My 2005 Dakota has been having transmission overheating problems and a hesitancy to shift into overdrive/4th. I have drained and flushed the fluid, changed the solenoid pack. The radiator seems fine and so does the coolant.

It doesn't seem to be a faulty temp sensor because the fluid because the fluid feels boiling hot on the dipstick.

I do not think it is the trans speed sensor because cruise control seems to be functioning.

The coolant is clean and the radiator is not overheating.

I have tried looking for the check valve on the return line but could not find one. Is there supposed to be a check valve for the 42RLE trans?

What should my next step be?

 

What is your climate and use of the Dakota? Have you considered switching the transmission routing over to an auxiliary cooler?

 

It is a commuter and basic homeowner truck. It isn't used for towing or really heavy loads. I am in CT so a colder climate. I thought about the cooler but I feel like there is some other problem, particularly since it won't go into O/D.

 

It kick up any codes?

Also, when you changed the trans fluid, did you swap the filter too?

 

I changed the filter when I flushed the transmission. And it is kicking back P0700 and P0740.

 

P0700 is a generic Transmission code. P0740 for the 42RLE is a Torque Converter Clutch out of range. According to FSM, it's either the Transmission internals, or the torque converter itself in the absence of other codes. I don't have a lot of experience with the 42's so hopefully someone else will chime in.

 

I had this problem just after I purchased. After have the transmission rebuilt twice. Trans people couldn't figure it out. Finally a friend used a laser temp meter and found the hoses run right next to the catalytic converter. The catalytic was going bad and heating the fluid as it came back to the trans. Replaced the cat and haven't had a problem sense.