3K to rebuild a tranny?!?! 77k mi!

dj_chiro · **Joined:** Mon Mar 20, 2006 12:12 pm **Posts:** 6

So my trans is shot at 77k. Changed all fluids religously and it died last week on the highway. The shop says it appears to have started in the planetary gears. My symptoms were a few "clunks" while sitting at a red light. Once it stalled. It felt like it was going into gear and just stalled itself... This was after highway driving and during a VERY cold week. I think it was 13degrees that day a few months ago. I shrugged it off thinking the cold weather was the culprit. Last monday check engine came on and it appeared that at highway speeds, my rpms were a little higher. Although, I had no slipping and it was shifting fine. Then on the way home trans temp light and smoke... That was it... Pulled over and got it towed. Now it's sitting in the shop torn apart and they are supposed to be getting final prices but expected it to be around $3,000!!! They say I will need a new radiator if I cant flush this one...

A couple questions...

Just 7,000mi past wtty and this happens... Is it even worth getting in touch with Jeep to complain?

Does that price sound reasonable? That price includes 24k mi warranty.

I'm disgusted and ready to just sell the friggen thing once I get it fixed.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Mon Apr 09, 2007 1:43 pm

You got the 45RFE or 42RLE?Well my buddy paid $2500 for a rebuild on his 45RFE in WA state,and back home in SD the local tranny shop quated me $2300 for a rebuild or $2600 for a reman tranny(yes there is a difference between rebuilt and remanufactured).A new on is about $3500,also they are probally figuring in the labor for removing and installing the tranny which will jack the price up and adding new gear sets is very pricy to.By the way those first prices are if you pull and reinstall the tranny yourself,so $3000 doesn't seem to bad in my opinion.Just remember the newer auto trannies are very expensive unlike the older auto's(no electronics).

BoyNamedSue · **Joined:** Mon Mar 12, 2007 3:32 pm **Posts:** 66

I work in a warranty department, and sometimes the district service manager can ok a claim if customer is just out of the warranty period. 7,000 miles is quite a bit though, but a transmission shouldn't be breaking at that time expecially if you have proof that you have kept up with changing the fluids. I would try. If you don't ask you'll definitely get nothing. If you do ask it definitely increases your odds.

Blue KJ in PA · **Posted:** Mon Apr 09, 2007 1:44 pm

Don't expect any help from DC. My tranny died at 36842 just 842 miles out of the 36K warranty and they refused to cover it in full, I paid $100 as it was in the 7/70. They stopped tearing it apart to find out what went wrong since they passed the "fix or replace" level for warranty work and just put in a new tranny. I don't have the papers in front of me but I think the replacemnt tranny cost $3000. I contacted DC about the $100 and they totally refused up through second manager level to cover the $100... "but sir you got a replacement and all the work for just $100". Grrrr.

dj_chiro · **Joined:** Mon Mar 20, 2006 12:12 pm **Posts:** 6

Thanks guys I have the 42RLE I believe. It's an 03 Renegade, if I remember correctly, it was built March 2003.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Mon Apr 09, 2007 2:14 pm

Sounds like a problem with the torque converter and not the tranny. Not sure if the bad converter could of damaged the tranny or not. Usually best to take it to a trusted mechanic than to get ripped off at the dealer. They could be saying its a bad tranny when its not.

Ohh, what does the tranny have to do with the radiator? Were you having problems with over heating or something?

dj_chiro · **Joined:** Mon Mar 20, 2006 12:12 pm **Posts:** 6

It's at a trans shop not the stealer. From what i've been told the trans cooling runs through the radiator and that since it overheated and there was crap everywhere inside, the radiator most likely will be clogged up.

Kniggit · **Posted:** Mon Apr 09, 2007 4:04 pm

That sounds an awful lot like the catastrophic TC failure some CRD's have had. Is that the 4 or 5 speed auto? if its the 4 speed ask your tranny guy if its the 545/45rfe.

K

Eddo · **Joined:** Thu Jul 07, 2005 7:01 pm **Posts:** 1214

dj_chiro wrote:

It's at a trans shop not the stealer. From what i've been told the trans cooling runs through the radiator and that since it overheated and there was crap everywhere inside, the radiator most likely will be clogged up.

If the cooler is integrated into the radiator then it is probably the 45RFE. Just call the trans shop and ask, I'm sure they will know which one you have. All 42RLE have a separate independent trans cooler, it is not integrated into the radiator.

Uncle B · **Joined:** Wed Feb 15, 2006 11:46 am **Posts:** 9

I don't visit this site very often so I'm not sure if you guys are familiar with the website car-part.com. It's a used car parts place for all makes and models. I just checked out of curiosity and it looks like you can get a used 42RLE transmission for under $1000 and there are many to choose from all around the country. Depending how much they would charge you for labor alone, getting a used transmission might save you a lot of money.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Thu Apr 12, 2007 2:14 pm

Kniggit wrote:

That sounds an awful lot like the catastrophic TC failure some CRD's have had. Is that the 4 or 5 speed auto? if its the 4 speed ask your tranny guy if its the 545/45rfe.

K

Thats what I was thinking when I posted that..

3K to rebuild a tranny?!?! 77k mi!

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