NHTSA Complaint #10222618 — 2003 DODGE NEON

I AM THE 2ND HAND OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE BEEN IN POSSESSION OF IT FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND 1/2 HAVE METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED IT AND IT HAS 55,000 MILE ON IT. RECENTLY THE TRANSMISSION BECAME RATHER JUMPY AND IT WAS TO GO INTO SERVICE BUT THE DAY BEFORE I WAS TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT IT WAS MORE JUMPY THAN USUAL AND I SMELT TRANS. FLUID THROUGH MY AIR VENTS. CHECKED TRANS. FLUID AND FOUND NOTHING ON THE STICK, SHUT IF OFF, LOOKED UNDER THE CAR AND THERE WAS A PUDDLE OF PINK FLUID UNDER ON THE GROUND. LOOKED AT THE LITTLE BIT OF FLUID THAT WAS THE TRANS STICK AND IT WAS THE SAME COLOR. LOOKED IN THE COOLANT, SAME FLUID AS ON THE STICK AND THE GROUND. MY RADIATOR HAD GIVEN OUT MIXING MY COOLANT WITH TRANS. FLUID. THIS LEFT ME TO PAY $974 OUT OF POCKET BECAUSE CHRYSLER WOULD NOT HELP PAY FOR THIS COMMON PROBLEM. CAR IS UNDER A 7/70K POWER TRAIN WARRANTY. RADIATOR IS NOT COVERED. *TR