TSB for Transmission Dip-Stick

oldnavy · **Posted:** Tue Mar 14, 2006 2:35 pm

There is a new TSB out for the dipstick in the tranny that keeps poping up, I haven't got a copy as yet but will post it when I get my copy. I think it said they know of the problem, but haven't got a fix.

I think the fix is to reduce the length of dipstick a couple of inches. If you have a garage and it's quite, you can hear the dipstick hit the bottom of the pan about inch or two before the yellow top hits the tube. I am going to look tonight, but I think the bottom of the dipstick can be cut off without a problem of getting into the measurement part. I do remember below the spot where you measure there is a cold measure spot, but I don't think it applys to our tranny.

grywlfbg · **Posted:** Tue Mar 14, 2006 3:43 pm

oldnavy. Looking forward to the TSB and a fix. I've RTV'd mine but I casually worry that little RTV bits will find their way down into the tranny.

oldnavy · **Posted:** Tue Mar 14, 2006 3:54 pm

grywlfbg wrote:

oldnavy. Looking forward to the TSB and a fix. I've RTV'd mine but I casually worry that little RTV bits will find their way down into the tranny.

What I do is pull the rear hang down dust flap on the engine cover up and let it rest on the dipstick to keep it plugged in, so far it works.

n3qik · **Posted:** Tue Mar 14, 2006 8:11 pm

Just checked mine, was fine. Tried to hear it hit the pan, but nothing.
Mine dip stick is 37 1/8 " long, from bottom of rubber at handle to the tip.

grywlfbg
I would remove the RTV, looks like the fill tube is also the vent. You will see two half moon cutouts at the rubber ring.

oldnavy · **Posted:** Tue Mar 14, 2006 8:59 pm

n3qik wrote:

Just checked mine, was fine. Tried to hear it hit the pan, but nothing.
Mine dip stick is 37 1/8 " long, from bottom of rubber at handle to the tip.

grywlfbg
I would remove the RTV, looks like the fill tube is also the vent. You will see two half moon cutouts at the rubber ring.

That may be very true with the venting.

I didn't notice mine hitting the pan till I had it sitting in the popped up position after not checking the stick for a week and I pushed it in and pulled it back up and noticed how it popped up as if being pushed from below. I then took just two fingers and pushed it down quickly and let it pop up and did it again and that's when I noticed it felt like it was bouncing as it bottomed out on the pan and was making a metalic clink. If you just stick it in like you would if checking the oil it won't do the click on the pan for some reason. I was under the Jeep as the daughter did as I showed her and the stick did sound as if it hit the pan. I also noticed the bottom section of the dipstick is curved as if it would be if the stick was hitting the bottom of the pan and the tip is curved upward.

Dealer has a new 06 CRD in I guess I go out and check it out tomorrow, then maybe if the same I will see what the tech's say. The thing that has me wondering is how would this effect fill marks, could I have a tranny now over filled or not enough fluid.

n3qik · **Posted:** Tue Mar 14, 2006 10:38 pm

oldnavy
Mine is stright, if you get a change mesasure the length.

oldnavy · **Posted:** Tue Mar 14, 2006 11:45 pm

37 1/8 inch is what I got when I measured.

oldnavy · **Posted:** Wed Mar 15, 2006 6:20 pm

Checked a new CRD sport and the dipstick would do the same as my dipstick and make a clicking sound as it bottomed out and would have a springy feel at that point before going all the way in, and this was being done by one of the service/parts guys. He was of the same opinion as I and that is the cheap arss dipstick is too long.

Later tonight I will start cutting some off some to see if I can remedy this problem. Have Dremil tool and cutting disc, will report my findings later tonight or first thing in the morning.

oldnavy · **Posted:** Thu Mar 16, 2006 12:14 am

After further investagation it appears the problem is the use of spring steel and too many hard angle turns down to the tranny. It appears the only answer is to make a tie down of some kind, the only thing I can think of is a wire tie down. One could do this with a hose clamp and a short piece of wire. The hose clamp is tightened on the tubbing with a length of wire between the pipe and clamp, then take the wire up and through the finger hole (yellow thingy) and down to the tightening screw and take a couple of turns. What you think?

retmil46 · **Posted:** Thu Mar 16, 2006 1:03 am

Looks like the word is already out to my dealership. Dropped it off this morning for the rear pinion seal, tranny TSB, and 5/15 ECM TSB.

When I called this afternoon, they said they had determined that my VEHICLE build date didn't match the periods on the tranny TSB, and therefore they didn't do it (I'm going to have a few choice words with them about THAT!), but that they did discover that the tranny was 2 quarts low on fluid, and didn't see where it was leaking any!!! Since I was on a short break at work, I didn't ask them at the time why the h### they didn't catch this 5 weeks ago when they did the 6500 mile service on it, or for that matter, when they did the initial prep when I bought the bloody thing last Sept.!!!!

I don't like either of the possible outcomes of this scenario - either they were fooled by the dipstick being too long into thinking it was full before, and I've ran that beast for 8600 miles with the tranny 2 quarts low, or they were reading it correctly before and this time a new guy read it incorrectly and now I'm 2 quarts over!

We've got an excellent transmission shop in town. After they replace the pinion seal and I pick it up, I'm going straight there. I'm going to describe what's occurred so far, ask them to drop the pan and check it out, verify both the build date of the tranny and part numbers of the filters installed, check out that frakkin dipstick, and verify that the bloody thing is refilled to the correct level. I'm going to ask them to document everything they find, and if they find what I suspect, I'm about to become a very unpleasant person as far as the dealership is concerned.

oldnavy · **Posted:** Thu Mar 16, 2006 8:56 am

Keep us posted Mitch.

When the dealer did the TSB to replace the tranny filter on mine they let it go out almost 3 qt's low and I didn't get around to checking it till almost a week later and found it low. Went to the dealer and they drove it down the road about 5 miles and back, checked and addded 2 quarts there on the spot. I drove it down the highway and pulled back in for a check (it was showing full when I left) and low and behold it took another 1/2 qt there and they gave me another qt of tranny fluid to take home and when I pulled into garage after driving about 20 miles and checked it right quick it showed what I guessed was almost 1/2 qt low still, so I topped it up again. Durring this whole filling process I had my head under the hood right along with the tech. Last time I checked about a week ago it was still on the full mark.

I kind of think that the dipstick makes so many right angle turns and with it being spring steel it tends to spring back up. If they had done the same thing with tranny dipstick they did with oil dipstick, I don't think we would be having this problem.

retmil46 · **Posted:** Thu Mar 16, 2006 12:02 pm

I'm just not happy in general with the way they conducted themselves on this visit.

Dropped it off at 9 AM yesterday. Before I left for work at 1 PM, checked my voicemail, they'd called at 11:30 while I was catching a nap. They said they would have to order the pinion seal overnight, and asked if i wanted to leave the vehicle, or pick it up and reschedule for another day.
I called back, got ahold of a different service rep, asked them to relay to the rep that was handling my vehicle that they could keep the vehicle, guy said no problem he'd handle it.

I just had a feeling. I called back at break at 4:30, got ahold of my rep. They hadn't told her squat, so since she hadn't gotten any word from me, by their rules, she hadn't been able to order the seal yet, so that just added another day's delay in getting it fixed.

On the 18-018-05 TSB, reprogramming the ECM, she said the service manager had decided to go ahead and do it because I had "expressed concerns" about it. That wasn't what I wanted to hear. What i wanted to hear was that he had checked with DC to verify if it applied to my vehicle, and that DC had told him yes, it applies due to the build date go ahead and do it, or no, don't do it unless the vehicle is having problems, not that he did it to keep me happy and potentially screw up the vehicle.

On the transmission filter TSB, I know bloody well it does apply to my tranny. If you go to the thread where you originally posted about this TSB, you'll see where I posted a message that i checked and my tranny build date was 1225, in the second period from 1025 to 2345. They told me they had checked the VEHICLE build date (not the tranny build date) and that the TSB didn't apply to my vehicle. I may call them back and ask them to double check the date, but I'm starting to be of the opinion that I don't even want them touching the tranny, given what's happened so far. The tranny shop I mentioned charged $120 for doing a flush/filter change/operational checkout on another automatic my sister has, I think it'd be worth the money to make sure it's done right this time.

oldnavy · **Posted:** Thu Mar 16, 2006 12:19 pm

Man that is the pits. Sounds like they have too much work, a lack of good procedures for shop communications, and a lack of enough proper trained people.

tired_old_dave · **Joined:** Wed Feb 22, 2006 3:45 pm **Posts:** 79

We feel it. Just think about some woman not mechanically inclined who bought a crd.

One post awhile back talked about tranny's being delivered low on fluid. Maybe this is another dipstick issue. I stopped mine from popping by putting two bends in the top half after checking the level per the shop manual. My dipstick has writing all along the stick with filling instructions.

BCool · **Posted:** Thu Mar 16, 2006 3:49 pm

Anyone know the tsb number? I am about to take my crd in to change the oil and I would like this performed.

TSB for Transmission Dip-Stick

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