2000 Chrysler Sebring, has been going in and out of limp mode the last few weeks. Had it checked and got codes P0750, P0755 and P0765, all related to the shift solenoid. I had this replaced a little over a year ago.

Took it to a tranny shop, who said they were 90% sure it was the shift solenoid. Had a new solenoid pack installed for over $500. Picked it up and just after thirty miles, went back into limp mode again. Kinda scary when you're doing 55 MPH and it randomly decides to go into second gear. Any thoughts? Haven't had a chance to talk to the transmission shop yet. This car has been draining us dry both financially and emotionally.

Thanks in advance.

 

Thoughts:
1. "This car has been draining us dry both financially and emotionally"
Don't let yourself get emotionally wrapped up with a machine. It's just a car, and a 12 year old car at that. It's going to have mechanical problems, they all do.

2. "Had a new solenoid pack installed for over $500."
You got ripped off. That's a $50 part that shouldn't take more than an hour or so to install. If that's all the work they did, they charged you way too much. Keep that in mind when deciding where to go this time.

3. Check your fluid. Look in the owners manual for how to do it properly. If it's low, or dirty or smells funny, take care of that first, it's the cheapest remedy and might work. If not, find a reputable transmission shop and prepare yourself for the decision you've been dreading: Just how much money am I willing to drop into this 12-year-old machine?

 

Just a follow-up on this one. Took the car back to the trany shop, they had to drive it a number of times to get it to go into limp mode again. Said a new code came up, and there must be an issue with third gear. Quoted me $1700 - $2000 for a rebuild, or $2100 for a remanufactured tranny.

My wife (who can go off the deep end at times) called up the shop and just tee'd off on the guy, told him she felt screwed over, and must have really read him the riot act for us being out $600. He called me a few days later, said he went back over everything, and saw that the code now coming up was pointing to the relay. He ordered one to see if that would take care of the problem. Also said he found a "rat's nest" (literally) on top of the tranny and wasn't sure if any wires had been chewed. Did say man-to-man that he was deeply offended by the way my wife spoke to him (she's good at that, believe me).

Called a couple days later to say that the new relay took care of the problem. Instead of a $2100 tranny, I have to pay for a $21 relay. He's still upset about my wife. My wife says if she wouldn't have gone off the deep end, this guy would have never checked into it, which may be true.

Supposed to pick it up in a day or so. Crossing my fingers.

 

Went to a wedding last week. The preacher had four words for the new groom:

"Happy wife, happy life."

 

agreed!!!

 

My wife and daughter had a chance to go pick up the car yesterday. Before they went my wife called the shop again to speak with the guy we have been dealing with. In my mind I think she just wanted to explain her position again, and why she got so upset. Not apologize, but try to get him to see where she was coming from. It did not go well. She took this guy for a ride again after he mentioned what a favor he had done for us by being so thorough with the car the second time.

So after pay the guy close to $600, he considers it doing us a favor. I initially was seeing his side of this thing: all codes pointed to a shift solenoid, so that's what he replaced. Now I am leaning towards my wife's line of thinking. I don't think they ever checked into anything but the solenoid. I am the one that initially told them that was the problem, and that was just from looking the codes up on the internet. The big question is could the relay have brought up all of the initial codes from the beginning? We did get a used relay and solenoid back, but who knows where they even came from. The "rat's nest" thing was nothing. It is nowhere near any wiring and could have been in there for two years. The shop claims it was not there the first time it came in, but was there a week later.

You ain't kidding about the "happy wife" thing, has not been a good last week...

 

Keep the wife, divorce the trans guy.

 

Meant to update a few weeks ago, but anyways...

Car ran great for two weeks, then went right back to intermittent problem going into limp mode. Possible electrical issue?