Our 13 Grand caravan has been doing this thing where when flooring it from aroun4 d 30-35mph or so will produce a violent shudder/ harsh down shift. Fluid is new. New fluid didn't help or hurt the issue. Transmission has 106,000 miles. No codes. What could this be?
2013 dodge Grand caravan transmission shudder/ harsh down shift
- Thread starter wheelman
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You need to have it diagnosed by a professional.....My gut feeling is a Torque Converter issue. Where are you located?
"They are known" to just crap out about 100k. I had a rebuild that was shifting harsh and it turned out to be a slightly out of whack MAP sensor that was causing the torque management to send too much pressure to the trans. The original was so worn, the harsh shifts weren't harsh. 
Torque converter and valve body are the typically issues with those if it’s not slipping
Kind of a band aid cause they aren’t the most long lasting transmissions and it will still cost a pretty penny to get those parts replaced
Broken mounts are common as well
Kind of a band aid cause they aren’t the most long lasting transmissions and it will still cost a pretty penny to get those parts replaced
Broken mounts are common as well
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
Like said, the feeling from the transmission might be a symptom and not the cause.
You don't hear of too many problems with the 62TE. It's a good trans.
Did it have any fluid changes prior to ~100K miles?
You don't hear of too many problems with the 62TE. It's a good trans.
Did it have any fluid changes prior to ~100K miles?
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I fixed a similar problem on my Chrysler Town and Country by add 1 Bottle of Lucas Transmission Fix (the thick stuff) and 1 tube of Lubegard Dr Transmission I start Shudder Fix.
Has worked great for years already.
Has worked great for years already.
I have a 2013 that crapped the bed catastrophically @ 89,380 miles on it,by a Dodge Dealer in Atlanta GA where it had to be towed in the middle of the night on a trip on 1/12/2018. They had it 7 days because they only had one transmission "specialist", who decided to take the first 3 days off when it got there. Right up until the transmission blowing suddenly on I95 there was NEVER a shifting problem of any kind EVER, it decided to blow up in heavy traffic. Now it is doing this exact shuddering & lagging when cruising between 25 and 35 miles and you decide you want to go faster and accelerate, no matter whether you floor it or "feather" it . Have done several relearns & software updates on all systems & nothing has corrected or pinpointed the problem.
If this were an older vehicle without the drive by wire wired into a pedal position sensor AND a throttle position sensor, I would say it is either the torque converter OR the torque converter switch, and be an easy fix. But NOT SO on these transmissions with all the solenoids, valves and BS drive by wire sensors, especially since the COMPOUNDERS are notorious for failures as well.
Even more annoying is the fact that most dealers cannot be trusted. Mine has only been doing this since AFTER it was a "Bench Rebuilt" by a Dealership's "Transmission Specialist", with an invoice that states: 1 Transmission Kit, 1 Converter Kit, 1 Sealer, & 10 Quarts of Fluid, PLUS a PCM FLASH UPDATE for PCM TSB REQUIRED.
Trying to find a reliable, trustworthy & REPUTABLE Transmission Expert Technician is like looking for a needle in a haystack, since most of these so call experts are employed in general repair services around here. I would prefer if I could find a Transmission Tech Expert that eats, sleeps lives and breath Dodge 62TE transmissions! I live in the Greater Danbury Area of the NY/CT border if anybody knows of one!
Chrysler minivans are known for transmission problems 
You can try adding Lubegard to it and see if it improves, or perhaps use Redline C+ ATF
You can try adding Lubegard to it and see if it improves, or perhaps use Redline C+ ATF
Try resetting the learned values.
I can only say, based on my own past experience with owning many Dodge, Chrysler & Plymouth minis, all used & a bit older when purchased with mid to high Mileage, all but one were front wheel drive with I believe the 42TE transmission., & only the 2000 T&C AWD had a 41TE trans. were ALL Unstoppable workhorses.Chrysler minivans are known for transmission problems
You can try adding Lubegard to it and see if it improves, or perhaps use Redline C+ ATF
That is, UNTIL I purchased this 2013, with the notorious problems of solenoids, compunders, torque converter & drive by wire problems they are prone to. I am now looking for my second set of tires for this one at 117,000 miles, after the 89,000 mile dealer "rebuild" because it keeps spinning the tires on wet roads, snowy roads & even just with surface dirt on the roads!
I had one where the transmission was acting up, & I did a drain & fill with filter change, & put some cleaner flush in it then did another drain,fill & filter and the problem was gone. Only my 97 GC had a transmission that for some reason, never acted up at all until one day it just decided it would only go into reverse or first occasionally with no prior warnings of any kind. On that one, I purchased a Factory Rebuilt transmission from a Chrysler dealer in NJ that was shipped right to my house & a return core pick-up after I swapped it out myself. I also believe that the prior owner was using Mercron or GM fluid, and after so much research showed that the transmissions were extremely temperamental on any fluid other than +3 or +4 I have only used the +4.
The worst problem I had with any of them was the infamous Blown Head Gaskets that they were famous for, which in both cases were blown on both sides of the Center Cylinder by the firewall. One was the 3.0 & the other was the 3.6 & I pulled the engines, bored them out to 10 over & completed the rebuilds.
KrisZ, I guess you missed where I said I have tried several relearns & software updates already & they haven't done a bit of good.
Here is an interesting article I finally came across in my relentless searching about these crap transmissions.
https://www.motorverso.com/dodge-caravan-shifting-problems/
Symptom #2 especially seems to give me reason to believe that this dealer that did my "REBUILD" was as full of CRAP as the 62TEs with all their problems are.
The dealer invoice on the rebuild said they put in a Torque Converter Kit & 10 Quarts of Fluid, but I know for a fact that they either did Not put in 10 Quarts, or if they did, it was not ENOUGH, because at one point after it started doing the shudder, I checked the fluid and it was 1 quart low, which I put in, and it read FULL after that, but the damage could have already been done to the clutches, since the entire outside of the transmission, engine and frame is bone dry with no signs of any leaks! I also suspect that they used off the shelf Brand New OLD parts instead of the newer REVISED & UPGRADED parts.
https://www.motorverso.com/dodge-caravan-shifting-problems/
Symptom #2 especially seems to give me reason to believe that this dealer that did my "REBUILD" was as full of CRAP as the 62TEs with all their problems are.
The dealer invoice on the rebuild said they put in a Torque Converter Kit & 10 Quarts of Fluid, but I know for a fact that they either did Not put in 10 Quarts, or if they did, it was not ENOUGH, because at one point after it started doing the shudder, I checked the fluid and it was 1 quart low, which I put in, and it read FULL after that, but the damage could have already been done to the clutches, since the entire outside of the transmission, engine and frame is bone dry with no signs of any leaks! I also suspect that they used off the shelf Brand New OLD parts instead of the newer REVISED & UPGRADED parts.
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My advice is to see about getting the transmission Reflashed. Mine gave some harsh shifts and it improved it. I would otherwise recommend Don't overreact concerning the 62te. I've had periods where it shifts rough. Then I've had periods where it smoothens itself out. Around 70,000, mi all three of my parents Vans developed harsh shifting. It eventually was solved. My parents now have north of 180,000 on their 13 model. The 114 model was totaled and the 16 model was retired when my father retired. My 200 occasionally shifts rough then it smoothens itself out. The 62TE isn't the smoothest shifting or the most consistent transmission, but so far we haven't had a failure yet.
I was replying to the OP. Your problem is likely a crappy re-build by that "specialist".
However my Grand Caravan was experiencing more and more harsh downshifts and the last ATF change I performed the reset I linked and it did help.
This transmission will always have its moments when it shifts rough, but it should never be violent, as in it snaps your head or shudders the vehicle, and it should be sporadic.
I can also confirm that driving it harder, that is getting it to shift at higher RPM, 4k+ does help with the shift logic. If it's driven gently and it always shifts at low RPM, they tend to be more harsh, as a result. I try to get it to accelerate hard at least once or twice during my commute. On ramps are best for this.
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The article feels like AI. Anyway, sorry you're having problems. I've read a tiny bit on the 62TE but never really done anything to one.
Sadly , yes, this can happen in the carnival.