While cruising between 65 and 70 on the throughway this evening, my speedometer suddenly (and I do mean suddenly) dropped to zero. I felt a slight shift or hesitation and began looking at gages, suspecting the worst; nothing but the speedometer registered unusual and the car continued. I traveled about a quarter to a half mile, stopped at a station, checked the trans fluid and found nothing unusual. slight odor from the fluid but nothing like burnt fluid.
I pulled out of the station and chose to drive side roads rather than turn back on the throughway; a wise decision. The speedometer continued to stay at zero and - although I must have been traveling no more than 35 to 40 miles an hour, the RPMs exceeded 2000; as though I were stuck in first gear. After traveling about half a mile, the transmission light came on ( I assume that's what it was despite my failure to find a similar picture in the service manual). I continued to drive with that light on for another quarter of a mile to half mile then shut off the car as soon as I found a safe place and called a tow truck. It was towed to a Chrysler dealer. Now I sit here shuddering about the call I expect Monday morning;$$$$.
What are likely root causes of this problem? My '95 Concorde had the transmission replaced at 25000. I was "assured" the trans problems were corrected. Now another Concorde five years younger - with only 55000 - starts sputtering in the drive chain. What the hell's the mater with these components? Or could this be an electrical issue.like a computer module of some sort? And what's my likelihood of getting Chrysler to pick up at least half the tab?