What's the problem with the transmission in 1980 & 90's Plymouth minivans?

Question

When The van warms to operating temperature the transmission shifts very hard and jerks. Also at highway speeds the trans will down shift to 2nd. gear and stay there until you pull over, turn the engine off and restart it. What causes this, where can I get this fixed and about how much does it cost?

Answer 1

This could be a major problem, or it could be something simple. One thing that comes to mind is the output speed sensor is bad. You do not say what engine /transmission you have, but with the 3.3l engine and the OD transmission, a failing output speed sensor can cause the problems that you describe.

If the battery has died, or been removed, you may need to have the transmission computer re-programed. On the late 80's early 90's vans the transmission would lose the program if the car battery died, or was disconnected.

There is a connector under the dash, near the fuse panel, to read the computer codes (with a scanner). Any qualified mechanic can read the codes, and most can also reprogram the transmission computer!

Answer 2

depending on the yr it could be the downshift cable, this is the cable that tells the transmission where the throttle is and allows it to up or down shift accordingly. it could be bad or out of adjustment. and the above answers are correct. the trans might just be hunting around for a gear and it happens to find second at the right time lol. take it to a shop, they can do pressure checks and go from there. it could also be the lock up convertor and i can keep feeding you problems but take it to a shop.

Answer 3

there is a band adjustment thats all i know ...its outlined in the repair manual ...the cable and linkage may be out of adjustment to ...i also know the transmissions in those were always problematic ... alas, a rebuild wont be cheap. other things to consider is improper fluid level including too much fluid can cause erratic behavior and also it could be possible that the wrong kind of fluid got into it. I would start by draining all the fluid and replacing that and the filter, then check all the linkage and cable ... if nothing then i would have someone adjust the bands ... then get a price on a rebuild to see if its worth it.

Answer 4

ok dodge could not build a trans if thier life depended on it they never could you probley have a 404/413(same trans diff. gear ratio)hard shifts are mostly caused by high fluid pressure cable is the cheapest place to start. oh the band adjustment answer was about the stupidest thing i have ever heard you know nothing about trans. so dont preach what you have not a clue about.a band (2 in that trans) are only applied in 2nd and rev. ok your best bet is to buy a chevy stay away from dodge chrystler

Answer 5

I've seen these exact same symptoms in a mid '90s model where the problem was simply a bad turbine speed sensor. This is actually a pretty cheap repair.

Answer 6

you might try to change fluid and filter. chrystler has had big problems w/ the trans. in those minivans for years. if you change the fluid yourself, you can probably et away w/ $30-$40 in materials. some oil change place do it as well. i'd expect to pay $60-$90 for them to do it. good luck

Answer 7

As long as you have cheetah/ leopard skin seats, 22" rims, a base cannon, and fuzzy dice hanging from the rear view, you will get all the chicks. The Hand knows these things

Answer 8

Those transmissions are kinda junk. They seem to be weaker than they should be. Any transmission shop can fix it, and it may be as much as $1000.

Answer 9

If you have the A604 automatic 4 speed automatic the powertrain control module is probably bad or has to be flashed

Answer 10

the problem is its a 10 to 20 year old Chrysler product. fix that first.