My 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee ate its own transmission at 80k miles

Last month I was driving home from work on I-35 in Austin when my 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee started jerking real bad. Then the check engine light came on and the thing would barely go 40 mph up a slight hill. Took it to my guy who said the transmission was shot and it needed a full rebuild. Turns out that year had a known defect where the transmission cooler lines would leak fluid into the radiator and mix with coolant. That destroys the transmission from the inside out. Cost me $3,200 to fix it and the dealer knew about this problem for years but never did a recall. Has anyone else dealt with this particular mess from that generation Grand Cherokee?

2 comments

2 Comments

terry11d agoProlific Poster

Blew a radiator hose on my 98 F-150 going through the McDonald's drive-thru in Waco. Thing sprayed coolant all over the parking lot and the guy behind me laid on his horn like I did it on purpose. Had to have it towed to a shop that kept my truck for two weeks because they ordered the wrong part twice. The whole time I was driving my girlfriend's tiny Honda Civic and my knees hit the steering wheel every time I turned. That transmission line issue you had sounds way worse though. At least my fix only cost me $400.

jana_price1d ago

Did that shop at least give you a loaner or were you stuck with the Civic the whole time? Two weeks for a radiator hose fix is wild, even with the wrong part mix-up. At least $400 is a decent price to be back on the road.