2003 Dodge Neon leaking fluid

2003 DODGE NEON
36,000 MILES • 4 CYL • FWD • AUTOMATIC
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MINTISH
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my Neon was fine until three days ago. It started sticking in neutral infrequently. Yesterday it was slipping about 4 times every half hour. I checked the levels, and the meter was only marked at the very tip with an oddly whitish slightly pink fluid. I added 1qt transmission fluid (normal pink color) to it, and it ran fine again.
Upon returning home, I noticed a large puddle of transmission fluid on the garage floor, and today it was slipping infrequently again. Is this simply a problem with a gasket or a hose?
Mar 13, 2009 at 7:55 PM
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ZACKMAN
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You really have to raise the vehicle and check where the leak is coming from. I suspect a cracked hose.
Feb 24, 2021 at 3:11 PM
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MINTISH
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I got it checked at AAMCO in the mean time. They said that the radiator went bad, leaked into the transmission causing the milky pink fluid I found on the dip stick.

From there, the transmission was pumping the tranny-coolant mixture into the cooling system causing it to be too full thus causing the fluid to expel via the overflow valve which was the leak I was seeing.

Though I hadn't checked it prior, I was shown that the coolant indeed had a slightly pink tone to it.

I checked out radiator problems with Neons and it seems this isn't just a rare occurrence, but in spite of its multiple appearances, nobody has ever seemed to have found the cause(s) for why the radiators go faulty and leak into the transmission.
Feb 24, 2021 at 3:11 PM
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ZACKMAN
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Unfortunately, internal leak is hard to determine as to its cause. The only thing that I can recommend is to make sure that you never go low on coolant so the radiator won't overheat and crack again.

To remedy your situation now, you have to flush the transmission and the cooling systems completely.
Feb 24, 2021 at 3:11 PM