01 300m P0715 Input Sensor replaced and still P0715
 

I've got an 01 Chrysler 300m with almost 185000 miles, and I've had a few funky things going on with the transmission. Awhile back maybe a year and a half ago, the car was leaking transmission fluid and I didn't yet know where it was coming from, so in fear, I was using a ratio of around 20/80 or 30/70 of lucas additive for the transmission along with the most part of replacement transmission fluid, until I found the leak (about a drip drop every 2-3 seconds when the car was running) from a dry rotted cooler line, so I snipped about a quarter inch off the end and fastened it back up, stopped leak, and issues/symptoms too.

I was good about keeping the fluids level.

The issues I was experiencing during this time was around a sharp turn after the fluid leaked a little, the car would get stuck in gears, slip and the car would go into limp mode, boxes on all gears on the dashboard, I'd have to turn the car off and then back on to get function back to the transmission.

Now I have had very similar symptoms lately and had Advanced auto parts use their OBD II scanner and i pulled up a P0700 and P0715,

It was an input speed sensor that needed to be replaced as the code indicated, so I ended up buying their part new (Non oem). I took the old sensor out and put the new one in and to my surprise I experienced pretty noticeably worse symptoms.

Symptoms as of recently are pretty hard shifting at second gear following the first. a lot of the issues revolve around the second gear. I also experience it getting stuck in gears for about 10-15 seconds, usually 2nd gear for the most part, but I've seen it get stuck in 1st gear and 3rd gear. I've been needing to use the auto stick to manually change gears when they get stuck, but usually it doesn't let me go either way, and it takes a minute to get out of the stuck gear. Quite a few times the car has jumped from 3rd gear back to second and wouldn't leave 2nd no matter what until a restart of the car. Quite a few times it went into limp mode, and by quite a few I mean about every hour or 2, but I don't drive it that much.

I tried putting the old sensor back in and it behaved a little better, and I put the new one back in and must have had it plugged in like 90% (it might have been a little crooked by 1mm) because I was just plain stuck in second gear with the new input sensor.

Yesterday I got a ride to chrysler and bought a new OEM chrysler input speed sensor, Unplugged the appropriate fuses for the TCM and disconnected the negative connection for the battery and replaced the sensor and plugged it back in, and it ran alright after about an hour of driving, and it made a subtle jump and the engine light code came back with the familiar to me P0700 which I am absolutely sure it is still the P0715 Input sensor. I have driven a bit more yesterday, and some more today. I haven't had limp mode happen since the new sensor, but today it has jumped a little more than subtle as it was yesterday, and got stuck in 1st gear once and second gear another time. Yet still it seems that with the new sensor, I haven't noticed near as much hard shifting or as frequent stuck gears, or even limp mode (yet) with the new sensor.

Does anyone know what could be going on? Code P0715 tells me replace input sensor. My speedometer DOES work yes. I did clean the gunk off the end of the output sensor, that one should still be good. The new OEM sensor seems to perform better than the old one and the aftermarket part. That just feels weird being that it still tells me the sensor is the issue.

I appreciate every bit of help very much. I love my car and it is all I have.

I have been experiencing some more things which have also shed light to narrow down what it may be.

I have already put a brand new chrysler input sensor in and also replaced the wiring and the plug that fits the sensor.

The transmission fluid is level and not burned or dirty

What i have noticed is that while driving straight, everything is fine, the gears shift well, and left turns are good through the gears. There isn't any hard shifting or slipping gears.

It's at pretty much all right turns. When I turn right while driving, the engine jumps to second gear, from first, and from 3rd I think, and sometimes it's hard to get out of either one of those gears. even when I am in manual mode (auto stick) the car "automatically" jumps to second gear by itself, and usually goes into limp mode shortly after.

I thought it was the fluid level but i have checked and rechecked the fluid level and all is good.

So I had a theory that if I park on a flat surface and turn my wheel to the LEFT, put it in manual transmission mode, and shift from gears 1to2, 2to3, 3to2, and 2to1, that things under the hood would sound smooth, it did when turned to the left, so I turned the wheel all the way to the RIGHT, and not much of any jumping, maybe slightly, BUT, with the steering wheel turned just a slight 20 degrees to the right (from the straight position), I notice that is like the sweet spot where the engine (physically) jumps up a little.

I think that is where I should look at, but what exactly should I be looking at with this new found info? Why would the transmission mess up when the wheels are turned to a specific spot, but keep telling me that it is a speed sensor. Any ideas?