Help with automatic transmission problem?

Doug Simpson

New Member
Original poster
Joined
Dec 2, 2017
Messages
5
Location
Georgia, United States
My 06 wrangler has started something weird. When shifting from P to R I have to go all the way to N and then ease it back into R. Also to get it into D I have to go to 2 and ease the shifter forward until I feel a click. I use to be able to just go straight to the desired gear. ATF looks good and level is in band (cold and hot). Jeep has just under 40k.
 
This might seem like an obvious question, but when you checked the fluid level, did you do it while the vehicle was turned off or running?
 
That could also be a problem with the shifter cable where it connects to the transmission. Look on the passenger side of your transmission and verify the shifter cable is still properly snapped into place with its bushing onto the transmission.

And as mentioned above, the engine must be running to check the ATF level with any automatic transmission. For your '06 the transmission can be in Park or Neutral, just make sure the engine is running or you'll get an erroneous level indication on the dipstick.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chris
ATF level is fine. I thought it might be the shifter cable since I had modified it to correct that common problem. I replaced the shifter cable last week and the problem remains.
 
Okay, so that video was helpful. However, if you are 100% certain the ATF fluid level is fine and you're all 100% certain it's not the shifter cable (which would have been my guess in all honesty, especially after watching that video), then I would say you may have an internal transmission problem.

How many miles are on the Jeep?

You're 101% sure it's not the shifter cable binding in some way?
 
Personally mine started to do this when my transmission started to fail then my gears started to skip on highway or it would refused to upshift unless I revved it up to around 4000rpm might want to have it check at a shop but at first I tried having it adjusted and I had it flushed out to made a bit of improvement but not for very long note though this happened around 110k miles
 
Mine was doing crap like this. I dropped my tranny pan and it was lined with mud and crap. The filter was disgusting. Cleaned everything out and changed the filter. Through some stop slip in there with the fluid. Runs like a baby now. I got this jeep used with 160k miles on it so I’m guessing most of that was original crap.