NHTSA Complaint #714623 — 1994 DODGE CARAVAN

FOUR SPEED OD TRANSMISSIONS IN THE CHRYSLER VANS SEEM TO BE FAILING AT A HIGH RATE AT ABOUT 100K MILES. WHEN I INQUIRED TO SEVERAL REPAIR SHOPS ABOUT GETTING MY TRANSMISSION FIXED, THEY ALL TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM I AM EXPERIENCING IS COMMON IN THE CHRYSLER VANS. EVERY MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT IT IS A COMBINATION OF MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND POOR QUALITY PARTS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE TRANSMISSIONS. ONE SHOP IN PARTICULAR HAS BEEN REPLACING THESE TRANSMISSIONS ON THE MAGNITUDE OF 70-80 PER YEAR. ADDITIONALLY, I HAPPEN TO HAVE 6 NEIGHBORS WHO OWN OR HAVE OWNED '92-'95 CHRYSLER VANS WITH THE OD TRANSMISSION AND HAVE NEEDED REPLACEMENT ASSEMBLIES ANYWHERE FROM 60K TO 100K (MY NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR HAD HERS REPLACED 3 TIMES, SHE FINALLY TRADED IT IN FOR A NISSAN VAN). ONE MECHANIC, AFTER PERFORMING $1000 WORTH OF WORK REPLACING THE AXLES, TIE ROD ENDS, BRAKES, ROTORS, STRUTS (COMPLETE), TIRES, AND ALIGNMENT, TOLD ME TO "DUMP" THE VAN BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO THEY HAVE TRANSMISSION FAILURES, BUT THEY HAVE VALVE GUIDE FAILURES WITH THE 3.0L ENGINE STARTING AROUND 100K MILES. HE TOLD ME $3000 TO FIX THE TRANSMISSION AND ANOTHER $2000 WHEN THE VALVE GUIDE (PLASTIC) FAILURE OCCURS. I MIGHT ADD THAT I'VE DONE ALL SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE AHEAD OF MANUFACTURERS RECOMMENDED INTERVALS. I AM CERTAIN THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT CHRYSLER HAS KNOWN ABOUT FOR AT LEAST 5 YEARS AND PERHAPS LONGER AND BASED ON CONVERSATIONS WITH SEVERAL REPAIR SHOPS, CHRYSLER HAS DONE NOTHING TO MAKE THE DESIGN FLAW RIGHT.. I DID NOT BUY MY $20,000 VEHICLE TO HAVE IT FAIL AT 95K MILES. THNAKS FOR YOUR HELP. REGARDS, TED CUNEO