I was hoping someone more knowledgeable than myself could help me out. I've got a 2002 Concorde with the 3.5 V6. I've only got about 76,000 miles on it. Yesterday I was driving around just fine when I heard a bunch of clicking and all of digital displays flickered on and off. The check engine light did not go on, but I scanned for errors and got:
Has anyone had this combination of errors before? I'm concerned because I haven't owned this car for very long and have already had to replace the Camshaft Position Sensor (P0344 Engine Code). Anyway, I thought this vehicle would be a safe bet given the excellent condition and low miles.
Please thoroughly check and inspect for anything obvious.
Loose connections, good ground connections, etc. Little things like that.
2nd have you checked the trans fluid? On this car the trans must be at full operating temperature and then placed in park on a level surface and then check the dipstick.
3rd. Can you be more descriptive about what lights were flickering on/off and also what you think the clicking noises were?
Did it sound like relays or did it sound like something mechanical?
The p0700 code simply means that a transmission error is stored so ignore that one. The other code for pressure switch rationality is the one to focus on.
How did the car drive? Did it shift normally? Did it shift normally after the code was set and was it still driveable? Did the shifting become odd or harsh after code was set?
These are some questions to help you. I would check all wiring and trans fluid level, and reset the DTC.
If it comes back, you could have either a bad solenoid pack in the trans or PCM issue (doubtful on the latter).
On the 02-04 models they updated some things which included the computer system. No more separate TCM, it's all controlled thru the PCM now.
They also changed the valve body style in the trans.
Not 100% sure but I think you have to remove the valve body to get the solenoid pack out so if this is your issue, I'd be replacing the valve body as well. It's kinda a crappy job to do at home and would suck to do twice so might as well do it while you're in there
When Monitored and Set Condition:
P0871-OD PRESSURE SWITCH SENSE CIRCUIT
When Monitored: Whenever the engine is running.
Set Condition: The DTC is set if one of the pressure switches are open or closed at the
wrong time in a given gear.
POSSIBLE CAUSES
RELATED RELAY DTC’S PRESENT
OD PRESSURE SWITCH SENSE CIRCUIT OPEN
OD PRESSURE SWITCH SENSE CIRCUIT SHORT TO GROUND
TRANSMISSION RELAY OUTPUT CIRCUIT OPEN
OD PRESSURE SWITCH SENSE CIRCUIT SHORT TO VOLTAGE
OD PRESSURE SWITCH
POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE
INTERMITTENT WIRING AND CONNECTORS
A couple of things you can try that don't cost anything.
1) Swap of the Transmission Control Relay with another one. The TC Relay is in PDC (Power Distribution Center) under the hood on the drivers side.
2) Take apart the two large electrical connectors at the back of the engine that go down to the transmission. They're on the drivers side also. De-Mate check for corrosion and mate them back together. It's best you disconnect the battery by removing the negative cable that's on top of the passenger side strut tower.
The rest of the troubleshooting is wiring related. Or PCM or OD Pressure switch inside the transmission.
A couple of things you can try that don't cost anything.
1) Swap of the Transmission Control Relay with another one. The TC Relay is in PDC (Power Distribution Center) under the hood on the drivers side.
2) Take apart the two large electrical connectors at the back of the engine that go down to the transmission. They're on the drivers side also. De-Mate check for corrosion and mate them back together. It's best you disconnect the battery by removing the negative cable that's on top of the passenger side strut tower.
Please thoroughly check and inspect for anything obvious.
Loose connections, good ground connections, etc. Little things like that.
2nd have you checked the trans fluid? On this car the trans must be at full operating temperature and then placed in park on a level surface and then check the dipstick.
3rd. Can you be more descriptive about what lights were flickering on/off and also what you think the clicking noises were?
Did it sound like relays or did it sound like something mechanical?
The p0700 code simply means that a transmission error is stored so ignore that one. The other code for pressure switch rationality is the one to focus on.
How did the car drive? Did it shift normally? Did it shift normally after the code was set and was it still driveable? Did the shifting become odd or harsh after code was set?
These are some questions to help you. I would check all wiring and trans fluid level, and reset the DTC.
If it comes back, you could have either a bad solenoid pack in the trans or PCM issue (doubtful on the latter).
On the 02-04 models they updated some things which included the computer system. No more separate TCM, it's all controlled thru the PCM now.
They also changed the valve body style in the trans.
Not 100% sure but I think you have to remove the valve body to get the solenoid pack out so if this is your issue, I'd be replacing the valve body as well. It's kinda a crappy job to do at home and would suck to do twice so might as well do it while you're in there
I've not checked the trans fluid level while it's hot. I'll do that first. As for what was flickering on the dash, literally digital display. It sounded like a circuit breaker flickering on and off. The car was driving fine when the incident occurred. Thanks for the input! I'll post an update when I have a chance to work on the vehicle.
On this same topic - I have no codes but once in a blue moon I get a kick from my transmission. I have never flushed it or changed filter. It has 120,000 miles. Fluid is a tiny bit low side. What type fluid should I add and/or if I want to flush it & change the filter - how big a job is this for my mechanic obviously with a lift?
The correct fluid is ATF+4, and you will need 5-9 quarts of it. You'll also need a new transmission filter and the associated o-ring. Make CERTAIN the old o-ring is removed, they're easily overlooked, often discolored and usually stuck in the bore where the filter connects to the bottom of the valve body.
Difficulty? Moderate. It's a messy job if you're not prepared and cleaning the old rtv off the pan and transmission can be time consuming. Do not wire brush the trans mounting surface, it WILL leak if you do. Wire brushing the steel pan is acceptable, but if you're taking off all the paint it's going overboard. Do wire brush and repaint any rusty pan bolts, check for buggered threads, and if you find any, chase them or replace the bolts. Chase the threads in the trans if you find bad threads on the bolts. If the trans threads are really bad (rare) a helicoil repair is the fix. Good luck.
Ok, my car has been driving fine since my original post. Two days ago the check engine light comes on while I'm doing about 70 on the highway. I take the next exit and the car goes into limp mode. My scan returns:
P1776 - Solenoid Switch Value latched in LR Postition
P0871 - OD Pressure Switch Rationality
and of course the general P0700 error.
I took my vehicle to a transmission shop. He is recommending that I replace the solenoid pack and the valve body for about $1400 plus tax. He says that replacing the just the solenoid pack COULD fix the problem but if it doesn't, it's obviously going to cost more if he has to take everything apart again to install a new valve body. The solenoid option on it's own is estimated at 786 plus tax. He says the solenoid part cost is $356.
He basically was saying...the cheapest option works often but it might not. The more expensive option (solenoid + valve body) increases the odds of resolving the issue but he's only giving that a 60-70 percent chance of success. He said the only way he could give me a 100% shot at fixing the issue is completely rebuilding the transmission to the tune of 2400 plus tax.
Help! I have no idea what to do. The car has low miles, and aesthetically, is super clean. I'm certain that I couldn't find a nicer car for $2400 but to be honest, money is tight right now. I'm wondering if I roll the dice on the cheapest option of just replacing the solenoid pack. BTW - he says the tranny fluid level is good, but the fluid is pretty dirty. Not sure if it's ever been replaced to be honest (I haven't owned the car for long).
I would really appreciate some input from you guys. Thanks very much!!!
My 2002 300m had the same codes as in your 1st post and the Dealer replaced the Solenoid Pack. That was 10 years ago and haven't had a problem since. I would get limp mode after coming off the highway when slowing down as the downshifts were happening. I'd pull the PCM fuse to reset the and it would happen again within 24 hours.
Pre-2002 cars with those codes were usually the Valve body.
Engine doesn't matter but the 300m Special has a 3.5L. The transaxle in all LH series cars is the same. Doesn't matter what engine size. 2.7/3.2/3.5L. The transaxle has different differential output gearing for the 2.7L and 300m Special only. The rest of the transmission is identical including the Solenoid Pack and Valve body.
I got my car back on Friday. I'm still not decided on which fix I'm going to pursue, but I'll most likely start with just the Solenoid Pack. Having said that, the transmission shop cleared the error code and the car has been driving fine since then? I'm sure it will return at some point, but if I can simply reset the code when it pops up I'm wondering if I put off the repair for a bit. Does anyone know if this will cause damage to the transmission if I were to keep clearing the code and driving the vehicle for the next week or so?
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