I've got a 2002 Dakota SXT 4WD V-6 Automatic.
My gear selector indicator cycles thru P-N-R-D-L without ever stopping whenever the truck is running. Antone ever heard of this?
I also have codes; P 0442 and P 0445 which I also have no idea w.t.h.
O2 Sensor 1/1 Heater Circuit Low and
O2 Sensor 2/1 Heater Performance???

 

Not all at once guys.

 

Wow. There is a lot to look at here. I am no expert by any means, but I just read some of the info in the 01 Dakota Service Manual about the automatic transmissions in the Dakota. There are 3 different ones, I was reading about the 42RE. I will admit I know nothing about automatic transmissions other than how to check the fluid and the fact that my left foot is always searching for the clutch if I have to drive a vehicle with an automatic. I have a 5-speed in my Dakota.

In the 42RE, inside the transmission near the valve body is a part called the Transmission Range Sensor (TRS). It is the part that tells the PRNDL indicator on the dash what gear the truck is in. The manual gives directions on how to get to the sensor and how to check it with a voltmeter. It doesn't look too hard, you just drop the pan and the sensor is mounted on a bracket right there beside the valve body. I would bet that sensor is bad. The manual does tell about a power supply up in the instrument cluster that works with the TRS but I would not suspect it to be bad. I would think there would be other issues with the cluster if it were. The Dodge dealer can use the DRB scan tool and communicate with the transmission and probably tell you for sure where the problem is. But they will charge you for the diagnostic time.

I believe Bank 1 is the left side exhaust and O2 sensors 1 and 2 are the O2's before and after the catalytic convertor on that side. But codes P0442 and P0445 are trouble codes for leaks in the evaporative emissions systems, which is a pretty common problem on Dakota's. P0442 is for a medium evap leak and P0445 is for a large evap leak. The first place to check is at the evap canister under the driver's side of the truck, forward in front of the gas tank. The hoses there get deteriorated and cracked pretty badly and the charcoal canister can get cracked or broken from road debris.

There is a lot of info on all 3 transmissions in the 01 Dakota service manual that is located in the sticky topic here at the top of the 2nd gen Dakota page where you can download it. You will probably need the manual to fix the disco PRNDL indicator. The manual is for 2001 Dakota's but your 2003 should be exactly the same. The TRS info starts on page 21-208 for the 42RE.

The list is pretty long on reasons for the evap leaks. I had to replace the evap leak detection pump and the emissions hoses under the hood of my truck to fix an evap code, but it was P0441, a small evap emissions leak code that I had. My leak detection pump was damaged when I was in a wreck on March 29th. But that is another story. Check all the hoses very carefully and replace any that are cracked or deteriorated then reset the PCM and see if the codes come back. The dealer can also check the evap system for you and find the problem fairly easily with the use of a smog machine that injects smog into the evap system via the green test port under the hood. When the smog comes out of the cracked hose the problem is easy to identify, kind of like putting a flat tire in water so the bubbles show you where the leak is located. But the dealer charges a diagnostic fee for the smog test too.

Those are some things to check. Post back here if you need more help.

Jimmy

 

Thanks Jimmy,
I've done some searching and found a bunch of posts on those codes and they all are about the gas cap or the evaporative system but when I looked up the codes they are about the heater????
Did I read them wrong or something?
And now that I think of it , I have smelled gasoline when I've been next to the truck the last couple times. I'll check the carbon canister connections.
Unfortunatly I've been incapacitated and am pretty much bedridden so I only have access to my laptop and it is S-L-O-W and tempermental and I need to be careful not to throw it across the room when it pisses me off so, I can't download much. Also my son borrowed the truck.
The P-N-R-D-L thing will have to wait. It's kind of funny but I fear what may happen if I don't fix it the way everything is tied together electronically.
Thanks again.
Oh, and it's an 02.

 

It's probably not the gas cap. I say that because of the large leak detected code. I think P0446 is a loose gas cap code but it may not apply to Dakota's. There are about 8 different causes for the evap P04-- codes to come up. Maybe get your son to look at the hoses and the evap canister under the truck. Dakota's are notorious for the hoses to crack and deteriorate with age. Even the smallest crack in the hose can throw an evap code. Tell him to reset the PCM after fixing any hoses and see if the codes come back.

And get well soon, from everybody here at Dodge Forum.

Jimmy