300M Transmission Problems?

Hi,

I purchased my -00 Chrysler 300M about two months ago and the tranny
gave up almost immediately at 120 000km, so I got the transmission
replaced for a new "factory rebuilt" transmission at my local
transmission shop. They used Mopar ATF+4 and the transmission went
through the training process.

As I do not have any experience how a brand new 300M should feel and
sound, I have a few questions:

1. Transmission makes low-pitch "tractor-like" sound when
engine/transmission is cold.

When I start the car in the morning or after workday (outdoor
temperature is about 15-20 Celcius) and is set the transmission into
"R"/"D"-position, the transmission makes low pitch, "tractor-like"
sound for a minute or so when driving slowly. Is this normal, or should
the transmission be silent right after starting the engine?

2. Transmission seems to slip and engine feels powerless

Sometimes, when I drive the car in the city and make a turn, and the
accelerate moderately back to 50km/h, it feels that the transmission is
slipping for quite some time as the the engine revvs up and it feels
powerless. At the same time fuel consumption skyrockets. It seems like
the transmission stays at 3rd or 4th gear and slips quite heavily. Only
way to get out this situation is to accelerate a little so that the
transmission shifts to a smaller gear. This happens also when driving
uphill at slow speed about 30-40 km/h.

3. Transmission slips very badly or misses a gear

Sometimes, when I make a turn to a highway at 20-30km/h and make a very
fast acceleration, the transmission makes a kickdown, the engine
screams and revvs to 5000+ RPM in one second as if the gear would be in
neutral or the gear wouldn't be not locked. After that the transmission
seems the catch up and RPMs go back to 1500 range and the car
accelerates okay.

Does anybody have similar experiences and/or suggestions what could
cause these phenomena and what to do about them?

Thanks,

- Tim

 

These transmissions are solenoid controlled. Solenoids like to be
either energized or unenergized - when you energize them, they like to
slam to the other position. What you are hearing is a trick to get a
solenoid to smoothly change state when it goes into gear. They hit the
solenoid with a series of pulses rather than a solid +12 volts - it's
called duty cycling. It prevents the tranny from slamming into gear.
Most people describe the sound as a light chatter. You should hear it
going from neutral or park into drive or reverse.

An '00 should have OK firmware in the TCM. I know 99's had a TCM
firmware update to reduce behavior similar to what you're describing.

What you're describing may be normal - I can't tell the degree to which
it is happening - but I have two Concordes - same transmission - my
trannies will do a little hunting and slipping under certain specific
conditions. I could probably duplicate it at will.

But again, I can't tell if yours is the normal amount of such behavior
or if you have problems. You might have the fluid and filter replaced
and have the dealer check for the latest TCM firmware.

Also - before you spend any money on fluid or re-flashes of the TCM,
disconnect the battery for a couple of minutes (disconnect ground jump
post on passenger side at strut tower) and then re-connect. This will
put thru TCM through the learning process again. People often comment
that the tranny is better behaved at the defaults (i.e., before it
learns) and gets worse as time goes on - many recommend periodically
resetting it for better overall behavior. There's also a fuse you can
pull to do the same thing, but I forget which one.

See answer to 2. above.

If there is a problem with your tranny, it you maybe should have the
solenoid pack checked out. But put it thru a re-learn first.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

 

I have a 00 3ooM I purchased new with about 19,000 miles.
The tranny does not make any of the noises or have any of the symptoms you
describe.
The only thing I hear from the tranny is the typical Chrysler hydralic
solenoid noises when it is shifted into gear from park.

Steve

 

Thanks Bill. I checked the car's manufacturing data and it states the
car was actually manufactured 12-99 - not '00 as I stated earlier.

So, what you just described might very much be due to an old TCM
firmware. I will visit our local Chrysler representative and ask them
to upgrade my TCM firmware.

- Tim

 

Actually I should have said MY (model year) '99. There's a TSB on it.
Does not apply to MY '00, which yours is. However, I have read posts on
LH-specific sites of people getting better tranny behavior just from
having the TCM reflashed - i.e., not an upgrade - just re-loaded.

Be aware that the dealer is going to charge you to do that - anywhere
from $55 to $120. I would try re-setting the TCM by removing power
first - zero-cost. If that doesn't do it, then new fluid/filter and
reflash - either order you choose.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

 

Bill,

I have tried also this TCM re-training but it didn't solve the problem.
And the transmission oil ATF+4 and filter should be fine as the tranny
came from Holland as "factory rebuilt" about a month ago.

Did I understood you correctly that my 300M which is manufactured
december '99 is actually year '00 model - and should not have these
software issues?

I called my dealer and reserved a time for re-flashing to make sure
that everything is alrite. They will charge around $60 and they will
also evaluate this replacement tranny at the same time.

I my opinion a car with this price tag should have a well behaved ie.
smooth transmission. Let's hope that re-flashing will solve these
issues.

- Tim

 

I think the M's were started late in their first year of production,
model year 1999 - IOW - out of cycle with the normal car manufacturing
year. I assume that they started the '01 model year back in sync with
the car manufacturers' model year (I believe around the August or
September '00 time frame). If I'm right, yours is model year '00. The
TSB only applied to '99 model year.

HERE'S THE REAL WAY TO TELL: The 10th digit (third from end) of the VIN
is the model year. X is '99, 0 is 2000.

Your dealer can tell what revision level of the firmware is in yours and
compare it to the latest revision level.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

 

Was it a cry factory rebuilt or other rebuilt?
You should have a 50K 3 year cry warranty on a factory rebuilt
transmission.
Take it back and have the check it on there dime.
MT

 

I would verify that no additives were used with ATF +4. Some shops cannot
resist sticking an additive in with the fluid.

 

All the better to bump up that invoice, eh? The profit margin on that
crap is unreal.

 

Art,

I have an appointment this friday at the local Chrysler distributor and
I will ask them to evaluate the condition of the transmission by
driving with the scan tool connected, so that they can collect all
relevant data and get the "feeling" of the tranny on the road. I will
also ask them to upgrade the TCM firmware, if necessary. I will post
the results here.

- Tim

 

Update: I had my TCM upgraded with the new firmware. The new
transmission makes the shifts more softly now, yet it appears to be
more precise when shifting. So the 60 euros spent wasn't that bad.

Thanks guys for the help and suggestions!

- Tim

 

Thanks for posting back and letting us know how it went.
10-4 on the pcm update.
Also a note on when installing a new transsmission besides checking for
updates on pcm the pcm always needs to be reset/adjusted for a breakin
peroid.
Good Luck
MT

 

I'm puzzled about the MY, but the dates on TCM's aren't always accurate
- must be the case here. Anyway - glad the problem is solved.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

 

I'm puzzled about the MY, but the dates on TCM's aren't always accurate

Bill,

According the invoice, the update is 04606517AD.

- Tim

 

You need to talk to the dealer about info on the update.
It is more or less a dealer thing.
Good luck
MT

 

Hmmm - that's funny - the firmware update that was put into my '99 TCM
about 4 years ago per the TSB is 4606517A*E* - one revision *later* than
your revision level. Oh - well - they both seem to be good revisions.
Maybe someone somewhere along the line determined that the ...AD
revision was the best overall.

BTW - in that previous post where I said "...but the dates on the TCM's
aren't always accurate", what I mean to say was "...but the dates on the
TSB's aren't always accurate", meaning model years of vehicle applicability.

The important thing is that it's good now - don't look back!!

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')