Transmission "stuck in 3rd"?

juliocesargarcia · **Posted:** Fri Dec 04, 2009 11:03 pm

I was driving on the highway today, mostly 75-80 mph with no problems. After about an hour of driving, I slowed down to take an exit an it shifted down. It seemed a bit rough, but not overly so. As I merged onto the other highway, I noticed that it was not shifting to 4th or OD. I was going about 60 MPH at ~2700 RPM. The temperature was in the 20's in Denver.

Pressing the OD button made no difference. I got off the highway and stopped, but did not turn off the car. Started again, it was pretty weak. I think it started in the same gear (3rd?). I believe it was 3rd because when I would manually downshift to 2nd or 1st, it would do it. I was close to an important Dr appt with my wife, so we went for a few minutes longer to the appt. and stopped for about 1 hour. Checked everything I could think off (not much :wink:

) while she checked in and nothing looked suspicious. When we got out, it started with no problems. It now shifts again like nothing had ever happened. We drove home with no incident.

Any clues? Is my transmission dying? Should I have the transmission oil replaced?

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Sat Dec 05, 2009 8:16 am

if the transmission is cold - it's won't shift into overdrive
normally it only takes a couple of miles to warm up, or some stop & go driving
but 20 outside might take longer

but it you were driving and then it stops - something else is wrong
check fluid levels? (and colors - if it's dirty - there's a problem)

juliocesargarcia · **Posted:** Sat Dec 05, 2009 11:14 am

ATXKJ wrote:

check fluid levels? (and colors - if it's dirty - there's a problem)

Level and color look OK.

Drewd · **Joined:** Mon Feb 06, 2006 12:24 pm **Posts:** 902

I had something similar occur on an old Nissan.

I drained the tranny fluid (it didn't have a filter but if it did I would have replaced it) and added Lubeguard additive to the new fluid. It took some driving but whatever was stuck eventually became unstuck and my tranny began shifting again.

Let us know what you do.

juliocesargarcia · **Posted:** Sun Dec 06, 2009 6:04 pm

Drewd wrote:

I had something similar occur on an old Nissan.

I drained the tranny fluid (it didn't have a filter but if it did I would have replaced it) and added Lubeguard additive to the new fluid. It took some driving but whatever was stuck eventually became unstuck and my tranny began shifting again.

Let us know what you do.

It is still running well (two days now), but I think I am going to have the fluid changed this next week. I bought it used and that is the one bit of catch-up maintenance I have not done. The additive is a good idea. I will keep this thread posted.

Thanks!!!!

geordi · **Posted:** Sun Dec 06, 2009 6:33 pm

One possibility: You were driving at highway speeds for an extended period in very cold temperatures. The torque converter would have been in a locked-up status, so NOT providing any real heat to speak of into the trans fluid. This same fluid was being circulated into the very cold trans cooler, in that 20* air... And the fluid exchanger with the engine antifreeze might not have been providing anywhere near enough heat to counter-act the 20* air.

So in essence, your trans cooled off to the point were it would not shift back into OD, b/c it was trying to let the torque converter clutch slip and warm up the fluid again. Not a common occurrence, but normal behavior.

juliocesargarcia · **Posted:** Sun Dec 06, 2009 9:43 pm

geordi wrote:

....

So in essence, your trans cooled off to the point were it would not shift back into OD, b/c it was trying to let the torque converter clutch slip and warm up the fluid again. Not a common occurrence, but normal behavior.

Hmmm ... But don't lots of automatic transmission operate well in far more extreme conditions at highway speeds? There were lots of cars on the road that AM. These conditions are not that unusual.

If what you are suggesting is true, it would be encouraging. Who knows.

geordi · **Posted:** Sun Dec 06, 2009 9:51 pm

I had similar behavior in my 90 Lincoln Mark VII and in my 01 Jetta TDI when faced with a cold snap and a cold start. They wouldn't shift into OD until the transmission had warmed up sufficiently.

My CRD has done this last year a few times, and this year once already. Your experience is unusual b/c it wouldn't return to OD after being there, but look at the conditions: You were passing massive amounts of 20* air over a cooler that contained fluid that was not gaining any significant heat from the locked-up converter... And the exchanger with the engine is really too small to be of any serious heating when in contrast to the airflow.

I still maintain that your fluid just dropped below that threshold while you were running. If you had a temp gauge on the trans fluid itself, this question would be moot.

IIRC, one of the functions of an Autoenginuity scanner or a ScanGauge is capable of pulling the trans temp. Have you got either of these?

warp2diesel · **Posted:** Sun Dec 06, 2009 10:45 pm

..OD when it is cold. I have a mile of stop and go before I get to the Toll Way and when it is 20f it takes a couple miles to shift into OD. When it is sub Zero it takes up to five miles to shift into OD. Another case of Gasser Logic bleeding into the Diesel Auto Trans. Gassers are weak on torque when cold so they rev them up, reving up our Diesels is Stupid, but that is what Chrysler did.

danoid · **Posted:** Mon Dec 07, 2009 1:59 pm

Another possibility is your transmission controller lost power or communication. That would point to a bad wiring condition.

I've never heard of a transmission that made it up to operating temperature getting too chilled and dropping out of overdrive while driving. 3rd gear with no lock up is classic 'limp home' for the trans, and yes, if it can help it, it will not go into limp home at too high of a speed. Check your wiring near the transmission controller, and the transmission. Look for any place the wiring bundle is or could be rubbing against something else.

nursecosmo · **Posted:** Mon Dec 07, 2009 3:19 pm

X2 what Dan said. When the TCM in my Dodge ram went bad, it wouldn't change out of 2nd gear. It has the 47RE which is virtually the same as the 545RE

juliocesargarcia · **Posted:** Wed Dec 09, 2009 5:36 pm

Quick update: it has been freezing in CO. -15 last night. I have been driving with no probs and, a couple of times, I know it has gone into OD. Because of the temperatures and life happening, I have not had a chance to have the fluid changed, and I may not. I have seen other experiences where the low temps may cause it to stick even after extended driving. I will also check the wiring.

It is looking like an odd intermittent defect.

Thanks for the insights!

CATCRD · **Posted:** Wed Dec 09, 2009 11:58 pm

I would chalk it up to a software glitch and just wait to see if it happens more. The fluid is probably not the cause. I've never had mine drop out of OD just because it's cold. Just the usual warm-up delay.

juliocesargarcia · **Posted:** Thu Dec 10, 2009 12:33 am

OK, A good friend of mine checked the codes and this is what turned up:

* P0700-TRANSMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM (MIL REQUEST).
* P0755-2/4 SOLENOID CIRCUIT
* P0755-2C SOLENOID CIRCUIT

The above descriptions came from the KJ DTC LIST. The code reader provide the following descriptions:

* 700 Transmission control system malfunction
* 102 Mass volume of airflow circuit low input (I HAVE THE ORM, I suspect it is complaining about the EGR, which I have simply disabled)
* 755 Shift Solenoid B malfunction

Should I be concerned about these?

danoid · **Posted:** Thu Dec 10, 2009 4:50 pm

Yes. Check the wiring for abrasion.

Transmission "stuck in 3rd"?

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