NHTSA Complaint #767531 — 1996 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

EXPERIENCED INCIDENT WHERE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT FROM FIRST GEAR. ATTEMPTS TO SHIFT FROM N TO D FAILED TO CORRECT PROBLEM. TRANSMISSION CORRECTED ITSELF AFTER BRINGING VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP, PLACING IN P AND RESTARTING ENGINE. HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED NUMERIOUS INCIDENTS DURING PAST 6 YEARS WHERE TRANSMISSON FAILS TO SHIFT FROM P TO R AND R TO D AND REQUIRES TO BE RESHIFTED TO P AND THEN TO DESIRED SELECTION. RESEARCH INTO PROBLEM BY QUESTIONING VARIOUS PRIVATE TRANMISSION SPECIALISTS THAT AN UNDETERMINED DESIGN FLAW IN DIFFERENTIAL, IN 1995 AND LATER MODELS, CAUSES BOTH PROBLEMS AND HAS EVEN RESULTED IN DIFFERENTIAL COMPLETELY FAILING AND EXPLODING.*AK