Seeking Automotive Help

Matthew K

Matthew K

Line Up and Wait
Joined
Sep 14, 2016
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786
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Georgia
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Broke Engineer
While this is an aviation website, you guys seem to have extensive knowledge with cars. So here I am again seeking automotive help.

So here's the story, I have a 2006 Dodge Charger R/T Daytona Edition. Drove it home from work Friday with no issues. Started it up this morning and *wham* transmission doesn't like me.

Shifter itself works fine. But when I put it into reverse, the car acts like it briefly trys to go into reverse, but then disengages. I try putting it in D and there's no reaction. Press on the gas and rpms go up but car doesn't move. I tried turning the car off multiple times with no change. Reverse syptom is repeatable, but car seems to immediately disengage reverse half a second into it.

Any ideas? Car worked perfectly when I parked it Friday.

Here's a picture of the car for your entertainment ;)
car.jpg
 
455 Bravo Uniform said:
Step 1 - confirm transmission fluid is present. Level surface. Report back.
Click to expand...
Any suggestions on how to do that when these cars don't have a transmission dip stick from factory? There's a spot for a dipstick but there isn't one included... Just a cap.

no check engine light is on... I would think there would be a sensor to notify low tranny fluid but there's always the possibility that it doesn't have one or isn't working..
 
Any codes.??


Have you tried the old stand by.... remove the positive cable from the battery, wait 20 minutes, replace.??
 
Well darn. I believe you need a dipstick tool and a conversion chart for the proper level depending on trans temp (which you can get from a scan tool). Newer cars are ridiculous. I’m sorry I can’t be of much help.
 
Zeldman said:
Any codes.??


Have you tried the old stand by.... remove the positive cable from the battery, wait 20 minutes, replace.??
Click to expand...

Tried the ole remove cable and wait method while I was waiting for responses and there is a change but not necessarily good. Now the transmission is constantly going in and out of reverse. Before hand it would try when I put the shifter in reverse and that was it, now it's constantly engaging and disengaging, with the car rolling back slightly each time if I don't have my foot on the break.

Just tried the code method and no codes come up.
 
You’re probably going to need a scan tool.
 
I have the same transmission in the Mercedes. It's variously known as the the NAG1/5G-Tronic/722.6/W5A-whatever. You will find them in Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, six years' worth of Porsche 996 and 997s, and even the odd supercharged Jag here and there. As much as I've never been a fan of Chrysler and especially Chrysler transmissions, they got this one from Mercedes-Benz and it's got a pretty good reputation. My Merc puts out over 500 HP and over 600 lb-ft of torque, and the transmission shrugs it off.

The transmission dipstick (and replacement O-rings and lock pins, you have to break off the locking pin) are commonly available service tools. If the car has over 50-60K miles or so, it's probably in need of a fluid and filter change. Not a huge job, but also probably won't lead to a sudden and total failure like that.

There's a conductor plate and connector that commonly go bad on those. Common enough that you can buy Chinese replacements -- though the decent quality parts aren't terribly expensive. I seen to recall paying under $200 for mine. Anyway, the conductor plate carries the shift and TC lockup solenoids as well as one or more speed sensors. If it goes bad it will cause all manner of oddball problems.

If you're a DIY kind of guy, it's not a horribly difficult job -- though best done on a lift. Drain the tranny, drop the pan, un-bolt the valve body, replace the conductor plate, put it all back together with a new filter and gasket, easy peasy. No adjustments or anything. Filling it was the most complicated part. I did mine in an hour or so, there's a place locally that rents out service bays with a lift to hoist my 2-1/2 tons of German rocket sled overhead. Glad I didn't have to do it on a garage floor.

If you're not a DIY kind of guy, find a good shop and have them do it.

Edit: Of course it could be something totally different, like the transmission control module... in which case good luck. You really won't know without a decent scan tool, I guess.
 
DaleB said:
I have the same transmission in the Mercedes. It's variously known as the the NAG1/5G-Tronic/722.6/W5A-whatever. You will find them in Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, six years' worth of Porsche 996 and 997s, and even the odd supercharged Jag here and there. As much as I've never been a fan of Chrysler and especially Chrysler transmissions, they got this one from Mercedes-Benz and it's got a pretty good reputation. My Merc puts out over 500 HP and over 600 lb-ft of torque, and the transmission shrugs it off.

The transmission dipstick (and replacement O-rings and lock pins, you have to break off the locking pin) are commonly available service tools. If the car has over 50-60K miles or so, it's probably in need of a fluid and filter change. Not a huge job, but also probably won't lead to a sudden and total failure like that.

There's a conductor plate and connector that commonly go bad on those. Common enough that you can buy Chinese replacements -- though the decent quality parts aren't terribly expensive. I seen to recall paying under $200 for mine. Anyway, the conductor plate carries the shift and TC lockup solenoids as well as one or more speed sensors. If it goes bad it will cause all manner of oddball problems.

If you're a DIY kind of guy, it's not a horribly difficult job -- though best done on a lift. Drain the tranny, drop the pan, un-bolt the valve body, replace the conductor plate, put it all back together with a new filter and gasket, easy peasy. No adjustments or anything. Filling it was the most complicated part. I did mine in an hour or so, there's a place locally that rents out service bays with a lift to hoist my 2-1/2 tons of German rocket sled overhead. Glad I didn't have to do it on a garage floor.

If you're not a DIY kind of guy, find a good shop and have them do it.

Edit: Of course it could be something totally different, like the transmission control module... in which case good luck. You really won't know without a decent scan tool, I guess.
Click to expand...

I'm honestly expecting that your correct. Would make since if it has to do with a electrical part given it happened all the sudden. I'm a pretty good DIY'er generally but I don't have a lift and spending a lot of time working, so probably will just take it to a shop I trust. Would it be a bad idea to try adding some transmission fluid just to see if it behaves differently?
 
Do you have mice near your home? I’d think it would kick out a code, but those critters love modern car wiring...

Also, check your battery voltage. Low voltage can cause some pretty bizarre conditions on modern cars.
 
Omalley1537 said:
Do you have mice near your home? I’d think it would kick out a code, but those critters love modern car wiring...

Also, check your battery voltage. Low voltage can cause some pretty bizarre conditions on modern cars.
Click to expand...

No issues with mice. Checked as much wiring as I can see and looked around to see for any droppings and haven't seen any signs.

Know what you mean about voltage issues, have had my fair share in the past with other stuff. But voltage is good with this car.
 
Matthew K said:
I'm honestly expecting that your correct. Would make since if it has to do with a electrical part given it happened all the sudden. I'm a pretty good DIY'er generally but I don't have a lift and spending a lot of time working, so probably will just take it to a shop I trust. Would it be a bad idea to try adding some transmission fluid just to see if it behaves differently?
Click to expand...
Unless you know it’s low... yes, that would be a bad idea. Overfilling would be just as bad as underfilling.
 
Did you spill any water near the shifter? One of these Benz transmissions, maybe this particular one, has the control module just under the shift lever, and it’s not waterproof.
 
Bill Jennings said:
Did you spill any water near the shifter? One of these Benz transmissions, maybe this particular one, has the control module just under the shift lever, and it’s not waterproof.
Click to expand...
I have not. There wasn't any rain Friday either. No issues Friday or prior and then I drive it today and have issues.
 
Seems like a great car to put a stick shift in but I digress ...

My wife has a Ford Focus and the transmission is automatic but has no dipstick. Once she called and said it just quit pulling going down the road. Towed it to the dealer (warranty) and they replaced the transmission control computer. All good now.

Like you, I suspect that something electrical has puked out. A standard scan tool (the Autozone version) may not show you what you need if the problem isn't in the ECM but in a separate module somewhere. I don't know squat about a Dodge as I gave up on Mopar (My Old Plymouth Ain't Running) products many years ago. The reason? Too many electrical issues ...
 
Daleandee said:
Seems like a great car to put a stick shift in but I digress ...

My wife has a Ford Focus and the transmission is automatic but has no dipstick. Once she called and said it just quit pulling going down the road. Towed it to the dealer (warranty) and they replaced the transmission control computer. All good now.

Like you, I suspect that something electrical has puked out. A standard scan tool (the Autozone version) may not show you what you need if the problem isn't in the ECM but in a separate module somewhere. I don't know squat about a Dodge as I gave up on Mopar (My Old Plymouth Ain't Running) products many years ago. The reason? Too many electrical issues ...
Click to expand...
Agree about the stick shift...My plan is once this car is no longer my daily to start modding it, Supercharger is at the top of the list, if I toast the tranny bc of that, I'll definitely look into throwing in a manual.

I've pretty much resulted to taking the car to my local trusted shop...we'll see what happens
 
Used to sell a bunch of the wiring pass through connectors on the NAGS transmissions up to about 08 I think. Second on the connector plate for the solenoids. 9336A is the Mopar tool # for the transmission fluid. Basically a cable style dipstick. Some dealers carry them for shop customers.
 
Matthew K said:
Agree about the stick shift...My plan is once this car is no longer my daily to start modding it, Supercharger is at the top of the list, if I toast the tranny bc of that, I'll definitely look into throwing in a manual.
Click to expand...
You probably won't. Plenty of S65s of the same vintage have been modded up to and beyond 840 lb-ft of torque. Same transmission.
 
DaleB said:
I have the same transmission in the Mercedes. It's variously known as the the NAG1/5G-Tronic/722.6/W5A-whatever. You will find them in Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, six years' worth of Porsche 996 and 997s, and even the odd supercharged Jag here and there. As much as I've never been a fan of Chrysler and especially Chrysler transmissions, they got this one from Mercedes-Benz and it's got a pretty good reputation. My Merc puts out over 500 HP and over 600 lb-ft of torque, and the transmission shrugs it off.

The transmission dipstick (and replacement O-rings and lock pins, you have to break off the locking pin) are commonly available service tools. If the car has over 50-60K miles or so, it's probably in need of a fluid and filter change. Not a huge job, but also probably won't lead to a sudden and total failure like that.

There's a conductor plate and connector that commonly go bad on those. Common enough that you can buy Chinese replacements -- though the decent quality parts aren't terribly expensive. I seen to recall paying under $200 for mine. Anyway, the conductor plate carries the shift and TC lockup solenoids as well as one or more speed sensors. If it goes bad it will cause all manner of oddball problems.

If you're a DIY kind of guy, it's not a horribly difficult job -- though best done on a lift. Drain the tranny, drop the pan, un-bolt the valve body, replace the conductor plate, put it all back together with a new filter and gasket, easy peasy. No adjustments or anything. Filling it was the most complicated part. I did mine in an hour or so, there's a place locally that rents out service bays with a lift to hoist my 2-1/2 tons of German rocket sled overhead. Glad I didn't have to do it on a garage floor.

If you're not a DIY kind of guy, find a good shop and have them do it.

Edit: Of course it could be something totally different, like the transmission control module... in which case good luck. You really won't know without a decent scan tool, I guess.
Click to expand...
+1 for this. Just got it back from the shop today and the valve body solenoid was the problem. Thanks for your input!
 
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