Originally posted by Karin:
Help! According to the garage here in Los Alamos, NM, my 1997 4-cyl contour with 59k miles on it needs a new automatic transmission, at $2800 including labor. The only thing I can think of that may have caused the transmission to wear out is my habit of shifting down to second when I drive the very steep hills down from Los Alamos to Santa Fe. The overdrive is usually on when I do this. Could that have caused the transmission to wear out??

Thanks!



In most other cars this is not a problem. The Contour tranny has a tendency to maintain very high pressures - especially at high engine RPMs. Early CD4E transmissions had an internal filter screen that prevented proper fluid flow to the clutch packs at high speeds, which could cause premature transmission failure. I do not know if this was the case for you.

I do suggest you shop around for a better price on the transmission replacement and have the shops include an additional transmission cooler. That will add about $100 to the price (if they don't throw it in for free), and will help to prevent any future problems.

Must be that jumbly-wumbly thing happening again.