I’ve got a '94 Eagle Vision. Before you start - yes, I know it is 15 years old and probably not worth fixing. That said my issue remains. I’ve noticed for a about a year that when I shift from park to reverse or drive I get a “thunk” and a vibration that seems to come from the engine compartment. I’m thinking a bad motor mount. Meant to fix it, but it is my beater and money is tight. A few days ago I noticed something new: when I shifted into reverse I got a strange new vibration and sound as I backed up. I decided it was probably time to have someone look at the car. About a day and a half later, the car felt like it shifted out of drive and into neutral and left me stuck on the side of the road. The car would drive forward at idle, but slip into neutral if I went faster than say 10 mph. Wouldn’t go backward at all. I’ve had it to two shops and both mechanics said I needed a transmission rebuild though neither one actually even looked at the car. Both said it needs a rebuild “because it won’t go forward and it won’t go backward.” I’m skeptical. The car shifted perfectly until a day and a half before it left me on the shoulder. No slipping or hunting back and forth. I wonder if it is somehow related to my suspected bad motor mounts. I haven’t smelled the fluid, forgot to check that and the car has something like 160,000 miles on it. What do you think?
“. I haven’t smelled the fluid, forgot to check that and the car has something like 160,000 miles on it. What do you think?”
Well, maybe, you should check that first…It sounds like ALL maintenance has been deferred on this car…
I’ve got a '94 Eagle Vision. Before you start - yes, I know it is 15 years old and probably not worth fixing.
Well, I can tell you now without even looking at it that the transmission will need to be removed and disassembled. If your fluid level is good, your trans has pretty much had it. Has the trans ever been serviced?? Right now your trans should be working on its 6th service if it has been properly maintained. It does sound like though that you have been dealing with some sort of mount problems but I doubt that your trans failure has anything to do with the mounts. Its time to decide whether this vehicle is worth putting money into the trans. Only you can answer that.
transman
No chance that a bad mount has caused some sort of misalignment between the engine and the transmission? I’ve got to drag it home from the shop tomorrow and I’ll check the fluid level and smell. It’s true that is has seen no transmission service since I owned it, probably 80,000 miles or so. I guess I am just used to my '99 Dodge Ram that requires a trans rebuild about every 10,000 miles. I always know when I am in trouble with that truck when the “Check Wallet” light goes on.
If a bad mount could do that you have much bigger problems - like a broken transmission casing or something. The trans & engine are bolted together. A bad mount can mess with alignment of axles - but if the engine & trans have been “misaligned” - call a scrapper.
Just about the only thing that’s maintenance-free is a Harris Tweed jacket, especially the “A” grade! I’ve only owned 3 in my life and the last one is 15 years old.
Even a Dodge RAM transmission SHOULD give you a close to 100,000 miles of service if the fluid and filter are changed regularly.
Frankly’ some of us are baffled by your “bad luck” but equally surprised that the 94 Eagle vison is still running with little care bestowed on it.
In a previous post on car life we wrote that a car consumes its own selling price in maintenance, repairs, and replacements over it’s lifetime, if properly maintained. If that sounds scary keep in mind that for a Toyota or Honda that might be between 300,000 and 400,000 (and often much longer) miles of reliable operation. For an Eagle Vision, that would be at least 250,000 miles of safe operation.
Commercial fleet operators allocate 5% of Capital Replacement Cost per year to keep a fleet in top condition. That’s for an equivalent 20 year life or 1,000,000 miles of driving.
“check wallet” thats funny…but so true