Today, I am furious. Sorry this will be long.

Recently, I tried to get a simple transmission fluid change, but I wanted a complete job (drop the pan, change the filter, etc.). No mechanic in my town would do it. I was told by a mechanic that it really wasn't necessary - a flush would suffice. I told him that I was very concerned because the filter would remain dirty and there might be a possibility that the flushing process could do some damage to the solenoids. He told me that there was no way that this would happen. So, I had the flush done. A couple weeks later I got on the freeway, for the first time. When I got over 65 mph, I noticed a real difference in how the van was running. It still ran, but it seemed to not be shifting into overdrive.

I pulled off the freeway and checked the codes and sure enough, for the very first time, I had a P0753 code set. Over the next few days, I checked the fluid level, the connectors, and reset the codes. I drove the car around town a little, over the next few days, never going over 65. The van did not trigger the P0753. Then, I took it on the freeway again, just up one exit, going over 65. I noticed the same actions about feeling like it was not going into overdrive. And, it triggered the P0753 code again.

I took the van to a transmission shop. They charged me $150 and did a multimeter test and went through the standard P0753 testing for my ram van ( I have their noted results). They told me that the PCM was bad and that it needed to be changed, but the solenoids seemed okay. I explained to him the exact events, and how I tested it, but he insisted that nothing was wrong with the transmission solenoids. I asked him if we got the PCM and the solenoids were bad, could they damage the PCM and he said 'Yes'. Sheesh..... His price to change out the PCM was $2100 because, according to him, it was very hard to get one for my van.

So, I picked the van up and took it down to the Dodge dealership, thinking that would be safer. They charged me a $150 fee to check it out, also. (An aside, I have had a P0505 error for 3 years, changed out IAC and TBS multiple times and could not stop it from setting. My municipality does not require emissions testing, so I left it.). So, the Dodge dealership said that 'No output from PCM for IAC found' and 'Transducer and governor sensors failed'. The first expaining P0505, the second explaining P0753.

I spoke to the dealership over the phone and it was agreed that the P0505 was not, and had not been, causing me any problem, so it was okay to leave the existing PCM in. But, they felt that I needed to have the transmission work done. They charged me $745.21 to drop pan, change filter ($22.10), replace solenoid ($144.83), and replace transducer pressure solenoid ($113.26), replace gasket ($31.40), replace fluid (6 @ $7..13/ea), plus $331.32 labor and $25 shop supplies.

When I picked it up, I asked the representative if they drove it to make sure that all was okay and he said yes. I asked him if they drove it on the freeway, going above 65 mpg to make sure that the code did not trigger. He said they did and all was okay - that the P0753 code should not return. So, I left and went across the street for dinner and then headed home on the freeway. Well, right after I got it past 65 mph, I noticed it acting exactly the same, so I pulled off. Sure enough, P0753 was on.

I have to call them Monday and take another day out of my busy schedule to drive up to the next city to have it checked, once again ! But, first I am going to crawl under the vehicle tomorrow to make sure that it looks like the pan was actually dropped. There should be some tell-tale signs. (In my area, mechanics lie a LOT).

I know that the PCM is not causing the problem because that code never triggered until AFTER the transmission fluid flush. Does anyone here have any thoughts/suggestions about this?

 

You just cranked out some serious bucks to the dealer, and they did not fix the problem. They misdiagnosed it. (but, expect them to tell you they had to do that to continue testing.....) They need to look at it, diagnose it CORRECTLY, and NOT charge you for it. If they want you to sign a work order that has ANY dollar amount on it, ask for the service manager, if you already ARE talking to him ask for the general manager. If you don't get any joy there, ask to speak to the owner. This is their goof, and they need to make it right.

Biggest thing is, be POLITE, but firm. Do NOT sign ANYTHING that commits you to ANY money AT ALL.

Just as an aside, general policy is 12 months, or 12,000 mile warranty on any dealership repair. Should be posted somewhere in the service department.

 

It is on the invoice - 12 months or 12,000 miles. I know exactly what they will say next - The PCM needs to be changed out and that is why. But, to do that, they want another $1300. At this point, I don't have it. (I just spent $1200 to have the brakes totally redone because I had a 'metal on metal' sound, intermittently. Guess what, still have that noise, even after returning 3 times.) As you can tell, it has not been a good month for me, having to deal with these mechanics. "My kingdom (small as it is) for one honest mechanic!"

 

You need to find a good, independent shop, that you can trust. Ask around. See who your friends go to. I would bet we have other members here from Arizona.... maybe they can be of some help. (although, you may need to narrow down your location a bit more. ) If you were closer...... I could make some suggestions, or look at it for ya, but, that would be a bit of a cruise for you.....

How did you spend 1200 bucks on brakes??????

 

On the $1200 - Welcome to Green Valley AZ (south of Tucson) where there are NO good mechanics (just ask the residents). Rotors, drums, pads, shoes = $1200! And, that was the price I got from several places. Took it back 25 miles later (noise) and they told me they had to turn down the back drum, already. Still no joy. My friends also hear the noise, so it is 'real'.

Boy, I really miss my neighborhood mechanic in upstate NY, who is honest and knows what he is doing.

 

Here's a real pisser. I got an email this morning from that same Dodge dealership offering to purchase my van. It may be coincidence, but it sure didn't sit well with me. Sheesh.....

 

They wanna sell ya something new.......

For the brake job you got, woulda been less than 300 bucks where I used to work...... Of course, we don't use solid gold parts like you got.....

May have to drive further to find a shop you can trust. In the meantime, go beat up the dealer that raked you over the coals for the trans issue.

 

Yeah, the dealer's answer to the P0505 is it is a problem with the PCM. I just read an article on PCM problems that said:

"UNNECESSARY POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE RETURNS. Over 50 percent of PCMs that are returned under warranty (either because the PCM failed to fix a performance problem or because the engine did not run properly after it was installed) have nothing wrong with them! So it is obvious a lot of people are swapping computers to see if a different PCM will fix their problem." Link - http://www.aa1car.com/library/pcm.htm

I totally agree. If the PCM were bad, more codes would be setting. I have been building and rebuilding computers for years now. When a board connection/element goes bad, everything in that circuit also go bad. Also, the car has been totally driveable for 3 years now, with that code.

On the P0753, transmission code, I am now trying to find a schematic that shows the complete path of the transmission solenoids to the PCM to see if I can see what else would be affected in that PCM area.

BTW, as soon as it warms up here, I can going to crawl under the truck and have a look/see for any signs of work.

 

It sure does not look, to me, like this pan has been dropped. I crawled under, took photos & put them into a slideshow. The one picture that shows some liquid residue, next to the pan, is where the oil changes have created a little residue. I found no residue, of any type, on the pan lip at all. That grey stuff you see is actually dust. Not sure how they could drop the pan without residue. Slideshow:

http://s284.photobucket.com/albums/l...view=slideshow

To look at the pictures themselves, click here:
http://photobucket.com/p0753

I looked all around that transmission pan and saw no sign of any transmission pan gasket of sealant. I would have expected to see some little sign of it. And, since I don't have a pan drain, I would expected at the very least, some of that dust would have been wiped off from the oozing fluid when the pan was dropped. Am I missing something?

 

You can see shiny spots on some of the bolts. And no gasket sealer should be used. Also, the factory gasket is reusable.