QuestionMy check engine light recently came on, have not had time to take for testing but all of sudden my transmission will at times not shift into gear, my car temp runs hot and my brakes will lock down, these are all things that are happening at the same time but if I stop and shut off the car, restart then it is fine for a while longer but eventually repeats.
AnswerHi Michelle,
I am not sure what you mean by "my brakes will lock down".
But in any case, the way today's cars are controlled electronically almost any part or function can go bad along with another. The best place to start is with a readout of the fault codes that are possibly stored in the engine controller and the transmission controller. You can get code numbers (P followed by four digits) and what they tell you that they mean, and what they believe the repair will be and how much it will cost. Then write back and we can compare that to what the Chrysler shop manuals say about those code numbers to verify what they are telling you. You may be able to get a free readout at a parts store such as Autozone. Otherwise, go to a reputable shop that has the necessary code reader.
There are so many possible reasons for what you are describing that it would be impossible to suggest anything specific now before you have the readout for codes done.
The fact that turning off the car seems to temporarily correct the problems suggests that the issue may be with the electronic control and communication system rather than the "hardware" of the mechanical parts themselves. So take advantage of the code readout and some deliberation before jumping into a repair authorization that may be fruitless.
Roland
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