Transmission Clunk

[thecabinguy]

On my '05 Touring with the automatic and 92,000 miles, something has started fairly recently. After I start my car cold in the mornings, and even though I'll let it run for a couple of minutes before I put in DRIVE, when I do put it in gear it kind of hits hard, a little disconcerning. The RPMs is at about 1,000 at this point, as they always have been with the engine still cold. That has never changed. I had the trans fully serviced about 30,000 miles ago and the fluid is full and still looks perfectly clean. I just hate the way it feels when it clunks into gear first thing in the mornings. After driving it a while, after things warm up a bit, the trans is fine for the rest of the day, goes into DRIVE like it should - NO CLUNK. Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.

[chuzz]

I'd try another fluid and filter change. It sounds like you may have a filter that's partially clogged. Just make sure you use ATF+4 fluid. NOTHING else.

[Busted_PT]

Check the upper and lower motor mounts. May be torn. Will feel it more if the idle is higher.

[Probedude]

Originally Posted by Busted_PT

Check the upper and lower motor mounts. May be torn. Will feel it more if the idle is higher.

Originally Posted by chuzz

I'd try another fluid and filter change. It sounds like you may have a filter that's partially clogged. Just make sure you use ATF+4 fluid. NOTHING else.

Try the above and see if it changes things. Definitely could fix your problem. I did read how the TCM shifts differently when cold vs warm/hot so the above could still be your issue but the TCM shift change is making you feel like it's temp related.

Also another vote to make sure it's ATF+4 and not something else plus an additive to make it ATF+4.

[thecabinguy]

Thanks for the advice. Just to make doubly sure I get the correct ATF-4 I made an appointment with my local Chrysler dealership. I have a coupon so it won't be too costly. It's this coming week. Afterwards I'll report back if that took care of the problem.

[chuzz]

Ask them to look at all of the mounts while they're under the car. Busted_PT has been around them for a while, so he gave you good advice. I'm curious as to how much they'll charge you for the fluid and filter change. Be sure you tell them you don't want it FLUSHED, you want it changed with a new filter. Some places just flush out the old fluid and don't drop the transmission pan and replace the filter. I'd ask to see the old filter too. That way, you can be reasonably sure they actually replaced it. That's your right as a consumer. If they can't produce it, I'd be very wary of what they did.

[Busted_PT]

I don't think there is anything wrong with the transmission. I think you have wore out mounts. That's the slop you feel talking up the slack. Easy enough to see before you spend your money.

[thecabinguy]

Originally Posted by thecabinguy

Thanks for the advice. Just to make doubly sure I get the correct ATF-4 I made an appointment with my local Chrysler dealership. I have a coupon so it won't be too costly. It's this coming week. Afterwards I'll report back if that took care of the problem.

I did have the transmission serviced with the new ATF4 and filter. I was told that I was not to have high hopes in that it would not prove to be a "quick" fix. Wrong. It did do the trick. Maybe the filter was getting a little clogged, I don't know, but I do know it does not clunk into DRIVE anymore when cold.

[chuzz]

Well, thanks for FINALLY getting back to us and letting us know. I'm happy to hear it was a simple thing and once again, a dealership service writer didn't know what he was talking about!

[thecabinguy]

Originally Posted by chuzz

Ask them to look at all of the mounts while they're under the car. Busted_PT has been around them for a while, so he gave you good advice. I'm curious as to how much they'll charge you for the fluid and filter change. Be sure you tell them you don't want it FLUSHED, you want it changed with a new filter. Some places just flush out the old fluid and don't drop the transmission pan and replace the filter. I'd ask to see the old filter too. That way, you can be reasonably sure they actually replaced it. That's your right as a consumer. If they can't produce it, I'd be very wary of what they did.

I realize that this is an old thread from last year, but I never did reply how the trans service went at the dealership. It was not a flush but a drain and filter replacement service (it had the flush done the time before). What I admired about the service at the dealership (I had waited in the waiting room for it) is that they came and had me go back to the service area to show me the inside of the pan after he took it off. On the way back there I was getting all hinky about the bad news I was going to receive, but got just the opposite! The tech showed me that there wasn't one speck of anything in the bottom of the pan, except for a tad bit being held by the magnatized drain plug. He said I must drive the car easy (which I do) and I said it was last serviced 33,000 miles ago. He said for me to keep up my maintenance and this trans should last a long time to come. I'm sure hoping.... BTW, the total service was $136.47