OK, so today I gassed up my Durango. I reset my trip computer but I pushed the reset button before I turned the ignition key and the instrument cluster proceeded to do a lot of strange things. The odometer displayed a moving circular character and then the needles on the guages did some dancing. What exactly did I just stumble upon?

 

U probably had your truck go through the diagnostic self check test :-) did all your lights on the dash come on and did it ding at you a little bit?

 

+1
It seems that you stumbled upon the instrument cluster self check, it just does exactly that, makes sure all the gauges and lights are working

 

Score an actual correct answer for me! Thats 2 btw! I am on fire this week lol

 

Glad to here you are learning stuff about your D and being able to help others

 

haha yeah, that smiley is right, thats about all I can do for the next 4 days, roam around D forums.

 

good time to get ideas for mods and other stuff

 

haha, I just climbed underneath the D with pen and paper, and was like I need that, i need that i need this, the wife stood there and told me, NO YOU DON'T! lol, hey i have a quick favor of someone, can someone take a damn picture of the front band for me so I can know what I am looking for under there? I found the transmission speed sensor plug, but I want to find the band, and I still can't seem to find the problem with my trucks RPMs dropping SOMETIMEs when I hit the gas, pretty sure I have caught my TB getting stuck lately, possibly the TB? anyone I can make it not stick without replacing lol, or could it be the transmission not shifting? Pretty sure it is not the tranny since it does it in park and drive. And my reverse and seeming to clunk a lot more than I am used to, but from what I read a little clunk is normal? Im learning guys im learning, one day I will stop asking questions.

 

Nevermind, I did a little bit of looking and reading, and I am not going to mess with the band adjustment right now. Don't really need it from what I am reading. Truck doesn't buck, doesn't do much when shifting. I can feel it sheft, not really bad though like barely feeling it, and if I am not paying attention I won't notice. Watched today while the trans shifted while driving and there is no movement of RPMs when it shifts, just drops like it is supposed to when it goes into the next higher gear. so NVM on the band adjustment. Now the only question I have is why when I first start the truck if I wait a minute or 2 or even just immediately shift into reverse, no clunk, no bump, it just shifts, now after it warms up, there is a nice hefty clunk when shifting into reverse. I just know dodges of the rep of trans problems, so I am keeping a close eye on mine lol, and is the transfer case drive shaft supposed to spin about 4 inches when I have the truck in park and try to turn the DS? I can spin it either way 4 inches.

 

i wouldn't say mopars have a reputation of tranny problems, they're just very particular about the fluid used in them. make sure you use atf+4 that is approved by chrysler