Ok, just getting to the end of my tether with my grand voyager. It's a 2005 2.8crd with 95000 Mel's on the clock. I've had it for 5 years. Three years ago whilst driving at about 40mph I had a Los ps of drive and some clanging noises. Pulled in and called RAC who towed me home. RAC guy said it was the gearbox and recommended a garage nearby. The fluid was dark and burnt on this occasion. To cut a long story short a recon transmission was put in at a cost of £2k. I've done 30k mls since and whilst out in the car it just jumped out of gear. I couldn't select any gears at all. No funny noises etc. I stopped and checked tranny fluid and condition. It was full and a lovely pink colour so I thought probably a little electrical/solenoid /fuse fault. Well it's back in a company that specialises in gearboxes and they are saying that it sounds like a 'planetary gear' fault and a recon box needed, and a quotation of £2k!!! They tell me the chrysler diesel has too much torque for the tranny which is the same as the petrol model, and is a known problem.They have had it for over a week and only today I managed to get an update. The box will be out today and they will give me a time schedule for return of the car. Can't believe it. I feel very suspicious about a recon box going again after only 30 k miles. Can anyone give me a basic opinion. I would really like to have a bit of advice in case they come back and say they want another £2k!! Christ the trade price for the car is only £2.4k! Help please.

 

Oh dear....Here's my basic opinion.
It's an unfortunate fact about recon. autoboxes -- the recon job is not always done perfectly. Looks like you could be a 'victim' here. On top of that, you're facing the "economic write-off" situation.
My last episode with an autobox was in a Jag, it was a ZF box and I was lucky in that ATF change fixed most of the problems, the shudder from the torque-converter's clutch was fixed by "Dr. Tranny's instant shudder-fix". It worked, just like it said on the tin. (Or tube in this case).
There's a lesson here -- change the ATF after 60,000mile for full synthetic, or 30,000mile for mineral. If you let the ATF get burnt, you'll likely get problems. Excessive temps. are killer for the fluid, and other parts of the assy.
Not to be too downbeat, the current problem might be something like a busted circlip -- oh yes, it's been known. It might even be a microprocessor based fault, or a fault in the valve body. There's still the labor to pay for, of course.
The opinion of a contributor here with specialized experience with Chrysler autoboxes would be most valuable.

Leedsman.

 

Just to update my thread re my auto gearbox. I decided to bite the bullet and pay for another recon gearbox. £2040!! Now have another problem. When the box is warm, if you put it into drive with foot on the brake, there is a shuddering vibrating noise as it engages. Without foot on the brake it does not do it. Whilst driving, as you brake to a stop, there is a a shuddering feeling as it comes to a stop. The garage are claiming it is nothing to do with the gearbox. They are thinking it is an electrical signal problem, possibly from the ecu, or maybe the brake light switch. Any comments, I am pulling my hair out. I don't know what to believe and what not to.