Anyone have this problem?need opinions please

[RebelThunder]

Hi fellow Dodge Journey users. I just bought a used 2009 SXT V6 Dodge journey with 18,300kms on it a few days ago. I just noticed after driving it for about 500-600km, the car doesn't move by itself when I put it on drive.Its kinda hard to explain, well you know in all automatic transmission, whenever you put the gear on drive it will move slowly even if you are not stepping on the gas.well mine does not.any thoughts on this.useful info will be very much appreciated.thanks to all.

RT

[email4walker]

If it is a 2009, you should have a lifetime trans warrenty. Take it in for a look.

[RebelThunder]

ty.i have the autostick transmission i just don't know if it works that way.gonna try to bring it back to the dealer on friday.

[BUGS]

On flat ground it should move ahead slowly. On a hill or slight incline the built in 'inclinometer' engages and keeps it from roiling backwards / and going ahead until you hit the gas pedal. (So I'm told)

[RebelThunder]

for some reason it the problem disappears. I still need to bring so might as well tell the dealers mechanics. for all its small flaws I still love this SUV

[brwengel]

Just to add my two cents worth; I can tell you that after my Journey has sat overnight, the first thing in the morning after I start it and put it into reverse, without giving it any gas it wil take about 20 seconds before it begins to move. If the car has not been driven for more than one day, it takes me stepping on the gas and reving up the engine and another 20 seconds before it will begin to move. After the car has moved for the first time of the day it's fine for the rest of the day, it's almost like the tranny fluid has drained down out of something in the transmission. I happened to be at the dealer recently and had the shop foreman do a ride along for another problem and I asked him about this issue. He told me he has never heard of this issue on the Journey, but he thinks that the tranny in our Journey is actually a Mercedes product. Remember this vehicle was designed when Mercedes was still involved with Chrysler.

[RebelThunder]

takes for the info Brwengel,

I actually discovered that also.but one time it happened in the middle of the day, so I was worried and called my dealer to tell what happened and they told me to bring it back along with my complaints of a pumping sound when I hit the breaks.

[RebelThunder]

sounds like a same problem for me.lol

[uppity]

never buy automatic Chrysler or Dodge products, haha , standard trans are good, their automatics are absolute trash, too late now

find out if u can change trany, if u have V 6, you might be able to switch to 6 speed manual, probably same company that builds the Mercedes 6 speed, 25 years of inferior automatic trans and people are sitll buying, unbelievable. The life of Chrys//Dodge auto trans is between 50-100,000 clicks. Most chrysler / Dodge vans go thru 3-4 trans during life of engine, good luck!! I have been driving Chrysler mini-vans for 15 years, own 3 right now between personal vehicle and 2 business vehicles, one is 1989 one is 1990 , one is 1998 all standards, 2 are 4 cly and one 6(3.0L is the best chry eng), had a 1994 automatic, gave it away, garbage!!! drove that 1990 across Canada van-TO and back across states last Nov,/// 20 yo van runs as good as 2009 Jeep rented to travel in last year and way better gas mileage. I buy all my vehicles off of original owners, min three years old. Bought that 1990 of of my sales women, she had for 17 years since new, bought herself an automatic Challenger, had to have tranny replaced after 3 mos, total lemon, but new trany seems ok, but wait for 50,000 clicks I tell her, shes at 27,000 and change right now, (half way to disaster haha)

standard only way to go, pretty good vehicles except for those auto trany's

[diggit]

The life of Chrys//Dodge auto trans is between 50-100,000 clicks.

Actually, most car manufacturers rate their transmissions at around the 100,000 mark. Thats why most warranties are good for 100K on powertrain.

[Richo Eng]

Actually, most car manufacturers rate their transmissions at around the 100,000 mark. Thats why most warranties are good for 100K on powertrain.

[Richo Eng]

Interesting. I had 380 000 km on my Intrepid automatic transmission and if you do the fluid and filter change at the 80 000 km intervals, they last. Just bought a Journey and hope I have the same luck. PS, gave the Intrepid to my brother and its still running.

[JabberJaw]

My wife and I both liked our Journey. 2009 SXT AWD. Nice ride,quiet and reasonable gas mileage. It had a couple minor problems but they were all addressed by the dealer. Then the transfer case started leaking and had to be replaced. Still not a bad problem. Next, at 21,000 miles, the transmission started shifting hard between 1st and 2nd. The dealer took it in on 11/29/10 and working with Dodge did several tests on the transmission and decided it need to be replaced. By this time the transmission was sitting on the floor beside the vehicle and the shipping date was 12/14 for the new transmission. The 14th came and went with no transmission. The dealer did recieve a message telling him it was back ordered but no shipping date. My Chryser Customer Care rep told me that if they were not manufacturing the transmissions at this time there was not much he could do about it! Last week I threated to go to the Attorney General's office of NYS. The dealer took it upon himself to make us a very nice deal on a Jeep Grand Cherokee. As of 12/23/10 the dealer owns the Journey and we own the Jeep. The service manager says it could be a month before they get a transmission.

I have posted this only as a warning if you are having transmission trouble. A HARD SHIFTING transmission IS BETTER THAN NO transmission. Be sure they have transmissions available before you let them remove the old one.

[whooby8]

I do know that the 3.5L engine the comes with the journey requires 10W oil, 10W30 motor oil, and in extreme cold or hot temps the higher the weight of oil will effect warming and cooling of the engine block. Which also effects how hard the engine starts and engine idle. Don't know if this really helps, but its the only thing that comes to mind.

[whooby8]

Oh, wait I also know that Dodge puts copper spark plugs in straight from the factory. Your spark plugs can effect engine idle also if one goes bad. Try upgrading to platinum or iridium spark plugs.

[OhareFred]

2009 lifetime warranty only applies to original owner.

[tstone]

Interesting. I had 380 000 km on my Intrepid automatic transmission and if you do the fluid and filter change at the 80 000 km intervals, they last. Just bought a Journey and hope I have the same luck. PS, gave the Intrepid to my brother and its still running.

I had 231k miles on my Intrepid transmission, which is around 372k km, before I traded it in. Actually I had a warranty/TSB repair around 60k miles on it and that was the only fluid & filter change I ever did on it. I went in there one time and wiped the metal shavings off the input/output sensors (magnets) and that was it. The key was to use Mopar brand ATF+4 and not a drop of anything else.

The 4 spd Journey transmission is a variant of the Intrepid transmission, and driving it to me feels nearly identical. Between all the annoyances with the 6 spd + my good experience with the 4 spd, I went ahead and bought another 4 spd. It's not exactly "refined" but it has been around for 20 yrs. Of course that trans requires the 4 cyl engine, which is perfectly adequate for driving in the city or across flat Texas. If you're in the moutains or trying to tow something this might not be a good choice, though.