The other day my son leaves in my dakota 3.9 4x4 auto and I see a huge puddle and line of tranny fluid afterward. I call him tell him to shut it down. He does..but pretty much all fluid had ran out. Turns out tranny line popped off where rubber meets metal. Guess clamp wasn't tight. Anyway I refill tranny and all is ok for a couple days. then I get in it (cold) and I get 1 mile down the road and its like i put it in neutral. No forward no reverse. Let it sit over night get in a same thing works ok for a while then nothing. Changed filter and fluid and it was ok for 5 miles then same thing. Truck only has 98k I hope its not complete tranny failure. Anyone else had this issue? Any ideas on what it maybe? Or how to fix? Thanks

 

Check the trans fluid level once the truck is warmed up, you may be low on fluid. My truck did a similar thing to me after a filter service it was low a few liters of fluid after it filled the trans cooler and torque converter. When is the last time you adjusted the transmission bands? If your fluid level is correct and the bands are correctly adjusted it is likely an internal issue.

 

Did you use the right fluid?? Should be #4

 

also make sure when your checking fluid besides the fact of being operating temperature is that the truck is in NEUTRAL NOT PARK since fluid dosent circulate in park .. stupid dodge..

 

I have checked fluid levels and it is correct, i used a combination of dexron 2 and type #3...according to the guys at advanced auto either would work. they didnt have type #4 or enough of type 3 so i had to use both. from what ive read that could be the problem or the shift linkage inside the tranny is loose

 

ATF plus 4 is what is currently recommended for the dodge trans now. ATF Plus 3 was the older fluid that was for older transmission and would have been the recommended fluid when your truck was new. The Dexron fluid has different additive package that isn't compatible with your transmission. Also driving the truck with the slipping clutches will just cause more wear and more slip. If you are lucky you may be able to readjust the transmission bands and refilling with the correct fluid to make it work correctly. But the clutches and bands in a transmission are made to work with almost no slip at all and are quickly destroyed if slipping occurs, meaning a transmission rebuild in in your future. The slipping you are experiencing is getting worse as slipping causes heat reducing the effectiveness of the clutch material as well as the transmission band to expand further reducing is ability to clamp onto the planetary gear set. In the future when it comes to fluids go with what the manufacturer says or call the local dealer and ask what is ok to put in if you are unsure.