My Dakota has 248K - replaced engine 60K ago, rebuilt 3 spd auto w/overdrive 100+K ago. Drove truck couple days ago, shifted fine. Today, 1st "sticks" (have to overrev then back off to get shift) and won't shift out of 2nd to 3rd. (Overdrive on or off makes no difference.)

I took to tranny shop. Guy drives truck and says that it doesn't seem like anything terribly bad. He checks fluid - looks great. He drops pan - some grit, but less than he expected considering my lack of regular maintenance. He replaces paper filter and fluid, and says "try that." Didn't do anything in 20 miles of driving. He did mention something about a speed sensor might be bad...

What do you guys think? He doesn't seem to be fishing for a rebuild, but...

Had any similar experiences?

 

I had my fair share with tranny shops who dont know what they are doing. I wouldnt thing the speed sensor. I belive you dont have the eletronic tranny. I belive those came out in 97. It might need an adjustment of the bands or tv cable. Maybe valve body adjustment too. It is verry hard to find a good tranny shop that can diganose a problem properly.

 

Electronic trans came out in '96, yes the '96 was the only 1st gen Dakota to have the 'new' trans. It DOES sound like a speed sensor, but it could also be the transmissions computer, at least that's what happenend to my friends Acclaim - it too had an electronic trans

 

Thanks, guys. Guess I'll take it back and see what they say next.