Minivan (Chrysler Town and Country 2005) will sometimes get stuck and won’t shift up or down from second gear. It’s happened three times. All times various drivers have pulled over turned off the car and waited a couple of minutes before restarting. Usually less than 5 minutes.
The car then shifts perfectly and doesn’t present any problems for days. Is this indication that the transmission is presenting problems? Will it be an easy fix, I’ve called several places and they’ve quoted me 1800-3500 dollars.
The minivan although in great shape has over 150K miles on it. 3500 dollars is definitely more than it’s worth. Looking for advice.
If “great shape” means no rust or body damage, and a decent interior, then $3500 is definitely not “more than it’s worth”. And you won’t be able to buy anything better for $3500 right now, either.
I would suggest having the transmission checked by a locally-owned transmission shop (not a franchise like AAMCO) and seeing what it needs. It might just need the fluid and filter changed, which would cost less than $200. It might just be a solenoid pack or wiring harness problem, which will cost less than $500 to repair. Or the transmission might need to be rebuilt or replaced for $3500.