My 2000 Dodge Neon has been a great car with just over 140K on it. Recently I have developed a problem where the transmission (3 speed auto) will not downshift when the pedal is pushed to the floor. Also, the upshift points from 1 to 2 and 2 to 3 are very low in the RPM regardless of the pedal position. The car kind of upshifts whenever but I know its we earlier then before (it has no tach). Then when in motion if the pedal sis pushed to the floor there is no downshift the car reamins in third and barley accelerates.

The last thing I worked on prior to this occuring was I remnoved the entrie airbox assembly to replace the positive battery cable with a new OEM one... any thoughts?

 

Did you hit the shift linkage or the kick down cable?

 

Perhaps the bands need to be adjusted or fluid/filter changed?

 

The fliud and filter have never been changed.... how do you adjust the bands??

I will also check the kick down cable as suggested above...

 

I am not sure how you adjust the bands; I don't have them. You can download the service manual or buy one and you'll know how.

 

You have two band adjustments. front band loosen the 18mm nut on the outside of the transmission case near the dip stick tube,and with pan off, reach up with your finger and adjust until you have 1/4 inch freeplay. The rear band will be either a 14mm or 13mm nut, loosen and same adjustment 1/4 inch freeplay. Then tighten both nuts.

 

...or master tech will tell you since he knows, lol. Thanks for the procedure! Sounds like a band adjustment and fluid/filter change might be a good place to start if neither have been done, from a maintenance stand-point at bare minimum.

EDIT: Since the pan, and subsequently, the fluid and filter must come out for the band adjustment, it's a win-win.

 

Problem Sloved!!!

When checking the shift linkage and kickdown cable I was manually acutaing when I noticed that the throttle position cable (kick down) cable runs over to the underside of the airbox. When this actuates it moves the butterfly which is in the housing. The kickdown cable did not move all the way maybe it streched... So I found a way to shorten the cable using a tiewrap until I can get a new cable.
Thanks for all the help....