I believe you can tell if you have water intrusion in your tranny by the fluid. Normal ATF is bright red, has a distinct sharp smell to it. ATF with water intrusion may froth and turn pink like pepto bismol. I don't know how much water or coolant it would take to turn the ATF pink, but I imagine it would be a decent amount. I would keep an eye on your tranny fluid and coolant.


edit: I don't know how you can tell exactly if the tranny is affected or not. I am sure the clutch paks or valve body and other tranny guts do not take well to water intrusion.

 

Chester, Go to another dealer if they can't find the recall. An earlier page in this thread has a link to the DC site. You can select Canada, type in the last 8 characters of your VIN (check the dash at the base of the windshield - drivers side for the VIN) into the box on the site and it will tell you what recalls apply to your vehicle and which are outstanding. I believe the recall number is C44 (for the trans cooler hoses). When I called my dealer last Thursday, they looked the recal up and confirmed they had the parts. I took my truck in the next day. It was done by 5:00pm. As my signature indicates, I am in Canada.

 

Alright...I have a question...I took my truck in for the 2 recalls.
Both items were fixed. I got under the truck to check out the
flex link in the new trans line (looks good to me!)...then I started
following the cooler line and it goes up into a little black cooler
looking box and then out to the big trans cooler in front of the truck. Question...what is fuction of that 1st cooler? Is it a heat
exchanger to heat the trans fluid when the truck is really cold ?

Thx

 

Received the TSB from DC re the tranny cooler lines replacement and cooler inspection. At 16K decided to flush the 48RE since they were performing the TSB anyway. Entire job took an hour.

48RE runs even better with the fluid flush and change!

 

Thanks Kayjh. I checked the DC web yesterday and my truck is included in the recall. When I looked in todays mail both of the recall cards were in it.

Interesting that the recall on the PCM is the problem I had last June. My dealer had fixed it by replacing one of the pins in the connector and hasn't had any trouble since. I'm going to insist on replacing the PCM rather than just checking it for corrosion because with the history on it I'm sure one of these days the corrosion will be a problem again...

 

Tfeore, good pic. Does anyone know what the line looked like before the felexible hose was retro-fitted? Was there a similar piece of flexible hose in there or was it an extruded piece?

 

The line was a one piece steel tube before the "tube-hose-tube" was retrofitted.

There are 2 transmission oil coolers on the 48RE. One mounted to the engine and one at the front with the radiator and AC condensor. I may be mistaken (wouldn't be the first) but I think they added the one at the front for the increased heat of 555 ft-lbs on the 48RE over the 505 on the 47RE.

Color of the fluids is a good way to check for leaks on the engine mounted cooler. Fluid levels are also a good way. The high pressure of the trans oil will fill up the radiator overflow.

 

Thanks BigBlock. I kinda hope this retro "hose" set up is as durable as the one piece extruded tube. I spend a lot of time in rough country. Maybe, if it can flex that's better than a rigid set up. Makes me wonder. Time will tell.

 

Even on the older CTD's a rubber hose was used at the inlet of the heat exchanger. No big deal. The rubber was put in there to cut down on the vibration to the heat exchanger on the new trucks. The original design was intended for this, but for some reason when the went into production they had a hard line. Engineering leaned toward someone trying to save a few pennies on a one piece line. Anyways they found (some the hard way) that the solid line transfered too much vibration and caused some of the heat exchangers to crack internally usually filling the cooling system with trans fluid. Thus....the recall was born.

 

That makes sense Jbody. I figure the rubber will have a shock dampening effect which may be better. I don't know the PSI levels going through that tube. Over the long haul, exposed to the elements, we'll have to see if the rubber will resist detioration and possible rock impacts. I think your analysis is probably right.

 

It is not a PCM replacement TSB, just adding dielectric greese to better seal the pins as I understood it.

 

Good old DC..the circle begins. I told my service manager that I would accept nothing less than the PCM and wiring harness replacement. He said call DC and get a complaint file opened. I did, the lady at DC said I really understand your issue but can't do anything until after inspection by dealer. I explained that inspection didn't matter..if they say no they get the keys back for the truck. She called the service manager and a new PCM and harness were ordered today...no inspection.

Since I had trouble with water in the connector last year I insisted that even if they couldn't see corrosion, it would come back.

We'll see how it goes.

 

OK so I made an appointment with my dealership TWO weeks ago when I found out about this recall and when I found out I was driving to Alaska. I SAID MAKE SURE YOU GET THESE RECALLS, I WILL BE LEAVING FOR ALASKA THE SAME DAY YOU GIVE ME MY TRUCK BACK.

So I drop my truck off last night, and they wait until 3PM to call me up and tell me you'll be happy to hear we just ordered your recall! It'll be in in a few days.

All I have to say is, if my trans cooler line explodes in the middle of the no where, they better pay for the tow, the hotel, dinner, BEER, and a new transmission. And they better not tell me that it was my fault it happened because I have a deep dish trans pan.

 

I received my recall notices back on page 6. (2/27). I called my dealership last Wednesday 03/04 made appt. for the recalls and an oil change. I left it this morn 8:30. They called me at 3:30, both recalls complete, oil & filer change, and gave it a free hand wash. Drove it home and into the basement to inspect. Looks like they did everything they said they would do and more. I can find nothing to complain about, still luv my CTD.
Nat

 

Mine is an 04 built on 12/27/03
It has the flexible cooler line already. i don't know if they performed the recall before i got the truck as it was probably on a lot at least two months.

One question though...

What the heck would be in the trans fluid that could clog a cooler?