Quote: Originally Posted by andrewsboots
All I can think of when reading this thread was, i'm f*cked!
Well, has anyone found the solution to the 3rd gear grinding problem?
Get tranny fixed. :-(
I just got my car into the dealer for the second time in as many weeks. Last week it was in from Monday until Thursday and got a complete new clutch and throwout bearing ($1400 - my cost). Took it home, and (although it was much, much better shifting) it STILL popped out of third and occasionally grinded going into third (at higher revs) even with the clutch still fully engaged.
Yesterday took it back, later that day after a cursory check of the behavior themselves they agreed there was still a problem and that the tranny needed work, and they theorized it was probably the 3rd gear synco. They then told me it would cost me upwards of $1000 to repair. Very surprised but still calm I told him all 2004 models came with 7/70 powertrain and additionally I purchased an 8/80 extended. He then says "Oh, well you are ok then." This is most upsetting because
'once again' the dealer seems to neglect to (I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt here) LOOK UP MY DAMN WARRANTY.
Understand that this is not the first time, in fact. The previous week when dropping off the vehicle originally and explaining the 3rd gear situation I was told it would be $90 to even check. I asked if the warranty would not cover that if the issue itself is covered by the powertrain warranty (remember now, no diagnostic had been done at this point so no reason to assume it was a clutch issue per se....which it obviously wasn't, at least not the direct cause of the behavior of third gear which is what I was looking to correct) to which he said, there is only a 3/36 warranty on my car (Now, realize he has not looked anything up at this point about me or what I have, he hasn't done anything but ask about what I was experiencing). I quietly explain he is incorrect, it has a 7/70 warranty. He immediately disagrees insisting it is 3/36. I once again explain it has a 7/70 at which point he smirks and tells me "Look, I've been doing this a long time. The standard warranty is 3/36.....Unless you have an extended" I cut in that I in fact do have an extended, and didn't bother with trying to further argue that 7/70 is standard powertrain for mine and all 2004 models as I could see he was beginning to take it personally and god forbid he decides to void my warranty for the Mopar short shifter I have installed because I got him 'miffed' while trying to get actual value from my warranty.
Now, honestly I want to continue to give 'benefit of doubt' usually but I really get the feeling the typical operating principal of these dealers (and this is a 'Five star' large reputable dealer I was leaving the car with not some rinky dink 10 car lot) is to HOPE YOU FORGET THAT YOU HAVE A WARRANTY.
Today they called again, I didn't speak to them but basically, they said the tranny is shot they are ordering a new one but.....(Surprise, surprise it almost seems as if there is a huge demad for new SRT-4 transmissions).....they are backordered and it won't be done for 2-3 weeks.
Luckily for me, they did do one honorable thing this last time I dropped the vehicle off. After a lot of internal discussion, and my wife practically begging them on the phone (Likewise it took a couple hours via phone calls to get this approval internally for 'some reason') they gave me a 'loaner' - not rental - car. I just couldn't bring myself to do it directly, I know I would have gotten too angry and I would probably have exploded verbally during the conversation so thank god for my wife and her sweet voice.
Now I have the loaner for the duration of the work but I have the worst taste left in my mouth from the experience. So much so that I officially swear off Dodge vehicles for good. I love my car, but the whole way service seems to be handled for Dodge is awful in my admittedly limited experience. That said, although there are very good and very friendly dealers out there, that appears to be the exception and not the rule.
Good luck to anyone having 3rd gear problems, much like the Xbox 360 this appears to be the 'Red ring of death" for the SRT-4. Similarities end there however because unlike Dodge, Microsoft blew it and then faced the music, dedicating over 1 billion to fixing an issue they know exists on all their product built a certain way. Dodge, well they just blew it and then blew it off.
