION ESPECIALLY WHEN ON THE HIGHWAY AT SPEEDS ABOVE 35-40 MPH. *JB