99 Dodge Caravan with Autostick
#1
06-24-2007, 12:32 PM
99 Dodge Caravan with Autostick
I have a 99 Dodge Caravan with Autostick that quit workijng. After talkingto serveral tranyshops and several dealers with no luck, I decided thatI would look to see if I could find the problem. Turned out thatone of the wires going to the Autostick control was broke. This is located on the shift lever. You have to remove all thecovers on the steering coloum to get at it. Simple fix. Also the clock spring needed replaced, this is a life time warenty on these vans.
Rooster
Rooster
#3
06-30-2008, 04:35 PM
RE: 99 Dodge Caravan with Autostick
I have to reiterate this was an easy fix.
I have a 2000 Dodge Caravan ES with autostick, same wire broken underneath. Dealer wanted $148 for the switch almost a year ago, I special ordered it. A month ago I prodded about the delay and this time they told me I had to replace the entire Steering column (at $895 for parts).
I found a "used" column (with auto stick) for 250 but before ordering it I decided to search again, found this and that gave me confidence to try. Thanks redrooster.
You need a 10mm socket, a phillips and a good pair of pliers and splicing gear. Remove the kick panel (screws along the bottom, on the door side and two by the brake release, also two push fasteners on top either side of the column - pop it out carefully, straight back), then remove the metal plate under that, then the plastic shroud around the column and ignition. Follow the stalk and you'll see the wires leading into the shaft. The wire on mine was broken right at the end of the stalk where it enters the shaft - completely separated so very easy to find. Poor design, each time you shift the lever you're flexing it and they break right at the point where they exit the hollow shaft. Fortunately on mine there was a 1/2" available sticking out so I simply spliced and protected.
I used part of a tiewrap tiewrapped to the shaft to hold the wire straight out of the lever, hopefully this fix will last longer than the car now. If it does break again it will break further out of the shaft due to the tiewraps.
Anyone else seeing this - good luck. It took me about 30 minutes but plan on an hour or more.
I have a 2000 Dodge Caravan ES with autostick, same wire broken underneath. Dealer wanted $148 for the switch almost a year ago, I special ordered it. A month ago I prodded about the delay and this time they told me I had to replace the entire Steering column (at $895 for parts).
I found a "used" column (with auto stick) for 250 but before ordering it I decided to search again, found this and that gave me confidence to try. Thanks redrooster.
You need a 10mm socket, a phillips and a good pair of pliers and splicing gear. Remove the kick panel (screws along the bottom, on the door side and two by the brake release, also two push fasteners on top either side of the column - pop it out carefully, straight back), then remove the metal plate under that, then the plastic shroud around the column and ignition. Follow the stalk and you'll see the wires leading into the shaft. The wire on mine was broken right at the end of the stalk where it enters the shaft - completely separated so very easy to find. Poor design, each time you shift the lever you're flexing it and they break right at the point where they exit the hollow shaft. Fortunately on mine there was a 1/2" available sticking out so I simply spliced and protected.
I used part of a tiewrap tiewrapped to the shaft to hold the wire straight out of the lever, hopefully this fix will last longer than the car now. If it does break again it will break further out of the shaft due to the tiewraps.
Anyone else seeing this - good luck. It took me about 30 minutes but plan on an hour or more.
#4
07-05-2008, 08:35 PM
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#5
12-09-2008, 09:41 PM
Auto Stick Switch
I recently had some problems with our 99 grand caravan es with 83000 miles on it. It went into limp mode with the check engine light coming on. I used a code reader and received two codes. One for an incorrect 1st gear ratio and the second for transmission control failure. I took it to the dealership and they told me it was the auto stick switch($900) and that labor on it would be around $300. I only owe 1400 on it and am not willing to spend that kind of money on it. Is this problem similar to the ones you were having?? I just wanted to know if I could potentialy fix this or not.
Thanks!!!
Thanks!!!
#6
03-20-2012, 02:58 AM
#7
06-29-2018, 03:48 PM
I figured out why my autostick (2000 grand caravan) wasn’t working from this thread and wanted to share my experience.
my wire was broken cleanly flush w the exit site from the shift lever. Too little to splice.
I hemmed and hawed for a while because I didn’t want to break the lever electronics but eventually when two different people said “just pry it open you weenie” popped the plastic ring off that goes around the shift button (used a knife and worked around the edge, no damage). Then inside there are the two wires that go through the metal lever arm. I cut the remaining wire on the underside, and pulled the wires up and out of the lever arm hand piece. Then I marked the wires so I knew which goes to which. That’s easy at this point because one has a frayed old cut and one has a fresh clean cut I just made. Then I cut these short, ran new wires through the lever (lubed w a little dishsoap, pushed them through). Go from underside up into shift hand piece as the little plastic piece where the wires exit in the underside is the tightest spot in the tunnel, or just remove the plastic piece entirely and use heavier gauge wire as I did. I doubt it will flex enough w my braided heavier wire to break again before the car dies.
then resoldered everything, stuffed the ends into the small space under the cap and pushed it back on. Now it works perfectly.
thank you so much to the folks who posted to this forum.
my wire was broken cleanly flush w the exit site from the shift lever. Too little to splice.
I hemmed and hawed for a while because I didn’t want to break the lever electronics but eventually when two different people said “just pry it open you weenie” popped the plastic ring off that goes around the shift button (used a knife and worked around the edge, no damage). Then inside there are the two wires that go through the metal lever arm. I cut the remaining wire on the underside, and pulled the wires up and out of the lever arm hand piece. Then I marked the wires so I knew which goes to which. That’s easy at this point because one has a frayed old cut and one has a fresh clean cut I just made. Then I cut these short, ran new wires through the lever (lubed w a little dishsoap, pushed them through). Go from underside up into shift hand piece as the little plastic piece where the wires exit in the underside is the tightest spot in the tunnel, or just remove the plastic piece entirely and use heavier gauge wire as I did. I doubt it will flex enough w my braided heavier wire to break again before the car dies.
then resoldered everything, stuffed the ends into the small space under the cap and pushed it back on. Now it works perfectly.
thank you so much to the folks who posted to this forum.
