2003 Dodge Neon Repairs, codes & costs

CATSWOLD

MEMBER
2003 DODGE NEON
4 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
54,456 MILES

Twice within 18 months had similar problem. Both times car became very difficult to shift out of park into drive. Had lot of trouble going between 1st & 3rd gears & could not get up any speed. First time transmission fluid was low so more added & helped only for 5-10 min. Mechanic said the hose from transmission looping through radiator had leaked and filled radiator with transmission fluid, trashing the radiator. Radiator & hose replacement done, transmission fluid changed. Now about year & a half later it began doing the exact same thing. The first garage had closed, so took to a different mechanic who said he got a Code PO700 and it needed a new transmission. Did not go ahead with that, but took to a 2nd mechanic who diagnosed it with the same transmission fluid leak into radiator as the first time & again replaced radiator, hose & fluid. He did not mention the code (although we gave him the paperwork from the first place). Now the car runs fine except when slowing, it****** slightly going into lowest gear. Not constantly, but intermittently. 3rd mechanic says he pulled Code PO841LR and which is some type of sensor costing around $500 to replace. Are these problems related? Is the leak of tranny fluid into the radiator a common problem? Do we trust the last sensor diagnosis & fork over another $500, or should we be looking into this further? Is the $500 a good estimate for this sensor replacement?

5 Replies

BILLYMAC

MECHANIC
2,204 POSTS

Hi the code I see here is code red. Run away get a second opinion. Some sensors are expensive but 500 is a lot he didn't explain what this sensor was or what he has to do to change it this alone is very unproffessional. You the customer have the right to have a written estamate in detail. You see the fact that I don't know what this repair involves does not bother me. However you should know and if you don't get another estamate. Ask the technician questions don't spend money until you are fully aware of what you are paying for.

Now the fourth mech opinion. This doesn't happen enough to be classified as a normal prob but it happens.

The prob you are having going to lower gear are you saying it is slipping?

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Friday, February 18th, 2011 AT 2:21 AM

CATSWOLD

MEMBER
5 POSTS

No, not slipping. Best way I can describe it is a slight clunking/thumping feel as it goes into low gear. Definitely not a tire, wheel, bearing type of sound. More a "feel" than a noise of any kind. No "slipping" or "sliding" or difficulty going into low gear. Doesn't do it all the time, sometimes it feels worse and other times you don't get it at all. Not consistent. I had a sensor go in my Mercury that affected the transmission & that definitely felt like the tranny just would/could not get into a higher gear. This is nothing at all like that.

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Friday, February 18th, 2011 AT 2:45 AM

BILLYMAC

MECHANIC
2,204 POSTS

Yes there are sensors that effect transmission operation but sounds like maybe something that really should be diagnosed by a trans shop. But most likely they will want to completely rebuild the trans. So there you go with number 5 mech opinion lol. Now if they were talking about input sensor or output sensor these two trans sensors are about twenty dollars each and take all of 20 mins to install this would make sense.

If it were mine I would go to parts store buy these two sensors go to your mech ask him to install themand clear the codes this may fix the prob worth a try. Good luck

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Friday, February 18th, 2011 AT 10:44 PM

CATSWOLD

MEMBER
5 POSTS

Guess I didn't make the original question very clear since there were really 2 questions combined. Let me just ask if you know whether or not the sensor PO841 which is a pressure switch sensor circuit (according to this site) affects the transmission in the way I described -- a sort of******** or clunking feel as the car downshifts into low gear. Also can the codes be read at any time regardless of whether or not the "check engine" light is on. The first part of my question was regarding a problem that seemed to create a chain of events that may or may not have caused the second problem. As such, just disregard that. I'm getting the feeling here that you're not attempting to actually answer my question regarding specific codes as I guess you don't know what these sensor codes mean or what the sensors do. Does it take a transmission expert to determine that?

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Saturday, February 19th, 2011 AT 4:46 AM

BILLYMAC

MECHANIC
2,204 POSTS

This is a preessure sensor inside the transmission. It's job is to sense trans pressure when trans is changing from one gear to the next up or down.[Hence] 500 dollar estamate. No I am not evading the question and yes I do know what these sensors are and also what they do.

HOWEVER it sounds like you are asking me if this will fix your transmission. I cannot tell you if it will fix it. Will it cause the prob you are complaining about YES. You do not have to check the codes only when the light is on. Computers today store history codes in there memory.