Chrysler Repair: transaxle, dodge caravan, independent shop

Question
my engine light came on while i was driving, i went and had it check at an auto zone but all they could tell me was i had a problem with my transaxle, what exactly is a transaxle. i have a 04 dodge caravan

Answer
Hi Stan,
The "transaxle" is the automatic transmission/differential housing unit which turns the two "half-axles" that drive the front wheels. I would try Autozone again and ask them this time for the 4-digit fault code number(s) so that the specific nature of the problem and possible fixes can be understood. They were remiss in not telling you those numbers specifically. If that is a hassle, then go to an independent shop after checking how much they would charge for the simple readout (it should be around $40). Let me know the number(s) and we can compare that to what the Autozone/shop tells you.
Roland