Chrysler Repair: 97 LHS transmission noise, 1997 chrysler lhs, chrysler lhs

Question
QUESTION: Hi Roland,

I have a 1997 Chrysler LHS with 306,000 miles—33,000 from Enterprise Rentals and 273,000 from me.  This morning, as I turned left off the street and into my parking lot, I went over a slight bump and then heard a clicking/buzzing noise from the front left of the car.  The car lurched a little and the ‘check engine’ light came on, but the car continued on the last few hundred feet to the parking area.  As precaution, I backed into a stall so a tow truck would have easier access should it become necessary to take the car for work.  The reverse gear worked fine.  I then put my foot on the brake and put the car into drive and gently pressed the accelerator.  I could feel the car try to move ahead as it might normally.  I also noticed the noise had stopped.
I did the ‘on/off’ ignition switch trick and came up with a trouble code of ‘45’.  Doing some research on the web, I found the ‘45’ code was roughly the equivalent to a P0700 Transmission Control System Malfunction code.
My questions are these:
What does the trouble code mean exactly?
Given the old two digit code and mileage on the transmission (original fluid, checked weekly for level, color and smell—all of which were good) how likely is it that the trouble is only in the electronic controls and not internal to the transmission?
If it is just the tranny controls, what do you think a dealership would charge for repair?
If the damage is more extensive and the transmission needs replacing, what do you think a dealer would charge?

Thanks very much for your time,

Lee


ANSWER: Hi Lee,
I have a question about whether you can get any OBD-I fault codes about the transmission by using the ignition key. Your car is on the edge of the transition to OBD-II and I don't have a year-specific explanation of what it will tell you. I have never heard that trans codes of the OBD-I can be obtained other than by a plug-in reader.
If indeed it is a 45 code from the trans controller memory, then according to a Chrysler manual that I have it says that there is a failure in eeprom section of the transcontroller (it has lost the ability to store specific factors related to the engine it is connected to). But I would suggest you do another readout, as you may have only gotten really a 55 code, which is of course "end of readout" which means no codes are stored. Or you may have another combination of two codes (totalling to 9 flashes) and a 55, so look at the pauses carefully, they are only a little longer than the space between the flashes.
If it will drive forward I would try to get it to an Autozone parts store for a free OBD-II readout from the plug under the dash next to the steering column, or from an independent garage which might cost $40. Stay off the freeway and drive it gently to a place where it can be readout. Then write back and we can go from there.
A buzzing sound could be either the trans or the torque converter, so if it does it again see if you can hear it when the car is at rest, then open the hood and listen for the sound source location.
Roland

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Roland,

Thanks for the light speed response.

I checked the engine light flash 4 times and confirmed that I was seeing '45' each time.  I drove it a few hundred feet and didn't hear any noise.  There's an Auto Zone on the my 30 mile way home.  If it is a failure in eeprom section of the transcontroller is that an electronic component fix, or does the actual tranny need to be checked/replaced?

Thanks,

Lee

ANSWER: Hi Lee,
No, that 45 would be a transcontroller replacement but only if it came out of the tcm memory. But the 45 code you got was from the PCM. I am pretty sure you don't have a 45 transcode which is what I had described.  
I now have had a chance to check a '96 manual and see that late in OBD-I era, the 45 code as read with the ignition key did indeed mean that you have a trans fault stored in the tcm (e.g. an 0700).
But the only way to get it would be via a plug-in reader that would see what the trans code was, probably an OBD-II code. So let me know what the number is, what Autozone says it means, and we can compare that to the trans manual.
Roland

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: OK,

Here we go.  Auto Zone pulled three codes off my LHS with their OBD –II reader.  They were:
P0700, P0733 and P0734.

P0700 reads as follows:  
Definition:  Transaxle control system fault.  
Explanation:  ECM received a signal that the Transaxle control module has a fault
Probable Causes:  Shorted or open circuit within transaxle
Probable Causes:  Failure of transaxle control module

P0733 had listings for 11 manufacturers but not Chrysler.   
Common to all was the description:  Gear 3 incorrect ratio.  The PCM has detected an incorrect ratio condition in 3rd gear.

Probable causes for the Mitsubishi (the only listed manufacturer remotely related to Chrysler) Included:
1.   Open or short circuit condition
2.   Low or poor trans fluid condition
3.   Failed Control Solenoid
4.   Internal Transmission failure

P9734 also had listings for 11 manufacturers but none of them Chrysler.   
Common to all was the description:  Gear 4 incorrect ratio.  The PCM has detected an incorrect ratio condition in 4th gear.

Probable causes for the Mitsubishi (the only listed manufacturer remotely related to Chrysler) Included:
1.   Open or short circuit condition
2.   Low or poor trans fluid condition
3.   Failed Control Solenoid
4.   Internal Transmission failure

I’ve checked the fluid (with the gear selector in park and the transmission at operating temperature) and it is just at the bottom edge of the “fluid level when hot” range.   Not quite full, but not so low as to add fluid.

Does this sound like an internal or external transaxle issue?

Lee


Answer
Hi Lee,
It is probably an issue internal to the transmission. But there are a myriad of possibilities according to the manual. There is by the way a Chrysler 'analysis' for those codes. It could be mechanical or hydraulic and could be either requiring removal/rebuild or servicing of the hydraulic pump/solenoid box without removing the trans. My advice would be to call independent (not franchise, not dealer) trans shops to find one that is familiar with the Chrysler transaxles and which have a good reputation and discuss with them the kinds of diagnostics they might run in order to determine the best course of action. At 300,000 miles I suspect it will be the rebuild route. That is an unusually high mileage to not have experienced trouble. So consider yourself lucky.
Roland