My wife's 04' stratus is overdue for a transmission flush. she bought it with 41k miles and it is at 86k. I highly doubt they did anything to the transmission before she bought it. Recently during cold weather the transmission would not switch into drive from a cold start. After a minute or two it eventually engaged.

I figured the transmission is not something you want your local auto shop working on and called up the dealership for service instead. I told them I needed a transmission flush and to make sure they dropped the pan and changed the filter. They charge $235 for the service. I also questions if they would use ATF4 /fully synthetic fluid. They said they use whatever the manufacturer recommends.

I did not speak to an actual mechanic, just the receptionist.

I just don't trust anyone, do you think taking it to someplace like AAMCO would be better than the dealership?

 

DON'T FLUSH....Pan drop, filter and fluid. Don't add anything to it, just the correct fluid.

 

You can pick up a new gasket and filter for just a couple $$ at your local parts store, and the fluid (atf+4 blue bottle at walmart), and a little bit of your time. It's fairly easy to do

 

Unfortunately, I do not have the time to do this myself. I just bought a house and my time is better spent fixing up the house, not the wife's car.

TNtech, care to elaborate why you are advising against doing what the manufacturer wrote in the owners manual?

 

I'd like to know where and in what manual does Chrysler says to flush the Transmission.

Quite the contrary>>>.

 

Than find a place that's willing to do what YOU ASK them to do. Supply the proper fluid, and just pay their labor. I would not go anywhere that's going to pressurize the system to "flush" out the old fluid. Let gravity do the work, it's best not to have crud loosened up that is best left where it is...

Although the manual that I found online states that a flush isn't needed (as noted by tntech), there is a lot of anecdotal evidence that it does help (the pan drop made a heck of a difference in my 41ae [awd version of the 41te strat transmission] transmission Chrysler van).

 

My apologies, I misread the manual, you are correct it does not say "flush". This is interesting because the dodge dealership I was going to take it to said they were going to flush it. They even explained the process.

I like the idea of taking it to a local shop and providing them with the supplies. Less room for error.

Walmart Brand ATF+4 or should I splurge and get valvoline ATF+4 (full synthetic)?

Is this everything I need to buy? I was thinking like 7 or 8 qts of the fluid to be safe, i can return what I don't use.
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/par...fier=7503_0_0_

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/acc...er=830387_0_0_

 

To be branded atf+4, it has to meet Chrysler specs for the fluid. I used the blue bottles from Walmart in both my '00 Stratus and my '03 T&C when I had them, and never experienced any issues because of it. I believe the supertec (or whatever it's called) brand is manufactured by one of the larger brands anyways.

 

I use the walmart ATF+4 all the time. Mopar actually approved it. I use it in my 02 Stratus and 05 Durango without issues. The stratus has 167k miles on it now.

Unless you live in an apartment complex that frowns on working on your car, I would put the car up on ramps and do the swap yourself. It's not tough at all and takes about an hour or so.

FYI the Stratus takes 4 quarts. If you're in the Vegas area, pm me and I can do it for you or guide you how to do it yourself. Anything over 120.00 for this service is a rip off. The fluid will cost you about 4.72/quart (x4) and the filter/gasket for the pan cost is about 10.00 from Autozone (check Rockauto.com out also).