Barry

My 2002 has 27,000 miles on it and no apparent transmission trouble. But last night after a 100 mile road trip I started getting a strong fluid smell through the air ducts when the car came to a stop. I checked under the car & in the engine compartment and there are no visible sign of fluid leaking. Car shifts fine but that is twice on a long trip recently that I've smelled that smell. I checked the tranny fluid today and it is brown and I think its the same smell. Am I being paranoid or has my number finally come up?

pianoman41

Tranny fluid should be nice and pink. Mine went from pink and clean to brown and burnt-smelling in less than 750 miles and the tranny died shortly thereafter. Mine was replaced at 24,889 miles and I had no trouble with it prior. I started seeing the tell-tale "flare" when the car would upshift from 2->3 (RPMs would jump like car was in netural between gearshifts). That was all she wrote.

I have a feeling you'll be needing a new tranny soon.