Hello,

Live in a small northern isolated town and my 96 Dodge Grand Caravan (205,000 km) which has been great to me just one day started fine but when you shift it into gear it stalls unless you accelerate quickly and then it justs bumps along until it idles and then stalls. It's fine in park or neutral. Haven't had any tranny symptom signs (I've owned 3 vans before this one and know all about the tranny woes of these vans). The local mechanic has been looking at it for about a month and has finally said to replace the tranny ($3000 up here to replace). Not convinced of this yet. The only thing the van has really ever had replaced (besides normal wear and tear) was the computer chip but that was in 2001. Any one else experiencing this or have a solution. Outside help would be greatly appreciated - a lot of pros to living in a small northern community - but solving and repairing autos is not one of them.

Thanks.

Its possible that the torque converter in the transmission is locked up and will not release, that will cause the problem you are describing.

Usually in the vehicles that I have seen do this will usually start and work fine when cold, but will lock up after they warm up, after letting it sit for a little while, they will unlock and be able to be driven again.

If the transmission did not slip before, then you might be able to get away with just replacing the converter.

Also one more thing, the computer might be telling it to lock up, try to unplug the plug on the transmission in the front, close to the dipstick, and try it, if it will go into gear, you have either a bad relay or the computer is bad.

Be aware, if you unplug this, it will force the tranny to go into limp mode.

Be aware, if you unplug this, it will force the tranny to go into limp mode.


Good point, but it may be worth it to see if it will go into gear at all.