Intrepid Tranny

[SG]

My '95 Intrepid 3.5 is having the now-infamous transmission failure. 80,000 miles on the thing, and I have to sink $2,400 bucks into it for a reman unit. (and I'm waiting to do the freakin' dead AC compressor)

Here's the description:

When it's really cold, there's a delay in the downshift when rolling to a stop. Am I the only person that sees this as a safety problem?

When it's warm, it works okay, but when the engine gets hot, the downshift becomes a horrible, jarring clunk. It sounds like the drivetrain is gonna tear itself out, and the occupants are jolted forward. Again, a safety problem!

When it's REALLY been driven a long time, the thing finally decided it's screwed, and it downshifts to the limp-home-in-second mode.

Chrysler REFUSES to help me out on this, but I contend that MANY ocurrances of this are out there (hey, I can search the net with the best of 'em), and that it MUST be a manufacturing defect. They won't budge.

Has anybody had any luck with Chrysler? I've send a complaint to NHTSA, because I see this as a potential safety issue. Does anybody have any ideas on where to go from here?

I'd love to get a list of owners with the same problem, and show the "customer service" people at Chrysler what a manufacturing defect really looks like...

Can you tell I'm ticked???

-Steve-

[J-BODY]

If you want Chrysler to pay for it buy a brand new one! What part of 3/36 do you not understand? Did you buy a Chrysler service contract? NO, because if you did you would be getting your trans fixed and driving a rental while it was being done right now!

[SG]

Well, this thing has 80K miles on it, so 3/36 doesn't apply. And I didn't get the service contract on it.

What I'm looking for is some common complaint amongst owners. It sounds like others with similar models, made within a year os so of each other, all have the same complaints. If I can establish a common thread, I'd have a stronger case for manufacturing defect, as opposed to normal wear-and-tear.

I've been a Mopar person for most of my life, but If Chrysler thinks that a dead transmission at 80K is normal wear and tear, then I don't want to deal with 'em anymore.

-Steve-

[Thunderstruck]

Gotta agree with J body. Chrysler guaranteed the trans for 3/36. That's it. You more than doubled that. What do you want? When does it end? Criminy. You KNEW when you bought it that CC only guaranteed it for 3 years or 36k miles. Whiney baby.

Steve

[SG]

Wow...I guess I've come to the wrong place for help and encouragement. I can call names with the best of 'em, but that doesn't help me make my point. So here's another pass at it...

My two Voyagers have over 110K miles, and they're running like champs. All I want is to understand why there seems to be a tendency for the Intrepid transmissions to die prematurely.

Regardless of the warranty (which USED to be 7/70, until Chrysler started making cars like this), do you think that 80K miles is *normal* for a car's transmission to die? And I'm not talking about an abused car, or a freak ocurrance. This seems to be happening to quite a few people.

I understand that things break, but I'm seeing a pattern with this, and it's the pattern that's leaning me toward "defect," rather than wear-and-tear.

BTW...I'm picking the thing up from the shop tomorrow...after I hand over a check for $2400. And I still have to get the bum AC compressor replaced later. That'll be another grand. I can't wait to see what's next!

[new and old mopar man]

MAINTENACE have you serviced the tranny every 30,000 miles with chrysler atf fluid. Seems like you are getting screwed on the tranny job 1500 is plenty for a job like that. 1000 BUCKS FOR A NEW COMPRESSOR AND SERVICE GEEZ WHOS MAKING IT AND IS IT GOLD I CAN DO A ENTIRE SYSTEM FOR LESS THEN THAT. I STRESS MAINTENANCE CAUSE IT MAKES THINGS LAST MUCH LONGER IF THE COMPRESSOR WAS A MECHANICAL FAILURE THEN THATS OK BUT IF IT GOT LOW ON FREON THATS SOMETHING YOU SHOULD AHVE LOOKED AT BEFORE WOULD OF SAVED YOU BIG BUCKS THESE CARS ARE GOOD HAVE MANY CUSTOMERS THAT HAVE 150K TO 200K ON THEM WITH NO TRANNY PROBS SO ALL I CAN SAY IS MAINTENANCE GOES A LONG WAY

DAN

[J-BODY]

Sorry to welcome you to the board in such a way. Lets face it, no matter what brand you drive there is going to be a failure in something sooner or later. I had to grit my teeth on the other post below that was asking for help on how to get Chrysler to cover a "just out of warranty" trans. How about if you went into the dealer with a prob at 35500 miles and they told you "Gee I'm sorry but your just about out of warranty so were not going to cover it". Why doesn't the gray area go both ways. Actually the 94 Intrepid came with the 7/70, 95 up went 3/36 warranty. All of these trannies are parts assembled together, each a little different. With a little care and some luck some will last, some won't. And maybe next time that service contract won't seem so expensive. The trans as well as the a/c compressor would have been covered.

[SG]

Thanks, J-Body. I appreciate what you say, and I agree. It's just that when I see people who mystically ask, "have you replace the water pump yet," or "how's the transmission," I know that this car has a reputation for being unreliable before its time.

Actually, I don't expect a "next time" to even think of buying a service contract. The last couple of cars I bought were pre-owned, and they have been much better values than most new cars. I'm probably going to sell my Intrepid and get something that won't keep me up at night. And it's a safe bet that it won't be a Chrysler product.

Thanks again...
-Steve-