94 Intrepid 3.5L transmission in "limp mode"?

I started my car and it would not shift out of 2nd gear. On my way home I
stopped for some groceries, started my car, and the transmission worked
fine. Is "limp mode" an intermittent thing?

If I need to replace my transmission, can you guys suggest the best course
of action and how much I should expect to pay to fix the problem? My car
has 146,000 miles on it. Thanks.

 

It can be, if the sensor that's causing it is failing intermittently.

Unlikely. Would the speedo happen to not be working while it's in limp
mode?
--Geoff

 

Don't get talked into a new AT. Probably one of 2 sensors or just a
connection gone bad.

 

The speedo was working. What sensor are you referring to?

 

Which sensors are you referring to? Where are they located? How much do
they cost? Thanks.

 

There are two sensors on that transmission that might be pertinent to your
problem (and there may well be more, but two I'm aware of). One is called
the 'output' speed sensor, one called the 'input' speed sensor.

If your speedo wasn't working while the trans was in limp mode, it's a clear
indication of a failure of the output speed sensor. I paid $26 for mine at
the local Autozone, and after about an hour's worth of jacking up the car,
finding the part, finding the tools, etc., I was back on the road with no
trouble since. Easy fix, and cheap, too.

Your problem is probably *not* the output speed sensor, but may well be the
input one, or it might be a problem with the connection or the wiring
harness. I don't have my FSM handy right now, so I can't tell you for sure
what the diagnostic procedure is, but I imagine the part is similar in cost
to what I paid for the output sensor, and I can tell you for certain that
swapping it is similarly easy. Both are located on the driver's side (in an
Intrepid) of the transmission, one is slightly forward and below the other.

I'm sure others on the list can fill you in with the details about the input
sensor.

Good luck,
--Geoff

 

Probably easiest way to get full instructions is to go to
www.google.com and visit the group page and search this group's
archive for the word "sensor" and/or "transmission". I bet you'll
find exact instructions for your model. I sold mine a few years ago.

 

This thread on the 300M ezBoard may help:
http://pub88.ezboard.com/f300menthusiastsclubfrm23.showMessage?topicID=46.topic

There's an FSM sketch of the sensor locations in that thread. The
thread also gives the part numbers for the input and output sensors.

You'll need a 1" socket - may need a deep well depending on the length
of your particular socket. My standard socket barely reached the hex
grip of the input sensor on my Concorde (same sensor as yours), but it
worked. Another brand of socket might be slightly shorter and not
work. An easy 20 minute job for the first time DIY'er.

BTW - Koller Dodge referrenced in that thread no longer does internet
sales. Might try www.mechanicsvilledodge.com for good pricing. I think
the price at local dealers is typically $20 to $25.

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