NHTSA Complaint #10183003 — 2003 DODGE CARAVAN

AFTER AUTO REPAIR SHOP CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID IN MY 2003 DODGE CARAVAN WITH 3.3L ENGINE (AT AROUND 45,000 MILES), THERE IS VERY ROUGH DOWNSHIFTING OF THE TRANSMISSION. THEY USED MOPAR OEM TRANSMISSION FLUID AND FILTER. THE PROBLEM IS ESPECIALLY VISIBLE WHEN DOWNSHIFTING FROM 4TH TO 3RD GEAR. THERE WAS ALSO A LITTLE BEAT ROUGH DOWNSHIFTING BEFORE CAR CAME TO STOP, SO I BELIEVE BETWEEN THE 2ND AND 1ST GEAR. THIS A COMMON PROBLEM, AND I DO NOT FEEL SAFE WHEN IT OCCURS, BECAUSE THE WHEELS CAN SPIN ON THE WET OR SNOWY ROADS. DEFINITELY IT SHOULD BE RECALLED, SINCE A LOT OF PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET: "THE PROBLEM YOU DESCRIBED IS CALLED "BUMP SHIFT" AND IS PRETTY COMMON WITH THE 604/41TE. DEPENDING ON THE YEAR, THE TCM MAY NEED "FLASHED" OR THE SOLENOID PACK MAY BE FAULTY. YOU'LL NEED TO SEE THE DEALER TO CHECK THE TCM, WHILE YOUR THERE YOU CAN GET THE CODES CHECKED.", "THE TRANS CONTROLLER WILL TAKE FOR EVER TO DO A RELEARN ON ITS OWN. YOU WILL GET TO THE POINT OF DUMPING IT IN THE RIVER BEFORE THE BUMP SHIFT WILL GO AWAY. BASICALLY IT IS A 4TH TO 3RD GEAR DOWNSHIFT BUMP, AND THE QUICKEST WAY TO GET RID OF IT IS TO HAVE YOUR DEALER DO A QUICKLEARN ON THE TRANS CONTROL MODULE. TAKES ALL OF 45 SECONDS TO RESET THE TRANSMISSION CONTROLLER AND GIVE IT A NEW SET OF BASELINE VALUES. DO NOT ADD ANY AFTERMARKET ADDITIVES TO THE TRANSMISSION FLUID.", "HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE ELECTRONIC SHIFTING MODULE. FIXED THE PROBLEM AND WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY." ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM MANY DRIVERS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM CAN BE FOUND ON: HTTP://WWW.DODGEFORUM.COM/M_599921/TM.HTM. *NM