NHTSA Complaint #700770 — 1991 DODGE CARAVAN

SUDDEN UNPREDICTED DOWNSHIFT FROM OVERDRIVE TO SECOND GEAR WHILE AT NORMAL DRIVING SPEEDS ON SIDE STREETS, MAIN THOROUGHFARES AND ESPECIALLY WHILST ON FREEWAYS. THE OCCURENCE HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING, THE DOWNSHIFT ('SLAM DOWN') CAUSES PERSONS IN THE DRIVING COMPARTMENT TO BE THRUST FORWARD IN A MANNER SIMILAR TO A REAR-END COLLISION. WE REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION IN AUGUST, 1998; THE RADIATOR WAS REPLACED IN SEPTEMBER, 1998 AND HEATING/COOLING SYSTEM REPAIRED AND PURGED IN OCTOBER, 1998 (WE HAD NOTED SOME ASSOCIATION WITH ENGINE OVERHEATING, BUT THIS SEEMS NOT TO BE THE CASE). WE SUSPECT ELECTROINC ERROR MESSAGES IN THE PROGRAM OF THIS 'EXCITING' WELL MONITORED TRANSMISSION (IT IS INTERESTING THAT THE COMPUTERS ON BOARD CONTAIN NO ERROR MESSAGES, EITHER BECAUSE WE NEED TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE TO RESET THE TRANSMISSION - THUS THE ERROR MESSAGE, IF ANY IS NOTED ON THE 'COMPUTER MEMORY' IS DISPATCHED TO OBLIVION ONCE THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF, [HOW CONVENIENT]) WE TOOK THIS VEHICLE TO OUR LOCAL MECHANIC BILL'S AUTO CARE 805-520-7818 FOR A TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT (INCLUDING ASSOCIATED ELECTRONICS) AND THE REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION (ACQUIRED FROM A LOCAL SIMI VALLEY DODGE DEALER) DOES THE SAME THING - WE ARE NOW ON OUR FOURTH TRANSMISSION FOR THIS VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTS AT WILL. THIS DOWNSHIFT INCIDENT CAN AND HAS HAPPENED UNDER THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS: FREEWAY DRIVING UP HILL ON STEEP (GRAPEVINE INTERSTATE 5) 1 TIME LATE AUGUST 1998 OR AFTER MODERATELY STEEP UPHILL WHILE GOING TO WORK (CA 118 FREEWAY FROM SIMI VALLEY - CHATSWORTH CA, ) ALMOST EVERY DAY AT 550-615AM DRIVE TIME AND ON MANY RETURNS 345-500PM DRIVE TIME. I WORK AT MONROE HS IN NORTH HILLS, CA OR DRIVING THE CALIFORNIA 118 AND 14 FREEWAYS TO AND FROM (SIMI VALLEY TO PALMDALE) WHICH HAS A MODERATE CHANGE OF GRADE. WEATHER CLEAR AFTERNOON 70'S AND NIGHT 60'S. 2 TIMES OR DRIVING THE CALIFORNIA 118 AND 126 TO AND FROM (SIMI VALLEY, VENTURA) WHICH HAS A MODERATE CHANGE