So my wife and I go out to lunch today after Church with friends. During lunch, the friends are telling us their transmission woes with their Honda van - tranny died after 230,000 miles. When they were through with their story, my wife says:
"Oh yeah, the transmission on my car acts up every now and then."
"What?" say I.
"Oh, it's nothing to worry about. When I back out of the driveway on a cold morning and then put it in drive, it acts like it doesn't want to go into drive. Sometimes I put it in park and then back in drive and it makes a 'clunk, clunk' noise and then off we go. Nothing to worry about" she says again.
I'm worried.
Wife's ride is a 2004 Chrysler Sebring Convertible. 2.7 V-6 with an automatic transmission. Car has 60,000 miles on it and we've owned it for about two years now.
I have done very little work on this car since we've owned it, other than change the oil. We did have the water pump replaced back in November of last year along with the timing chain and a general tune up and I had the shop replace the belts and hoses as well.
A couple of questions:
1. What kind of transmission is in these cars of this era. In truth, I haven't even googled it yet as we just got home from lunch with friends.
2. It's a 2004. If I were to do a tranny fluid and filter change, would I use the ATF-3 or the ATF-4 fluid?
3. As soon as the weather clears, (it's very stormy here today), I want to do the fluid and filter change and flush, would a bottle of "Lubegard" be in order here. If so, which "color"?
4. Finally, does anyone have any earthly idea what is happening that would make it not want to shift into drive and then the "clunk, clunk" noise? I hardly ever drive this car and she says it only happens when the weather is cold, (think Central Florida cold, like in the 40's). I've never seen it happen or heard it happen but can only relate to you what she has related to me.
She's been a good wife to me but is very bad about not telling me automobile related problems until something major happens, (like stranded on the side of the road). Since I don't want her stranded, I would like to get on top of this ASAP. Any and all comments, guidance and information would be most welcomed.
Thanks - Glenn.
"Oh yeah, the transmission on my car acts up every now and then."
"What?" say I.
"Oh, it's nothing to worry about. When I back out of the driveway on a cold morning and then put it in drive, it acts like it doesn't want to go into drive. Sometimes I put it in park and then back in drive and it makes a 'clunk, clunk' noise and then off we go. Nothing to worry about" she says again.
I'm worried.
Wife's ride is a 2004 Chrysler Sebring Convertible. 2.7 V-6 with an automatic transmission. Car has 60,000 miles on it and we've owned it for about two years now.
I have done very little work on this car since we've owned it, other than change the oil. We did have the water pump replaced back in November of last year along with the timing chain and a general tune up and I had the shop replace the belts and hoses as well.
A couple of questions:
1. What kind of transmission is in these cars of this era. In truth, I haven't even googled it yet as we just got home from lunch with friends.
2. It's a 2004. If I were to do a tranny fluid and filter change, would I use the ATF-3 or the ATF-4 fluid?
3. As soon as the weather clears, (it's very stormy here today), I want to do the fluid and filter change and flush, would a bottle of "Lubegard" be in order here. If so, which "color"?
4. Finally, does anyone have any earthly idea what is happening that would make it not want to shift into drive and then the "clunk, clunk" noise? I hardly ever drive this car and she says it only happens when the weather is cold, (think Central Florida cold, like in the 40's). I've never seen it happen or heard it happen but can only relate to you what she has related to me.
She's been a good wife to me but is very bad about not telling me automobile related problems until something major happens, (like stranded on the side of the road). Since I don't want her stranded, I would like to get on top of this ASAP. Any and all comments, guidance and information would be most welcomed.
Thanks - Glenn.
