I own a '99 Dakota R/T with the 3-speed w/overdrive auto-transmission. Now one day I accelerated hard from a stop and the tranny failed (went to redline) to shift into second until I let off the gas immediatley it was slipping and failing to downshift it was just acting up. After that when I'd drive, the first gear exchange from 1st to 2nd, the tranny would hold onto 1st till about 3500 RPM but every proceding shift was fine. Then one day I drove to a fuel station same thing except when I left the fuel station it never shifted out of first... I changed the filter/fluids didn't help. The fluid showed no signs of excessive wear or burned clutches or bands. The plugs and wiring looked sound. Is it solenoids, fuses, govenors?!?!? CAN ANYONE HELP ME?!?!

 

I would start by looking at the kick down cable. and if its not that its most likely an internal problem in your transmission.

 

Ok, I'll give that a try. For now the research I did came up with "limp home mode", solenoid issues and possibly a speed sensor gone bad. I think I'm gonna ask the dealer about flashing the ECU... and getting the codes off the computer. Will check back later with results.

 

Might also be a band adjustment.

Chris

 

one problem that has developed for me was with WOT from off the line, she wont shift out of first unless i let off the gas pretty much half way

 

Mine too.

Sort of annoying. Like being 2 quarts low after 2300 miles. I think the intake plenum gasket is leaking again. Woot.

 

Well thanks for all your advice guys, but I cleared up the problem. It was a faulty output speed sensor. I reset the comp drove to Autozone scanned the codes and it came up with P0720. So I replaced it and now she shifts like a dream again. A side note: when I pulled the old one out it had a some metal stuck to the magnetic tip, so I'm presuming had I just cleaned it, it would've fixed the problem....

 

I got the auto 4gear tranny and mine sticks in 2nd somtimes when i punch of lines or gun it from 1st.. it gets anoying it redlines out unless you let off the gas, somone told me that the links might be stretched out... normaly what i do, is start from 1st when i race, then shift up to 2nd, then drive and it works fine...

 

User2006, I think your sticking in second could be due to your front band being too tight and not letting go early enough give it maybe a 1/2 turn or 1 turn off and see or take the pan off and measure distance on the piston.

 

Well that's interesting. When the snow melts off I might yank that out while I'm under there replacing my O2 and clean it up.