Transmission slipping/not engaging

[GeekFisher]

Hi guys,

Yesterday my 03 KJ start to not engaged properly when cold, like its staying in neutral. If I rev it it ends up engaging but will do the dame every few Stop Signs till its been riden for a mile or so and after that works just fine. My part Time/4lo dash Lights stops Working a few months ago if that can help. I never serviced the transmission fluid, it might then be low ? Solenoid?

Thanks for your help. Jeep has 185000 km (110k miles)

 

[ltd02]

Check fluid first and let us know.

Does it have the 42RLE or the 45RFE? An 03 could have either.

 

[LibertyTC]

Ya on level ground hot after driving for 20 minutes or so, check the level on the ATF+4 fluid. Does it smell burnt at all? I doubt it will look nice and red/clean.
If you have never serviced the trans at that many miles/km- it is way overdue!
The dealer for a reasonable price has the re-circulating machine and it will be job done right with new filter etc.

 

[GeekFisher]

Ya on level ground hot after driving for 20 minutes or so, check the level on the ATF+4 fluid. Does it smell burnt at all? I doubt it will look nice and red/clean.
If you have never serviced the trans at that many miles/km- it is way overdue!
The dealer for a reasonable price has the re-circulating machine and it will be job done right with new filter etc.

42RLE. I Will check level this week, its smelled bad yesterday Night but today was OK. Do I really need to Drive it 20min to get it hot ? Its not my daily driver so no big deal this week.

 

[LibertyTC]

Transmission fluid take a while to heat up, & the more you drive the more the fluid expands up the dipstick.
So ya 20 minutes is a good figure.
ATF+4 only gets used..& once again since it smells nasty by the sounds of it...
The dealer's recirculating machine is a bonus... as it will get rid of what is also in the torque converter.

 

[uss2defiant]

read the instructions in your owner's manual

 

[GeekFisher]

Topped it off and so far so good. I still will have it serviced in a few weeks.

 

[JasonJ]

A good plan. Mine was acting similar but not as severe... my trans pan was leaking as well so I knew that the fluid level was dropping every once in a while.

Replaced the trans pan, filter and put in new fluid (obviously not all fluid as I only dropped the pan) and even with just that, it was night and day difference in how it drove, felt, shifted, and even how much power it seemed to have.