2002 GC tranny question

I have been reading all the posts on transmission problems. I am on my third Mopar van. They have been a 93 T&C, 97 Voyager and this 2002 GC. I havae driven them all over 100,00 miles. When I took the '97 to the dealer for a checkup they just "Power Flushed" the transmisson on a machine. None of these have given me any problems.

I am know at 98,000 on the 2002 and am questioning the best way to maintain the tranny. It is the "Auto-stick" version that can be shifted manully from a toggle switch on the lever. I am not sure if this is a different version of transmission or just a computer enhancement. Should I drop the pan and change the filter and fluid or just have it flushed? The dealer before, flushed the '97 because they said filter doesn't need changing. Theory was not to disturb anything by removing the filter.

I haven't looked at the amnual yet to see what type of fluid is required. I don't know what the changeover date from ATF3 to ATF4 was. Some sites say use type 4 on "newer" transmissions?

Any advise would be helpful

"Auto-stick" are just regular transmissions with an electronic shift override. you can change the fluid on it just like you would on any other transmission. it's best to change the filter when you do the fluid change

The only ATF+4 fluid I could find locally was Valvoline. It says on the bottle "Full Synthetic". Is this acceptable or do I need something else??

Thanks for any assistance.

ATF+4 has replaced ATF+3. It can and should be used where ATF+3 was once specified. I dropped the pan in my 98 T&C last week and topped of the tranny with the Valvoline ATF+4. This was just before the 900+ mile trip we just returned home from. We have 94,000 miles on our van and not a bit of trouble from the tranny. Dropping the pan is so easy on these cars that I am going to drop it every 15,000 miles from now on (the factory recommended interval for severe useage).