I have a 2017 Grand Caravan SXT with 36000 km. At 32,000km I had taken it in for warranty for a transmission leak, and no problems until last week. At two different times, when it was in reverse it was really hard to shift into reverse despite pressing the break. Today, it was completely stuck in park, and I had to shut the van off and back on to get it to shift into reverse. I've called Dodge and have an appointment on Wednesday. Question is, is this safe to drive until then? ANd also is this a common issue?

 

Sound like you could have a bad shift interlock solenoid or bad brake switch. Yes your van is safe to drive only you might have trouble getting it out park if you can't manage and it completely stuck in park there's a little square plug cover on the dash up on the right from the shift ****. Take a screwdriver of key and pop the cover off and you'll see a white tab inside the hole use the screwdriver or key a push the tab to release the shift lock and shift out of park. Anything can go wrong but it doesn't seem to be one of common issue with Grand Caravans.

 

Hello Mopar340.

I have a 2011 D Caravan. Sometimes, generally It shifts into reverse rough. Shifting into other gears is not as rough.

Do you think it is a bad solenoid? I plan to change the fluid. What kind of clues should I look like?

Thank you,

 

I did not some online search. I think my problem is not best explained by shuttering. It engages rough sometimes from neutral to reverse or drive or between drive to reverse via versa. I do not have any other problem. what might be my problem?

Thank you,

 

The rough shift you're referring to is it banging or clunking noise when shifting in reverse and sometime in drive. Well make sure your van has the latest transmission update that been one of problem reported by numerous GC owner so Chrysler had issued software update to the transmission to eliminate the hard shift on the 62TE.

 

I will take the car for an update and let ou know. Thank you,

 

We've had an 86 Caravan, a 97, an 04, a 10, and the first I had as an adult was my 2018. I've learned to use the emergency break on even the slightest hill while still in a moving gear (Reverse or Drive) and then put it into park. Then when you start up put it into a gear then let of emergency break. You will greatly improve the life of the transmission. When a parking pall breaks off it makes a real mess in the gear box I've heard.

On the few time recently I've forgotten to do this, I'll put it into drive on a hill and the bang the parking pall disengaging sounds like an empty metal barrel being dropped and shakes the who van.

 

Here where I live, it is pretty flat. But my wife still uses parking break. The cluck I observe happens even I hold my foot on the brake. Thank you tough.

 

yes I'm saying you set your emergency brake before putting it in park. If you put it in park and then put on the emergency brake you're still sitting on the parking pawl. If you set the emergency brake first the van never even has to use the parking pawl it never touches a single tooth on a Gear.