2001 Montero Sport tranny problem?

2001 Montero Sport 3.0 Liter 4wd automatic



On an interstate trip 10 days ago, I was running 75mph steady. I pulled off the interstate on an exit ramp to a stop sign. I stopped, and when I took back off, the transmission seemed to bang into gear when I started moving. It seemed to rev slightly, like in neutral, then slam into low. It did this three times in an 1100 mile trip, always under identical circumstances – 75mph and exit to a stop sign. Then with very slight throttle to start, it’d do this.



It never did it before, and it’s not done it since.



The car has 98,000 miles on the clock. Transmission fluid and filter was changed at 40,000. Transmission fluid was changed without a new filter at 80,000.



I’m wondering if not changing the filter could possibly be the problem.



Is that filter difficult to change?



thx . . . ed