Odd Transmission Noise when cold

Joined
Oct 27, 2006
Messages
281
Location
Illinois
The last couple times I have driven the 2005 Chrysler Sebring, it has made an odd, almost grinding type noise when its cold and the car is put in gear. The noise is present in reverse and drive but not park or neutral. The noise continues until I back out of the driveway and once I start to accelerate it goes away and doesn't come back until its been sitting for a couple days and then its the same thing again. Its never done this before, it has just under 136K so its not low mileage. Any ideas what this could be?
 
Did you start with the basics? Check fluid level and a visual inspection of color and condition, then check for leaks? When was the last time the transmission was serviced?
 
Fluid was full and clean. The last service was done in 2014 at 120,000 miles. The ATF+4 only has 15-16K on it currently.
 
My diesel does that, differential bearing(s). But I guess you're not concerned
laugh.gif
 
Originally Posted By: carguy996
Fluid was full and clean. The last service was done in 2014 at 120,000 miles. The ATF+4 only has 15-16K on it currently.


Good, now are you 100% certain the noise is from the transmission?
 
Ive ruled about everything else out. The noise only happens when the car is sitting in the cold and in reverse/drive. I got out of the car and listened closely, the noise is coming from the transmission area under the hood. Its probably one of those where I should just run it until it dies and go from there. Its a nice car but I think id rather replace the car as opposed to replace the transmission.
 
Sounds like a bad or plugged filter - since they are on the “suction” side, the pump will make a lot of noise as it pulls oil up.

Try this - let the car idle for a minute before driving it.
If the noise goes away, it’s the filter.
If the noise doesn’t - it’s something else
 
Originally Posted By: Miller88
Is it the buzzing that the Chrysler transmissions always make?


I don't think so, my Liberty has always had the buzz noise when changing gears. This seems to go away sometimes.
 
Over lunch I went out, put the car in gear and sat with my foot on the brake. The noise went away after about 1-2 minutes of sitting there and then it drives fine. The filter has never been done, went and bought a new filter kit, will see if that changes anything and go from there.
 
As an update, I dropped the pan, replaced the filter and the fluid. The car shifts fine, reverse and drive engage very hard/abruptly but once in gear it shifts fine. Started it this morning, still makes the same grinding type noise like the pump is bad. Once the car warmed up, the noise went away, drove 20 miles, drove fine, smooth shifts, but again, engaged reverse hard and drive engages really hard. The car has 136K, I have done everything it needs, new convertible top, new paint, runs perfectly with minimal oil consumption and has new tires/brakes and suspension so I am very reluctant to take it to salvage. Called some trans shops in the town I live, was seriously quoted $4000 for a reman. Called a town 40 miles away and I can get a used transmission with a 6 month 6K warranty installed for $1000 out the door. Should I go ahead and replace it now so I can enjoy the car over the summer? Seems like a fair deal. I really like this car, I know its a Sebring, but I really like the car, holds my family and has a trunk for golf clubs and then some. Interested in thoughts on whether or not to take the plunge on a replacement transmission.
 
I didn't eralize it was a 41TE.

I wouldn't consider touching a used 41TE. If you really like the car, get it professionally rebuilt and use good fluid.

A used 41TE is a ticking timebomb
 
I'm really regretting having the flush done at 120K at a jiffy lube. There was absolutely nothing wrong with this transmission until I had that flush done, to start they put in the wrong fluid and that started causing the abrupt shifts into drive/reverse, I drove it 700 miles before I read the service ticket to realize they put SPIII fluid in an ATF +4 application. The shop did another flush with the ATF4, but whatever damage was done remained. I guess the fact I got 3 years and 16K beyond that is a small miracle. I am a little puzzled what a good next step would be.....sell the car now while it has any gears, get what I can and move on, or fix up a car that I really enjoy driving....its a tough call. A rebuilt/reman transmission is not an expense I can convince my Wife on.....that leaves me with a gamble of a used 41TE or nothing.
 
The wrong fluid would have killed it long before 16K miles. Those transmissions have a very limited lifespan. It was living on borrowed time long, long before jiffy lube touched it.

That transmission was used in different Hyundai and Mitsubishis around that time period. They were spec'd for other than ATF+4 (definitely SPIII in the Hyundais). I really don't think the SPIII would have hurt it much, or at all.

136K miles is probably a record for it!
 
I have a chevy aveo 2011/2012 and mine has started doing the same. If I leave it to idle for a minute or 2 it's fine, but if I put it into D or R straight away when cold it makes a grinding noise.

It has almost 100,000 kms. I changed the atf and filter at 70k.

Worth changing the filter and atf again?

It is used in heavy slow, frequent stop start traffic every day so I imagine the clutch disks get used a lot.

By the way it has the 4-speed not 6 speed which I understand is the Aisin tranny that uses T-IV atf.
 
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