Keeping Chrysler Caravan Transmision Reliable.....

[Idrinkmotoroil]

We own a 2001 Dodge Caravan - 3.3 L engine with 4 speed auto transmission. I was just wondering what you can do to keep this transmission from failing at an early age ?. I've often heard that Chrysler has had issues with early transmission failures, I'm not sure what years or what models that applies most to. I was just speaking to a good friend of mine, and his transmission recently failed on his Dodge Caravan as it just went over the warranty period. His is a 1999 with the 3.8 L engine and 4 speed auto. I know he had his transmission fluid and filter changed at about 60,000 kms, to help protect against such failures too. Oddly enough my mother has a 1990 Caravan with the 3.3 L engine and 4 speed transmission, with over 200,000 kms and it still has the original fluid in it with absolutely no maintenance ever done to it.

What can you do to keep these transmissions operating reliably and not fail at early ages ?. Are these current generation Caravan transmissions any more reliable than the last generation ?

any info would be helpful, thanks.

 

[Gary Allan]

The first thing I'd do is put an auxillary filter in the coolant circuit. If you don't want to go with a spin-on ..get one of those magnafines from the site sponsor (or where ever) ..that will assure that the converter won't decide to disintegrate and foul the rest of the trans.

They are far too sophisticated for what they do.

 

[JHZR2]

Id suggest making fluid changes every 20k, fluid and filter changes every 40k. Its a little more often than the manual suggests, but clean fluid is the key. I know a couple guys who have well over 250k miles, and keep to this route.

My father drives lightly. Not that he accelerates excessively slowly, blocking traffic, but he has a light foot. Driving with a light foot, as a habit, and keeping to manual-suggested changes has given him 186k mile service on his transmission with no signs of it going south anytime soon.

JMH

 

[edvanp]

Have any changes/modifications been made by Chrysler to correct this problem? We just got a 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan - Stow an Go with the 3.8L engine. It comes with the 7 year/70k mile warranty on the powertrain. If past history is any indication, we'll probably be in a different vehicle by 70k miles, but I still want to make sure I can prolong the life of the Transmission if possible.

 

[Marlin]

V6 FWD gm cars had soem trans problems also, IF the car was not REALLY taken care of.

What I did for those was change the fluid early, and in some even put in a small trans cooler.

 

[John D]

I second the suggestion to put in a transmission cooler. I don't think there is much room to install one where it has to go, so you probably won't have any choice but put in a small one. A small one is better than none at all!
Also, make sure you change the fluid & filter often (probably along the lines of at least once every 2 years). It may cost you a few extra dollars, but it is alot cheaper than buying another transmission! When you do get the fluid changed, make sure you are using the correct fluid (I believe ATF +4 is what is recommended for the 2001 -- if not, then use ATF +3). DO NOT USE DEXRON FLUID!!! Do not put it anywhere near the van!

 

[kenw]

I dunno...our 93 (3.3L) didn't sseem to be helped by more-frequent-than-required fluid changes. And it was rebuilt enough to result in an even more aggressive fluid replacement rate....

A cooler might help but each of the failures (according to the dealer who fixed them (2 in under 120k, and needing a 3rd when we dumped it) were related to "design issues", whatver that might have meant. We never towed a trailer, rarely loaded it heavily and were pretty average drivers (wife's car).

My limited experience says the way to maintain one of these is to get the extended warranty. It paid for both of our rebuilds.

 

[Kestas]

For the seven years I posted on Allpar I noticed these transmissions seem to crap out at the 80K mark. I personally had a 90 LeBaron bought at 90K and sold at 175K. The transmission was replaced shortly before I bought it, and needed rebuilding when I sold it. It was going into limp-home mode every morning before it warmed up, even with the required 15K(?) transmission fluid changes.

I don't believe Chrysler ever improved the A604 Ultradrive transmission. They simply renamed it to 47TE(?) or something like that. The better transmission rebuilders have a list of improvements that can be done to these transmissions to correct a lot of manufacturing deficiencies.

 

[olympic]

I've replaced the transmission 4 times in my 93 Caravan 3.3L with 460,000km. But I'm pretty sure the second one was a dud right from the get go, it always was a bit quirky but it lasted just past the warranty. The third one only lasted a couple months and was replaced free. Now the fourth one has over 200,000km and shifts like new.

Keep the fluid and filter clean and cool and hope for the best I guess. If you have a shop do flushes for you, make darn sure they install the proper fluid and change the filter. Dexon/Mercon ATF=death for these transmissions!

 

[Gary Allan]

Go to allpar.com and look at all the trans issues that people have. Ours, not even the sophisticated 4 speed, lunched @ 86 thousand. Our converter was the issue there.

..but this is too common occurance for any vehicle..period. There are far more stories of a rebuild under 100k then there are of 180k without one ..and the service duty appears to have little to do with the incidents. They fail with grandparents ..they fail with soccer moms ..they fail with highway commuters..

I don't think the service duty has much to do with it..at least for the apparent rate of failure.

Aside from switches and annoyance items ..the AT is the number 1 killer for these vehicles. They are overly complex and under engineered for durability and strength.

 

[Idrinkmotoroil]

thanks for all the great replies. I may try going the yearly drain/flush route and see if it helps, it's relatively cheap maintenance.

My only real concern is that we intend on using this vehicle for long road trips that we plan on doing once a year. I'd hate for it to crap out on such a trip, it will be all highway miles on such trips though.

I dont have a problem if the transmission were to start acting up , and giving you signs of impending destruction. At least in such situations you might be able to seek help before it implodes. But in my friend's case the transmission just died while taking off from a stoplight. It never gave any sign of looming failure. And to make matters worse it took out the transmission case when it dies, so he had to buy an entirely new transmission which is even more expensive.

 

[kenw]

One curiosity that happened to us on a long trip was one you might look out for.

As we drove at highway speed (the crusie control had been dead for years), the car would act like it had no power. The engine was running smooth (it always did), but it was like the trans was slipping bigtime or just wouldn't shift up. We drove for hundreds of miles in 3rd. Since it had already been rebuilt twice, we just assumed this was strike 3....

Once we got home I managed to find that the geniuses placed all the major interbody harness connectors right under the battery tray!!!

they were absolutely corroded to dust and literally fell apart in my hands. I managed to cut off the connectors and solder the wires together (these were not normally unplugged for any service. at least I wasn't going to in my lifetime...). Thank heavens I had the shop manuals.

Most wires I had to cut back a few inches and use a short length of jumper. Many I had to cut back quite a bit to find wire that wasn't powdered.

Repairing these connectors fixed the trans problem. Fixing the disintegrated vaccuum lines in the same area fixed the cruise control which hadn't worked for at least 4 years.

 

[noodlerooney]

B&M stacked plate transmission oil cooler, 11x7.5x.75 inches, 16kgvw. From what I've read, heat is the #1 cause of automatic transmission failures. All my cars with automatic transmissions have it installed, IMHO, makes a big difference. Even in the heat of summer, transmission shifts stay nice and crisp, fluid temp stays around 175F.

 

[Ken2]

Auto-Rx cleaning,
Magnefine or SPX Filtran in-line filter,
Schaeffer's new #204SAT ATF for +3 & +4 applications.
http://www.schaefferoil.com/datapdf/204SAT.pdf


Ken

 

[trynew]

I am planning to put an oil cooler on mine soon. But, I have a question about the cooler hoses. The transmission outlet (nearest the wheel) runs to the bottom of the radiator, and the return line comes from the top of the radiator back to the transmission. Isn't this backwards? Since it is cooler on the bottom of the radiator, that is where you would want the return line to be, isn't it?

 

[1maniac]

quote:

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I was just wondering what you can do to keep this transmission from failing at an early age ?.

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Trade it in, NOW!

 

[Idrinkmotoroil]

quote:

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Originally posted by noodlerooney:
B&M stacked plate transmission oil cooler, 11x7.5x.75 inches, 16kgvw. From what I've read, heat is the #1 cause of automatic transmission failures. All my cars with automatic transmissions have it installed, IMHO, makes a big difference. Even in the heat of summer, transmission shifts stay nice and crisp, fluid temp stays around 175F.

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my friends transmission died the other day in -20 C degree weather in normal city driving. So I don't know if these things are dying just due to heat.

 

[crossbow]

In 32F ambient, a 6s Owner (5 spd Jatco ATX) registered 230F transmission temp.

Ambient temp doesn't help much unless your moving. When your sitting in traffic, the transmissions still overheat. Stop and go is the absolute worst.

 

[Jimbo]

quote:

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Originally posted by 1maniac:

quote:

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I was just wondering what you can do to keep this transmission from failing at an early age ?.

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Trade it in, NOW!

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Sad, but true. None of the US automakers (im counting DCX as US in this context) can build an automatic FWD transaxle thats worth a rip.

 

[rg144]

I've had 3 Chrsyler minvans without trans problems, even the real bad '93.

Definitely add a cooler if your towing. You must use correct fluid (Chrysler 7176) and proper belt adjustments (2 special adjustments on mine) at the stated service interval is what I've done. My current '96 only acted up (slipping torque converter) when I topped off with wrong fluid. 140k miles on it now.

On the Chrysler forums people agree that the frequency of failures are no worse, if not better, than the industry.