Which ATF Fluid for 94 caravan?

Chrysler ATF +3 or +4.

Use Mercon if you want an infamous Chrysler Transmission Failure!!!

NO NO NO NO NO!

That fluid does NOT MEET CHRYSLER SPECIFICATIONS. If you have the three speed transmission, you may get torque converter chatter. If you have the four speed, you may ruin the transmission.

ENOUGH?

Yeah, those pin-heads at auto zone sold me dextron\mercon for my 94 acclaim

3 speed, said it wouldnt hurt it, 300 miles after changing the fluid it started slipping and going downhill from there Needless to say, they replaced the tranny at their cost, and labor.

Thank you for the info. I have had trouble with the tranny ever since my wife took it to Jiffy Lube where they convinced her she needed a tranny flush. I imagine they used the wrong stuff since they only had one kind. It has been a couple years of tranny slipping, but it still goes. Do you think I could go after them?

Thank you for the info. I have had trouble with the tranny ever since my wife took it to Jiffy Lube where they convinced her she needed a tranny flush.

I imagine they used the wrong stuff since they only had one kind. It has been a couple years of tranny slipping, but it still goes. Do you think I could go after them?

Thank you for the info. I have had trouble with the tranny ever since my wife took it to Jiffy Lube where they convinced her she needed a tranny flush.

I imagine they used the wrong stuff since they only had one kind. It has been a couple years of tranny slipping, but it still goes. Do you think I could go after them?

There are two different dynamics going on here. First of all, SUPPOSEDLY they use a 'friction modified dexron-mercon for Chrysler transmissions.' That's what I was told when I inquired. My mind said, Thanks but No Thanks! The machine pumps about 6 gallons through the tranny until it runs 'clear'. So, you basically have the wrong tranny fluid; I don't know what the 'friction modifiers' do, but I didn't like it...

Second, if you have NEVER flushed the tranny before, then you did a real No-No. What happens is, the various friction parts in the tranny break down over time. If you changed or flushed every 30,000 or so, the damage is kept to a minimum. BUT! If you don't, the ATF collects the fragments of the clutches and brakes and carries them through the tranny. The filter catches some, but some gets through. So, now, your tranny is DEPENDING on these 'fragments' to provide the friction the pieces have lost over time. It uses the filth to provide friction; you might never know the difference, and the car rusts or the engine gives out first.

By flushing the tranny, you removed all the debris from inside the tranny. Now, you have worn down clutches and brakes, and nothing to act as a helper for them, and the wear is showing through sloppy shifts. Unfortunately, a shop replaced the missing fluid in my LHS with generic ATF. I made them drain it, and since then it shifts sloppily. All I wanted was to change the filter and refill!

Depending on how bad it is, live with it; you're looking at $900-1800 to rebuild/replace the tranny!

Now, as to your question, you MAY have some recourse, but I doubt it. Then again, JL is so used to getting sued they usually just replace the part and that's it.

What people used to do in the old days was to throw in a handful of sawdust into used cars with slipping trannies; it would make the tranny work just long enough to get past any warranty period!!

Good luck. let me know how you make out if you decide to persue this...

BTW, at a used car dealer I was working at, we stopped flushing trannies after the third one gave up within 500 miles of being flushed...and I mean TOTALLY gave up...either not moving in one gear, or not moving AT ALL! (no, we didn't do the sawdust thing...!)

See my answer in another reply. Maybe, it's worth a try. I'd go there armed with the new info I gave you and say, "Don't you realize Chryslers HAVE to have ATF+3 or +4?????"

most quick lube shops have an acceptable loss policy of:

1 engine or 1 transmission or 1 differential

per month. so they are usually prepared to pay for things. but they will fight you some at first, and you need to bring it to their attention right away, with a lawyer sometimes, but not a couple years later.

A couple of years? Probably too late now. If they only had one kind, it was Dexron/Mercon.

Jiffy Lube is high on salesmanship and low on knowledge. They sold your wife on the ruination of the transmission. But before spending money to have the transmission rebuilt, you MIGHT be able to salvage things by having a proper shop (NO QUICKIE LUBE PLACES) do a complete flush and filter change, and a "retraining" of the PCM. Before you decide on a shop, ask them what fluid they will be using. Don't say "Do you use Chrysler-spec fluid," just make sure they know what kind of car they are servicing before they answer. ANYTHING but the correct Chrysler-spec fluid is a disqualification.

-GP

being that its been so long, he is out of luck trying to persue this in any legal matter. They could always say, well you ran it out of fluid and are blaming it on us.