[rgarrett3]

My wife was driving around 30MPH and says our 2007 Jeep JK Wrangler rubicon started jumping between 1,000 and 3,000 RPM's. She said it was jerky. She pulled into a parking lot, put it in park and turned it off. No warning lights on the dash. I got there and there was transmission fluid all underneath it. I started it up and it cranked perfectly. However, no gear will engage. Can't go forward or backwards. Dropped it off at a mechanic.

She said when she put it in park it was "smoking" and she could smell it. However, the temp gauge showed a normal temp.

If you had to GUESS, does it sound like the transmission blew?

Also! - About a month ago I had both the radiator replaced and some of the front transmission lines replaced that were dry-rotted. Could any of that work be connected to this?

 

[Old Dogger]

Welcome to the Forum, from Cave Creek AZ.

 

[SheBotIt4Me]

From what I see it blew a line or maybe a hole in the pan from road debris. The smoke was probably ATF on exhaust. Sounds like it was caught early and maybe just a flush n fill will be OK? That's after the leak is fixed. I wouldn't write it off yet. Ive seen this before in the dealerships I worked at and at home on old cars. Good luck

 

[rgarrett3]

From what I see it blew a line or maybe a hole in the pan from road debris. The smoke was probably ATF on exhaust. Sounds like it was caught early and maybe just a flush n fill will be OK? That's after the leak is fixed. I wouldn't write it off yet. Ive seen this before in the dealerships I worked at and at home on old cars. Good luck

Thanks so much for your post. After you sent it I went back and checked on the transmission lines that were replaced last month and the new transmission line they installed came loose. I am linking a 13 second video showing it.
Video Link

 

[rgarrett3]

Thanks so much for your post. After you sent it I went back and checked on the transmission lines that were replaced last month and the new transmission line they installed came loose. I am linking a 13 second video showing it.
Video Link

Next question: Now that I know it was the transmission line, how should I proceed with the shop that replaced it?

 

[Wandell]

I agree. If they replaced a transmission cooler line and it came loose, well.... I understand things sometimes happen but when is the last time you heard of a transmission line just coming loose?

 

[rgarrett3]

I agree. If they replaced a transmission cooler line and it came loose, well.... I understand things sometimes happen but when is the last time you heard of a transmission line just coming loose?

Once the line blew, my wife drove around 100 feet and parked. Do you think the transmission is fine and just needs the cooler line reattached and fluid refilled and it should be good to go?

 

[Sgt_USMC]

I would go back to the shop and have them fix it and refill it, at the least. I would also see about them covering the cost of the tow. Since your wife caught it quickly I doubt there was any significant damage.

 

[dr0id]

those lines are a pain to get back on the transmission, the little c clips that lock the hose in place are not easy to get installed, i lost 8 of them before getting them installed. its odd it would pop off if the clip was seated well

 

[doug schlosser]

what Sgt USMC said

 

[rgarrett3]

those lines are a pain to get back on the transmission, the little c clips that lock the hose in place are not easy to get installed, i lost 8 of them before getting them installed. its odd it would pop off if the clip was seated well

I am going tomorrow to talk with them. Will let you know what they say. Hopefully they just make it right.

 

[rgarrett3]

those lines are a pain to get back on the transmission, the little c clips that lock the hose in place are not easy to get installed, i lost 8 of them before getting them installed. its odd it would pop off if the clip was seated well

My first inclination is that they didn’t install it correctly. Perhaps they lost the clap and tried to rig something. Not sure.

 

[demarpaint]

IMO the transmission line was installed incorrectly, and the shop that did the work should be held accountable. Good luck with that, they'll do and say whatever they have to shift blame. You might get lucky and when the leak is fixed and the transmission filled to the proper level it might work OK. Operative word is "might," there is also the potential for it failing in short order depending on how low it was and how long it was driven low. If it was only 100 feet and a rapid loss of fluid you should be fine! Once again good luck.