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Hi there our Jeep is waiting for a parts replacement from USA that is proving difficult according to the dealer. Its a computer component in the gearbox described as "floating in gel". Would not change out of low gear, bumped in and out of gear then lost all gears with engine warning light coming on.
Has been very reliable otherwise @159000K.
Quoted repair about $2600.00. Its all Mercedes running gear and assembled in Austria. Advised that required part is on "back order in USA ". Hs been waiting now nearly 4 weeks which sounds unusul as does this kind of failure at these kms.What do you think ? Kind Regards.

We hear of parts being on back order from the factory from time to time, which of course, is very frustrating.
I'm assuming the vehicle is with a Chrysler/Jeep dealer who will be ordering the part through Chrysler NZ, who in turn order it through Chrysler in the US who source the part from the transmission manufacturer.
It's possible that a transmission specialist such as Auckland Automatics(among others) could obtain the part directly from the transmission manufacturer, however that's not necessarily the case either if the part is on back order from the transmission manufacturer, although in our experience this would be unusual.

An outcome on this issue.The dealer removed the computer board and sent it away within NZ to have the board checked for what may have been a dry solder problem. The board was checked and put back in..and the Jeep goes as well as ever. New battery was put in as well. I learned from Dunedin firm AB automatics that thay have the gear to read most on board computers in most cars and saw a very new European 4WD being checked by them. Your advice to go to an automatic specialist was very helpful and consumers would do well to heed that advice. The dealer advised that they had not encountered this level difficulty in obtaining a required part before.AB Automatics owner is discussing the availability of this part at a conference in Australia. Thnx for ur help.Cost was $1100.00.

Excellent - a good outcome.