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2001 Dakota shifting way too early.

4K views 24 replies 3 participants last post by  immattj 
#1 ·
My 2001 Dakota with 5.9L Magnum 4WD Automatic is shifting way too soon. It shifts so fast I can't get any speed built up because it is bogging down from being too high of a gear. Now normally this thing would take off like a rocket, but it just started this. I cut one of the trans cooler lines about six months ago by accident so it does leak a little but it takes a while before it gets low. I checked the fluid and it was low but once I filled it up the problem is still there. I live in west Texas and you kind of need to be able to build some speed pretty fast if you want to drive here. I saw something about resetting the transmission control module and I tried disconnecting the battery cable and turning the key to the start position and holding it there for 20 seconds but it did not help. I did have a vehicle that did this once and it turned out to be a clogged catalytic converter, but it would not even rev up. I can sit in park and rev the engine, it is just when I try to accelerate that the problem happens. It is already in overdrive before I reach 20 mph. Anyone else ever have this problem? Thanks in advance for any advice.
 
#3 ·
Hey I am glad you asked, I forgot to put that in the original post. Yes I did try shifting manually and it was like it was before. I could accelerate get it up to speed quickly. I am worried about damaging the transmission so I only did the manual shifting once, but yes it was back to normal when shifting manually.
 
#4 ·
If you are going to drive it anyway, I don't think that shifting it manually will be any more harmful to it than if you put it in D & let it shift itself as rapidly as you previously described.

But to clarify: when you put it in D & start driving, you are saying that ALL of your shifts,INCLUDING 1-2 AND 2-3, happen way too fast. Is that correct?

The reason I ask is because I have a '03 with 5.9 (46RE tranny) & I went to the FSM to the tranny troubleshooting section, & there is a issue described as "3-4 upshift occurs immediately after 2-3 shift." For that the FSM offers OD solenoid connector or wiring shorted, or TPS malfunction, or PCM malfunction, or OD solenoid malfunction, or valve body malfunction. In that order.

And to also clarify, you are sure that you do have 2cond gear. Correct? I ask because I believe that if you lost your forward band you would also lose 2cond gear which might make it feel as if you were shifting into 3 too rapidly.

However, from reading your OP, that doesn't sound applicable.

I am kind of multi tasking at the moment, so give me a bit & I'll se if I skimmed over something in the FSM that is more applicable.
 
#6 · (Edited)
I am pretty sure that you would have the 46RE in an '01 with a 5.9.
I wouldn't take this site


as gospel, but it also indicates that.

As far as not having 2cond gear, I am actually thinking that this is NOT what is going on, but one way to find out would be to start it out with the lever in 1 and then manually move it to 2 & see if it actually shifts to 2 and will hold in 2..

I did do a re-look in the 46RE tranny troubleshooting section of my FSM, & what I listed above is the most applicable to what you described in your OP, although none of those conditions are an exact match.

Looking at that section:

"3-4 upshift occurs immediately after 2-3 shift." For that the FSM offers OD solenoid connector or wiring shorted, or TPS malfunction, or PCM malfunction, or OD solenoid malfunction, or valve body malfunction. In that order.

I am almost kind of inclined to think that since you are saying that this involves all of your upshifts, not just 3 to overdrive, you could rule out the OD related issues. If you feel like taking the parts throwing route to start out with, the TPS shouldn't cost to crazy much (especially from Rockauto.com or someplace like that) and would be relatively easy to change. Not that I am convinced that is the issue, but that would be the easiest & cheapest of those (so far) listed to eliminate.
 
#7 ·
. . . now here is another thread on another site


started by a guy with a 5.9 Dakota (same tranny) whose problem is too slow or won't upshift when he mashes it.

Which I know is the polar opposite of what you have described. But it still might be a helpful read in an informative way. Then again, it might not be.
 
#8 · (Edited)
[. . . ] I cut one of the trans cooler lines about six months ago by accident so it does leak a little but it takes a while before it gets low. I checked the fluid and it was low but once I filled it up the problem is still there. [. . .]
. . . Oh, and on this, I suppose it is possible that something was damaged if the ATF was low enough for long enough. Did your rapid shifting issue begin around the time your fluid level got low?

(And on edit: you did use the specified Chrystler ATF to service it with, right? That would be "ATF+4")
(And on still another edit, and not meaning to insult you, unlike other ATs I have had, the Dodge/Chrystler ATF level has to be checked in neutral.)


And if you want to fix that line, the easy way to to it is to get some rubber transmission cooler line (at the auto parts store) that is the proper inside diameter for your existing metal line to fit snugly inside of, and then to cut out the damaged portion of existing metal line & splice in a section of rubber line using good clamping technique.

That's the easy way.

The correct way would be to buy a pre-bent line & replace with that; that is doable (there is a thread on that somewhere on this site) but it is not a walk through the park.
 
#9 ·
Do the sim[ple things first. Change out your TPS along with your governor pressure sensor. Next would be your TV cable. This line going from the tranny to TB is very sensitive to the slightest adjustment. Be sure a spring in this area has not popped off.
After that its about draining tranny fluid and inspecting the shift spring mechanism in your valve body. It could have broken but its super easy to get to once you expose the valve body.
If you go this route, get yourself a tranny pan with a drain plug.
I'm not a fan of lying on my back and balancing a tranny pan full of oil. I drill the pan with a 3/8th bit and let the fluid all drain out. Then I remove the pan. They also have drain valve kits if you didn't want to get a new pan w a drain.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Quite recently, I bought a pan with a drain plug from Rockauto for mine. Here is the one I bought.


OP, if you are interested in some more reading, here is a thread in which the instructions for checking & adjusting the TV cable are included. The OP on that thread was actually asking about a late shift, not early shift(s), but if you want to check your TV cable, that subjct is addressed here. I don't know how the OP made out with his; he never bothered with a follow up.

 
#20 ·
Update: First of all let me apologize, I have not been able to get on here much lately. I appreciate all the tips and suggestions. I changed the TPS and viola the problem has gone away. When I took the old one off, I noticed it looked brand spanking new and sure enough I had changed it about 2 years ago. I usually get my parts from Oreilly's but I think I am going to get them somewhere else. That is about the 3rd or fourth part that has failed. I have put 3 of those blower motor resistors on and the last one lasted about a month and when it went out this time it fried all the wires going into the connector. But as for the shifting problem, that is fixed for now. I wonder if I should change the trans fluid and filter. I really am afraid to change it, everytime I have done this on previous vehicles the transmission would go out after a day or two. I doubt it has ever been changed. It has 220,000 on it now. What do you guys think?
 
#21 ·
That's an urban legend. Your tranny would fail eventually whether you changed it or not. New Tranny fluid is a pretty strong solvent so it will loosen all the gunk that's in there already and clog up your valve body. Of course, that gunk will eventually clog things up anyway.
If you want to avoid that, see if anyone in your area "hot flushes" your system so all that debris gets whisked out of there.
 
#23 ·
First check your tranny fluid. If its black, then just change it yourself. If it's black, avoid a flush as that will clog up your valve body w/o doing a hot flush.
Your clutches are probably worn. New tranny fluid will act a a lubricant to worn clutches and friction can be reduced causing slippage.
A "change" will only take care of about 40% of fluid so some new stuff in there could be beneficial w/o a complete flush.
Your remaining fluid will have the grit sufficient for the clutches to grip.
 
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