2002 Intrepid problems

[star_cutie08]

Ok, I'll try to put this as plainly as I can lol. I am having a problem with my Intrepid that I just bought less than 2 months ago. The check engine light came on 3 days ago. Everything was just fine though and I was going down the road at 60 mph. Then I slowed down and started to speed back up to get on the high way, and the RPM gage started to go up quicker than the MPH's were. I had it towed to a dealership where they proceeded to say that it was 3/4's a quart low on transmission fluid but nothing else was wrong. So I took it home. Upon driving home, the problem started again. The car would accelarate, but the RPM gage would also go up. I was going 55 mph, but running about 4, 4 1/2 RPM's . . My mom's boyfriend told me that it was just that the car was staying in a lower gear, instead of going up to drive, what could be causing this? Is it really really serious? Should I still be driving on it?

[tempfixit]

Which engine does it have?

How many miles on vehicle?

Did the dealership check for codes? IF so what were the codes?

To check for codes do the key dance> turn engine switch on/off, on/off, on without starting engine within 5 seconds and any codes present in the PCM will be shown where the mileage is recorded on the vehicle (odometer). Post any codes that it shows.

sounds like the transmission goes into the limp mode which protects the tranny when there is a problem. It could be the input sensor in the tranny is going bad.

I would not drive it much until you can solve the problem.

[wafrederick]

Get it checked with a scan tool instead for codes.The key on/off method will not work for OBD II vehicles.The 1998 and up transmissions do not go out and stay on the shelf at most auto wrecking yards.They do have problems with speed speed sensors.

[Scrapper]

i think he's right my mom's done the same thing.and it was the speed sensor.

[star_cutie08]

The engine is a 2.7L, the car has about 78,500 miles on it. . I did the key thing to find out the code and the code that it is giving me is P0700. That is the only code that I am getting.

[Scrapper]

Originally Posted by star_cutie08

The engine is a 2.7L, the car has about 78,500 miles on it. . I did the key thing to find out the code and the code that it is giving me is P0700. That is the only code that I am getting.

maf on her car but that was a year later after the speed sensor...

[tempfixit]

Originally Posted by star_cutie08

The engine is a 2.7L, the car has about 78,500 miles on it. . I did the key thing to find out the code and the code that it is giving me is P0700. That is the only code that I am getting.

Code P0700 means Check Transmission DTC's.

First I would do a transmission fluid and filter change using ATF+4 fluid only, you can get it from wal-mart fairly reasonable. I would also check the wiring to the input speed sensor and connections to make sure there are no broken wires or conector is clean and on properly. If you do not find anything wrong there I would consider changing the input speed sensor, they are about $20.00.

Keep us posted.

[star_cutie08]

But with this code, its' still ok to drive it. . like to a shop or dealership to have these things checked out?

[tempfixit]

Yes you can drive it to a shop, just make sure the shop can retrieve the codes from tranny. Not all shops have the knowledge or capabilities to do so.

[star_cutie08]

Oh yes. . I took it to a dodge dealership and unfortunatly they were able to retrieve the 6 codes that were showing up. The woman told me that the Transmission fluid looked horrible, which the other shop I took it to said it was fine. So the woman told me they are looking to flush the transmission as well as changing the fliter, changing the input and output speed sensors, and they mentioned changing the celunoid(misspelled probably) package.

Now I have a question. I talked to another mechanic that said that it is probably not neccessary to change the celunoid package, but rather just get the transmission flushed and the sensors changed. . With all three things getting done the woman told me that I'm looking at about $871. . So do I really need the celunoid changed? And another thing. . What are these Input and Output speed sensors and what really do they do?

[tempfixit]

Not knowing what the codes are or the meaning of the codes for the transmission I would suggest:

Change the tranny fluid and filter using ATF+4 FLUID ONLY, if anyone tells you that you can use a universal fluid and a additive that the vehicle somewhere else as the incorrect fluid can ruin your tranny very quickly.

As for flushing the tranny that is something I DO NOT recommend. Using a flushing machine for one you do not know what contaminates could be introducted to your vehicle from other vehicles plus it can stir particles in the tranny that are better off left as is. You can change all the fluid by disconnecting a tranny line, if you want to do this let me know and I will explain process as best I can.

Look in the online service manual thread in this forum and look up your vehicle and it should explain the function of the input an output sensors.

When changing fluid and filter I would check the wiring and conncections for the input and output sensors to make sure they are OK and if so install new in and out put sensors before messing with the solenoid pack.

If you are mechanically inclined or know a friend that is capable of doing this work you could save yourself many dollars rather than the stealership. You can get the ATF+4 fluid at walmart for around $4.50 a quart and should take about 5 quarts with normal filter and fluid change or a complete fluid change would take approx. 12 quarts. The sensors are not hard to change. Again look at the online service manual it may show location of sensors.

Hope this helps

[star_cutie08]

It helps very much. But when I called to suggest just that, they said that there was a valve on the celunoid that was acting up and if they did not change that as well, then it would keep doing this.

[tempfixit]

To bad you don't have someone to help you with the work. I personally would install the input and output sensors and see how it works, but I would do the work myself. If works properly I would then change tranny fluid and filter. The reason's I would try it this way is that the sensors are $16.00 a piece and the solenoid is $209.00 according to the napaonline.com.
The dealership could very well be correct with their diagnoses but I would get it in writing that the solenoid will fix the problem.

[star_cutie08]

Thank I think that I will get something like that in writting. I also called the dealership today and asked them about a warrenty. They said something like One year or 12,000 miles which ever comes first. (Could have been 112,000, though I think it was 12,000 miles). . And also that they had fixed it this morning. .Hopefully all is good. . Now I just have to talk to the person that I bought the car from as he was on vacation.

[tempfixit]

Let us know what work and parts the dealership repaired.

Hope all is fine now.