Hey everyone in the last couple weeks i started noticing my truck acting up. when im on the highway doing around 70 and take my foot off the gas to go on a offramp, my truck will downshift right away and jerks back a little and the rpms goto about 3000. when i get back on the gas it seems to shift back up then it will do it again right when i let off the gas. Not sure whats going on. It only does it when im around 65-75 though. A week ago i had a check engine light come on and the code said something like "malfunction to shift 3 to 4 error". but it went out and hasnt came back on. anyone had this happen or know what the cause of it is? any input is helpful i dont know anything about transmissions.

 

Get a Haynes manual, download the service manual from the FAQ/DIY section and get a cheap multi meter and test (as described) the TPS to start with.

 

And after checking the TPS as suggested, check Throttle Valve cable adjustment in the manual.

 

alright guys i will work on that to start with. Im not a mechanic by no means so ill try my best. Anyways on my way home from work today on the highway i decided to turn over drive off. When I let off the gas to go to my off ramp as usual, it didnt do it. seems weird to me

 

I checked the tps and it is okay. I have no idea what is wrong with it. guess ill probably have to take it to a shop and have them look at it.

 

Did you check the adjustment of the throttle valve cable as gdstock recommended?

 

I was going to but it didnt all make sense to me on how to check it. I tried to figure it out using the haynes manual but didnt want to mess anything up.

 

It's actually pretty easy. Find the cable, which is on the passenger side and is the only mechanical (as opposed to electrical) cable approaching the throttle body from the rear of the vehicle. The cable comes off of the linkage pretty easily -- move the cable end toward the front of the vehicle and when it stops (right before the throttle body linkage starts to move) pull the cable outward, toward the passenger fender, to slide it off of the stud it rides on. Let go of the cable, and it should retract a bit. Compare where it stops to the stud that it rides on -- it should be aligned such that, if it were installed, the socket on the cable end would be neither ahead of nor behind the stud on the throttle body linkage.

Grab the factory service manual from the forum's FAQ/DIY section, the 2001 manual that is, and look on page 21-598 for the drawing and procedure.

 

TV cable adjustment is easy.. https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...-in-trans.html

 

Well I took the truck to the shop today to have them look at it. They told me it is the overdrive solenoid in the tranny, and it would be about $400-$470 and they said 9 times out of 10 thats the problem. If its not the problem the transmission would have to be rebuilt. Well when I got home I was reading the receipt with the right up on it and the said they pulled two codes out one tps volts high, and 3-4 shift malfunction. Even though I checked the tps and it looked good I think it might be a good idea to replace it. I feel like thats what is making it downshift weird which is also throwing the shift malfunction code. Any thoguhts? btw i havent got to checking the throttle cable will be doing that shortly!