It might just be me, but it sounds like a transmission failure.Either 2 or 3 years ago, I was coming up the expressway running 70-80 in my 2002 Chrysler Voyager. All of the sudden it felt like I was dragging a deer under the van. I got off at the next exit and pulled in and put the van in park. No deer or anything else under the van. Put it in drive and went on home, about 10 more miles. I pulled in the circular drive and put it in park. Put it in drive and it pulled forward. Put it in reverse and it would not back up. Put it in drive again and would not go forward. My son changed the transmission fluid to see if that would help. (It had helped on my 98 S10 to keep it running another couple of months.) So it sat for several months until I had to move it. My friend tried to tow it to the yard next door with it in neutral. That resulted in the chain flying back and hitting me in the hood. He jacked it up and shook the front drivers side tire. It freed up. He towed it and then every time we put it in gear, it freezes up again. You can put it in neutral and shake that front tire and it frees it up again until it is put in gear.
Any ideas? Several people told me CV Joints or Axels. I went to a shop today to talk to them and they said it sounds like Valve body in the transmission. The van has sat for a long time because I had the S10 to drive. Put a ton of money in the S10 lately and then on Friday March 13th, a Lexus plowed me up and totaled my truck. I really need the van to drive now. Sure can't buy a truck for what the insurance company is giving me.
Thanks in Advance,
Susan
2002 Chrysler Voyager Transmission Problem??
Either 2 or 3 years ago, I was coming up the expressway running 70-80 in my 2002 Chrysler Voyager. All of the sudden it felt like I was dragging a deer under the van. I got off at the next exit and pulled in and put the van in park. No deer or anything else under the van. Put it in drive and went on home, about 10 more miles. I pulled in the circular drive and put it in park. Put it in drive and it pulled forward. Put it in reverse and it would not back up. Put it in drive again and would not go forward. My son changed the transmission fluid to see if that would help. (It had helped on my 98 S10 to keep it running another couple of months.) So it sat for several months until I had to move it. My friend tried to tow it to the yard next door with it in neutral. That resulted in the chain flying back and hitting me in the hood. He jacked it up and shook the front drivers side tire. It freed up. He towed it and then every time we put it in gear, it freezes up again. You can put it in neutral and shake that front tire and it frees it up again until it is put in gear.
Any ideas? Several people told me CV Joints or Axels. I went to a shop today to talk to them and they said it sounds like Valve body in the transmission. The van has sat for a long time because I had the S10 to drive. Put a ton of money in the S10 lately and then on Friday March 13th, a Lexus plowed me up and totaled my truck. I really need the van to drive now. Sure can't buy a truck for what the insurance company is giving me.
Thanks in Advance,
Susan
Any ideas? Several people told me CV Joints or Axels. I went to a shop today to talk to them and they said it sounds like Valve body in the transmission. The van has sat for a long time because I had the S10 to drive. Put a ton of money in the S10 lately and then on Friday March 13th, a Lexus plowed me up and totaled my truck. I really need the van to drive now. Sure can't buy a truck for what the insurance company is giving me.
Thanks in Advance,
Susan
1 - 20 of 25 Posts
It might just be me, but it sounds like a transmission failure.
Hi Susan! Welcome to the forums. When you had the deer dragging indecent, did the check engine light come on? What you're describing happened to my 2002 a few years back, with the check engine light coming on at the same time. That's when the transmission shifted into what's called "limp home mode" where it operates only in reverse and second gear. When I limped home, same thing. Put it in reverse and nothing. Back in drive and nothing. It is NOT your cv joint. It's something inside the transmission itself. I ended up with a different van. Others here may have more clues as to what it is, and I hope they respond quickly.
Thanks Shipo & Ed. I'm hoping it isn't the transmission. The van is front wheel drive, so not an easy fix. Ed, I don't remember the check engine light coming on.
Susan, sorry but by all accounts it sounds like the transmission has shifted its' last gear, so to speak.
I hope that isn't the case ForistellDodge. I really hope not. I did notice when I put the battery charger on it and cranked it on Monday that there was no check engine light on. I would have noticed that. The reason I charged the battery is because I came home from a trip and the drivers side window was down. Door still locked and the way it is parked, nothing could have knocked it. Charged it to get the window up. Didn't go up after charging though. But a big garbage bag covered the window problem for now.
My son wants me to put it on jack stands and try to spin the front wheel by hand and also by the engine and see if one or both move. He said if they won't turn then the problem would be either the CV joints, bearings at the hub(where the wheel is at), or the final drive which is in the transmission could be locked up. So I am off to buy jack stands on the way home from work today.
Well, this is the internet so specific diagnoses are difficult to make without seeing it in person, but from what you describe, to me it sounds like the transmission is locked up unless I'm missing something. When you say it doesn't move forward or backward, does the engine rev freely like it's in neutral, or does it rev with a load, like you're hitting the gas while holding the brake?
I will check that tonight ForistellDodge. Heading home now and I will check. Thank you.
The CEL is not a fool proof test of a transmission failure since only gets triggered if the computer either can't talk to the transmission control module or if the transmission control module reports an error. We're all hoping it isn't but the symptoms look pretty bad. Best of luck on the tests!
When the transmission in our 1998 DGC ate itself it A) exhibited symptoms similar to what Susan has described, and B) did not yield a CEL.
I'm still thinking this is a dead transmission.
I'm still thinking this is a dead transmission.
And I don't know how similar this would be in operation to our 09 6spd, but it locked up similarly. No movement of any kind, in any gear.
ForistellDodge, I did what you asked. When I put it in drive or first, it seems like it wants to move and the RPMs go up to 2000-3000, but it doesn't move. When I put it in reverse, it makes a whinning sound and doesn't seem like it is trying to move like in the forward gears.Well, this is the internet so specific diagnoses are difficult to make without seeing it in person, but from what you describe, to me it sounds like the transmission is locked up unless I'm missing something. When you say it doesn't move forward or backward, does the engine rev freely like it's in neutral, or does it rev with a load, like you're hitting the gas while holding the brake?
Well, let's see what the others here say, but it sounds to me like the transmission is off to that big shifter in the sky. I think you broke a gear inside the thing.ForistellDodge, I did what you asked. When I put it in drive or first, it seems like it wants to move and the RPMs go up to 2000-3000, but it doesn't move. When I put it in reverse, it makes a whinning sound and doesn't seem like it is trying to move like in the forward gears.
Sounds like a fried transmission to me.
In other words, is their any fluid on the trans dipstick?
In other words, is their any fluid on the trans dipstick?
No one else has proposed the possibility of a bad rubber brake line. This would prevent the brakes from releasing for a few hours.
Not an uncommon occurrence in vans of this vintage.
Not an uncommon occurrence in vans of this vintage.
The transmission fluid was fine. About a month after it happened, my son changed the transmission filter and fluid. That didn't help any, but it was full of fluid when he changed it.
Carbuff2, would that make it stay that way all the time? The only time the wheels spin freely is when it is in neutral and you shake the front wheel to release it. But as soon as it is put in gear, it locks up again.
Susan, if you need the van to be in service quickly, you really need to get it looked at physically by someone who can make the correct diagnosis (i.e. dealer or transmission shop). Anything you read here is speculation based upon reported symptoms, and none of this will help if you don't have the time or expertise to fix it yourself. From what you've said and from my past experience, to me it sounds like the transmission needs to be replaced. But until someone gets their actual eyeballs and diagnostic tools on it, we really won't know, regardless of how many other things we suggest you do to troubleshoot it.
Thanks ForistellDodge. My son is coming over from Augusta this weekend (3 hr drive). I was just trying to get a jump start on it before he got here. I'm mainly trying to find out if it is even worth fixing or just get rid of it and find something else.Susan, if you need the van to be in service quickly, you really need to get it looked at physically by someone who can make the correct diagnosis (i.e. dealer or transmission shop). Anything you read here is speculation based upon reported symptoms, and none of this will help if you don't have the time or expertise to fix it yourself. From what you've said and from my past experience, to me it sounds like the transmission needs to be replaced. But until someone gets their actual eyeballs and diagnostic tools on it, we really won't know, regardless of how many other things we suggest you do to troubleshoot it.
1 - 20 of 25 Posts
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