If only I knew what was wrong...

Hello, first post and I have skimmed through the others.

OK heres my problem, my 99 Intrepid ES doesn't seem to want to shift out of second gear. The shifting is all wonky, but other than that the car runs fine. The speedo registers correctly, the engine doesnt stall. The only thing that I can say is that one day the alarm went off and thats when the problem started. After disarming the car, I checked it out before starting it, and found a small mouse nest in the engine compartment. However I couldn't find any damage other than dirt. I did read about someone thinking that a speed sensor was dirty, but I have no idea where that is. I have removed the battery for cleaning and the hopes that it might act like a PC and reset itself like a CMOS.. Yes I grab at straws.


Thanks for reading,

Blue

my guess is the mouse chewed some sensor wires to the ol' a604 and killed the signal from either the input or output speed sensor

Thats a very logically conclusion, but I have yet to find any signs of damaged wires or wire scraps in the engine compartment or on the garage floor. I wont rule it out, but I have new information. As I said I took the battery out, and left it sitting out of the car for a few hours, the little "test" eye thing was dark and when I put it back in, nothing. So today I got a brand new battery and everything powers up fine, but now it wont start:( Its gone from bad to worse I fear. Where abouts is this A604 unit, and the Input/output speed sensors located?

I'd like to help you with this problem because it sounds like it's pretty simple. The speed sensors are right over the transmission pan, but I'm not sure what side of the transmission. Have you ever had a problem with the shifter? Mine (98) completely locked up one day and I had to take it apart to fix it. Maybe the shifter allows it to go clear down into second gear instead of stopping in drive? There is a recall on the shifters, so they must go bad alot. You could pick up the speed sensors at a junk yard for nothing. When it won't start, what does it do? Does it click, or just roll over? My starter just went out and it would make one loud click when I tried to start it. I have a repair manual on these cars, so I'll be glad to help any way I can. By the way, did you do an engine code check? You turn the key on and off three times and the odometer will show a code which could tell you if there is a problem. I have a list of codes here that shows what they all mean. Post the codes here and we'll tell you what they mean, that could help. Thanks

It the "computer" will reset itself after five minutes.
The sensors are on the transmission.(thats the "A604" but you might have a 41TE... same thing anyway...)

A mouse could have chewed up the wiring to the sensors that go to the transmission. Check that all out.

Starting troubles can be the neutral safety switch, which goes on the transmission, too.

If there was one mouse you saw, there are more you didn't!

I have never had a shifting problem before, this was a sudden thing. The car sounded fine and drove OK, other then the shifting. It never stalled when coming to a stop. I changed the battery, having read that a weak charge could be an issue, and the battery was weak. After I replaced the battery now it wont start and all I get is a single click in the engine compartment. I tried the engine code thing via the "on and off" and I get P1684, which is something about the battery not being connected in the last 50 starts. I did have a heck of a time getting the corroded positive battery connecter off, maybe I losened something. The crappy part about all this...the car is still under extended warranty. I just like to take care of things by myself and I really dont care for dealerships:(

That single click is probably a bad starter. That sounds exactly like what mine did. It could also be a loose battery connection, but it really sounds like the starter. I fit's a 2.7 engine, the starter is on the right side of the motor near the cat. converter. Get down next to it and have someone try to start the car. You'll hear a loud click from the starter if it's bad. I got a really nice one at a junkyard for $35. It is a very tight squeeze, but doable. Good luck and keep us posted!

I am having the same problem with my '00 Dodge Caravan, as far as the shifting goes. I changed the tranny fluid and filter, changed the speed sensor which is on mine on the lower side of the tranny just behind the wheel well, reprogramed the tranny, and I am still having the trouble of it not wanting to shift out of second or third which ever it is. This is starting to get frustrating. I called the dealer and the first thing that he recomended was changing the speed sensor which he promptly quoted me a price of $220 for a $30 part. Has anyone had any success with fixing this sort of problem, I see a quite a few of the same situations come up, but I have yet to see a resolution.

Does your speedometer register speed? A bad output speed sensor will set an MIL, cause the tranny go into Limp Mode (no shift out of 2nd), and no speedo.

OOPS, just noticed in your post that you speed o reads. Sorry.

OK so I got an update, and yes I know its taking me time to resolve this, but I have plenty of it and another car to drive.

So I replaced the battery, click no start and a day or so later I try again and the new battery is dead! Well I use another vehicle to boost the power, and the car starts. OK so I get even another new battery and Click, click. The car just doesnt want to start without a help from another car. So I get a fancy $80 charger with read-out and it charges the battery to 100%, turn the ignigtion and the battery power drops to 60% and no start. WTF? Its not like I just walked into the store and picked up any old battery. I made sure to look up in the book the replacement codes, OY! Next jump start and I will limp mode all the way to the dealership.. Thats OK to do for about 20 miles?

I used to own a '99 intrepid, same problem happened to me (shifting), dont really recall what the dealership said it was, but if you are interested i can try to find the reciept for it.

Well the shifting issue aside, I just think its odd that it wont start with a full charged battery.. I take the same battery out and put it in another car (a Crown Vic) and it starts right up. The Intrepid only starts with a jump from a running vehicle. Some weird force is sucking the life from my baby:( Oh well I checked and I have 2 years and 40k miles of my maximum care warrenty left, I pray its covered.

It should be covered if you didn't do any performance upgrades or modifications to the car, it sounds like something mechanical, which most car warranties do cover.

Ok and the final word, the starter was going bad, and the input/output sensor was the main culprit. Oh, and somehow the diagnostic connector was damaged so I had to pay for that repair...funny the dealership is the only one to touch that:( I have no idea how much it would have cost to repair, as the extended warrenty covers it.