transmission selinoid?

Question

1991 dodge caravan code readersay code 37 which is trans selinoid shorted or stuck open! where is the trans selinoid and how hard is this to fix? The van when first started revs up real high but then go back down to normal. when driving down expressway over 45 miles per hour it feels like the trans wants to shift but won't. has a 2.5 4 cylinder with 140,000 on it.

just bought it a month ago, and don't know the maintance history. only paid 300.00 for it so I may just have to drive it til it drops!!! lol

Answer 1

The solenoid will be inside the transmission. Unless you know what you are doing, I would recommend taking it to a mechanic. A shift solenoid is a device that redirects fluid to shift to another gear by engaging a clutch pack. It is inside the valve body, which will need to be removed from the tranmission. If its your first time doing transmission work, it will not be a weekend project and you'll end up wishing you'd taken it to a shop. Hope this helps.

Answer 2

This is a fairly common problem that pops up nopw and then especially with negligent or no scheduled maintenance history.

Parts and labor should not run much more than $250 but it can occur for reasons other than a part failure. There may be excessive metal floating around in the fluid that makes the solennoid stick. You might opt for a swap and drop tranny if the recommended repairs cost more than the transmission is worth. Most auto parts stores sell rebuilt trannys ready to be installed.

Good Luck!