2002 PT Cruiser tranny issues....

[thrashingcows]

Thought I would post this up here...hope someone can help.

Got a call from my sister in-law this morning, seems her 02 PT cruiser tranny died last night. The car has 302K km's, and no tranny rebuild to their knowledge.

She was just driving, slowed down and almost came to a stop, then turned a corner and the tranny would not go into any gear but 1st. She said if she reved it up to the point where it "should" shift, that it seemed to just go into neutral? And would stay there, and not down shift when the road speed dropped.

She said she would then have to shut the ignition off. Put the tranny in park, then start it up and try again. Tried this numerous times and the same thing happened over and over.

Check engine light came on a few minutes after all this started happening. My brother is a car guy, so he told her to try a few thing. So She tried disconnecting the battery for 10+ minutes...to reset the computer, and check engine light. But the issues never changed.

Eventually they had to get it towed home. Unfortunately my access to a code reader has been hampered by my friend going on holidays. So I'm trying to find some advice by the knowledgeable people who frequent these boards.

 

[thrashingcows]

I had her pull the quick codes off the dash with the 3x's ignition on/off. She told me there is P0700 and a P1684. I have done a little searching and reading and have found that these are,

P0700 - DTC (Diagnostic Trouble Code) which means that there are more codes stored in the TCM (Tranny Control module) and will require a scan tool to access them.

P1684 - Is a code that comes up if the battery has recently been disconnected. So not an issue.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

The 700 is generic my guess is if it only has low with and a false neutral and that mileage probably second gear clutch out usually if it is the solenoid pack it will fail safe to second gear only. My guess codes showing up because engine reving not going faster.

 

[62dodge]

My 02 Chrysler 300m 3.5 motor had the same problem we replaced the solenoid pack and valve body. It took a couple of hours wasn't hard, lots of you tube videos, around $350.00 in parts ( fluid, sol-pack,valve body and speed sensors)

 

[thrashingcows]

My 02 Chrysler 300m 3.5 motor had the same problem we replaced the solenoid pack and valve body. It took a couple of hours wasn't hard, lots of you tube videos, around $350.00 in parts ( fluid, sol-pack,valve body and speed sensors)

Thanks for the advice!! I'm getting the OBDII reader tomorrow...so we will see what it pulls up of the TCM. Hoping it's something that easy. ;)

 

[bulldogchesty]

I don't think the standard OBD2 scanner can retrieve tranny codes. I may be wrong. Good luck.

 

[thrashingcows]

I don't think the standard OBD2 scanner can retrieve tranny codes. I may be wrong. Good luck.

This is a snap-on code reader....so maybe? I have used it a few times on my wifes )@ Chrysler Concorde...and I'm sure it had options for checking power train modules. Guess I'll see, best I have at my disposal.

But thanks for the heads up anyway. ;)

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Yeah good luck, reading codes is best let it tell what's wrong no guessing, which BTW I hope I am wrong for your sisters sake let us know what you find. Go to keep track of problems since I usually end up with old cars.

 

[thrashingcows]

Alright my brother found a cheapy OBDII scanner and hooked it up this evening, he got additional codes.

P0720 - Output Speed Sensor Circuit malfunction
P0732 - 2nd Gear Ratio incorrect
P0733 - 3rd Gear Ratio incorrect

I'm going over tomorrow evening with the Snap-on scanner I can borrow and see if any additional codes come up.

He did have some additional info though. He took it for a test drive this evening. First time he's had a chance since this happened. Anyway he says when driving normally it will pull to about 1500-2000rpm then just seems to go into neutral. You have to stop, put it in park, then turn ignition off...wait a couple seconds...then turn everything back on and it will repeat.

But he did discover that if he put it in drive, then put the throttle to the floor the car would pull all the way to 6000rpm and then hit the Rev limiter and just sit there. He said it pulled hard with no noise, or slipping from the tranny. But as soon as he let off the throttle, at the high RPM's, it would go into neutral.

I've done a little research on-line and I'm hoping it's just the solenoid pack, and the in/out speed sensors that need replacing?

Thoughts?

 

[bulldogchesty]

Did you ask anyone on a PT Cruiser site about it. Someone must have had the same problem and fixed it.

 

[thrashingcows]

Did you ask anyone on a PT Cruiser site about it. Someone must have had the same problem and fixed it.

Yeah I have been lurking around several different sites/forums.

I'm going to have my brother drop the pan and check it, and the filter, for any clutch debris. If all looks good then will probably start with replacing the input and output speed sensors. Then see what happens.

 

[thrashingcows]

OK went over to my brother's last night with the code reader. Same codes as before...except for a P0731 - 1st gear ratio incorrect. He had gone to the wreckers and picked up a used set of input/output sensors and installed them. Hoping for a quick, cheap fix...Nope! I cleared all the codes.

The car still had no reverse, and would only go into first. We had it up in the air and brought the RPM up to 3000rpm and speed about 30 km/h....never shifted. And we could both feel an "imbalance" in the tranny, through the shifter, and brake/throttle pedals. Ran the codes again after this...all were back again.

So I suggest we pull the pan and see what was happening. The magnet in the pan looked like a puffer fish, or a sea urchin! There were lots of shiny metal debris in the pan too. We cut open the filter and found aluminum shavings. So that pretty much seals the deal...tranny is toast!

Thank you to everyone who offered advice, and suggestions.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Alright dammit now my 300 m has transmission issues, starts out in second shifts normally 2-3, 3-4 come to a stop and about 2-3mph bangs into first and then back into second starts in second again had a 700 code for tcm was a quart low topped it off cleared codes batt disconnect try it again, same thing but now no codes in tcm drive a while still no codes. Any ideas? Fluid is clean as day one, and yes its atf+4

 

[thrashingcows]

The P0700 is just telling you the there are additional codes in the TCM. You'll need a OBD2 reader for those. Could be 1st Gear solenoid in the solenoid pack is packing it in?

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Yeah that's my thoughts in hind sight I wish I would have not dumped the codes now I can't get them back the other part that scares me is the fact that this car was in the flood also and the TCM or wiring could be contributing to the whole problem, I replaced the solenoid pack about 5 years and 50,000 miles ago so I'm not shotguning parts yet.

 

[thrashingcows]

Yeah that's my thoughts in hind sight I wish I would have not dumped the codes now I can't get them back the other part that scares me is the fact that this car was in the flood also and the TCM or wiring could be contributing to the whole problem, I replaced the solenoid pack about 5 years and 50,000 miles ago so I'm not shotguning parts yet.

Do you have a factory service manual? Maybe it shows you how to test all the wiring, and electronic in the system? Or do some research on-line....I know I came across a couple sites...PT Cruiser related...that had threads on how to test everything. Did not look like the funnest afternoon I'd want to spend. But if it could help narrow down where your problem lies it might be worth it.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Alright finally got it to pick up the codes again 0750, solenoid pack a malfunction, 1775 unspecified code, according to interweb means L/R is not operating, could be stuck, 0841 L/R ckt sensor/switch out of range. So next step is ohm out L/R solenoid if bad ohm replace pack rest will follow. Fingers crossed as we planned on taking this car to beach end of the month. This did help my argument to have a c body to use for vaca easy and simple.

 

[thrashingcows]

My brother picked up a used tranny out of the wreckers for under $100. Out of a 06 Neon, with 68K km's. Thing looked almost new, and the filter and pan were pristine!! Swapped it in and works like a charm! Then the alternator would not charge. We worked on that for a couple days and finally had to run a new wire from the stud on the alternator to the battery. Seems there is a fusible link hidden somewhere in that heavy wiring circuit, and it is toast. So for now this will do the job.

New Solenoid packs are fairly cheap. Hope that is your problem and you can get it going for a reasonable price.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Well your not going to believe. I come home today ready to pull wiring harness off trans/solenoid pack to ohm it out start pulling the air filter tube to get down to harness and find chewed wires all over (car also has o2 sensor heater code) apparently with some of the cool nights we've had a rodent climbed up i guess to stay warm and chewed my wiring harness wtf this car runs almost every day. Good news is cost is low to put wires back together bad news for that f....ing ground hog if I see him. I need my old dachsund back she kept the ground hogs out of here.