2008 CHRYSLER ASPEN Power Train Problems

There is a known issue where the transfer case motor will erratically fail causing multiple safety issues. The car is AWD with a 2 speed 4WD selector. The motor can shift into neutral on its own disabling the gear selectors Park function ( it is used when towing the vehicle and disconnects the transmission from the drive train). It happened to me in a parking lot and fortunately it was on level ground or the car could have rolled away when I went into a store. I only discovered what had happened after I started the car and could not get it into forward or reverse. I turned the engine off and put the gear selector in Park, got out and I was able to move the car by pushing, after a Google search indicated it might be in neutral. I found a procedure online to remove the transfer case...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER ASPEN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED INDEPENDENTLY INTO 4 WHEEL DRIVE AND SEIZED. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE FRONT WHEELS TO LOCK UP AND NOT MOVE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO GUIDE THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT SMELLED A BURNING RUBBER ODOR RIGHT BEFORE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THE MECHANIC INITIALLY REMEDIED THE FAILURE BY SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION BACK FROM FOUR WHEEL DRIVE INTO THE NORMAL GEARS. THE FAILURE RECURRED AGAIN AND ALL FOUR WHEELS SEIZED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 191,000.

I RECENTLY BOUGHT MY CHRYSTLER ASPEN AND AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD I NOTICED A CLUNK ON THE REAR END. I CHECKED TO MAKE SURE THE SPARE TIRE OR MUFFLER WASN'T LOOSE AND EVEN TOOK IT TO A LOCAL SHOP WHERE WE FOUND A BOLT LOCATED RIGHT AT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL THAT APPEARS TO BE LOOSE CAUSING THAT CLUNKING NOISE. I WENT ONLINE TO SEE IF ANY OTHER CHRYSTLER OWNERS HAD THE SAME ISSUE AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE HAS BEEN CERTAIN DODGE AND CHRYSTLER VEHICLES AFFECTED AND EVEN RECALLED FOR THIS SAME ISSUE. I ALSO READ ONLINE THAT DRIVING WITH THAT BOLT BEING LOOSE COULD DAMAGE THE DIFFERENTIAL AND CAUSE IT TO LOCK UP MAKE THE WHOLE TRUCK TO STOP VERY SUDDENLY CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I CALLED 2 DIFFERENT LOCAL DEALERSHIPS AND EXPLAINED THE ISSUE AND ASKED THEM IF MY VEHICLE...

MY 2008 ASPEN WAS BUILT DURING THE SAME TIME AS THE 2009 MODEL YEAR THAT HAD THE FAULTY PINION NUTS/SHAFT. RIGHT AT 170,K OUR PINION BEARING IS BAD. I BELIEVE THEY SAME PARTS WERE USED AND DODGE REFUSES TO WORK WITH ME. THANKFULLY IT HAS NOT BROKE YET BUT THE TRUCK IS NEEDING TO BE IN THE SHOP.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER ASPEN. TWO YEARS AGO, AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE PINION NUT WAS LOOSE AND NEEDED TO BE TIGHTENED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DIFFERIENTAL NEEDED A PINION SEAL. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AGAIN, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V038000 (POWER TRAIN) AS A POSSIBLE SOLUTION, BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 49,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER ASPEN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVE TRAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

FIRST I MUST START OUT BY SAYING THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE SINCE BUYING FROM A DEALERSHIP WHO HAS REFUSED TO CORRECT ANY OF THE PROBLEMS IN ANY FASHION MAINLY BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT A CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP. THE DAY AFTER WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE THE VEHICLE STALLED ON US DUE TO A DEAD BATTERY. NOT A BIG DEAL, BUT IT WAS ONLY THE BEGINNING TO A WIDE RANGE OF PROBLEMS. WHILE TAKING THE TRUCK FOR A REQUIRED STATE INSPECTION, THE TRUCK SOMEHOW MANAGED TO ROLL FORWARD FROM A PARKED POSITION WHEN REVERSE HAD BEEN SELECTED. IT WAS PARKED ON AN INCLINE NO MORE THAN A 10 DEGREE ANGLE AND ENDED UP ROLLING/CRASHING INTO THE CURB. I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP TO VOICE MY CONCERN/ANGER AND THEY AGREED TO LOOK INTO THE PROBLEM BUT TO NO AVAIL. NOT LONG AFTERWARDS WE HAD SOME HEAVY RAIN I BELIEVE THE FOLLOWING WEEK AND...

REAR PINION NUT BACKED OFF CAUSING LOST OF FLUID FROM THE DIFFERENTIAL TO LEAKED OUT. TALKED TO CHRYSLER AND THEY SAID THIS MODEL WAS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST EVEN THOUGH THE DESCRIPTION FITS TO THE LETTER ON WHAT HAS HAPPEN ON THOSE COVERED ON THE RECALL. HAD TO GET REPAIRS DONE AT PEP BOYS SINCE NO DEALERSHIPS ARE OPEN ON SUNDAY OR SATURDAY AFTERNOON. REPLACED PINION SEAL AND ADD FLUID TO DIFFERENTIAL, TORQUE NUT. IS THIS GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN AFTER 50,000 MILES OR OTHER PEOPLE. *TR