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Maintenance & Repair Transmission Traumas?
2411 messages, Last post on Dec 04, 2009 at 1:19 PM
You are in the Maintenance & Repair Forum. Your Host is mr_shiftright
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| I think you're in for an overhaul...if your van has very high mileage, you might consider a used unit from a low mileage wreck, if you can find one. Don't just drive in anywhere...check out the shop's reputation with the Better Business Bureau (they won't tell you much, but if they say there "is a record of customer complaints" that means they are hinting that there are big problems with the shop). If there's no record, that doesn't mean the place is good, only that they aren't horrible. Best recommendations come from previous customers, or from auto repair shops that send work there. | |
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My 1993 Dodge minivan began having transmission troubles at 50,000 miles. It was brought back to the dealer twice under warranty. Both times the dealer told me that a transmission diagnostic showed the tranny was functioning properly. He said it didn't 'trip a code'. Yet, the tranny began having more and more trouble shifting into reverse each month. At 93,000 Miles the tranny stopped going to reverse until it was run through the gears several times. I got the van to the dealer and was told the diagnostic showed that the tranny still hadn't 'tripped a code'. The dealer decided to tear down the transmission and found the clutch bands were shot (I am not a mechanic, so I hope the term clutch bands is correct. never the less the clutches were shot). Chrysler denied my request for assistance, siting that no computer diagnostic code was tripped while the tranny was under warranty. The fact that when the dealer found the clutchs to be shot, it still didn't 'trip a code' didn't change the rep's mind. A dodge factory rebuilt transmission was installed at my expense. I was told by several mechanics that this was a very common occurrence for Chrysler minivans, both the tranny failure and Chrysler's failure to admit that they have a inferior transmission in a couple of million of their vehicles. The rebuilt transmission began having similar troubles after It had 42,000 miles on it. I sold the van in disgust, and swore never to buy a Chrysler product again. I would like to find out if this is indeed a very common problem for dodge/Chrysler minivans. |
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Has there been any reports of transmission or drivetrain problems with the 1999 or 1998 Chev. Tahoes? I have a 1999. It had 800 miles on it and I had to have a gear in the transmission replaced. Someone else I know that has a 1998 or 1999 has had drivetrain problems and had it in the shop numerous times and they have basically told her they have done all they can. |
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You guys might check this site out for answers: http://www.autoshop-online.com The Chrysler transmissions on vans have had a spotty reputation, but I'm not familiar with which years or models. This story reminds me to remind people to always keep records of every time you go in for a warranty complaint, even if the dealer doesn't do anything. The fact that you hava a record of complaining during the warranty may help you after the warranty. There's this behind the scene battle always going on between dealer and factory as to who is going to pay for what...the factory tries to shaft the dealer who passes the shaft on to....guess....but I really don't know the circumstances of this case in terms of whether the dealer was refused authorization to work on your trans without a computer reaction code. If dealer's aren't sure of re-imbursement, they aren't going to fix it at their expense, that's for sure. |
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| Everyone at my work who owns a Chrysler/Dodge minivan have their transmission replaced at least once. It's defective design and Chrysler doesn't want to pay for it. Obviously, I never buy Chrysler product, so I bought the Toyota Sienna. | |
| I have a 98 Toyota Avalon XLS with about 11k miles with auto trans that hesitates when shifting from 1st to 2nd. When coasting under 20 mph and then press accelerator, transmission bangs into gear. Dealer has cleaned and adjusted stall converter, adjusted valve body and adjusted #2 trans resistor which had high resistance. Problem still exists. Any suggestions as to what may be wrong? | |
| You probably don't have a problem. Many trans have delayed upshift when cold so as to get the cat converter up to speed (temp). The coasting and bang into gear is probably due to you not pressing down enough on the pedal. If it's OK from a standing start I wouldn't worry. | |
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Gatesr Thanks for the response. I forgot to mention that this happens when the car is cold as well as after the car has thouroughly warmed up. Shifting from 2nd to 3rd and 3rd into overdrive is barely noticeable. |
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lapis, I'm NO mechanic, the same thing happened to me when I still had my 83 buick century. I took it to a amaco transmission shop, to get it fixed. Wondering which body part I had to sell to pay for the repair. To my surprise they told me that the transmission fluid pump went out. A simple part to replace which cost me $175.00 including labor. I've had no problems with my transmission since. Up until I blew the engine a few weeks later. Something you should have the mechanic check before you pay alot of money for needless work. |
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| The Avalon transmission is computer controlled and is linked to the car's ECU. The mechanic should first make sure that the ECU is functioning correctly, receiving and sending correctly. For example, if the problem happens when the car is both cold and hot, the ECU may be reading a faulty temp sensor that "says" the car is cold when it is not. If this is not the case, however, I would want to check any transmission component that controls the 1-2 upshift, servos, switches, whatever. I doubt very, very much if you have any type of a problem that would require a major overhaul. But it is going to take time. Hold on, be patient. | |
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