My husband and I purchased a car four years ago. We are going to have to have the transmission done again now for the third time. Why would a car go through transmissions like that?
2007-12-29 15:38:47 · 8 answers · asked by candiceinks 3 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
The car is a 1998 Dodge Caravan - it is used as a family van and we do not tow or things of that nature. It is automatic transmission.
2007-12-29 15:54:20 · update #1
A rebuilt tranny should last you 100000 miles or more. if they are not i would change shops.
If the were done at different shops, it could be how the car is driven.For example my son in law could tear a tranny out of a tank in 2 weeks.
2007-12-29 15:55:19 · answer #1 · answered by cblack6540 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
!!! Hi, I am CandiceinKS's husband!!! I didn't know she had posted so here is some more background info:
1998 Dodge Caravan, with 3.0L.A/T. The vehicle had 103,000mi when we bought it four years ago. It now has about 146,000mi.The radiator has a tranny oil cooler on it. We replaced the radiator and tranny four days after we bought the vehicle because the boundary between the oil and antifreeze corroded through and contaminated the tranny. We bought a reman tranny with a 60 mo, 50,000mi warranty (thank goodness). Almost exactly a year later we took the van back to the tranny shop and they found metal bits and decided to replace the tranny again. So now we are starting our 4th year on the 2nd replacement tranny.
Our current problems began about two to three months ago. It started with the tranny not down shifting at a stop. The vehicle would start out in 3rd gear. We would have to manually down shift before driving again. We could up shift to third before we began moving, but it was imperative to down shift at the stop.
More recently, the transmission won't shift out of first when it is cold. Whenever the weather gets down to about 40ºF to 30ºF this will occur. It reminds me of the cripple mode that Dodge has (possibly other makes too?). However, after a half mile and a few cycles through the gears, it will kick out of first and will function normally.
Things that we have or have not noticed:
¤There has never been a "hot smell" coming from under the hood.
¤The transmission fluid is not burnt nor has it changed from it's original color.
¤The fluid is two years old and probably only has 20k-24k mi on it.
¤My wife and I are the only drivers and we are the ones making fun of the folks that treat stoplights as the drag strip Christmas tree lights.
¤We have never heard any kind of grinding, popping, or other unusual sound coming from the tranny.
¤The output/input speed sensor has been replaced and did not change the performance of the tranny.
¤While this will be the third replacement, this is only the second due to problems that originated with the tranny. As I mentioned, the radiator failure killed our first one, which was original to the vehicle (103k mi. is not bad for a dodge tranny).
¤The van never jerks when it up shifts or down shifts - even when it "pops out" of first gear when it is cold.
For what its worth,
Rope a Dope
2007-12-30 00:40:51 · answer #2 · answered by Rope-a-dope 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
While driving habits do effect the life of trannys so to where you life and road conditions. However unless your driving a 100k miles a year a new tranny every year is not normal. Where are you getting these trannys you keep installing? Are they used, new, or rebuilt? That might play into this scenerio as well too! I would guess the problem could be an over heating problem, do you have a tranny temp gauge in your car? Also if you don't have a tranny cooler install one and if you have one make sure its flowing properly. The best would be to find a good mechanic and have them diagnos the problem for you.
As a side note I had a 2005 gmc truck that went thru 3 trannys in 8k miles. GM ended up buying the truck back from me under the lemon law because they couldn't fix the problem. 6 months later I got a call from a GM tech rep who told me they found the problem it was a bent crankshaft that was causing extra strain on the tranny. It wasn't even a tranny problem that caused this!
Wish you luck!
2007-12-29 23:54:08 · answer #3 · answered by Robert m 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
could be the way that the car is being driven or that that brand of car is known for bad tranny or could be that the place that has been putting them in is messing something up when they put the new one in or they are putting in a used one and charging you for a new one this does happen quite often.when you have the next one put in tell them that you want to see it and then smell the fluid if it smells really burnt dont let them put it in tell them you want a deffrent one they all smell a little burnt butt should only be a small smell of burnt but not a real bad smell of being burnt
2007-12-29 23:45:07 · answer #4 · answered by fred c 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would take it to a different tranny shop(unless that will void the warranty) and have it checked! And from what your husband wrote the fluid is good and red it might just need serviced! And now would be the time to do so,Good Luck!
2007-12-30 01:47:26 · answer #5 · answered by baditude2075 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well i sure hope you are getting a warranty with those transmission rebuilds.
I would recommend finding another transmission shop if it happens again.
2007-12-30 00:00:07 · answer #6 · answered by Big Deal Maker 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like someone has bad driving habits.
2007-12-29 23:41:52 · answer #7 · answered by walchung 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
well what kind of car is it , and if it is a/t,or m/t there acould many thing you need more details please.
2007-12-29 23:45:42 · answer #8 · answered by frost ? 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋