Chrysler Repair: 94 chrysler LHS transmission: 2nd gear only, chrysler lhs, 94 chrysler lhs

Question
If I don't let the vehicle preheat before driving the car will not shift into second gear. As long as I continue driving this condition will remain. If I stop and shut off the engine and then restart everything is fine again. Is the transmission going or is this something else.

Answer
Hi Keith,
I suspect that rather than first gear the trans is actually locked-up in second gear. This sounds like a "limp-in" mode situation which the transmission will do to protect itself when it experiences a problem. There is a blue 6-pin connector under the dash to the right of the steering column which gives access to both the engine and the transmission controllers' memories by means of a readout box.
An independent transmission shop with a reader and a "data link connector" to mate with the connector under the dash can readout the fault code number(s) stored in the memory that is going to explain what is the problem. It is a two-digit number in the Chrysler system of transmission codes. Make sure that you get the transmission fault codes, not to be confused with those for the engine.  Once you get the readout, ask for the numbers, what they mean and what they propose to do. Then write back and we can compare it to the shop manual.
Do check the transmission fluid level to verify it, and if any is needed only use ATF +3 or +4, never Dexron.
This is the logical approach to the problem.
Roland