2007 Dodge Dakota SLT Quad Cab 4x4

Hauling my camper in haul/tow down the highway at 70 MPH - just a pop up camper nothing too heavy.

I get a overheat light for my transmission fluid - look at manual it says pull over, throw in neutral and see if light goes out. Light goes out, I get back on the road.

30 minutes later i get a malfunction light - look it up in manual and it says get it to a dealer to check the codes. I am approximately 30 minutes from destination and it wasn't blinking so I pressed on.

10 minutes pass and the RPM runs up to 5,000 or so (I was in cruise control) and I feel like it was running in neutral. I pull over and fluid smells hot. I shut off vehicle, open hood and the fluid has definetely overheated. I gave it 15 minutes and it wouldn't go into gear. After about an hr. it would go into gear, I would rev it up while in drive but it wouldn't move until it hit about 3,000 RPM.

This is where the fun came in - I was 3 hours from home with 3 kids in carseats behind me. Raining - had to call enterprise to come get us, drive us 40 minutes to the rental place, sign papers and then return 40 minutes to our car in rush hour.

After we get to the car I got a wrecker, he pulled camper and loaded truck on flatbed. Took another 45 minutes to get to tranny shop.

Then I drove 3 hours home in the rental. I am about 500 bucks deep on this so far - I am expecting a tranny rebuild - what do you think a hole in the wall good ole' boy will charge for a rebuild if needed?

Thanks

 

Wow. ****ty! Good luck?!

 

Probably $1500 to $2000 depending on labor rates.

 

That sounds like something went wrong, Does your have the Tow Package?
I have a 05 3.7L 2wd /w tow package, and ive towed my 5x10 enclosed trailer for hours with no overheating issues, or even engine temp higher then normal in tow/haul.

I how ever had to replace my filter, pan and fluid last winter as I put a hole thru it. So I know what it acts like with low fluid, I didnt even get 10 feet of the bank of ice (which had it plugged) before I could tell something was wrong, as it took 5 minutes to go into drive to get off the road.

 

Talked to shop this morning, he said the tranny is toasted. He was looking for rebuilt ones in the area but nothing around. He will be rebuilding on site. He said he should have it done late tomorrow.

$1,700 - It's the 42RE - what would cause it's premature failure? My father in law - who gave me the truck pulled miniature donkeys in a trailer from Michigan to California - twice. He also had the back loaded down - I am thinking it was heavily damaged from these trips....

 

Hauling *** tends to wear components. Mini donkeys.... just haulin a little *** there.

 

Wait for it . . .

 

The Tow/Haul feature does both actions described above. First is disables 5 gear, and it also changes the shift patterns on acceleration and deceleration. It provides more power to pull up steep hills and more engine breaking on down hills, it is not used while traveling higher speeds on the highway, your truck isn't going into overdrive. what were your rpms on the highway, around 3000?

 

Some that tow around here have put aux trans coolers on their trucks, ask the shop how much extra it would be to slap one on for you.

 

I don't recall RPM's but nothing out of the ordinary for running 65-70.

I did have the tow/haul on.

Transmission is done at the shop - getting up early to make the 3 hour trip with my wife and kids south to pick it up and unfortunately haul my camper back. I have a 12 month warranty on it but it does make me a little nervous.