My wife & I just bought a 1999 Plymouth Neon, 185k miles. It runs great, but it shifts real hard from second to third gear & only from 2nd to 3rd, all the other gears are fine. The rpms get quite high & then it'll shift. If you let off the throttle when you think it should normally shift, before the rpms get to high,it isn't so bad. I put a new tranny filter in it, but the problems is still there. I've done some research on here & have come up with some possible solutions, but was just wondering if anyone had any other insight.

What I might try.

Adjust the bands. I'm sure I could do it myself as I am quite handy, but I haveno idea where to start or what I'd even be looking at. So if anyone had any pictures or a link to a good write up, that would be sweet!

Check for a broken or missing return spring on the kickdown rod.

Replace tranny control solenoid.

Does anyone have any thoughts on these or other suggestions on where to look? The guy I boguht it from said a mechanic buddy of his told him he could put a new tranny in it or he could run it until it quits& then out another one in it. I think that's a bunch of smoke, there has to be a fix. All the other gears are smooth.

Thanks,
Dan

 

I kinda agree with the mechanic.In the 94-99 neon, for some reason third gear is the gear most likely to be grinded, or missed.The only gear I have ever missed racing is 3rd, and I've done that numerous times.It could just be wore down.

Oh and btw, you never mentioned if you have manual or auto transmission.Im guessing auto because you said you replaced the filter....

 

yeah my trans did the same thing from 2 to 3 when i got back home from iraq and since im thinking you just bought the car it may have sat for a bit as mine did before i got to drive it. all i did was drive it like it wanted to be driven and thats hard peddle to the floor damn near 6k shifts and i guess it was a sticky kick down cable cause by 2 weeks it was normal again and i didnt have a problem with it again

 

Yea, it's an automatic. Sorry forgot to add that important piece of info. The mom of the kid I bought it from said that he drove it back & forth to work everyday. I bought some stuff yesterday, it's supposed to unstick& polish the transmission. Probably a bunch of crap, but it was only $5 & it's cheaper than a new tranny, so I'll give it a try.

Thanks,
Dan

 

could also just try draining the fluid and replacing the filter.

 

Already did that, as I stated in the OP. Did not help at all.

 

opps didn't see that.