Our Plymouth Voyager had a transmission failure on 9/8/03. We had it towed to Cowles Nissan Chrysler Plymouth as we have the extended powertrain warranty. They found coolant in the transmission and transmission fluid in the radiator.

However, according to the dealer, none of this damage is covered since the radiator is conveniently not covered in the powertrain warranty. How is the radiator, which cools the transmission fluid, not considered a vital part of the powertrain? The Transcooler lines run between the transmission and the radiator. Therefore, wouldn't the radiator be a critical element?

The Service manager, Don informed me that not only is the radiator not covered but any damage to the transmission would also not be covered due to the radiator being the point of failure. They recommended replacing the radiator and flushing the transmission. I may not be a mechanic, but I have always heard that anytime a foreign material gets into the transmission that it would normally need to be replaced.

I had the car towed to another mechanic who I know personally and trust to perform the same repairs that Don recommended.

This is our second (AND LAST!) Chrysler product. We had to replace the transmission on our last Voyager as well. This time we purchased the extended warranty since the transmissions were still known to be suspect. No effort was made by the dealer to contact Chrysler to see if they could help us at all. I will NEVER own another Dodge/Chrysler/Plymouth product and I will go to great lengths to stop my friends and family from making that mistake as well.

This is not due to us abusing the vehicle. We took the van into the same dealership on 2/28/03 complaining that the transmission was slipping out of gear. They replaced a solenoid pack gasket and topped off fluids. We also took it to another nearby dealership, Manassas Dodge, on 1/30/01 complaining that the transmission was hesitating when put into gear. The technician found no problems. Shouldn't this have been detected at some point by one of these technicians? I feel that my transmission and radiator should be replaced at no charge to me. I tried to tell the dealers that something was wrong. I have now had to pay for towing twice and have a car that won't run and yet I still owe a year's worth of payments on. I'd like someone to explain to me how the radiator is not a critical part of the powertrain...

Here is what Chrysler sent me just before I had the transmission fixed (flushed and radiator/transcool lines replaced) and traded the piece of crap in on a 2003 Envoy which I love...

Dear Steven,

Thank you for your recent email to DaimlerChrysler Motors regarding your 1998 Plymouth Grand Voyager.

The radiator is a part of the cooling system. Therefore, it would not be covered under your Powertrain Service Contract.

Your concerns, particularly in view of the expense and inconvenience involved in this issue, are understandable. However, your request for consideration in this matter must be declined, because the vehicle in question has exceeded the time and mileage limitations of the manufacturer's warranty.

Although a more favorable reply could not be provided, sharing your concerns with us is appreciated.

Sincerely,

Stacie Perry Senior Staff Representative DaimlerChrysler Customer Assistance Center