Hello everyone! My name's Mike and this is my first post. My father-in-law is selling his 1999 Dakota Sport, regular cab, 2 wheel drive and I'm interested in buying. The engine and body are in first rate shape and it has 88,000 miles on it.

I have only one reservation. It's an automatic and using the column shifter, you can put it in Drive, but you have to play with the shifter a little to make sure it's really in drive and not in a lower gear. Is this a problem with the transmission or just an adjustment with the shifter? Is that a simple (cheap) fix or am I opening up a can of worms?

Also, I don't think he's ever changed the transmission fluid. I'm a big believer in changing the fluid every 40,000 miles or so. I know nothing about Dodge transmissions... If I were to drain, drop the pan, and replace the filter with 88,000 miles, am I asking for trouble? I know some transmissions don't take kindly to fresh fluid if it's been too long.

Any opinions, ideas, or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you so much in advance!
Mike

 

unless you are racing the stock system works fine. ooo by the by i have evened raced chrysler trans with the stock system. unless going VERY VERY fast.

 

My shifter was the same way and I had it adjusted when I had my tranny guy change the fluid/filter, adjust the bands, check and clean the accumulator and replaced the stock governor pressure switch with a Borg Warner unit. With 88K on the clock I'd say it would be a real good idea to have the same done to your tranny.

There's a lot of good miles left on that Dakota so go for it.

 

Thanks for the replies! I went ahead and picked it up. The tranny seems tight and doesn't slip. When I asked my father-in-law if the tranny fluid had ever been changed, he said yes - but it's been a while.

If I took it to the shop for a fluid and filter change, as well as adjust the bands as described in the earlier post, will I damage the transmission? I ask because I had a high mileage car once and changing the fluid obliterated the transmission. Is it safe to do this maintenance on a tranny with this many miles?

Also, thank you for suggesting the band adjustment. I had no idea this needed to be done.

 

Well, I know that the indicator for our trucks is very finicky. There is an adjustment **** under steering column that allows you to well, adjust the indicator to reflect the right gear. It's not always accurate, but you can give it your best to make sure it shows the right gear. Drive is three "clicks" down, no matter what.

 

Come on if your on this forum do it your self ...you can do it! And save your self some money!!

 

You are exactly right in your advice to the OP in that he has a pre '01 model truck. '01 up have the digital selector and have to be adjusted from underneath on the tranny.

 

Haha! I do almost all my maintenance on all my cars, but for some reason I've never done transmission and differential fluid changes or brake pads. I've always had a shop do it for me. When I heard about the band adjustments, that put one more reason to take it to a shop. :-) Does anyone have some step by steps for a first timer on changing and adjusting all that stuff?

Thanks everyone!

Mike