Transmission blowups 98-02 chrylser minivans/dodge

[maynardmom6]

If you or anyone you know has had their transmission blow in their 98-02 caravans or other chrysler vans please let me know their email addresses. I am doing some research on the fact that in these models the differential pins slip and blow thru the tranny case which renders the transmission useless. Consumers pay to have the trannys replaced not knowing it is a defect. On 03 and newer vans the transmissions have metal plates installed in them which keeps the pins from blowing through the casing. I would like to pursue this situation with chrysler since they think there is no problem....so why the metal plates in the newer vans?? Thank you in advance for your help.

[shelbydodgeimp]

This is not news, Chrysler has been too cheap to use "differential pin stoppers" for years, only $20 for the two parts- yet until ~2003 they did not use them on ANY of their automatics used by their FWD vehicals.

My A604 had to get rebuilt because my 1992 shot the differential pin clear threw the case (leaving a nice lil hole for all the fluid to go out).

I wanted to do a performance rebuild anyway so I am not complaining, a lil sad that my 150,000 mile A604 died because they cut corners- and the rest of the trans was in fine shape, none of the hard parts, clutches, etc had any ware and tare on them.

So a lil $3k loan, abt $1k in JUST performance parts I had a racing spec trans built locally.

I will be getting it back about next week, the big hold up was the limited slip differential didn't come for about 3 months- finally got that, now we're playing with different spring combinations on the differential assembly to see what gives the best "limited slip to traction loss" ratio- basically this is a daily driver so its gotta be able to run in the snow and rain, so I need *some* traction... yet want a limited slip.

So we've been going into the differential assembly what, 3 times now? just expiramenting varrious combinations.

Slow way to die, haven't had the car since November- BUT, i will be uber happy when its back (new trans, new coolant system, new suspension, new brakes....).

[shelbydodgeimp]

Oh- as to why they're using them NOW and not then: Chrysler by 2001 started to realize that their reputation was going to hell (literally) for all the dying A604's/A606's on the market.

The differential pin problem is not specific to this trans, go search for 3 speed modifications and you'll see all the automatic turbo FWD Mopar folk will do a mod to add the $20 pair of parts to not have to worry about it.

There is hope that they'll eventually get the trans right- after all its much better now than it used to be, and the next generation of minivans will be using a 6speed based on the A604... so every couple of years we get nice updated parts that make things alot better (5 pinion planetaries come to mind).

Its not a problem specific to Chrysler either, the big 3 have been pumping out bad automatics for over a decade. Why? Fuel economy. You can make a trans (like the A604) that gives you great mpgs (compared to older automatics like the 3speed) on highway driving, but the trade off is reliabilty.

Whenever new technology goes into cars, there are alot of problems- like when the EPA "over night" decided that the car primers being used on the assembly line were to be outlawed- it left the companies in America scrambling to find a replacement set of paints to use, and the end result was a whole era of American cars which have peeling paint problems (I am sure you've seen them in your parkinglots, etc)

Basically what would happen is that the clear coat would peel off the color coat, then the color coat won't stick the the primer and it will come off in sheets.

Now the Asian cars did not have this problem because they didn't have the EPA screaming down their backs about hazardous paints- that plus their smaller (back then anyway) vehicals gave them the reputation of "having cars that don't break and get good mpgs" which the media has kept repeating ever since.

Nevermind that the A604 was the FIRST computer controled automatic, and time and time again we've gotten stuff like EFI, autostick, coil over sparkplugs from American companies FIRST, years ahead of everyone else. To do that, you're gonna have alot of stuff that hits the market before it should, but thats what happens when you're taking risks to bring about better technology.

The 3.3 + A604 combination engine/drivetrain was state of the art, at least a decade ahead of its time in 1990. Here we had a OBID car before OBID was required by law, an engine which had a DIS ignition system, a PCM which could adjust the timing for each pair of cylinders individually (aka cylin 1 and 3 could use different timing settings), EGRs, a computer controled automatic, a TCM able to learn the driver's habbits and predict how the driver will want the vehical to shift, and the ability to throw in just about any octane fuel and get the ignition to automatically adjust via knock sensor(s) to give the engine the best advance in timing (and thus power) without damaging the engine.

The big deal in 1989 was that the 3.3 was a pushrod engine, everyone expectred such a state of the art system would have a newer top end... but thats where the high output 3.5 comes in- same basic engine, newer top end, coil over sparkplug ignition- same basic block idea, forged engine internals and the ability to get 10s on the 1/4 mile in the prowlers.

[flash gordon]

welcome to the world of the cracked dashboard....

DCX will not admit there is widespread problems on their own.....not ever. they will only recall something when they are made to recall something by the NTHSA.....or a Federal District Court(see catalytic converters)

unlike say, Honda.....Honda has sold millions of Accords worldwide, but last year they(on their own) discovered many of their 98-01 Accords had automatic transmission problems, they had narrowed it down to just a hand full made at a certain plant MAY have produced these cars with a lower level of quality....can't remember the exact number but it was very miniscule compared to the number of Accords built and sold during that time.....Honda, ON THEIR OWN, placed an ext warranty on EVERY Accord automatic tranny built during that time. It is a full warranty that goes 7yrs/100K miles......Now that is how a car maker takes care of its customers....no hiding, no bs'ing. Just good old quality and pride in what they make.

just think, HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF DCX doing something like this?

didn't think so.

[papasteve]

My transmission went out due to a pin in the transaxle coming out thru the case. The transmission shop brought a used trans in but couldn't use it because it was cracked in the same place. another transmission was installed and it lasted 3 months. The trans shop brought in another trans but it was craked in the same spot due to a pin coming out. the trans shop found a good trans and TIG welded the pin in place. So far no more trouble.102,000 miles.

[shelbydodgeimp]

You dont need to weld the pin in, just use the differential pin stoppers.

[Chet42]

Welcome to the Chrysler 4 speed transmission club.

No annual fees required.

Deep pockets are a prerequsite.

Frequent rebuilds are mandatory.

Chet.

[gharper2]

My 96 Grand Carvan experienced a loose differential pin that rubbed a hole in the case causing trans fluid leakage resulting in limp mode until trans fluid level was restored. This was a pain 600 miles from home. Used about 2 quarts an hour of ATF+3, stopping at Wallmarts along the way for fluid. Of course I had no clue why the leakage at the time - the van underside was an oily mess. Have digital pictures of the bad design trans parts if you need them.

[auto_mran]

So is there any way to address/repair this pin problem before it causes thousands of dollars in damage? Approaching 114k miles on the 96 Grand Voyager with nothing but normal tranny services (and one flush when a local tranny shop put the wrong fluid in). Would really like to keep it for another 10k-20k miles but NOT if the tranny is a ticking time bomb. Anyone out there with upwards of 150k on their 4 speed automatics without a major repair?

[shelbydodgeimp]

the 5th ave we have has over 188k on an all original, 2nd year a604

The way to address the diff pin is to add differential pin stoppers. Its one of those "part cost is nothing, labor costs will kill you" jobs if you dont do it yourself.

[MqtMatt]

lol @ the first post

[Chet42]

the 604's in cars seem to fair better than in the vans because the cars are lighter and the tranny doesn't work as hard.

Chet.