[Alfer]

Hello from a new kid around here...

I'm currently using my parent's 93 Intrepid (non-ES) since it's so roomy for carrying baby car seat etc. :biggrin:

For a first year model, it's held up pretty well, but has had a few problems.

It has 35,450 original miles (mom never drove it much) and in the times I've had it (6 months) I've noticed an annoying shift problem.

Basically it happens when I'm in stop and go traffic and I don't come to a complete stop, then hit the gas, the car tranny has an annoying delay before it kicks into gear, then if I let off the gas, it sort of clunks and surges forward a bit. Kind of like it struggles during the downshift.


Normal highway and street driving has been fine, it's just when I come to an almost complete stop (such a s a rolling stop at a stop sign) then press the gas, that the tranny fails to engage fast enough.

A guy at Dodge who I briefly spoke to thought the onboard computer may be in need of adjustment to tell tranny when to shift???

We have an appointment for this Tuesday, but since I found your site, I thought I'd ask around for some second opinions.

Thanks in advance!
Alfer

 

[Starscream]

I also have a 1993 Intrepid (ES) it does the same damn thing! The guy at the transmission shop said my torque converter was going bad when he put new fluid in. Tell me if that computer upgrade helps.

 

[Lafrad]

mine does that a little bit after the tranny re-build.. I am gonna get the computers flashed here later in the week.. maybe fix the cold start problem too. Does $50 sound too little for the flash upgrades?

 

[p3]

I am gonna get the computers flashed here later in the week..

That could be what that '93 needs.

 

[FredB]

$50 is good price for flash upgrades to PCM & TCM. Would be more here in Chicago. Ask for any stored codes and cvi's.

FredB

 

[viprman]

Mine only does that when I hit the gas in the unfortunate time of when the transmission is down shifting from 2nd to 1st. I've learned to either hit the gas sooner or wait until it is done down shifting. We don't want to provoke any trouble!

 

[Lafrad]

same place my new tranny and torque converter does it.
on one of the middle ones (tranny/torque converters) it did it too.. but it didn't do it when hooked up to the test machine at the dealer.

The slipping went WAY down when I got the Dextron III + atf addetive outta there for some fresh clean MOPAR ATF +4 fluid.. but I can still feel the play a little between 1 and 2, 2 and 1.

 

[1mz-fe]

they all do that 2 - 1 if you time it just *right* (or wrong). there's a TSB for rough or shuddery 1 - 2 shift, mine does it and the tranny is in perfect shape. that's nothing to worry about.

 

[Starscream]

what would be a sign of the torque converter going south?

 

[Djnrg]

Mine does all kinds of that ****, and I just had my tranny done. New torque converter, new planetary gears, shift kit, etc. My buddy who owns an aamco dealer did it, so I know he did it right, and put mopar atf +3 in her. The torque converter does some weird things when it unlocks inn 4th gear when going about 80 km/h or so... When I press on the gas, the revs go up a bit, then the tranny does a sort of bump thing, and the revs go down a few hundred rpm, and then they go up to where they should be. It also shudders occasionally from 1-2 upshift and 2-3 sometimes as well. I think that this is a computer problem, and new software should fix it, especially if a few people have this problem after getting their trannys serviced. I thought it might be the new torque converter, but all our converters can't be bad.

BTW, I love my shift kit, makes the shifts so much faster, smoother, and less power loss. And I havent even added my tranny anti-foam yet!

 

[Wutang15m]

Well do a computer flahs upgrade and also a fluid and filter change. That will probably make a big diffence.
:wink:

Then if that dosent help, and you still have the same problem well then good bye Transmission:crazy: :crazy:

 

[Alfer]

Well word just came in...

Dodge says the "computer told them" that it was a blown seal connected to the pump/ torque converter that caused the poor downshifting. He said they need to do a complete overhaul.

Total: $1900 FRICKIN DOLLARS! Thanks a lot DODGE!! :angry:

This car only has 35,500 original miles on it too!

Worst of all we bought an extended warranty that expired late 2000.

Saddest of all is that's nearly half of what this damn car is worth. Since it's my parents car, they say they want to repair it rather than have another new car payment.

I asked the guy if the could use aftermarket stuff to save money, and he said "he tried pricing it with Dodge reconditioned stuff" and it was $2400.

This pisses me off, almost to the point that I want to call Dodge corp to complain. I mean if I had say 100,000+ miles (12,000 miles x 9 years) I can see this happening, but 35,500!?

Oh well, I've vented enough....No more Dodges for me...I had a lemon Avenger and now this. Not a good track record for Dodge with me. No wonder my new Consumer Report Auto mag showed so many BLACK (unsatisfactory) rating of their cars/trucks.

Thanks for all your input...

Alfer

 

[bphillips161]

i learned the hard way, not to trust dealers when it comes to trannys. Most just want you to buy a replacement from chrysler and not look at what is really wrong. Like last week when i had a fill and replacement and they didn't put enough fluid in the damn thing....slipped like a mother...no so bad now...but a week later and 2 dealers later...i finally pulled the dipstick out. I got the rebuild speech and torque convertor speal.....but I bought a gallon of trans fluid and not afraid to use it.... :baaa:

Get a second or third opinion...and read the other threads about allpar.com comments.....

 

[Starscream]

Damn that post was old lol. Still had my dodge back then.

 

[bphillips161]

i think i drink too much...or not enough.... I hate that....i forgot to look at the date... i was doing searches today...ooops..

I think i need a new brain sometimes...