My wife's car just took a dump on me and I don't really have the money to bring it to the dealer.

Thing won't shift out of first gear, and I want to change the thing before it blows up. You know how women are when it comes to cars.

Just wondering how hard this thing is to replace....I myself am a mechanic, but I don't want to waste time looking for this thing if I can't get to it by dropping the pan.

Anyone have any insight to this? I would greatly appreciate it!



Thanks!

 

Usually, the default for transmission failure is second gear, not first. That's the 'limp-in' mode. If it's really stuck in first, there may be something else going on. Before you start changing components, though, you should get the error codes and find out what is wrong. You might not be able to read them with a normal OBD II scanner, and may have to have them read by someone with a Chrysler DRB III scanner to get all the transmission codes.

 

Definetly agree with dcotter. Why just jump in and replace a really expensive piece when it may not be bad? At this point it could be anything from a bad output speed sensor to the solinoid pack or tcm or even fluid level. maybe something went bad in the trans? Won't know until you get some codes out of it or start looking at what is going on with it.

 

I"ve pulled the code with my snap-on scanner and got a p605(transmission control module fault) which is why I want to replace it.

Y'all are right though, I really should take it to the dealer and have a second opinion on it.

 

If you decide to replace the TCM yourself, it's easy to get to at least. It's right next to the engine control module, just in front of the power distribution center (fuse box) under the hood.
You should take it to the dealer afterward and ask them to perform the "quick learn procedure". It's something they do with the Chrysler scan tool to get the thing to learn to shift smoothly.