# Transaxle top cover blew up while driving **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** caravan, dodge\ **Created:** [June 24, 2017, 11:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/transaxle-top-cover-blew-up-while-driving/105292 "2017-06-24T23:23:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cityboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d26b3c/32.png) [@cityboy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cityboy)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 11:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/transaxle-top-cover-blew-up-while-driving/105292/1 "2017-06-24T23:23:10Z")
The top transaxle cover blew up while driving. I stopped driving it and towed it home. What caused the cover blew up? thanks. src="[//cdck-file-uploads-global.s3.dualstack.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/cartalk/original/2X/2/2aac037c7336d51a0977a959288fef13ce1695d7.jpg](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/2X/2/2aac037c7336d51a0977a959288fef13ce1695d7.jpg)" width=“281” height=“500”\> ![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/2X/b/ba4ea5be5ca722f60ef27726d3709407a36fbe88.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 11:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/transaxle-top-cover-blew-up-while-driving/105292/2 "2017-06-24T23:43:08Z")
More than likely the spider gear retaining pin came lose, causing the transmission to explode. Been a known problem with Chrysler transmissions. [http://www.turbovan.net/Trans3.html](http://www.turbovan.net/Trans3.html) Tester ---
**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 11:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/transaxle-top-cover-blew-up-while-driving/105292/3 "2017-06-24T23:49:48Z")
Did you hear a “pop”? Maybe the vent plugged up and it over-pressured. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 11:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/transaxle-top-cover-blew-up-while-driving/105292/4 "2017-06-24T23:56:24Z")
You weren’t doing drag racing kind of stuff right? Popping the transmission into gear after reving the engine? ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 1:09am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/transaxle-top-cover-blew-up-while-driving/105292/5 "2017-06-25T01:09:15Z")
@cityboy Without going through all of your threads I think that you have had a lot of problems with this vehicle and if it was me I would sell, trade or trash and find something else. No offence meant , just what I would do. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 2:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/transaxle-top-cover-blew-up-while-driving/105292/6 "2017-06-25T02:25:18Z")
Those are the transfer gears under the left side transmission cover. It looks like the bearings on the output shaft failed and the gear walked and cut the cover. This is probably why your transmission has been failing for over a year, the noise and the solenoid pack failing due to contamination. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 6:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/transaxle-top-cover-blew-up-while-driving/105292/7 "2017-06-25T06:11:10Z")
Depending on the age, condition, cost to repair, and possible value of this vehicle, I might be inclined to agree with Volvo on this one If it’s a 5 year old van with 60K, it should be worth repairing If it’s 15 years old, with over 200K, significant rust, etc., it might be a different story I expect the reality is somewhere between those 2 extremes ---
**Author:** ![NYBo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nybo/32/17281_2.png) [@NYBo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/NYBo)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 1:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/transaxle-top-cover-blew-up-while-driving/105292/8 "2017-06-25T13:25:22Z")
I’m with @Tester on this. Diff pin works its way ou, contacts the case, and boom! This also leads me to believe your van is well past its prime; Chrysler modified the diff pin retention system many years ago to prevent this from happening. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 5:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/transaxle-top-cover-blew-up-while-driving/105292/9 "2017-06-25T17:38:59Z")
One of my colleagues worked at a Chrysler dealership for many years He would tell me about this problem . . . he said it wasn’t even that uncommon . . . and that was well before OP generated this particular discussion