41TE & 62TE transmission problems: Caravan, Journey

If your automatic Chrysler minivan, Journey, PT Cruiser, Stratus or Jeep Liberty gets stuck in 2nd, shifts harshly, shudders on the highway or sets transmission codes, it most likely has a transmission from the A604 (41TE) family, its 6-speed version, the 62TE, or the rear-drive 42RLE. In this article we'll explain which vehicles have them, how to tell which one you have, their most documented problems according to Chrysler's bulletins and rebuild specialists, the codes that show up, which fluid they take and which parts get replaced.

What is the A604 (41TE) transmission?

The A604, which Chrysler called Ultradrive, is a 4-speed automatic transaxle for front-wheel-drive vehicles with adaptive electronic control: the computer learns how the clutches wear and adjusts the shifts. It was already in 1989 models, and in the early nineties Chrysler renamed it 41TE under its new naming system, in which the first digit is the number of speeds: the 41TE has 4 and the 62TE, 6.

It has no bands: it shifts with clutches only, five of them, the underdrive (UD), overdrive (OD), reverse, 2-4 and low/reverse (L/R) clutches, controlled by four solenoids. According to Chrysler's service information, 1st uses the UD and L/R; 2nd, the UD and 2-4; 3rd, the UD and OD; 4th, the OD and 2-4; and reverse, the reverse and L/R clutches.

Several versions with similar names came from the A604, such as the 40TE, 41AE, 40TES and 41TES; the 42LE (also called the A606) in the Concorde, Intrepid and 300M; and the rear-drive 42RLE, which Chrysler used from 2003 in the Liberty and Wrangler. The 6-speed 62TE arrived in 2007: according to GEARS magazine, it's a 41TE with an extra underdrive unit (the compounder) on the transfer shaft, with a low clutch, a direct clutch and a one-way clutch.

Which vehicles have the 41TE, 62TE and 42RLE?

These are the applications we confirmed in Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep Mexico spec sheets. In the US, more models used this family, such as the Dodge Caravan, the Sebring and the 3.7 V6 Durango with the 42RLE.

The speeds come from the Mexican spec sheets; we inferred the transmission code from the family and Chrysler's bulletins, and the 2009 Mexican Wrangler brochure states it outright: "VLP 42RLE". These aren't part of this family: the 2022-and-later Journey (1.5 turbo), the Fiat-built Neon, the Attitude, Atos, i10 and Verna, which use Hyundai or Mitsubishi transmissions, and the Caliber, which is a CVT. And the Durango sold in Mexico only came with V8s.

How do you tell which one you have?

• Count the speeds: the spec sheet or manual says "4-speed automatic" (41TE family) or "6-speed with AutoStick" (62TE). If your vehicle has AutoStick, check how high manual mode goes.
• Don't go by the engine alone: in Mexico, the 2011 to 2013 Avenger SXT Sport 2.4 and the Chrysler 200 Limited 2.4 have the 6-speed 62TE, and a Chrysler bulletin confirms there were 2.4 engines with the 62TE.
• The 62TE solenoid pack has a 23-pin connector. And according to a Chrysler tech tip, from 2011 the 62TE valve body and solenoid pack have gray connectors, and through 2010, white ones: don't mix them.
• VLP (variable line pressure) units, the newer 40TES and 41TES and the 42RLE from the 2005 and 2006 model years, have "VLP" cast on the valve body, a pressure sensor and solenoid, and an extra 6-pin connector next to the range sensor connector, according to Sonnax.
• The 41TE range sensor changed over the years: an external switch on the early units, an internal round-pin sensor in the mid-nineties and a flat-pin one from 1998. The TSS catalog has one for each generation.
• The 42RLE isn't the 42RE or 45RFE, which are different families with different parts, nor the 42LE (A606) in the Concorde and Intrepid, although they're related.
• If you're not sure, look it up in the Transmisiones Veinte 07 identifier (in Spanish) and confirm it with the number of speeds.

Common 41TE, 62TE and 42RLE problems

These are the problems documented in Chrysler technical service bulletins published by the US NHTSA, in Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep Mexico owner's manuals, and by rebuild specialists such as TransGo, Sonnax, ATSG and GEARS magazine.

Stuck in 2nd (or 3rd): limp mode

When the computer detects a fault that could damage the transmission, it holds a single gear to protect it. The Mexican owner's manuals put it this way: the 4-speed stays in 2nd and the 6-speed in 3rd, whatever position the shifter is in, and Park, Reverse and Neutral keep working. The Check Engine light may come on. For a momentary fault, Chrysler says to stop, shift to Park, turn the engine off and restart it; even if it resets, it recommends having it checked soon.

The causes Chrysler documents run from cheap to expensive: connectors with moisture or corrosion (a 2003 bulletin for the Caravan and Voyager describes a corroded harness that turned on the Check Engine light and dropped the transmission into 2nd), a computer ground wire on the 2005 Liberty, the pressure switches, the speed sensors and a valve in the valve body that sticks. TransGo, which makes repair kits, sums it up: most often the connection or the wires are bad, not the sensor.

Solenoid and pressure switch codes: is it the solenoid pack?

The solenoid pack holds the solenoids that apply the clutches and the pressure switches that confirm to the computer that each clutch applied. Its typical codes are P0750, P0755, P0760 and P0765 (L/R, 2-4, OD and UD solenoid circuits) and P0841, P0846 and P0871 (L/R, 2-4 and OD pressure switches).

Chrysler documented solenoid packs that really fail (on the 2002 PT Cruiser, plungers that weren't heat treated, and on the 2017 Journey with P0755, where it called for replacing the solenoid and the harness), but also codes that came from somewhere else: on 2003 to 2005 42RLEs it issued a bulletin for these codes that specialists attribute to moisture in the solenoid connector. That's why the connector and harness get checked first. And if the diagnosis does point to the solenoid pack, for code P076A on the 62TE Chrysler says to replace only the solenoid pack, not the whole valve body.

Code P1776: a valve in the valve body

P1776 means the solenoid switch valve is latched in the low/reverse position. According to Chrysler bulletin 21-001-13, that valve is in the valve body, not in the solenoid pack, and the first step is to check the range sensor reading with a scan tool: if it reads TR2 in Drive, the shifter cable is out of adjustment; if it reads OD, the valve is most likely sticking, and the valve body gets inspected for debris. Specialists link these codes to wear in that valve's bore.

Highway shudder: the converter clutch

Chrysler issued bulletins for shudder when the converter clutch applies as early as 1997, and in 2007 one for converter shudder with code P0732 for several models, including the Liberty, Wrangler and Ram 1500. ATSG, a technical association for transmission shops, adds other causes: the converter regulator valve, the converter clutch lining, a fluid that isn't compatible with the frictions and unrestricted aftermarket coolers.

On the 62TE, Chrysler documented in 2021 a converter piston that cracks and scrapes friction material: the transmission slips, shifts erratically and sets P0740, P0868 or P0944. If the fluid is very dark with a strong smell, it overheated. Depending on how much debris is in the pan and filter, the repair ranges from replacing the converter, fluid and filter to also replacing the cooler, lines and valve body, or the whole transmission.

Harsh shifts or clunks: check the software and the level

Many harsh-shift complaints were fixed with software: Chrysler released reflashes for a harsh 4-3 downshift (2003 and 2004), harsh 1-2 and 2-3 shifts on 2005 and 2006 minivans, a clunk shifting out of reverse or into Park on the 2007 and 2008 Sebring and Avenger, and on the 62TE, harsh 1-3 and 2-3 shifts and a 1-2 clunk on 2011 to 2013 Town & Country and Caravan minivans, plus shift improvements for the 2012 and 2013 Avenger and 200. Before tearing anything apart, ask the dealer whether there's an update for your VIN.

And check the level: in 2015, Chrysler issued a bulletin for harsh shifts under heavy acceleration on minivans with the 62TE whose fluid level was low, fixed by correcting the level.

Relearning: Quick Learn and CVI

Because the computer learns how much fluid each clutch needs to apply (Chrysler calls it the CVI, clutch volume index), a Quick Learn is run with a scan tool after replacing the computer, valve body or solenoid pack, or after a rebuild. A Volkswagen tech tip for the Routan, which uses the 62TE, recommends recording the CVIs before and after the relearn: if they all change by a similar amount, the symptom came from driving habits; if one changes much more than the others, that clutch is the suspect, and an air pressure test confirms it.

TransGo adds a warning for shops: after new OD clutch frictions, the learned value is too high and the relearn has to be repeated before the road test. And on the 62TE, a Quick Learn doesn't always fix a harsh engagement into Drive: GEARS recommends a garage-shift relearn with the fluid warm, at about 32 °C (90 °F).

62TE: noise, the compounder and the converter clutch solenoid

The 62TE has problems of its own. In 2010, Chrysler issued a bulletin for transfer gear bearing noise (a high-pitched whine or growl from the left side) on Journey, Sebring, Town & Country, Grand Caravan and Avenger models built that year. GEARS notes that codes P0732 and P0735 usually point to a compounder failure, and that on early units the weak spot was wear on the low clutch drum's sealing ring lands; TSS has that low clutch drum new. And according to TransGo, the solenoid that controls the converter clutch fails often: the engine chugs or stalls when coming to a stop. The TSS catalog has the 62TE converter clutch solenoid.

Slow to move when cold, slipping or limp mode after a long drive: the clutches

TransGo describes two classic mechanical failures in this family. The first is wear in the underdrive piston bore in the input hub: the seal leaks when cold, so the transmission is slow to move or goes into limp mode, or it happens after a long highway run. The second is a burned OD clutch, a complaint TransGo says it has heard about since 1989. It also warns that most mistakes in a major repair are assembly errors in the clutch drums.

Chrysler, for its part, issued a 2002 bulletin for transaxles that wouldn't move or slipped in reverse or 1st, and another for a low/reverse accumulator cover O-ring that could come loose. The TSS catalog has a vulcanized underdrive piston, frictions, steels, diaphragms and gasket kits for the whole family.

42RLE: Liberty, Wrangler, Nitro, Dakota and V6 Ram 1500

The 42RLE is the family's rear-drive version, with the same clutches and ratios as the 41TE according to Chrysler's service information. In Mexico it's in the 3.7 Liberty (2003 to 2012), the 4.0 and 3.8 Wrangler (2003 to 2011), and the Nitro, Dakota and Ram 1500 with the 3.7 V6; in the US, the 3.7 Durango used it too. A variable line pressure (VLP) version arrived for the 2005 and 2006 model years.

Its documented problems are similar: solenoid and pressure switch codes from the connector (2003 to 2005), a sticking pressure transducer that caused harsh shifts (2003), slow or harsh engagement on a cold start (2004) and reflashes for converter shudder and cold shifts (2007 and 2008). According to the service information, if a solenoid circuit fails above 35 km/h (22 mph), the transmission goes to neutral, and below that speed it goes into limp mode. In the US, Chrysler ran a campaign on the 2009 and 2010 Wrangler over fluid overheating under severe use such as towing, and extended the warranty on 2008 to 2010 Wrangler cooler lines for leaks.

For the 42RLE, the TSS catalog has the 2003-and-later filter, one of TSS's best sellers, the solenoid pack, the piston kit, the Farpak pan gasket and the speed sensors.

Leaks: axle seals, pan and pump

The most common leaks on these transmissions come from the axle seals, the pan gasket, the side cover, the differential cover and the pump seal. The left and right axle seal for the A604 and 62TE is one of TSS's best-selling products. On the 2003 42RLE, Chrysler changed fasteners to stop fluid weepage.

Common trouble codes

These are the codes that appear in Chrysler's bulletins and service information for this family:

If a generic scanner only shows P0700, the transmission computer has stored a fault: read it with a scan tool that can access that module. Sun Transmissions has articles on codes P0700, P0750, P0841 and P0868, and our TSS sensor article lists the input speed sensors for this family.

Which fluid does the 41TE take?

Mopar ATF+4, according to the Mexican owner's manuals for the Journey, Liberty, Nitro, Avenger and Town & Country. The 2012 Journey manual warns that another fluid can worsen shift quality and cause converter shudder, and says not to add additives, other than a leak-detection dye, or sealers. Chrysler switched to this fluid (type 9602) in the late nineties, and it applies to the 62TE and 42RLE too.

How it's diagnosed and repaired

• Scan it with a tool that reads the transmission module, and note the range sensor reading.
• Check the fluid level and condition: if it's dark and smells burnt, it overheated.
• Check the transmission and computer connectors and harnesses for moisture, corrosion or loose terminals.
• Ask whether there are software updates for your VIN.
• Run a Quick Learn and compare the CVIs before and after.
• Only then replace the solenoid pack, inspect the valve body or converter, or rebuild the transmission.

How much does the repair cost? It depends on what failed: a connector or a sensor isn't the same as a valve body or a rebuild. Get a diagnosis before accepting a replacement transmission.

See TSS parts for the 41TE and 62TE

TSS parts for the 41TE, 62TE and 42RLE

The TSS catalog has parts for the A604 and 41TE, the 62TE and the 42RLE. The most requested are:

• Left and right axle seals (A604 and 62TE), A604, 62TE and 42RLE filters, and Farpak pan gaskets.
• Solenoid packs for the A604 (latest design, backward compatible to 1989), the 42RLE and the 62TE, solenoid repair kits and solenoid pack gaskets.
• Input and output speed sensors, range switches (external, round-pin and flat-pin) and, for VLP units, pressure sensors and the EPC solenoid.
• TSS Rojo (A604 and 62TE) and Dorado (62TE) gasket kits.
• Vulcanized underdrive piston, 2004-and-later 40TE piston kit, 42RLE piston kit, diaphragms, frictions, steels, snap rings and bushings.
• For the 62TE, a new low clutch drum, a 5-pinion rear planetary and the converter clutch solenoid; for the A604, a 4-lug converter.

Before ordering, confirm whether your transmission is a 4- or 6-speed and its year. In Mexico, Transmisiones Veinte 07 has parts collections for the A604, 40TE, 41TE and 41AE, the 62TE and the 42RLE.

TSS is an aftermarket brand with OEM-comparable quality and quality control on every product. You can buy it from our authorized distributors: in the United States from Sun Transmissions, and in Mexico the full TSS catalog at Transmisiones Veinte 07.

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