2000 Caravan.

Van starts fine, but when I put it in Drive on cold days only (0'c 32'F or colder usually) it's like it's stuck in neutral. Sometimes it'll engage for a few feet, but then it loses it again. Sometimes I can pop it into neutral and then back to drive and this helps. Or, waiting 30-60 seconds seems to help. The colder it is, the more I have to wait. Once it is warm or I am driving, it is fine forever, no symptoms until cold starting again.

Fluid levels seem fine. Fluid color is still nice and red, not cooked or brown or anything.

Diagnosis or suspicions or things to try? Prognosis if I do nothing to fix it?

It's not worth a lot but it's been in the family 20 years and was well taken care of, no unknowns or bodges.

I'd do a fluid flush if that would help, but if someone's got a "Oh, those symptoms match X, it's probably X", then I'll save the cost on ATF+4 if it'll be condemned anyway.

Thanks in advance.

 

This is how they start to die. If you have plans to be done with this vehicle then you should let it warm up even 10 minutes if it must. Gas is cheaper than a transmission. Take it easy away from ever stop sign/light. And keep it under 3000RPM or so when accelerating. If you milk it like this it might last another 10,000 miles.

If you plan to have the vehicle for years then you should take it to a dedicated transmission only repair shop with a reputation for honesty and see if they can find any issue other than "hey it's just worn out." And if it's worn out then replace it with a rebuild or lower mileage transmission from a salvage vehicle.

But slipping when cold is a sign of worn out transmission unless there is a temperature controlled fluid level chamber/valve like the 2003/2004 Buick sedan transmissions had. But it was experimental for GM in 2003 so I doubt Dodge would have bothered with such a thing considering they still use Manifold Absolute Pressure sensors long after everyone else went to Mass Airflow sensors on the intake. That's what I like about Dodge, they keep them mostly simple and easy for a DIYer to fix ourselves.

 

This is not the answer I wanted to hear. But, it is good to know and have it confirmed. Thank you.

I looked into what it would take to swap out with a junkyard transmission. There's... a lot going on there. I'm intimidated by the process. That said, it's only $140 used from Pick N Pull and I can practice on the junkers and give up before I buy anything.

Yes and I'll pet their unicorn and fly on their pegasus while I'm in their magical land of make-believe.

I don't plan to keep it, but I don't plan to throw it away if the trans is the only thing it needs. I don't want to dump it on someone unsuspecting. I paid $1500 for it 4 years ago, and put 100,000 on it since, only doing brakes and oil changes. It owes me nothing. I think I'd rather drive it until it dies, and then at least attempt a tranny swap myself.

It'll need a timing belt eventually too, which would be prudent to look into eventually but... for such a cheap vehicle, unless I'm doing it myself, hard to justify.

Gotcha.

Thanks a bunch for the quick reply. Appreciate you taking the time.