Chrysler Forum - Chrysler Enthusiast Forums - '05 Pacifica Trans Issue When Cold & Rolling to Stop

Hello All,

My vehicle is a 2005 Chrysler Pacifica
3.5L Engine
All wheel drive
Austo stick

This problem I am having is when the car has sat for 8 hours or longer and has cooled off and this is more noticeable in cold weather. When I get in the car and am driving forward with the transmission in "D" and I might come to a moderate or brisk stop (lets say a pedestrian walks out in front of you un expectedly) before the car is anywhere near at operating temperature. When I try to pull away from the stop it is like the transmission has shifted to neutral (i.e. when I step on the gas pedal the engine revs up but car wont drive forward) then suddenly the transmission engages again with a bang. Mind that I am 100% positive the transmission selector is correctly placed and seated in its detent for “DRIVE.”

On a few occasions (when the car has cooled off several hours) I have gone for a drive and shifted the auto stick to manual when slowing down to watch the gear display shift down in numbers as the transmission automatically shifts down when coming to a moderate/brisk stop. The transmission hangs up on second gear with the car at a full stop. Trying to command the transmission to shift to first gear with the auto stick does not result in anything. It stays in second. Step on the gas again and it behaves like I describe above. The engine revs up but the car will not move and the transmission bangs back into gear.

This has almost gotten me into an accident twice now while trying to pull into heavy traffic after rolling to a moderate to brisk stop with the car cold.

When cold, the transmission behaves normally when coasting to a slow full stop then pulling forward again. When the car is fully at operating temperature the transmission behaves normally.

Anybody else experience this or have heard of a solution? I have a little less then 10K on the power train warranty so the car is going to go back to the dealer for a checkout but I want a feel for my problem compared to the rest of the potential Pacifica owner base to see if I am unique or this has been seen before.

Thank you all,
Jon