NHTSA Complaint #10257194 — 1999 DODGE CARAVAN

I WAS DRIVING DOWN A MAJOR ROAD (M-59) AND MY MINIVAN MADE A POPPING NOISE (MY INITIAL REACTION WAS MY TIRE BLOWN) AND CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP AND ENGINE CUT OFF. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART AND PULL INTO A PARKING LOT NEAR BY. I NOTICED TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKING(WHICH LEFT A TRAIL AND A DECENT PUDDLE WHEN STOPPED). AFTER SPEAKING TO 6 DIFFERENT TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOPS THEY ALL STATED THAT THERE IS A PIN THAT IS KNOW TO SLIP AND SHOOT OUT CAUSING THE GEARS TO SLIP OUT THAT HAS BEEN KNOW WITH THE 99 DODGE CARAVAN .TWO MECHANICS BELIEVED THERE HAD BEEN A SILENT RECALL BECAUSE IT IS THE MOST COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND DODGE WAS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. AFTER REVIEWING ONLINE IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS THE BIGGEST COMPLAINT. THERE IS A BRACKET THAT NOW FIXES THIS PROBLEM. I AM GRATEFUL WHAT HAPPENED DIDN'T CAUSE MY 6 YR OLD DAUGHTER AND I TO GET INTO A COLLISION. I TALKED TO MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND THE LADY, SAMANTHA, I TALKED TO WAS AWARE THAT THIS ISSUE DOES EXIST. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE CONSUMER HAS TO EXPERIENCE THIS EXPENSIVE, DANGEROUS EVENT AND BE LEFT TO BEAR THE COST TO FIX THIS. ALL OF THE REPAIR SHOPS STATE THERE ARE BRACKETS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO PREVENT THIS FROM OCCURRING AGAIN, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT SHOULDN'T OCCUR IN THE FIRST PLACE! THERE WAS NO WARNING THAT MY TRANSMISSION WAS ABOUT TO FALTER. THE CONSUMER SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BEAR THE FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCE OF A FAULTY DESIGN. IF THERE IS SOLUTION THEN DODGE SHOULD HAVE/OR BE FIXING THIS NOT THE CONSUMER! *TR