NHTSA complaint #11671331

Owner complaint summary

On Sunday, [XXX] (a very hot day in Michigan. My vehicle registered 100 degrees) I was driving on [XXX] about 70-73 mph when I got an alert that said (to the best of my recollection) TOO HOT - IDLE IMMEDIATELY! and there was a continuous high pitch beeping which I only heard after turning off the radio. I continued at highway speed for a good 2-3 miles to the next exit afraid at any minute my car would start smoking. I exited and had to stop at a red light before turning left into a Kroger plaza with a fuel station. When the light turned green I accelerated and a grinding sound came from my car. I pulled into the plaza and turned the car off but had to turn it back on in about a minute as it was too hot to sit in car without air conditioning. It started and idled just fine. I googled roadside service and got a nice fellow (on a SUNDAY!) and he arrived in about 40 minutes. He towed me 40 miles away to a recommended auto shop that on Monday told me it was my transmission cooler that was defective and that I needed a transmission shop for a new transmission. It was then towed another 20 minutes away where it stayed for 9 days. Cost: $6564.48 plus $150 for paying with a credit card so totaled $6714.48. My drive train warranty was only good to 60,000 miles/5 years and I have 76,000 miles on my car at the time. Was told the transmission cooler was defective so I asked to have the cooler part and I have it in my garage. I spent over $1000 at the dealership in the months of Feb/March/April 2025 as my car hit the 70,000 mile mark so I had them do all work required by the car manual. The transmission cooler is apparently not a part they check. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)