Does any one have problems with their auto trans overheating and losing "power" ans soon as they hit any decent grade, on and off road. Dealership wont do any thing about it, YET and it is realy anoing to have to stop and wait for the trans temp light to go off. Any solutions?

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Peace Follows Victory

hmm... renegade came standard with trans cooler anyway i thought... im not too sure on this, but the dealer should look at it under warranty 3/36 and/or 7/70 i would imagine

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2006 Renegade 4x4

sean,

yup. factory tow package. dealership keeps a record of every time the trans temp light comes on but wont give me a new trans - yet. the problem is geting progresivly worse.

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Peace Follows Victory

a few questions that may help with this trouble
does it happen on road as well as off?
when it happens does the trans down shift to first?
have you ever tried to force a down shift like go from drive to 2nd?


we wheel autos all the time and never have a problem with over heating on or off road
I have climbed some very steep long grades with my '02 TJ it has the 3 speed auto and 38k + miles and never had a problem
we have climbed some good grades with the KJ in the summer heat with the ac running 4 adults and camping gear and never had an over heat
I did force it to keep the rpm high thoe when we did that

If it overheating going down the highway then you have some problems. If the little light is coming on when your "crawling" up a hill them you need to use 4low. Its best to not let the tranny shift to much. So, lets say that your doing 20mph up a hill. Its best to pull the shifter back into 1st and not let it shift into 2nd letting the torque build up more heat. Make sure its the jeep that has a problem and not the driver.

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LOST KJ'S
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http://www.cardomain.com/id/jeepjeepster

Do all of that. No offense but I don't need driving lessons. I need to know if other KJ's have this problem and if there is a remedy. Perhaps an aftermarket trans cooler or something. I have been told that when late model kjs hit anything steep the trans fluid basically runs to the rear and no pressure builds.

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Peace Follows Victory

My 05 limited has never had a problem with overheating. We go through some pretty steep hills off road in Arkansas. The outside temp is in the high 90's and with the a/c going my transmission light has never come on and my engine temp. has never increased. It is hot and dusty and some very steep trails around Mt. Ida. My wife and I look for crystals in this area and go over some very rocky areas so it is 4 wheel high most of the time at around 5 to 10 miles per hour. Seldom have to use 4 lo. My be I have just been lucky.

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Smitty
White 05 4x4 Limited
Full Mopar Skids, Hitch & Hooks
Rock Rails
Trac-Lock

ive taken my auto off road too... had the ac on as well, was in hollister hills for about 5 hours 1 day, up and down all the hills, not a single problem, maybe you just got a bum tranny, change the fluid and add a bigger oil cooler, sorry the dealer wont help, look on ebay for a used tranny.... ewwww "a used tranny, sound like something very dirty from the castro district in san francisco" ....lol

ben

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beep beep, move over for my jeep, lookin for some rocks to creep, got starbucks so i dont fall asleep, darn this muds deep, got stuck and began to weep, been here about a week, darn this is weak, my head i beat, the situation is steep....... woke up, it was all a dream!! Only in a Jeep!!!

my 2005 Renny has never had any overheating problems. I've run it off road all day long, up hills, down hills, through streams, etc with A/C and 1-3 passengers. A couple things come to mind. Is your electric fan running or caked with mud? Is your radiator clean or filled with mud?

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-nate
LOST#NL068123 - 2005 Renegade 3.7L 4x4, Off-Road Package, Rock Rails, Skids, Command-Trac, Trac-Loc LSD, Light Bar, K&N Drop in Filter, AMSOIL LUBES, RRO's Diff Guard for 8.25", Frankenlift, & Goodyear MT/R's
Cardomain

not trying to give you "driving lessons" but fact is very few people have this problem and of that few most were driver error that is why i asked
you still never gave enough info for me or any body to realy help

so I will post what i have seen that causes trans problems and maby from that you can get some ideas
first friction causes heat when an auto trans shifts this causes friction wich causes heat so if it is shifting a lot like 1-2-1-2 then it will build heat
second the radiator wich aids in colling if it has a trans coller could be muddy or the internal line pluged (probably not)
third driving under a heavy load wich it sounds like the problem you are having will generate a lot of heat try to make it as easy as you can to climb a hill
put the gear selector in first so that the trans will almost lock up fully second and most important make sure that the T-case is in 4low

I realy doubt that it is the trans "sucking dry" we run TJ's and LJ's almost vertical and they dont over heat and still keep going
we have even had a KJ leaning very good with no issues

Last check the fluid not just for full but smell it and see if it smells burnt if so change it
go to a place that can suck it dry not just the 3 or what ever quarts that is in the pan but all of it then refill and try again

hope this helps
Jason

I had the same problem a few weeks ago at 22k on a 2005 limited. The dealer took the trans apart to find the front pump had failed. The rebuilt it and it is running better than ever now.

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2005 Limited

OK here's the story. 9 mo. ago we were wheeling in a wash. lots of lose and deep sand. aired down, 4 hi and shifter in first at about 3500-4000 RPM. (the Rubicon got stuck using 4-low). anyhow, trans temp light came on after about an hour of hauling booty. stoped the KJ on solid ground with it in neutral as per the manual. light went off. went home. couple of weeks later during our next outing we were going up a 5-7% dirt grade in 2wd, od off and in 2nd (doing over 25mph). again trans temp light came on. so now every off highway trip, trans temp light comes on. (at LEAST twice a month). over the last few weeks the KJ has been acting like it has no power and has been getting realy bad gas mialage(12-14mpg) with a K&N FIPKI. the radiator, fan, trans cooler is fine. i was told this weekend in Big Bear during the L.O.S.T event that some people have been doing plus 45 degree climbs and ALL the fluid ran to the rear of the trans. thay had to pull the KJ down the hill because the trans wouldn't do anything.

susan, thanks for the info i have 31k and had the trans serviced at 27k. maby ill print this thread out and tahe it with me to the service depatment.

thanks all for your imput. ill keep you posted

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Peace Follows Victory

you probably answered your own question 4hi in sand you just as well have been towing an 18 wheeler behind you
the resistance of the sand was probably what did it
IMO you should never use 4hi off road why would you want to?
always 4low and very slow that is the rule trust me

I dont want to toot my own horn but I am ,lets call it very involved with the local trail rides and have been known to guide folks on how to do things
I dont want to see people not having fun off road much less see folks break stuff
so keep that in mind when you see post from others we may just be able to help

rember that driving off road is 70% driver I dont know every thing but i know that when you hit the trail its slow and low

you mentioned checking things like the radiator and coolers, did you clean out your air filter to...if not maybe you've been getting some sediment into the engine thru a filthy air filter and that is what is bogging down your performance?? just a thought....

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Had 2005 KJ Rocky Mnt. Edition (destroyed)
Had 2006 KJ Sport 4x4
Have 2007 JK 4-dr Sahara 4x4 (tow package so stock 4.10s!!)
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