Hey, guys!! I have a 2004 Dodge Intrepid. Here’s the deal. When I drive on the highway (higher speeds) and then slow down, the car (automatic transmission) automatically downshifts drastically (like throw me through the windshield drastically) and then will not come out of that lower gear. Aha…UNLESS I turn off the engine and restart it, THEN it fixes itself (took me a while to discover this). When I am driving around town at lower speeds this does not happen. Only if I get to higher speeds and then slow down. And one other symptom…SOMETIMES I can just be at a stop light/sign, still in drive, but when I put on the gas to go, it stays, like the car is in neutral, even though the gearshift is still in drive. Got it? Good luck!!
I’m sorry. Sounds like typical Dodge transmission problems. I had a 95 Intrepid and in the 3yr/36k mile warranty they put in 3 transmissions and 4 torque converters. At the warranty end I traded it in on a Camry and lost my A@@ on the trade-in.
What if I assumed that the car had over 100,000 miles on it and the transmission has never been serviced?
Is that a good place to start?
…and I am wondering whether the Check Engine Light is lit up.
It would be somewhat unusual to not have a lit-up CEL with this type of symptom.
Yes! Check engine light is definitely on (sorry I left that out!). Had transmission value body replaced for $1,502 in 2012 and then the Cam Sensor in 2013…neither fixed the problem.
You need to get the error codes read from the computer and post them. Many auto parts stores read these for free. The code format is “P0123.” Verbal descriptions are generally useless so just post the specific code(s).
Presumably when the valve body was done, the transmission filter was changed. Of course, “in 2012” doesn’t say much. How many miles are on the car? How many miles since the valve body was done? Before having the valve body done, was the transmission ever serviced? When and how?
I think this will probably require the services of a transmission specialist. Ask your regular mechanic which local inde transmission shop in the are is the best one. Its possible this can be fixed without rebuilding the transmission, so cross your fingers. Could be a sensor or solenoid-actuator problem.
You are experiencing “limp home mode”. This can be as simple as poor connections to the solenoids or input and output speed sensors, or failures of these components.
<blockquote>Yes! Check engine light is definitely on (sorry I left that out!). Had transmission value body replaced for $1,502 in 2012 and then the Cam Sensor in 2013...neither fixed the problem.</blockquote>
But did they even have anything to do with the codes? Do you know what the codes were/are? Are you planning on finding out? Or are you just fishing for possibilities? With out the codes not a whole lot of guessing to be done. That being said. I guess you should replace everything between the bumpers, that ought to do it.