Transmission Fluid Services On A Late Module Jeep And Dodge from 1999 to 2006 Be aware!

Customer comes in requesting a transmission fluid and filter service on a Jeep and Dodge vehicle

Always make sure to check the basics before performing this request. Check for DTCs active or stored in the pcm or tcm modules. Check condition of the transmission fluid, Road test the vehicle make sure the transmission is shifting properly.

There are curtain Jeep and dodge vehicles from 1999 to 2006 equipped the 45RFE or 545RFE transmission. After performing the customer’s request replacing the two transmission filters (one spin on and the other one press on), filling the transmission with brand new fluid and road testing again after the service. Customers take the vehicle home park it overnight and the next morning the transmission start to buck, slip, and the vehicle is now shifting very rough. Now the customer comes back to your shop with this issue.

The reason for this is that the secondary transmission filter (the spin on kind), if the part number is …AB written on the filter. Those filters are suspected to allow the transmission fluid to drain back out of the torque converter overnight. With less fluid in the torque converter, a delay in the gear engagement may occur at the start up until the torque converter fills back to its proper fluid level.

The correct filter part number will not have the suffix AB. Same part number, no AB.

Jeep and Dodge does have a service bulletin on this issue. Just giving everyone a head up in case you don't want to spend the time to research this problem.