I am the same poster as before with the '96 T&C with electrical problems. I am first trying to pinpoint the issue with the trans being stuck in first, thinking it was limp mode.

Here's what happens:

After the van has been sitting (whether overnight or for one minute) with the engine off, the trans won't shift into the higher gears, hence it won't go above a certain speed. If I accelerate rapidly (floor the pedal) a few times while driving it, it suddenly shifts hard with a hard lurch and then begins to respond normally.

If I then park it but leave the engine running allowing things to flow and remain warm, and then go back out and drive it, accelerating rapidly and flooring the pedal, it will again work normally.

It's only when the van is parked and ignition turned off (even for a minute) does the same hard lurch occur briefly, and then it shifts and drives normally.

The trans fluid was about a quart and a half or so low so we added some. Also the fluid smelled a little burned, but was still a red color. Could the fluid/filter need to be changed? Could the filter be clogged, preventing proper fluid movement through the trans or is the trans failing? I was told that transmissions don't fail over time, they fail suddenly and when they do, they won't work at all. A mechanic suggested we changed the fluid filter. What do you guys think?

Also how many quarts of trans fuid would this van need to fill it and what kind of trans filter (any particular brand/type)? It has a 3.8L V6 motor in it.

 

My 2003 T&C error codes are P0731, P0732, P0733, P0734 and P0736 and they all came at the same time. The van shifts fine in the morning from 1 to 3rd gear but no overdrive in 4th which neutral out or partial slip. Sometimes the trans will try 3 attempts shifting to 3rd and if it dont engage it goes into limp mode. Have to turn vehicle off to reset and the trans fluid is clean never burnt smelling. I have changed the TCM, solenoid pack and input sensor and filter. I wondering if the valve body have sticking valves. Is it safe to remove valve while trans is still attached to vehicle?

 

Yes, change the fluid and filter. Sounds like your mechanic is a black and white kind a guy. Transmissions often fail slowly. Drop the pan, change the filter you'll need 4 qts of ATF+4 fluid. Pump it out the cooling tubes you'll need 9 qts. That's for the 4 speed 41TE tranny.
https://www.chryslerforum.com/forum/...failure-12677/

 

What really baffles me is this issue where it lurches and hesitates for a while and then after flooring the pedal repeatedly and hard it responds and returns to normal - UNTIL the engine is shut off again, even briefly. Once it is started and driven again it hesitates once again. Almost like something resets itself and it returns to the "messed up" state.

For example, just now I started it and let it run a few minutes to warm up. I then backed out of the driveway and drove on our back road accelerating quickly, and it hesitated. After several minutes of reving/pumping the accelerator to get it to respond, it lurched and returned to normal after several minutes. I then brought it home, parked it and stopped the engine and let it sit for 10 seconds. Then I started it up and did the same thing. Again the transmission had gone back to hesitating for a minute or so..... and then returned to normal again. It almost sounds electrical. Could it be caused by the fluid/filter needing replacement, or is it something else?