08 RDX transmission slipping into neutral

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08 RDX transmission slipping into neutral

This is my first post. I purchased am 08 RDX from a private party on Craigslist about a month ago. 151k miles. In what appeared to be decent shape, with lots of service records in Carfax and mostly at Acura dealers.

The car drove perfectly for a month. Then yesterday it started slipping around 3rd/4th gear. The engine rpms would rev high. If I let off the gas, the gear would re-engage. I checked the fluid level, and it was bright red and just at the lower mark on the dipstick. (It had been undetectably low when I purchased it, although it drove and shifted normally. I topped it off with Honda fluid at that time--it took about a quart to get it in the dipstick range).

I managed to limp it back home using manual shift mode. It would drive fine in 3rd gear. Once home I plugged in my OBD reader--no error codes pending or saved.

On a whim, I called the last Acura dealer to service it, about 4 months ago, from the information on the carfax. They said the car was brought in for a slipping transmission, and that they diagnosed the problem as "transmission coolant line broken off radiator and loss of ATF fluid. Recommend replacement radiator. Customer declined repair."

I took a close look at the coolant lines, and they appear securely attached. The radiator looks like it might have been replaced with an aftermarket unit, but I can't be sure.

I fear the transmission had already been damaged by the low fluid at that time, although it is not clear to me how the guy who sold it to me got it to drive and shift normally at the test drive--and for an entire month of daily use after I bought it.

The car is now at a mechanic I trust for diagnosis. I asked them to ensure the coolant path for the transmission was connected and free flowing--I can't rule out that the guy just JB welded the coolant connection onto the back of the radiator, leaving the transmission with no or low pressure.

Any suggestions for where I can start to determine what the car needs? In the absence of an OBD code I assume the electronics of the transmission are more or less intact. I'm afraid my mechanic will say "needs a new transmission"--but I also know the sensors and solenoids for this transmission are largely accessible from outside the case, and that the internals are pretty reliable.

Any advice you can offer is appreciated.
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