Blown Tranny

[Ignatz]

Well guys, I hate to admit it, but at 110,000 miles (within a dozen miles of exactly 110,000) Ignatz has his first real life-threatening illness. Yesterday on the way to work I noticed a hum I hadn't heard before. Just started out of the blue. Hmm, what could that be? Couple snowstorms recently, maybe some weather found its way to somewhere it shouldn't. Kinda cold out too, about zero F, maybe some lube isn't warmed up yet. I'll give it a while. Later in the day the hum is getting louder. Sounds like an alternator bearing -- sorta high-pitched -- consistent with vehicle speed not engine speed. I've heard wheel bearings go, and it sounds like a B-52 making a pass, so I knew it wasn't that. By the end of the day it was loud enough to say somethings definitely wrong. Took it to the hospital (dealer shop) and he's getting a new tranny.

Good news is: Ignatz has health insurance (lifetime warranty). Won't cost me anything, and I've got a Chrysler to use temporarily. Only problem is my driveway really needs a Patriot. Took me two shots to get in last night. (Did I mention my snowblower is in the shop? Also a bad drive mechanism -- so the last 2 snowstorms are still lying in my driveway, maybe 10" total, gradually getting packed down). That snow looks a lot deeper over the hood of a Chrysler than it does over the hood of a Patriot. Wifey has a Wrangler I've got Ignatz, so it wasn't a problem till now. I hope backing that Chrysler down the drive won't be an adventure . . .

[dixiedawg]

Good luck!

[NHPATRIOT]

Sorry to hear that man. As you say though you have the LPTW so it will be fixed at no charge.

Just curious about something. Have you had your CVT serviced before( i.e. fluid and filter service )? I don't believe in these 100K+ service intervals car mfg's are using these days on transmissions( auto ) and even some t-cases, axles, etc... Even the 60K severe service schedule for the CVT seems to be pushing it IMO. NO WAY I go 60K in my Jeep, never mind 120K, before servicing the CVT. I am thinking somewhere around 30K tops.

Hope they get it fixed and back to you faster than that dealer got Dixie his engine.

[JoeP]

How disappointed was I to discover that 'blown' in this context was used to mean 'broken' and that 'tranny' was short for 'transmission'.

[Ignatz]

NHPatriot, no I've never had any transmission service. I've always had my service done at the dealer, and done whatever the dealership recommends. I even asked directly at 100,000 and the service manager said there was no need. They've also declined other service saying it was a waste of money. In the past (when they handled Pontiac) they got me a cheap tranny fix that lasted another 150,000 miles (at 250,000 the tranny was again giving trouble but with that many miles I had no reason to complain). This dealer is honest which goes a long way toward helping me decide where to buy my next vehicle.

[Ignatz]

And JoeP, a blower on a Patriot would be exciting! I think there's a thread on here somewhere about somebody who got a turbo on a Patriot, or at least tried.

[JoeP]

Originally Posted by Ignatz

And JoeP, a blower on a Patriot would be exciting! I think there's a thread on here somewhere about somebody who got a turbo on a Patriot, or at least tried.

Mine has a turbo. In that context, 'blown' is usually taken to refer to a supercharger, but that isn't the one I was thinking of.

[NHPATRIOT]

Originally Posted by Ignatz

NHPatriot, no I've never had any transmission service. I've always had my service done at the dealer, and done whatever the dealership recommends. I even asked directly at 100,000 and the service manager said there was no need. They've also declined other service saying it was a waste of money. In the past (when they handled Pontiac) they got me a cheap tranny fix that lasted another 150,000 miles (at 250,000 the tranny was again giving trouble but with that many miles I had no reason to complain). This dealer is honest which goes a long way toward helping me decide where to buy my next vehicle.

Well, I wonder if all that running up and down the mountain that is your driveway pushed you into severe service which would be 60K? Normal is 120K according to Chrysler(Jeep).

With all the well documented CVT issues, despite following the mfg's maintenance schedule, for ALL car mfg's using them( 2 blown CVT's for my Sister in her Honda minivans )I would think they would have come up with a more reasonable service schedule. The ones they have, for a tranny known to grenade, seem nuts to me.

I do like a dealer that does not try and upsell all the time or say to do things that are not needed. My dealer is like that too and that is why I am so loyal to them. My dealer recommends doing normal CVT maintenance at 60K and severe at like 40K. They, like me, think 120K is way too long for such a weak and problematic tranny.

Maybe it won't matter but it will make me feel better being proactive on CVT maintenance. Mine will be done at 30K "IF" I still have the Patriot? I don't put a lot of miles on these days and I will probably sell it around 3-3.5 years. I am hoping the new Dodge Dakota will be fuel efficient and reasonably priced or that the talk of bringing back the Ram 50 comes to pass. Maybe I will like the new Patriot( or whatever replaces it )?

Anyway, hope you get your vehicle back quick and everything goes smoothly.

[MrMischief]

What Chrysler did they give you? 200 I'm guessing.

[Smitty]

I agree about dealers who don't take advantage. My daughter took her Nissan Altima coupe to the local Chrysler-Jeep dealer where I have my Chrysler serviced -for an oil change. They discovered her CVT was faulty- and replaced it under warranty. No questions asked. Meanwhile a friend took his wife's new Mercedes coupe for the annual service (Oil change) and it cost him $ 600. They told him it was routine service. I told him he was getting hosed because he bought a status symbol; no domestic brand would even attempt that nonsense and be able to stay in business.

[cmoore]

Originally Posted by JoeP

Mine has a turbo. In that context, 'blown' is usually taken to refer to a supercharger, but that isn't the one I was thinking of.

I got it,,, and wow,,,, lol


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[tt1]

Originally Posted by JoeP

How disappointed was I to discover that 'blown' in this context was used to mean 'broken' and that 'tranny' was short for 'transmission'.

hahahah omg it never even came to mind lol

Originally Posted by Ignatz

And JoeP, a blower on a Patriot would be exciting! I think there's a thread on here somewhere about somebody who got a turbo on a Patriot, or at least tried.

I don't actually believe that, that person was successful...he makes 2 posts about being successful and shows no video proof and just decided to stop coming on here? seems fishy to me. and i can't believe you didn't get what he meant hahahaha

Originally Posted by cmoore

I got it,,, and wow,,,, lol


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you guys make me feel dirty minded because i understood what he mean't right away.......

[Ignatz]

Originally Posted by JoeP

Mine has a turbo. In that context, 'blown' is usually taken to refer to a supercharger, but that isn't the one I was thinking of.

A turbo on a Patriot? Did you buy it that way? Which Kingdom are you in? Northeast or United?

[Ignatz]

Originally Posted by Smitty

I agree about dealers who don't take advantage. My daughter took her Nissan Altima coupe to the local Chrysler-Jeep dealer where I have my Chrysler serviced -for an oil change. They discovered her CVT was faulty- and replaced it under warranty. No questions asked. Meanwhile a friend took his wife's new Mercedes coupe for the annual service (Oil change) and it cost him $ 600. They told him it was routine service. I told him he was getting hosed because he bought a status symbol; no domestic brand would even attempt that nonsense and be able to stay in business.

Your daughter took her Nissan to the Chrysler-Jeep dealer and replaced her CVT? I realized Nissan and Chrysler use the same tranny, but I'm surprised they'd do the work on a competitor's vehicle.

Yeah that Mercedes owner was getting worked over by somebody, either MB or the dealer. I used to work with a guy who had a Volvo and it was in the shop every month for scheduled maintenance.

Maybe the wierdest maintenance I ever had recommended to me was from one of the nationally franchised tire/battery/etc places. I had a coupon for a cheap oil change so I took the MILs Saturn in. They told me it was time to have the brake fluid changed. The only thing funnier was an old Candid Camera skit where they had their female surrogate ask garages to change the air in her tires. "After all these years the air in there must be getting pretty dirty. Shouldn't it be changed like the oil or anti-freeze?"

[Ignatz]

Originally Posted by MrMischief

What Chrysler did they give you? 200 I'm guessing.

Indeed. Nicely appointed but not as big inside as it looks from the outside. Lots of gizmos to play with, but I haven't figured out how the power sun visors work. Rides OK, but the Patriot rides nearly as good. Fuel economy (by the EVIC) is slightly better than the Patriot (I imagine its a 2.4 in there), and I bet Ignatz with his (new) CVT could beat the 200 in a drag race.

Would I buy one? Maybe; I wouldn't call it my dream car. But around $20,000? Not a bad effort.