I had my wife's 97 Grand Voyager's transmission rebuilt and she picked it up this afternoon and drove it 15 miles and then the check engine light came on and the transmission is now stuck in 1st gear. I told the guy that I wanted ATF+3 fluid and he said that he only used Dextron so I went and bought 12 Qts of ATF+3. When My wife picked up the van all 12 Qts were still in the front seat. I got the van back to the transmission shop tonight and I am going to talk to them tomorrow morning. I need some advice about how to handle this. I am really pissed so I need some of you guys that can think clearly to give me some advice.

thanks Allen

You should have picked the van up yourself, or told your wife to make certain those ATF+3 bottles you purchased were in fact used.

Your mechanic should know that you don't use Dexron in Chrysler products. You'll be rebuilding another transmission now.

Read this:

http://www.allpar.com/fix/trans.html

The people who rebuilt the trany if they were in fact pros. should have known exactly what goes in it. So that liabilty would not be an issue. Point is!! There responsable. To re-fix..

..picked it up this afternoon and drove it 15 miles and then the check engine light came on and the transmission is now stuck in 1st gear...

We'll assume "limp mode"?

..I told the guy that I wanted ATF+3 fluid and he said that he only used Dextron so I went and bought 12 Qts of ATF+3...


Sorry, but I've got to ask: Did you tell him that the fluid you wanted used is on the front seat? And if so what was the response? - But the more important question is why did you still have this pinhead do the work if he doesn't even know what fluid goes into your transmission?

..I got the van back to the transmission shop tonight and I am going to talk to them tomorrow morning. I need some advice about how to handle this. I am really pissed so I need some of you guys that can think clearly to give me some advice.


It is possible that something is disconnected - it is also possible the transmission did not need to be rebuilt after all and it was the ECM or some other such electrical problem. If I had a quarter for every time I've heard someone driving a Caravan/Voyager/T&C told their tranny was toast when in fact it was actually an electrical problem outside of the transmission I'd be a retired mechanic now - or perhaps at least own the garage! As I said before, I can't really understand why you let them do the work after they let you know they would put the wrong fluid in it. Although I can't say that is your issue now, you'll need to go back there and at least go through the motions to allow them to correct the problem - or pay another shop to really fix it. If you paid by check, stop payment on it and let them take you to court instead of the other way around!

You should have picked the van up yourself...


hmmmm.....

..or told your wife....

yeah, right... don't know about your house but maybe this guy wants to stay married!
;-)

you will have no problem using dex 3.The problem is not the fluid.The only thing to worry about if you have a vehicle using atf4.You can use dexron in a atf3 system because it is atf3.You can not use atf3 in a atf4 system.Your van does not take atf 4,you have another problem.

"You can use dexron in a atf3 system because it is atf3...."

Huh? You can use power steering fluid or water too but I would recommend neither. :nono:

I'd go with something specifically marked Mopar 7176, but that's me. Did I miss something?
:2cents:

I had my wife's 97 Grand Voyager's transmission rebuilt and she picked it up this afternoon and drove it 15 miles and then the check engine light came on and the transmission is now stuck in 1st gear. I told the guy that I wanted ATF+3 fluid and he said that he only used Dextron so I went and bought 12 Qts of ATF+3. When My wife picked up the van all 12 Qts were still in the front seat. I got the van back to the transmission shop tonight and I am going to talk to them tomorrow morning. I need some advice about how to handle this. I am really pissed so I need some of you guys that can think clearly to give me some advice.

thanks Allen

Did he give you any warranty? something like 3 years or 36 k miles?
He rebuilt the tranny and it did not last more than 15 miles, then he should fix it or give you your money back.