2008 Chrysler Aspen Powertrain & Transmission Problems

There is a known issue where the transfer case motor will erratically fail causing multiple safety issues. The car is AWD with a 2 speed 4WD selector. The motor can shift into neutral on its own disabling the gear selectors Park function ( it is used when towing the vehicle and disconnects the transmission from the drive train). It happened to me in a parking lot and fortunately it was on level ground or the car could have rolled away when I went into a store. I only discovered what had happened after I started the car and could not get it into forward or reverse. I turned the engine off and put the gear selector in Park, got out and I was able to move the car by pushing, after a Google search indicated it might be in neutral. I found a procedure online to remove the transfer case from neutral and it worked. There is a tiny hidden button on the 4WD selector panel to put the vehicle in neutral for towing and an extremely faint indicator light that come on when it is in towing neutral. The motor has intermittently started shifting in to 4WD and 4WD low on its own and then back to AWD. Again this is a known issue as there are literally hundreds of reports of people having to replace the motor. Also if the 4WD shifts into low at highway speeds it will cause catastrophic transmission failure and loss of vehicle control. Also reports of the system going into towing neutral at highway speeds causing potentially dangerous situations. Again this is not the shift lever neutral but the 4WD transfer case disengaging the entire drivetrain. I have had it shift into 4WD low (which locks all the differentials together and is only for off-road or snow) which made it extremely had to steer because of the lack of the differentials. Moving the selector switch did return the transmission to AWD and I was forced to park the car. It returned to normal after turning the car off and restarting it. This is a very common issue on Chrysler/Dodge vehicle with 4WD options and needs addressing.

VEHICLE ENGAGES 4WD LO AND 4WD ON IT'S OWN AT ANY TIME. DRIVING THIS VEHICLE IS DANGEROUS AT THE TRANSFER CASE ENGAGES AUTOMATICALLY WHILE DRIVING. I CAN ALSO HEAR 4WD ENGAGING WHILE LOCKING THE VEHCILE WITH THE KEY FOB. THIS IS A WELL DOCUMENTED ISSUE ON THE INTERNET AND I HAVE READ HUNDREDS OF STORIES OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE. DODGE/CHRYSLER WILL REPLACE THE TRANSFER CASE MOTOR WHICH TEMPORARILY ALLEVIATES THE ISSUE. THE PROBLEM IS ELECTRICAL AND DANGEROUS. AT THE VERY LEAST, THIS PROBLEM CAN DESTORY A DIFFERENTIAL AND IN THE WORST CASE, CAUSE A VEHICLE TO GO OUT OF CONTROL ON A HIGHWAY/MOTORWAY. THIS ISSUE IS PREVALENT IN DODGE DURANGO AND CHRYSLER ASPEN VEHICLES.

I RECENTLY BOUGHT MY CHRYSTLER ASPEN AND AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD I NOTICED A CLUNK ON THE REAR END. I CHECKED TO MAKE SURE THE SPARE TIRE OR MUFFLER WASN'T LOOSE AND EVEN TOOK IT TO A LOCAL SHOP WHERE WE FOUND A BOLT LOCATED RIGHT AT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL THAT APPEARS TO BE LOOSE CAUSING THAT CLUNKING NOISE. I WENT ONLINE TO SEE IF ANY OTHER CHRYSTLER OWNERS HAD THE SAME ISSUE AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE HAS BEEN CERTAIN DODGE AND CHRYSTLER VEHICLES AFFECTED AND EVEN RECALLED FOR THIS SAME ISSUE. I ALSO READ ONLINE THAT DRIVING WITH THAT BOLT BEING LOOSE COULD DAMAGE THE DIFFERENTIAL AND CAUSE IT TO LOCK UP MAKE THE WHOLE TRUCK TO STOP VERY SUDDENLY CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I CALLED 2 DIFFERENT LOCAL DEALERSHIPS AND EXPLAINED THE ISSUE AND ASKED THEM IF MY VEHICLE HAD A RECALL LIKE MANY OTHER SIMILAR MODELS HAD,BUT THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NO RECALLS ON MY TRUCK. I'M CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY AND MY FAMILY'S DUE TO MY TRUCK'S CONDITION AND I WOULD LIKE TO LET CHRYSTLER KNOW THIS POOR WORKMANSHIP COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS IF NOT FATAL ACCIDENT FOR ME AND MY FAMILY IF NOT RESOLVED.

MY 2008 ASPEN WAS BUILT DURING THE SAME TIME AS THE 2009 MODEL YEAR THAT HAD THE FAULTY PINION NUTS/SHAFT. RIGHT AT 170,K OUR PINION BEARING IS BAD. I BELIEVE THEY SAME PARTS WERE USED AND DODGE REFUSES TO WORK WITH ME. THANKFULLY IT HAS NOT BROKE YET BUT THE TRUCK IS NEEDING TO BE IN THE SHOP.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER ASPEN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED INDEPENDENTLY INTO 4 WHEEL DRIVE AND SEIZED. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE FRONT WHEELS TO LOCK UP AND NOT MOVE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO GUIDE THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT SMELLED A BURNING RUBBER ODOR RIGHT BEFORE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THE MECHANIC INITIALLY REMEDIED THE FAILURE BY SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION BACK FROM FOUR WHEEL DRIVE INTO THE NORMAL GEARS. THE FAILURE RECURRED AGAIN AND ALL FOUR WHEELS SEIZED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 191,000.

I BEGAN ACCELERATING ONTO A RAMP TO ENTER ONTO A MAJOR HIGHWAY AND MY ASPEN COMPLETELY LOSS ALL POWER SUDDENLY. THE ENGINE JUST SHUT DOWN INCLUDING POWER ALL ELECTRONICS. I HAD TO LET THE CAR GLIDE TO THE SHOULDER, PUT IT IN PARK AND RESTART THE CAR, WHICH IT STARED AS IT ALWAYS HAS. THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE NOR DID IT HAPPEN AGAIN. I HAD THE CAR CHECKED OUT AND THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. BEING THAT THIS HAPPENED WHILE ENTERING A BUSY HIGHWAY, A SERIOUS ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED.

FIRST I MUST START OUT BY SAYING THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE SINCE BUYING FROM A DEALERSHIP WHO HAS REFUSED TO CORRECT ANY OF THE PROBLEMS IN ANY FASHION MAINLY BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT A CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP. THE DAY AFTER WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE THE VEHICLE STALLED ON US DUE TO A DEAD BATTERY. NOT A BIG DEAL, BUT IT WAS ONLY THE BEGINNING TO A WIDE RANGE OF PROBLEMS. WHILE TAKING THE TRUCK FOR A REQUIRED STATE INSPECTION, THE TRUCK SOMEHOW MANAGED TO ROLL FORWARD FROM A PARKED POSITION WHEN REVERSE HAD BEEN SELECTED. IT WAS PARKED ON AN INCLINE NO MORE THAN A 10 DEGREE ANGLE AND ENDED UP ROLLING/CRASHING INTO THE CURB. I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP TO VOICE MY CONCERN/ANGER AND THEY AGREED TO LOOK INTO THE PROBLEM BUT TO NO AVAIL. NOT LONG AFTERWARDS WE HAD SOME HEAVY RAIN I BELIEVE THE FOLLOWING WEEK AND WE REALIZED THE ROOF WAS LEAKING ALONG THE PASSENGER SIDE PILLAR RIGHT INTO THE VENTS. THIS I BELIEVED LED TO SOME ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH THE RADIO AS MY WIFE SAID IF OFTEN "FLICKERED" AND "CUT IN AND OUT". THIS WAS ALSO BROUGHT TO THE DEALERSHIPS ATTENTION AND AGAIN NOTHING WAS DONE; HOWEVER THEY DID CLEAN THE DRAINS WHICH THEY SAID CAUSED THE LEAKING. I HAD ALSO VOICED MY CONCERNS TO CHRYSLER AND WAS BASICALLY TOLD UNTIL THEY HAVE ENOUGH DOCUMENTED ISSUES, NOTHING CAN BE DONE. NOW, MY WIFE AND I HADN'T FILLED THIS TRUCK UP TO THIS POINT AS YET, BUT THE FIRST TIME WE DID THE GAS OVERFLOWED AND GUSHED OUT OF THE VEHICLE SPILLING EVERYWHERE. I INITIALLY THOUGHT THE PUMP NOZZLE WAS FAULTY BUT AFTER THE SECOND TIME AT A DIFFERENT GAS STATION I WAS CONVINCED THE PROBLEMATIC VEHICLE WAS TO BLAME. I WENT ONLINE AND DID MY OWN RESEARCH AND HERE'S WHAT I FOUND: HTTP://WWW.SAFETYRESEARCH.NET/BLOG/ARTICLES/FUEL-SPIT-BACK-CONTINUES-PLAGUE-CHRYSLER-VEHICLES-OWNERS-HOOK. MY WIFE AND KIDS TRAVEL IN THIS VEHICLE AND ALL I WANT IS PEACE OF MIND TO KNOW THEY'RE SAFE IN IT. UPDATED 9/15/15 *LN UPDATED 12/11/2017*CN

THIS VEHICLE HAS AWD AND ELECTRONIC SHIFTING OF THE TRANSFER CASE. THE MOTOR FOR THE TRANSFER CASE ENGAGES AND SHIFTS THE TRANSMISSION INTO 4WD LOCK DURING LOW SPEED TURNS AND WHILE PARKED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER ASPEN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVE TRAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

REAR PINION NUT BACKED OFF CAUSING LOST OF FLUID FROM THE DIFFERENTIAL TO LEAKED OUT. TALKED TO CHRYSLER AND THEY SAID THIS MODEL WAS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST EVEN THOUGH THE DESCRIPTION FITS TO THE LETTER ON WHAT HAS HAPPEN ON THOSE COVERED ON THE RECALL. HAD TO GET REPAIRS DONE AT PEP BOYS SINCE NO DEALERSHIPS ARE OPEN ON SUNDAY OR SATURDAY AFTERNOON. REPLACED PINION SEAL AND ADD FLUID TO DIFFERENTIAL, TORQUE NUT. IS THIS GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN AFTER 50,000 MILES OR OTHER PEOPLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER ASPEN. TWO YEARS AGO, AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE PINION NUT WAS LOOSE AND NEEDED TO BE TIGHTENED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DIFFERIENTAL NEEDED A PINION SEAL. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AGAIN, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V038000 (POWER TRAIN) AS A POSSIBLE SOLUTION, BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 49,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER ASPEN 4X4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK INTO DRIVE, THE VEHICLE RAPIDLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO THE WALL OF THE GARAGE. THE CONTACT THEN SHIFTED INTO REVERSE AND THE VEHICLE RAPIDLY ACCELERATED BACKWARD, CRASHING INTO THE HOME A SECOND TIME WITH ONE HALF OF THE VEHICLE PENETRATING THE HOUSE. THE VEHICLE STRUCK A CHILD AND CAUSED INJURIES TO BOTH OF THE CHILD'S LEGS. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000.

NOISE AND JERK (SOMETIMES PRETTY VIOLENT) DURING ACCELERATION AFTER SLOWING DOWN. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY CHECKED U-JOINTS (OK) AND SAID THE DIFFERENTIAL SEAL WAS LEAKING AND NUT HAD BACKED OFF.....TIGHTENED NUT AND REPLACED SEAL. STILL HAVING PROBLEMS WITH NOISE/JERKING. THEY SAY IT IS STILL A DIFFERENTIAL PROBLEM AND WE ARE TRYING TO GET THE EXTENDED WARRANTOR (FIDELITY) TO AGREE TO PAY BEFORE WE FIX SINCE IT WILL BE OVER $1200 TO FIX. I FEEL THIS IS THE SAME ISSUE THAT WE RECEIVED A RECALL FOR THE DIFFERENTIAL IN OUR 2005 DODGE RAM. CHRYSLER SHOULD LOOK AT THIS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER ASPEN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH AND MADE A LOUD NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL AND THE REAR AXLE FAILED. THE REPAIR WOULD COST HIM $2,600. THERE WERE NO RECALLS OR WARRANTIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.