In my experience (limited, yes) rebuilds don’t last very long–maybe 40-60K miles. If I needed a transmission I would try to get one with low miles from a salvage yard. Cheaper, at least.
bill:
yellow pages, automobile repair, transmission. look up the local shops. there will probably be a couple.
take it to each one and get thier opinion.
go to the home page here, and look up mechanics files, http://www.cartalk.com/content/mechx/find.html search by your sip code.
i swear by the local transmission shop in town.
unlike another post, i got (only) 145000 miles after visiting this shop.
so a GOOD transmission shop CAN give you new life on your car. but as you found out, diffy lube can take it away.
i am a service tech at a place quite similar to the one you mentioned, we service trans. all the time. dodge caravans of all models are very particular. they are best if left alone, unless low in miledge. the additive he put in should have been put in to start with, it is a friction modifier that allows clutch disc in the trans to rub against the steel disc without wearing or burning up the clutch disc. the trans fluid the use is regular automatic transmission fluid witch has to have friction modifier to factory specifications. with out adding modifier the damage could be done. by signing the waiver yes that did put them in the clear, by them telling you to go to the dealer is there nice way to leave. the only thing i can tell you is contact their corporate office, explain your situation and be sure you mention the additive was left out and the vehicle was drove on the high way and damage was done. p.s. my store would have never let that happen f.y.i.
Take to transmission shop. Have them look and give you a report showing the problem. Then small claims court if you can place fault. STAY AWAY FROM QUICK LUBE SHOPS.
John
Those additives do NOT work in the long run, and the transmission clutches get fried. Then Chrysler gets the blame!
josh:
you are confirming the earlier post about the trans fluid used at quick lube places.
there are two types of trans fluid. you confirm that one type is used at your shop. (you then confirm the additive “modifier” used to "make the fluid conform.)
i think you need to really think about this additive. if you have to put an additive into the transmission fluid, then you should (logically) realize that you should instead use the CORRECT fluid from the start.
stay away from these quick lube places. josh has confirmed the practice of using bad service, and faulty lube.
Have to agree. A fluid change with the proper fluid should not need an additive, which is only a crutch at best.
Wonder what this additive retails to the customer for? My guess is that it’s considerably more than 4.95.
Sorry everyone, I didn’t get back to this thread and get your replies about AAMCO before I took it to them. It turns out however, that the Transmission Control Module needed to be flashed again and thank god it only cost me $80. It seeems to be shifting again perfectly now, but I am one very nervous person and I’m very distrusting now of just about anyone working on my vehicle. There aren’t a lot of transmission shops in my area, in fact, only about 5 of them in the phone book. I didn’t ask AAMCO about whether or not the correct fluid was in it. I don’t know why, but I wouldn’t be totally surprised to have it crap out on me in a couple of days. But for now, it seems to be working correctly.
IF the fluid is at the correct level, and IF the correct fluid, as specified by the vehicle manufacturer was installed, you have no complaint against the oil change shop. if there is now a problem, it was hanging by the skin of it’s teerh anyway.
Sorry, I posted my reply above where it got buried.
The transmission shop told me that the Transmission Control Module had to be flashed again. Its all Greek to me, but in Layman’s terms, they told me that after this vehicle’s transmission is serviced, the Transmission Control Module has to be reset so that the pressure points can learn how to shift correctly again. The quick lube did not do that. Therefore, in my opinion, they did not do the service correctly. The place where I took it charged me $80 to reset the computer and after driving it all afternoon, there is no hitch in it and it drives perfectly.
Now, sell it.
They did what’s called a “quick relearn”. It WILL relearn on its own (already mentioned in one of my previous responses).
But you still need to determine if the proper fluid was used or you’re on borrowed time.