Durango transmission problems

[SuperBuickGuy]

This is a weird problem. A friend has a 99 Dodge durango. She was told by a shop that charged her 102.00 that "the transmission is bad because the fluid smells bad." I've smelled lots worse, it smells used, not bad. Transmission won't go into reverse, put it in reverse, goes forward. Drove the car into the shop, unremarkable other than the reverse issue.....


anyone have a similar or know of a similar issue?

[SuperBuickGuy]

and so I hooked up my computer to it and came up with a code P0783 - faulty 3-4 shift indicator. According to Google, it's a bad 3-4 solenoid, it's locked in the opposite direction as expected. Now the question, change the fluid? I refuse to believe it's that simple....

[tardis454]

Those transmissions suck, & her trans needing rebuilt is not totally out of the question.
I get calls for them daily & could sell everyone we got, if we had it.

The majority of Dodge RWD's used a variation of the RE trans.
6cyls got 42/44RE (Grand Cherokee, Durango, Dakota, Ram Truck/Van)
V8's got 46/47RE (Grand Cherokee, Durango, Dakota, RAM Truck/Van)
Diesel & heavy stuff got 48RE (3/4-1ton Ram Truck/Van, Cab & Chassis)
They all share the same fail points including but not limited to.. Gov Pressure Sensor, Gov Pressure Solenoid, Shift Solenoids(in general), Fried OD Units, bad/broken Input/Output Shafts...

You can fix the solenoid, but that's just a band-aid.
When RE trannys munch solenoids it usually mean time for an overhaul.
There's not much to them, so it's not that bad of a trans to rebuild.

Check out the link below, guys doin one in his Dodge truck...

http://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen-ram-faqs-diys-and-how-tos/304364-diy-46re-transmission-rebuild-work-in-progress.html

[SuperBuickGuy]

thanks man, that really helps

[squirrel]

so are you gonna put a solenoid in it and see if it fixes it?

[Bamfster]

A friend brought a '00 Dakota over with the same symptoms ..... if he decides to keep it and fix it, I'll let you know what we find.

[BBR]

FYI - 318's (5.2L) trucks (at least Durango's) got the 44RE too.

42/44RE = based on a Chrysler 904
46/47RE = based on a Chrysler 727

[IndyShiftman]

Solenoid won't keep it from having reverse. The rear band is used for reverse. Make sure the adjustment is ok. Possibly the apply piston is broken, which you can replace without removing the trans. Sometimes if the band was/is lose, the band anchor strut could have fallen out of place.