T/C van trans stuck in low gear

Could be the Transmission Control Module, could be something other than the TCM...a bad input speed sensor, a bad output speed sensor, or other problems. You don't mention what year the van is, but if it's out of warranty, the dealer's the wrong place to go for service.

DS

"Daniel J. Stern" wrote

I agree with Daniel. These trannies default to second gear if the computer that controls them gets sufficiently unhappy. It might be something as simple as a loose electrical connection. If this happened to my Voyager I'd take it to a good tranny shop rather than a dealer.

Thanx for the posts. The T/C is a 2001. It was first taken to a Her regular mechanic who checked the speed sensors and stated it was a code he was unfamiliar with and recommended the dealer. I was looking for a heads up before calling the dealer for her.

Jay

Post up that code.. a few of us on this newsgroup work on those 604 transaxles.

Respectfully submitted,

Loren Knighton Woodland, CA.

Under the hood since 1964 Member TRNI IATN

Mine did that a couple of years back. I'll look in the service pouch and see what part they replaced tonight and report back tommorrow. I believe it was the speed sensor. As I recall about $180 total job.

However, s>Does anyone know what control module would cause above problem? Dealer

Does. The nomenclature changed in the mid '90s to comply with the SAE transmission naming convention, but it's common and acceptably correct to refer to all of the Chrysler-built 4-speed FWD/AWD automatics made after

1989 as "604-family transmissions", "604-derivatives" or simply "604s".

ohhhhh my a 41TE. BFD. Respectfully submitted,

Loren Knighton Woodland, CA.

Under the hood since 1964 Member TRNI IATN

Loren,

I don't know what the code was, but she picked up the van today at a cost of $576 ($500 part/$76 labor)The module replaced was the Trans. Control Module. That's a hefty price, is that fair? Thanks Jay

Not really, no. Those modules seldom fail, and even if yours did,

-- searchable used auto parts nationwide.

the computer

something as

Voyager I'd

Alas, where I live, I am not sure there is a good tranny shop. There is Cottman Transmission but when I (not original poster) tried to discuss flashing or updating the TCM [tranmission control module or EATX or EATXII or transaxle this or that] - he, the fellow answering the phone, did not know what I was talking about.

I did call the nearest independent tranny shop, but he said to come on over and it is usually the torque converter. Gee thanks, pal.

So I called a dealer that has a good rep. And to his and my surprise, I found a discount coupon on his web site so I can, I hope, get the filter changed, the fluid swapped out - how do they do this if changing the filter, put in a change and a half or put back the old fluid when they hook it up to the exchange or flush machine? - and flash the TCM so to avoid the infamous, notorious, and disastrous 37 mph shudder of the electronically controlled clutch by the TCM. And maybe for less than $200, I'm hoping.

My car is old so there are only remanufactured units, now running around $190 at the dealer. I have seen them used for as low as $25 to $40 [from D. Stern and

Dealers can charge a little or a lot to flash them if they are flashable. The ones with fins on the sides are flashable. One dealer said $37.50. Another dealer said $70 to read the thing, then another whatever to flash it. My mistake, I showed up in person and the lady service manager probably did not like my stubble. But what the hell, my car was having trouble starting so they gave me an appointment the next week. Gee thanks, Mr. Dealer. Sometimes you luck out. Another time at this dealer, they actually went out to give me advice for free. Women. Very unpredictable, especially as service managers. The men are usually the same, always nasty or always nice.

I got all this info from this newsgroup. Great stuff. The dealer said I had to bring the discount coupon I found on the internet, hard to print out, but since I did programming once, I got it under control.

Strange, strange world.

D. Stern said that Cottman probably used Dexran or Dexron + Lifeguard. I guess there's no way to test that? I found a place to test my engine oil for $20 on this newsgroup. Used it. Interesting, to see about 20 tests for $20. The mechanics get a little edgy about this. I guess they never had chemistry. Too bad. A little bit of boron can say a lot about a motor. Well worth the money and fun too. Blackstone Labs?

In any case, they said my oil was 5W-30 whereas it was ostensibly

10W-30. I put in Walmart's Super-Tech?, that's about all I buy there, makes me so sad to see people working without health care, someday I might have to work there too for minimum and unliveable wages, but in any case, their brand is probably a recycled oil from Canada or whoever else they put their screws to. Well, Sears did the same thing to their suppliers too. You would think after 30 or 40 billion, you might loosen up a little, eh, Sam Walmart?

Damn, it's 5 am, sorry to ramble on, my cat took over the bed.