I have a 3.0L 1995 Dodge Caravan with around 95,000 miles on it. Last Sunday, I started to notice that the transmission was occasionally slipping. I also noted that it did not always engage when shifting into reverse or forward. I also see jerky shifts... all within the last 2-3 days.

What I did:

a. I checked the fluid level and as per the service manual, it's OK.
b. The fluid's color is light pink (again, normal as per the manual).

Thus, I suspect (and hope) that it might just require some regular maintanance (i.e. flush, filter change, etc.), especially since the levels are OK and the color is normal (not brown or black).

Should I go to a transmission specialist like AAMCO or to my regular garage?

I ask as $$$ is at a premuim these days (just had to change the head gasket on my wife's car).

Comments/suggestions appreciated.

Is it the A670 3 speed or the 41TE(A604) 4 speed?
What gear is slipping and when? 1-2 upshift, 2-3 upshift, or the downshifts? If it's a 3 speed is it starting out in 2nd gear? If that's the case and its an A670 then most likely the diff bearings are chewed up and the filings have plugged up the governor. Can be fixed but the trans has to come out. Let me know and I'll try to help.

Geoff

Is it the A670 3 speed or the 41TE(A604) 4 speed?
What gear is slipping and when? 1-2 upshift, 2-3 upshift, or the downshifts? If it's a 3 speed is it starting out in 2nd gear? If that's the case and its an A670 then most likely the diff bearings are chewed up and the filings have plugged up the governor. Can be fixed but the trans has to come out. Let me know and I'll try to help.

Geoff

It's a 3-speed (1-2-D) and the problem sometimes occurs when I shift into Drive or Reverse from Park or Neutral, or from a stop while in "Drive".

As for your question if it's starting in second, how can I tell? Sometimes at a traffic light, when I depress on the accelator, it is as if it is slipping, then it grabs... or maybe the slippage is really the transmission starting in second then down-shifting into first?

However, at highway speeds, I do not notice any anomaly (in third) nor do I notice anything when shifting between second and third. Hence it seems as if it is mainly in first gear.

Now for the biggie... any idea as to how much $$$ I would be looking at to get this fixed?

If you can re and re the trans yourself it would run you about 450 Canadian to just bandage it up. I would recommend all new seals and bearings; if there's lots of shrapmel in there then a rebuilt torque convertor 'cause it will be full of it. You see the problem with trying to do half a job on these is that the whole transaxle runs in the same fluid and when one part grenades, it quickly spreads the debris to the rest. (Even the cooler will have to be flushed) If you want to have the whole thing rebuilt including re and re you're looking at 1000 -1200. I would personally stay away from Scaamco, and find a small tranny shop you can check references on, or even better yet believe it or not a good dealership who has an actual driveline/tranny specialist. You will find them the most knowledgeable and willing to only fix what's broken in there. Or just get one from a wrecker that has proven low miles on it.
Wish I could help more from here

Geoff

Well,

My transmission has been repaired, or should I say rebuilt. It cost me just over $2000 with half of this just in labor (I am an electronics engineer, not a mechanic... some times I wish I was ;-)

I was essentially told that it needed to be rebuilt, so I checked with Dodge and with AAMCO and both quoted similar numbers as a worse case scenario.

As Murphy's law dictates, it was the worse case scenario. If you are interested, I can post the items that were changed but in any event, the minivan is back in circulation and at least this part is now covered for 36,000 miles or 3 years.

For what it's worth, both the Dodge/Chrysler dealership and the two AAMCO shops indicated that it was not abnormal to need to rebuild the transmission of a Caravan at around 100,000 miles. I am at around 98500. As I bought this minivan "used", I could not vouch on how the previous owner(s) maintained the transmission. I know that I have it flushed once a year.


Thanks to those who posted comments!