2005 TJ 42RLE transmission issues

DJC

New Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2020
Messages
5
Location
Hawaii Island
Hi , a new member and thanks for any help I can get.. I am marooned in Hawaii 70 miles from any town or auto supply with a 2005 TJ which has faithfully kept me going for 300,000 miles.. Transmission acted up a couple days ago, turning around near my house all of a sudden there was no drive , stuck in the middle of the road I turned off the engine and started up and away it went.

First thing I thought was filter so few days later managed to get a filter and having to cut off the bolts to the smaller skid plate due to turning nuts in the frame, replaced the filter and the right kind of trans fluid, I was amazed that the bottom of the pan was almost spotless, leaving me to believe that the problem could be elsewhere.. I have no access to a code reader so I am working blind...Kind of afraid of driving it , so far from any shops or parts so what to do next,
ECM or electrical connections maybe?

Problem seems to be getting worse even moving it around the yard but thinking that due to no parts flying around in the pan the problem could be electrical.. Could that cause complete lack of drive function out of the blue? Check engine light has been on for last 100,000 miles due to oxygen sensor issues but engine runs great..There has been no problem otherwise, no slippage or burnt trans oil..coming from poor oil pressure...Still got a weeks food left so I have a little time.. LOL
 
Here are the photos of our stock Jeep, we have owned jeeps since 1990 and we love them ! We would have loved to have a lifted Jeep but unfortuneatly both my wife and I are disabled and elderly so getting in is not as easy anymore.

100_9673.JPG


100_9672.JPG


100_9671.JPG


100_9670.JPG
 
Love to see the 42RLE holding up that long as I am at about half that mileage. I really wish I had help to offer, but I'm watching in order to see what the group comes up with for my own knowledge. It may be worth picking up even an inexpensive code reader to see if there are any clues.
 
Well you can always use Uber or Lyft to get to a local auto part store.

You need to scan it for codes and tell us what they are, there's no way around that, plain and simple. This may not be what you want to hear, but it's reality. Otherwise this is going to be like shooting first and aiming later. Do you want to throw parts at something without any clue what it might be?

First things first, check the transmission fluid level. On your 42RLE, this is done when the vehicle is in Park or Neutral, as it's transmission pump runs in both. The vehicle needs to be running while the transmission fluid is checked!

To check codes without a code reader, use this trick:

Turn the key on and off 3-times(without starting it) and the codes should show up on your odometer. Report back with what the codes are.

I will say that with 300k miles on a 42RLE, you are long overdue for a rebuild. Usually these things only make it to 200k before a rebuild, so there's a very, very, very good chance your transmission is going out. I'm shocked it's made it to 300k, as most fail around 200k or so. This is of course typical of any automatic transmission.
 
Cycle the ignition from off to on three times and any stored codes will be displayed in the odometer readout. If P0700 pops up, there is a transmission related fault but you’ll need an advanced scanner to read the specific code.

Try adding up to one more quart of ATF +4. I’m at 245,000 on my 42RLE and I fill to the hot high mark on the dip stick.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mobusaki
Maybe a dumb question here but can you actually overfill it enough to harm it? Is there an overflow if you do?
I don't see how it could harm it, within reason. It's not like the engine where just above the oil there's a spinning crankshaft. These transmissions are routinely overfilled by a quart for offroading and racing purposes.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mobusaki
Well thanks for the response, so far I have checked the fluid level, and wiggled the electrical connectors around and switched the ignition on and off three times with a readout of 10 flashes, so far it seems to be moving again but I will try get a code reader on the weekend and pickup the codes and let you know...
 
Exactly where is the ATF level, at the top Full line or where, and how are you checking it? Is the engine running or off when you're checking it?