[ChryslerCares]

2017 Pacifica with same transmission issue: sometimes slams hard into second gear at low speed. Very intermittent- no rhyme or reason to the hard shifts. Took to dealer- they said on first visit it needed a transmission control valve- which was back-ordered at the time. Then dealer said Chrysler insisted they try an ECM flash - set back to factory settings- before they would authorize the control valve repair. So ECM flash was done and car was fine for about two months- then started doing the same thing again. Took it back to dealer and explained the issue . They gave us a loaner and kept the car overnight. Next day called and said they checked everything and could not replicate the problem (which I told them they probably wouldnt be able to do) - and therefore nothing could be done. In other words something has to REALLY break before they can get Chrysler to authorize a warranty repair. So we have the car back now (27k miles) and are just waiting for the next time. My wife drives the car 95% of the time and is NOT happy.

Hi Mart5130,

I am sorry to hear that you have a concern with the transmission in your Pacifica. If you return to the dealer for this concern, please feel free to send us a private message for additional assistance while in service.

Darlene
Chrysler Social Care Specialist

 

[wilky]

I've got this issue as well, although I suspect it is on the shift from 2nd-3rd or 2nd to some higher gear. Intermittently, maybe once a day. Happens usually after turning a corner with light throttle, after lifting off throttle you get a hard shift. For a second or two the engine speed is constant and doesn't respond to throttle inputs. And yeah, some passengers may think the van was hit from behind.

Took my van in for service with this concern, but they "couldn't reproduce". Not sure if the TSB in this thread applies. They said there were no codes present, but they also had to replace the battery so the codes may have been cleared due to that issue.
@ChryslerCares, just sent you a PM.

 

[wilky]

It turns out my service advisor was mistaken. TSB 21-027-17 was in fact applied on this visit. I'll respond to this thread if the problem occurs again.

 

[ChryslerCares]

It turns out my service advisor was mistaken. TSB 21-027-17 was in fact applied on this visit. I'll respond to this thread if the problem occurs again.

wilky,

Please keep us updated on this concern, If it happens again fill free to send us a PM, we will be able to provide an additional layer of assistance while in service.

Lamar
Chrysler Social Care Specialist

 

[BeKind]

Hi , i joined the forum exactly for the same issues trying to find some advice as i cant get any help from dealer.
It started earlier this year and we hoped update would fix . Issue still going on and i already took my car to dealer . We dont have any other issue so far other than transmission/hard shift but it started concern us for safety .
I heard about resetting transmission adaptation in this post and we suggest to our dealer . I just receieved a voice mail that they were not able to do it . Why ? I cant understand .
I wont be able to pick up my car untill next monday. Any suggestions what to do if our dealer kee avoiding the reset ?

 

[SciTchr]

Hi , i joined the forum exactly for the same issues trying to find some advice as i cant get any help from dealer.
It started earlier this year and we hoped update would fix. Issue still going on and i already took my car to dealer. We don't have any other issue so far other than transmission/hard shift but it started concern us for safety .
I heard about resetting transmission adaptation in this post and we suggest to our dealer . I just received a voice mail that they were not able to do it . Why ? I cant understand.
I wont be able to pick up my car until next Monday. Any suggestions what to do if our dealer keeps avoiding the reset ?

Take a copy of the forum post with what was done or try a different dealer's service department. I understand how frustrating this can be. In my case, one service department reset adaptations the first time (at 15,000 miles), then when I asked them to do it again (at about 25,000 miles), they claimed it was already clear. So then I took van to another service department with paper work of what was previously done, and after some persuasion, they reset it and it has been fine for 5,000 miles so far. It is common for service departments to want to say that's just how the transmission is, but it doesn't have to be that way. It is so much nicer when there isn't the hard shift occurring.

 

[BeKind]

Hi , i joined the forum exactly for the same issues trying to find some advice as i cant get any help from dealer.
It started earlier this year and we hoped update would fix. Issue still going on and i already took my car to dealer. We don't have any other issue so far other than transmission/hard shift but it started concern us for safety .
I heard about resetting transmission adaptation in this post and we suggest to our dealer . I just received a voice mail that they were not able to do it . Why ? I cant understand.
I wont be able to pick up my car until next Monday. Any suggestions what to do if our dealer keeps avoiding the reset ?

Take a copy of the forum post with what was done or try a different dealer's service department. I understand how frustrating this can be. In my case, one service department reset adaptations the first time (at 15,000 miles), then when I asked them to do it again (at about 25,000 miles), they claimed it was already clear. So then I took van to another service department with paper work of what was previously done, and after some persuasion, they reset it and it has been fine for 5,000 miles so far. It is common for service departments to want to say that's just how the transmission is, but it doesn't have to be that way. It is so much nicer when there isn't the hard shift occurring.

Thank you SciTchr , it’s definitely very frustrating. I will try again with printed papper work . We love the van and want to keep it . But what i understand reseting transsmission is a temporary fix .
Have you heard anyone fixed this permanently?
We bought the van 2 years ago and its 34K miles now , its 2017 gas with lots of future .
Totally loving it but transmission is a major thing that makes us to think what can be happen when car hits 70K ?

 

[SciTchr]

Thank you SciTchr , it’s definitely very frustrating. I will try again with printed paper work . We love the van and want to keep it . But what i understand resetting transmission is a temporary fix .
Have you heard anyone fixed this permanently?
We bought the van 2 years ago and its 34K miles now , its 2017 gas with lots of future .
Totally loving it but transmission is a major thing that makes us to think what can be happen when car hits 70K ?

Also take the paperwork for the TSB mentioned in post 20 of this thread. That seemed to help the most with my van's transmission before the 15 mph jolts were isolated as a problem. Resetting the transmission adaptations a couple of times (15,000 and 25,000 miles) helped with the 15 mph jolts. Even though it may not be a permanent fix, my van shifts smoothly now. When the problem comes back, the service dealer is supposed to call Chrysler and see what else can be done since @ChryslerCares (or whoever the message got passed on to) called me after I'd had the adaptations reset. I will post if anything else is done.

 

[chase023]

I am going through the same thing but the problem is my Pacifica has been at the dealership for over 3 weeks waiting on parts for the transmission due to supplier or something like that.. At least I got a complimentary rental from them but still, its another week I have to wait..Sigh!!

 

[Seamha1795]

We are having the same problem. Just picked up van yesterday from dealership after they had it for a month. Finally van reproduced the hard shift after I went in for a test drive with service manager and technician. Waited a week to hear back, yesterday I was told Chrysler is saying this is a normal problem. I don’t see what’s normal about it, this happens way too much and I don’t feel safe in this van. Don’t know what else to do besides file for Lemon Law in Virginia.

 

[chase023]

We are having the same problem. Just picked up van yesterday from dealership after they had it for a month. Finally van reproduced the hard shift after I went in for a test drive with service manager and technician. Waited a week to hear back, yesterday I was told Chrysler is saying this is a normal problem. I don’t see what’s normal about it, this happens way too much and I don’t feel safe in this van. Don’t know what else to do besides file for Lemon Law in Virginia.

I got my car today I haven't noticed any of the problems.. I attached a picture of what they wrote and what they did. I hope this can help you out a little if any!!

 

[6Gen]

2017 TL 56,000mi (bought used at 48,000mi)

Same low speed/low rpm bang-shift isssue. Infrequent, perhaps 1 per month - enough to get my attention and then forget about it. Seems to correlate with the shift to Overdrive (or TC lockup). One day, got the bang-shift 3 times in a row. Then gone. Also one occasion I got the high speed/low rpm bang-shift.

Going to try the trans adaptations re-set...

 

[ChryslerCares]

We are having the same problem. Just picked up van yesterday from dealership after they had it for a month. Finally van reproduced the hard shift after I went in for a test drive with service manager and technician. Waited a week to hear back, yesterday I was told Chrysler is saying this is a normal problem. I don’t see what’s normal about it, this happens way too much and I don’t feel safe in this van. Don’t know what else to do besides file for Lemon Law in Virginia.

Hi Seamha1795,
We're sorry that this has not been resolved for you. We understand how concerning this must be. Please send us a private message so we can look into this a bit further for you.
Lydia
Chrysler Social Care Specialist

 

[eagle7170]

Transmission hard shift

Have been experiencing hard shifting at low speeds for months. Took to Feeney Chrysler in Midland, MI who checked and could not find codes or reproduce problem then released vehicle as undiagnosed and said problem related to cold weather or driver operating habit. Frustrated, returned to dealer after reading forum complaints and spoke to service department manager who apologized and asked for vehicle back. Now waiting on transmission valve body, which is suspected to be the problem, but delivery of part is in back order due to excessive need of this part by dealerships. If this is such a part demand indicating a widespread problem, why was I sent home with BS blaming on weather and my driving habits. Picked up vehicle today so can use while waiting for part with tech OK, but experienced four hard shifts today, one which occurred at high speed.

 

[DEK200]

My 2017 has this problem and has had it for about two years. Now has 40,000+ miles and it is still doing it. Does when cold at low speed and does it at any speed intermittently when warm, but generally between 35 and 40 mph when moderately accelerating or decelerating. Was at dealers for two weeks last year with no results. Dealer cannot duplicate the problem. While dealer's intentions are great, they don't know what to fix. Chrysler support was notified on a couple of occasions, but no follow up from them and no solution. I told our service advisor that we'll find the problem when the transmission falls out of the Pacifica. This transmission rough shift problem does not represent the van very well when guests are riding with you and ask "what just happened?" Our dealer has bent over backward to try to resolve the issue, but Chrysler has been NO help. They have to know that it is a serious problem that could be dangerous and appear to be doing nothing to fix it.

 

[Van2]

Based on reading these posts it seems like a new valve body is the solution to this problem. Curious if there’s a build date breakpoint where the new valve bodies where used? Or are they just replacing the valve body with the same part number? Thanks.

 

[Laura]

Chrysler cares does nothing they are simply a middle person for the dealer. The dealer is not the problem-the transmission as a whole is the problem and until they change this, problems with shifting will be there. Have spent too much time at the service dept for nothing. The manager finally told me that this is the way the transmission acts!! Unacceptable.

 

[gmormile]

adaptive trans reset

Hi All


I've been searching the web for a solution to resetting the memory in my transmission and I've found a solution that seems to work. It was an article about resetting the memory in adaptive transmissions in general. I'm sorry I don't have the link but the process was simple, and it worked for me. My transmission now shifts smoothly. This procedure can be preformed once a week if I so choose especially if I don't like the way it has learned to shift (because of the way I or my wife drove that week). I got this procedure from a BMW article and apparently it is the same for all or most adaptive learning transmissions. Mercedes apparently recommends doing it once a month. It goes like this:


1) turn the start switch to on, but do not start the car. All trouble lights are on and the fans in the heating and cooling systems are on if that was the position they were left in.
2) push the gas pedal right to the floor and hold it there for 10 seconds.
3) turn the start switch to off with your foot still on the gas pedal.
4) release the gas pedal, but do not put your foot on the brake pedal
5) wait for 2 minutes before starting your car. Apparently the electronics are being reset



Go for a test drive. You'll think you've got a new transmission.

I used this procedure on my 2012 T&C, Pacifica 2017 Limited and my friend's 2018 Toyota Sienna.

It works on all three vehicles. The most drastic was the the Sienna. It had a constant bucking at

in the 25 -30 mph range. After the procedure it was totally gone.

Here's the funny part of the story my friend at brought it to the Toyota Dealer where he bought the car

and went with a test drive with a Tech and the Service Mgr. Both said it was normal and that he had

to live with it... obviously didn't know about the Trans reset.

Greg

 

[LilliesVan]

3rd visit to dealership for us. Jerk and stutter in intersections and shift so hard you feel like you were rear ended.

They’ll have it for a week this time hoping that changing the valve body will fix it. The wife has lost all faith in the van and the brand.

The issue came back after a few months. We’re lucky another dealership opened up we could bring it to when it went into limp mode last week. They just got through replacing the whole transmission. Extended warranty covered it thank goodness but this will be the last Chrysler my wife will ever own. She liked the Cherokee rental but once she realizes it’s an FCA vehicle I couldn’t force her in that either when it comes time for the next vehicle. It’s a shame because she would have kept driving these vans the rest of her life.

 

[SciTchr]

I got my car today I haven't noticed any of the problems.. I attached a picture of what they wrote and what they did. I hope this can help you out a little if any!!

Has the hard shift returned?