2007 CX-9: Transmission Failure?

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EtoileBrilliant

Member
On Saturday wife took car and returned saying there was a low speed growl. On Monday I took it to service agent and growl was louder now (but disappeared at about 45 mph). When slowing down through the same speed range (45 mph to stop) there is no growl. The car works but is getting progressively worse (almost jerking forward).

The mechanics whom I have trusted in the past think that it may be a transmission problem but are not sure at this stage. A quick search of this forum indicates no other CX-9 transmission failure. The car is very low mileage for its years, is rarely used for towing (leaves to rubbish dump) and is serviced regularly.

I know that it is impossible to diagnose from reading a post but I also know a few mechanics look at this board.

Luckily our insurance will cover a mechanical failure (the manufacturer's warranty is only valid in the US), but nonetheless I would like some more comfort that they have diagnosed the problem correctly (a replacement transmission would be like open heart surgery, I'm not sure the car would ever be the same).

Thanks in advance.
 
Is the fluid burned? Run the engine, pull the Trans stick, and smell it.

You may have also blown a minor seal, reducing pressure when needed to upshift.

Cars like this are so plug and play, even a trans swap shouldn't cause any problems, as long as they do it right.
 
You know you raise a great point. On an earlier post I complained about a burning smell, my feeling is that something was dropping onto the cat, maybe a seal had gone and was generally leaking. The question is whether it is too late to save the transmission.

Thanks for you swift idea.
 
PPS: I first noticed this smell after leaving it in an airport carpark for 3 weeks in one of the coldest winters on record (-25 C/-13 F). Could that have resulted in a broken seal?
 
Sorry about that. I should have said dipstick. I just don't think of the shifter lever on any automatic as a 'stick'. Not even this one.
 
No my apologies. English and American, two similar cultures divided by language.

One more observation, does the thermometer takes its readings from the engine or the whole unit. There has been no sign of overheating (or burning).
 
I'm not aware of any cars that specifically report transmission temperature on the dashboard. Perhaps some specialized tow vehicles do that but not run of the mill consumer autos. I am not aware if there are "check engine" type warning lights associated directly with transmission temp though. That would seem a logical thing to build into a $6000 transmission that already has lots of electronics but I have never read or heard about such a feature.
 
A growling can sometimes be from the differential. There have been a few failed front differentials.
 
CX9 Trans has a temp sensor built in, which tells the transmission to lock out the driver if it gets too warm. It won't show on the dash, but it will prevent you from shifting until it cools down. It also does this well before it actually overheats.

I wish we could hear the noise. If you're not sure they are diagnosing it right, have someone else drive it with you and listen for a second opinion.
 
Normally, from my past experiences, people try to flush the transmission first, and see what will happen next. If that solves the issue, great. If not, usually the transmission needs to be replaced. That is, if you are sure that the transmission is the source of the growl.
While the transmission is open, usually, the mechanic can spot some issue with it, if any.
Yours is 2007. I would have replaced the fluid if I were you. There is no life-time fluid in the realistic world we live in.
 
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