Might Have Just Lost My Trans - 2004 Dodge Neon SXT

[Lizey]

Pulled onto the freeway today and the trans slipped into neutral for a second or two. Got off it then gave it gas again and it slipped to neutral again. At this point I shut it down, pulled over, and had it towed. When I got it home I popped the hood and the exhaust system and lower firewall got sprayed with tranny fluid but not bad, it is not even 2 quarts low. It definetly did not come from a cooler line, so my next question is where do I go from here??

[Lizey]

Also, when I got off the gas the first time it went back into gear. Don't know if that makes a difference, I am far from a transmission expert!

[Todd Wilson]

You got a leak! Find it!


Todd

[A383Wing]

probably came out the vent from being overheated inside. I bet it's toast

[myk]

Start it up, get it warm, shift the transmission (if you can) and see if you can find a leak in all of the commotion.

You won't be alone in a transmission failure if you do have one: the A4 in my '97 Camaro just lost its 3/4 gear set.  I feel your pain!

[Lizey]

So this is where it gets interesting. Opened the radiator cap and the coolant looks like pepto bismol. Trans fluid in the coolant. Drained that out and drained the trans...thank God there was no coolant in the trans! Putting a new radiator in then getting the cooling system flushed and a new filter for the trans and she should be good to go (I hope)

[ws23rt]

So this is where it gets interesting. Opened the radiator cap and the coolant looks like pepto bismol. Trans fluid in the coolant. Drained that out and drained the trans...thank God there was no coolant in the trans! Putting a new radiator in then getting the cooling system flushed and a new filter for the trans and she should be good to go (I hope)

You hope?  I would too but that is wishfull thinking. That the trans. was affected indicates it had a bad day.
I would do as your are doing and see where it leads. Good luck---Sometimes the sun shines.

[oldgold69]

its toast  my sister neon blew the cooler line in the radiator looked like it only got trans fluid in the coolant but it got in the trans I flushed  it till it came out red  she drove it for a month than it just quit  any coolant that hits the clutch discs makes them swell then they fall apart    had it rebuilt still running good   this is a common thing with transaxle mopars  put an aftermarket trans cooler on and it fixes it no coolant to worry about    wish I had better news

[Lizey]

Believe it or not it worked. Wasnt any coolant in the trans fluid when I dropped the pan, nor after I pumped the rest of it out of the torque converter. Car is driving and shifting good right now with a new filter and fresh Mopar ATF+4

[ws23rt]

Good news. It sounds like your trans. was just low which caused it to slip. And getting to the bottom of the trouble right away saved it.

[Cooter]

Sounds like you got lucky. Won't know for sure until a couple months pass by though.

[oldgold69]

hope you got lucky    I would still put an aftermarket cooler on it

[A383Wing]

hope you got lucky    I would still put an aftermarket cooler on it