Ok, bought a 2004 durango about 4 months ago. it has 134,000 miles. After a couple months, noticed hard shifting over a couple days. checked transmission fluid, bone dry, so i filled it up to proper level. shifting ok. ok, another problem that has been consistant since ive had the truck is a high engine idle in park, where it revs up and down sometimes while parked. (found out thats a common problem in durango, possibley idle control, etc.), anyway, im mentioning that because i wonder if that has anything to do with my sudden new case of periodic hard shifting into first or second. my idle problem has come back and the hard shifting. today, i slowed down to make a turn and as i hit the accelerater to give it gas to speed up, the truck did something it has never done, acted like it didnt wanna shift at all, just sat there for a couple seconds then took off, the whole time i was in "drive". now, what i wonder is if the idle thing has anything to do with the transmission not shifting properly (is the car shutting down then catching itself, causing the transmission to temporarily lose power, thus the hard shift?)

 

Hard shifts

No shifts

Misc shift issues

Of course you have a transmission problem. Most likely a real big one. You said it was bone dry on fluid. Obviously that fluid went somewhere.

To prevent additional expense, stop driving and get it into a trusted local transmission shop for inspection and repair right away. Fixing is cheaper than replacing and you are indeed in need of some fixing.

IndyDurango

 

Have transmission ck'ed for codes. When was the last time the transmission was service? Maybe time, that way you can drop the pan and inspect and change both filters. You don't have any bands to adjust. Also ck for any trans leaks. If you have a 4x4 the rear tail housing seal leaks. After you do the service,go to the dealer and have the PCM/TCM module updated.

 

well, i checked the fluid, its still at the correct level, smells a little BURNED????? dont know if thats normal??? its not a 4wheel drive. how do you have it checked for codes? i turned the ignition to on position 3 times and left it there, got no trouble codes. did this several times.

late edit: ive been out driving this morning, and the thing is shifting smoothly. i cant figure. like i said, its not a all the time thing. i would notice it more in the morning, the occassional hard shift, yesterdays hesitation was something new. i think it may just need a new transmission filter (the burning smell?, could be the fluid is breaking down too fast?)

 

Try Pyro's key dance code check:

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/3rd-gen...-for-this.html

FF

 

key procedure doenst work on my vehicle.

 

Autozone should pull them for free or a small fee if you have an OBD-II port,
FF

 

I too have an 04, had hard shifting so I changed out the fluid and filters shifts great now. Not saying that will fix your issue, however, fairly inexpensive to do. Since you just got it you don't know if it has been done unless you have records showing.

 

Change out the filters and fluid. Do not power flush.

 

Check this out, im gonna try the fluid and filter, and it may help, but the sudden lost of power and the gear not changing, i think i know what CAUSED THAT. couple days ago, it was raining. i was approaching a freeway on ramp, the ramp is made of concrete. when my tires went from the asphalt to the concrete, the rear wheels lost their grip, tires spint and it made it seem like the transmission didnt wanna change gears. i believe this is what happened in my earlier incident. i went back to where it happened, and sure enuf, the roadway that i had excited to enter unto a main road, there is a strip of concrete that my rear tires had evidently lost their grip on as i hit the accelerator hard to get unto the main road, i believe it was wet that day also. to make a long story short, there may be nothing wrong with my durango other than just need to do a normal fluid service. it seems to shift out all right, just the occasional hard shift, but nothing major.