Questions and Answers
Intrepid Transmission Overheats
Q. Dear Vincent: I have a 1994 Dodge Intrepid ES, 3.5 liter engine, with automatic transmission purchased new. It has been properly maintained with the recommended transmission service.
A year ago, my wife drove from our home in Norman, OK to San Antonio for a weeks stay grading AP exams. Odometer reading was 49,000 miles.
When she reached Austin, TX the car failed to go in forward drive. The Dodge dealership there cleared the code (don't know what it was) serviced the trans, test drove it 35 miles and said everything was ok. The transmission fluid was the proper color, the throttles were clear and the filter was clean. Almost a year to the day, my wife again driving to San Antonio to grade papers, (65,000 odometer miles) observed that the engine temperature was running pretty high and again the car seemed to go out of drive. It would go into reverse however.
If she let it sit for a short period, it would again drive forward for about 100 feet and then apparently disengage. She let it sit overnight in a parking lot, did not use it until ready to drive home and drove the car home in the evening when the temperature was cooler. She rented a car so that a friend could trail her in the event the transmission failed again. She arrived home safely.
Three days prior to this trip I had my local Dodge dealer service the transmission and do a major tuneup. On her return, I took it to the local Dodge dealer to find out what was wrong. They are puzzled. The service manager thought that it was internal. They got a code saying something about inadequate pressure in 1st and 2nd gear. They checked the electrical and couldn't find anything wrong. Zone told them that they would pay half the cost of the repair.
The question is, what is the cost? Didn't Chrysler replace the seals on subsequent models that were of larger size and made of a different material and also changed the transmission fluid type because of temperature resistance? What is going wrong and is it a seal problem?
Any advice is sincerely appreciated.
CharlesA. On 2/28/97 Chrysler issued a TSB, number 21-01-97, concerning 1993 - 1997 (LH) Concorde, Intrepid, LHS, New Yorker and Vision model cars. This bulletin is for the addition of a Transmission Fluid Auxiliary Cooler.
I quote from the bulletin: Some LH-vehicles may be subject to operating conditions that result in extended high transmission fluid temperatures, such as heavy vehicle loading, trailer towing, extended stop and go driving during high ambient temperatures, etc. Vehicles that are used for trailer towing must be equipped with a transmission fluid auxiliary cooler.
Since the problem you are experiencing with your car falls within those parameters, I would say the installation of the cooler (P/N 04897803AA Kit, Transmission Fluid Auxiliary Cooler) would resolve the problem.
Since the high operating temperature can cause internal transmission damage, Chrysler recommends remove the transmission pan and see if there is excessive clutch material in it. If there is, a rebuild is recommended before the installation of the cooler kit.
Additional Information provided courtesy of ALLDATA
