93 Plymoth Voyager Transmission problems

[Tigerstripe40]

Dannielle and I Were getting ready to go out to my friend's place in Colorado. This is a 10 hour drive normally, otherwise, we'd be taking the 'Cruiser.

Anyhow, we went to costco to get some groceries for the big Soire' and the transmission in her van was not shifting properly. And it's making a bunch of noise.

The transmission is a 4 speed 'adaptive shift' transmission found behind the 3.3 liter V6. The transmission was replaced about 2 years ago at teh dealership with a factory rebuilt unit.

Anyhow, the transmsission isn't shifting properly, if at all. AFter I got home this evening, I had her put the transmission in gear, from park, and it sounds like there is a bunch of gravel inside the torque convertor.

Iam thinking either we have a bad torque convertor, or perhaps one of the bearings in the input shaft of the transmission has gone bad.

We pull ECM codes, and we are getting 12, adn 55.

12 means that hte ECM has had the power cut within th epast 50-100 key on's of the van. 55 means that it's the end of the code readout.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

James, bad news. I lived with one of these miserable cars for 10 years. The engine ran strong for 120k miles, but the tranny was junk. We replaced at 40k, and it was going again at 120k. That's with yearly perfect maintenance. They are notorious for being bad from the factory. Our friends with the same car replaced 3 transmissions in 100k miles. We are both driving Siennas now, which rock, btw...

There is nothing good to say about Dodge trannies from this era. Thay are all bad, due to an internal design flaw. Get out now. I also hated the way all the plastic bits in this car self destructed over the time we owned it. They are built as disposable junk. They are the pampers of the automotive world. THese are bad cars, do not waste your time and money, it isn't worth the frustration.

 

[projektdotnet]

Plymouth 3.3 V6...DITCH IT!!! We have one and the longer we've had it the worse it has gotten...the other day the guages stopped working for about 10 minutes out of nowhere. Tranny slips badly, valvetrain is on it's last leg. Etc, etc. I keep trying to get my in-laws to get rid of this thing (they transport my son in this and I wouldn't trust it safety wise as far as I could throw it Brakes suck, steering is way too stiff, tranny sucks. I will never buy a Diamler product as long as I live!

 

[Tigerstripe40]

Yeah, my sentiments exactly.

I used to have a 1991 dodge die-nasty with the EXACT same setup that I inherited from my mother.
She put 2 trannies in it in the 5 years she owned it.

THis van was given to her by her parents.
We may hav ea ray of hope.

She took it to Jiffy Lube this afternoon to get the oil changed, and it started happening AFTER the oil got changed.

Anyhow.
We are going to go to Jiffy Lube in the morning.
Sucks cause this is a trip we both REALLY needed.

 

[Zack1978]

HOLY s*** A DODGE WITH A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM!!!!!!! I can't believe that!!


Zack

 

[Tigerstripe40]

We took it to the dealership where she got the tranny replaced 2 years ago.
She bought a remanufactured transmission, and It's still under warranty!

Not by much.

So it's getting replaced on Chryslers dime.
:grin:

 

[Brian in Oregon]

I had a 92 Dodge Caravan company work truck. Went through 4 transmissions in 80,000 miles. The first went out at 700 miles. They're bad news, but especially when you put tools and cargo in them. Similar tales of woe from other drivers in the fleet.

My advice is since it is on Chrysler's dime (will they honor labor or only parts?) get it fixed, then unload it and get something better before it breaks again. And it WILL break again. It's not a matter of IF but WHEN.

 

[Tigerstripe40]

Whats interesting, is that the first tranny lasted 121,000 miles before it went bad.
IT was slipping, but it wasn't a bad bearing problem.

This one wen 32,000 miles. 4,000 miles under the warranty and it sounds like a toasted bearing.

Anyhow, She's going to drive it until it just can't be fixed any more. PRobably until this new transmission goes bad.

She's still in school. She wants a Prius, but she can't afford the car payements and insurance.

 

[projektdotnet]

Don't drive it untill it dies...TRUST ME!!! I had one truck I said I was gonna do that with then decided to sell it because I had a kid on the way. 2 Weeks later the friend I sold it to threw a rod through the oil-pan...siezed seconds later. Luckily he wasn't on the road. I won't take that van on long trips. I would be more apt to take my rickity, shaky, bad brakes, horrible mileage still needs lots-o-work FJ40 on a trip before that POS dodge...Chrysler vehicles are HORRIDLY designed. I wish my father-in-law would listen to me but he won't and I know it.

 

[Martin White]

It's the same in Canada. You can buy these vehicles used for next to nothing because the reliability is so poor, well...you know. I'd say get out now, get what you can and buy something more reliable. Even an older used Toyota minivan will be far, far better than what you have now, and when it's repaired, you probably won't have to redo it in 40K, over and over and over again.

 

[Tigerstripe40]

yeah

When she gets it back, shes going to start saving up for a new-to-her car, and sell the minivan while she still can.
It's got new tires, and a new transmission....
She might get $500 for it if she's lucky.

I've talked to her about putting a few $$$ into the 4Runner, then let her drive that when it gets finished. Not sure how much she likes that idea, though.