Hi everyone, I am hopign that maybe someone can give me some insight on what may be worng. I have a 2001 Caravan SE, approx 115,000 miles.

My husband drove to work it was fine, when he tried to leave the drive way from work he started the van, put it in drive, started to drive out of the driveway, got about 25 feet from the driveway and the van stopped he heard kinda like a popping sound then it didnt want to move it seemed as though it was in nuetral. When he put the shifter in to park it made a grinding noise. He tried to put the van in to the other gears and nothing. No sound no feeling of any kind. There was no fluids on the ground, nor any parts.
I called a few tranny shops, assuming it may be the problem and they are saying that it may be the differencial. Others are saying that it may be the CV Axle... what do you think? Can anyone help??? We really dont have the money if it were to be the tranny...

 

Welcome to DF
Took a look at the drive axles. Sounds like one of them broke. The most common side is the driver side (short shaft).

 

We jacked the front end up to where both tires are off the ground and put it in drive, the drivers side tire spun breify then stopped, wouldnt turn anymore.. we put it in reverse and it did the same, spun-stopped-jerked did that a few times then stopped would do anything now. we were told to try to move each axle see if they have alot of play.. the drivers side has slightly more play like a couple of mm then the passenger side.
Now it isnt doing anything but grinding when put into park.

 

Try letting the van sit with park brake applyed and in park. Release the park brake and have someone inside to get ready to step on the brakes. Try rolling the van in park, Does it roll? or move .......

 

we were told that if the van were on the ground and in drive or reverse and we step on the gas if the speedometer moves then it was an axle if it didnt then it was the tranny. We did that and it did infact move so we changed BOTH axles filled tranny fluid and now it drove about 50 ft then stopped as if it was in neutral. put in gear drove alittle ways again then did the same thing, this time it grinded alittle when was put in park. We pushed it into the parking space put it in park took foot off the brake and it continued to roll forward,

 

Not a good sign...... Time to have a tranny shop check it out. Sorry.