Needing Jeep Transmission Advice

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  • Wolfhound

    Hired Goon
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    I am looking for some advice from INGOers who know transmissions. I have a 2006 Jeep Liberty with a 4 speed automatic. It has 91k miles and hasn't been abused but I have pulled a small 4x8 trailer with it occasionally and had it off road on my property in Kentucky a few times but nothing serious like rock climbing or water crossing. Anyway my wife was driving it and it stopped going into 3rd gear. First and second work fine and when it goes to shift into third it's like it goes into neutral. Most of the time it won't throw a check engine code but I do get incorrect 3rd gear ratio occasionally. The transmission fluid is clear and clean and level is ok. I have never had to add any fluid to it and yes, I know how to check it. I have replaced some clutches in my lifetime and replaced a manual transmission once but haven't dealt with automatics much.

    So, any ideas? Can third gear just be obliterated with no signs of anything in the fluid? Could it be a shift pack or transmission speed sensor? Any advice would be appreciated.
     

    d.kaufman

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    With the only code that occasionally shows up being 3rd ratio error code it is likely not electronic. The chrysler transmissions love to use snap rings that are made from cheap steel and have a tendency to break. There is also a hub that likes to break as well. Both of these can happen and the fluid will looknand smell normal.
    Unfortunately the only way to fix is to pull and rebuild the transmission
     

    Wolfhound

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    With the only code that occasionally shows up being 3rd ratio error code it is likely not electronic. The chrysler transmissions love to use snap rings that are made from cheap steel and have a tendency to break. There is also a hub that likes to break as well. Both of these can happen and the fluid will looknand smell normal.
    Unfortunately the only way to fix is to pull and rebuild the transmission

    Thank you for the advice DK. Not good news but, I was sort of expecting it. What is the average cost of a rebuild or used replacement just so I know I am getting a fair deal when I take it in?
     

    d.kaufman

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    I'm up in NWI and the average cost at the shop i work at is right about $1800 for the 4 speed autos. Some shops will do it cheaper but we do a lot of uprgrades to pretty much every unit I rebuild, which allows us to offer a lifetime warranty on the unit.
     

    churchmouse

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    I'm up in NWI and the average cost at the shop i work at is right about $1800 for the 4 speed autos. Some shops will do it cheaper but we do a lot of uprgrades to pretty much every unit I rebuild, which allows us to offer a lifetime warranty on the unit.

    This over a used boneyard piece. ^^^^^^

    Unless he intends to sell/trade pretty fast.
     

    JeepHammer

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    Probably the 42RLE/545RFE, they had shift solenoid problems.
    Fairly cheap/simple issue to fix, so I'd start there since it's a know problem, but that's a shot in the dark that comes from experience.

    A good source of information is JeepForum.com, some pretty sharp, and helpful people on that particular forum.
    Many on that particular forum will pitch in and help out fix your issues.

    An option for inexpensive fixes are auto-diesel education programs.
    While students do the tear down, cleaning & grunt work, you get instructors with decades of experience overseeing the rebuild.
    They won't be fast, but it will be correct and usually only costs parts.

    When you deal with local independent shops, your warranty is only good as long as the shop doors are open.
    If they are honest (many are, some are not) and experienced, you will pay a premium, but the work will be rock solid.
    An honest shop will diagnose the issue, and inform you what the actual issue is before doing the repair work.
    When a shop comes back with a $200 solenoid fix, or a loose filter that only costs a service, over a transmission repair/replacement, you found an honest shop, value that!

    I don't pull/replace transmissions anymore, but I will scatter one & rebuild occasionally when the owner does the grunt work, mostly for racecar & Jeep guys. The application you describe, the stock unit will do fine, no particular need for expensive replacements & adapters the serious off road guys use.
    The aftermarket has supplied a better solenoid arrangement, and that is worth the extra $$ since it's a known problem, particularly if you intend to keep the vehicle.
     
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    Wolfhound

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    Thanks for the advice guys. I believe it is the 42RLE transmission. I am a little discouraged that I only got about 91 thousand miles out of it. I will take it in and see what they tell me. It sounds like more than I would want to deal with myself right now. I need to get about two more years out of it but, we don't use it very much as I have a company leased vehicle at my disposal.
     

    JeepHammer

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    Since you didn't report slippage, declining part time failure that got worse, it's probably a quick component failure.
    Like the there poster said, snap rings, seals, solenoid failure.
    The good news is a quick component failure means the clutch pack didn't smoke & take the drum with it.
    The bad news if it's not something external of the main shaft cluster, you have to pull & scatter the transmission, reinstall when done.
    Don't forget the 8 hours or so of teardown (scatter), cleaning, and reassembly, so at least two day worth of shop time at a shop,
    And being a shop owner, shops ARE NOT cheap to keep the doors open...
    My little shop has to make a minimum of $130/hour just to keep the lights on, the insurance paid, and the doors open, and that's just the break even point, that doesn't consider new equipment, equipment repairs, on going education, warranty work, bookkeeping or accountant costs, or me making a nickel.

    At 91k there is no reason NOT to throw $300-$400 worth of rebuild kit & torque converter at it when you scatter it.
    It's going to take half a day to pull, another half a day to reinstall, no sense it putting 91k worn parts back in if you intend to keep the vehicle.
     

    halfmileharry

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    Probably the 42RLE/545RFE, they had shift solenoid problems.
    Fairly cheap/simple issue to fix, so I'd start there since it's a know problem, but that's a shot in the dark that comes from experience.

    A good source of information is JeepForum.com, some pretty sharp, and helpful people on that particular forum.
    Many on that particular forum will pitch in and help out fix your issues.

    An option for inexpensive fixes are auto-diesel education programs.
    While students do the tear down, cleaning & grunt work, you get instructors with decades of experience overseeing the rebuild.
    They won't be fast, but it will be correct and usually only costs parts.

    When you deal with local independent shops, your warranty is only good as long as the shop doors are open.
    If they are honest (many are, some are not) and experienced, you will pay a premium, but the work will be rock solid.
    An honest shop will diagnose the issue, and inform you what the actual issue is before doing the repair work.
    When a shop comes back with a $200 solenoid fix, or a loose filter that only costs a service, over a transmission repair/replacement, you found an honest shop, value that!

    I don't pull/replace transmissions anymore, but I will scatter one & rebuild occasionally when the owner does the grunt work, mostly for racecar & Jeep guys. The application you describe, the stock unit will do fine, no particular need for expensive replacements & adapters the serious off road guys use.
    The aftermarket has supplied a better solenoid arrangement, and that is worth the extra $$ since it's a known problem, particularly if you intend to keep the vehicle.

    AND.... It wasn't my vehicle BUT a friend's. She had to have her computer recoded 4 or 5 times. I am pretty sure hers was an 05 or 06. Solenoid problems are common in those.
     

    d.kaufman

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    Thanks for the advice guys. I believe it is the 42RLE transmission. I am a little discouraged that I only got about 91 thousand miles out of it. I will take it in and see what they tell me. It sounds like more than I would want to deal with myself right now. I need to get about two more years out of it but, we don't use it very much as I have a company leased vehicle at my disposal.

    If your positive its a 4spd it is indeed the 42RLE trans in the liberty. While this trans and many more made by Chrysler do have known solenoid pack issues, this is not your problem.
    From your description of the trans neutraling out when shifting to 3rd, this means the trans computer is commanding the shift and the solenoid pack is indeed activating the proper solenoid to make that shift. Something is broke internally(clutch hub, snap ring, etc) which is why it is neutraling out. These transmissions DO NOT have individual solenoids. It is a complete solenoid pack and is replaced as 1 single unit.
    The solenoid packs on those units is $250 my cost and the valve body has to be removed to change it. This entails dropping the pan, filter, removing linkage from shifter shaft, electrical connector then the valve body bolts and dropping it down. Then flipping valve body over to remove the solenoid pack bolts and swapping it out. Then reinstalling everything. Most shops are gonna charge around $500 to do this and if it doesnt fix it (which it wont in your case) you are just out the money and still have a bad trans.
    Its to bad your not close by or i would do what i could to help you out cost wise.

    Good luck to you and hope you can get it worked out
     

    Wolfhound

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    Apr 11, 2011
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    If your positive its a 4spd it is indeed the 42RLE trans in the liberty. While this trans and many more made by Chrysler do have known solenoid pack issues, this is not your problem.
    From your description of the trans neutraling out when shifting to 3rd, this means the trans computer is commanding the shift and the solenoid pack is indeed activating the proper solenoid to make that shift. Something is broke internally(clutch hub, snap ring, etc) which is why it is neutraling out. These transmissions DO NOT have individual solenoids. It is a complete solenoid pack and is replaced as 1 single unit.
    The solenoid packs on those units is $250 my cost and the valve body has to be removed to change it. This entails dropping the pan, filter, removing linkage from shifter shaft, electrical connector then the valve body bolts and dropping it down. Then flipping valve body over to remove the solenoid pack bolts and swapping it out. Then reinstalling everything. Most shops are gonna charge around $500 to do this and if it doesnt fix it (which it wont in your case) you are just out the money and still have a bad trans.
    Its to bad your not close by or i would do what i could to help you out cost wise.

    Good luck to you and hope you can get it worked out

    Oh yes, it is definitely a 4 speed.

    Thanks again for the advice and estimates. INGOers are truly an amazing source of information as we come from every profession and are willing to share knowledge and experience. :ingo:
     
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