Dodge: ’97 Caravan code P0700

Question
Hello,
I have a ’97 Caravan that has 140,000 miles on it. Sometime ago the service engine soon light came on. As I drove it I noticed that the window  telling you what the transmission is in park, reverse, drive had all the positions indicated also, the transmission seemed to not be shifting into 3ed? I got the van home and parked it. The next time I drove it the problem went away.  Just the other day the van did the same thing and again it went away however I was able to get it to a shop to have it looked at and they told me that a P0700 code came up. Any light you can shade would be appreciated. Thank You


Answer
HEY WALTER,WHO EVER SCANNED YOUR TRUCK DID SO ON THE ENGINE SIDE AND NOT THE TRANS SIDE. PO700 IS JUST A REFERENCE WHEN YOUR IN THE ENGINE COMPUTER TO LET YOU KNOW THERE IS CODES IN THE TRANS MODULE. IT NEEDS TO BE SCANNED ON THE TRANS SIDE. THE NO SHIFT TO THIRD IS THE TRANS LIMP IN MODE AND WOULD BE NORMAL WHEN THERE IS A PROBLEM. I WILL GIVE YOU SOME IDEAS BUT WITHOUT ACTUAL CODES IT WILL JUST BE A EDUCATED GUESS.THIS TRANS HAS A PRNDL SWITCH THAT TELLS THE COMPUTER(ENGINE AND TRANS)WHAT GEAR YOU HAVE SELECTED.INSIDE THIS SWITCH THERE A SERIES OF SWITCHES THAT OPEN AND CLOSE WHEN THE SHIFTER IS MOVED TO A DIFFERENT SELECTION,FOR EXAMPLE,IN PARK THERE ARE THREE SWITCHES CLOSED AND ONE OPEN,IN REVERSE THERE ARE TWO OPEN AND TWO CLOSED,IN OD POSITION THERE ARE THREE OPEN AND ONE CLOSED,YOU GET THE IDEA. WHEN ONE OF THESE SWITCHES STICKS IT CREATES A COMBINATION THAT THE COMPUTER CANT READ THEREFOR SHUTTING DOWN THE TRANS.I AM LOOKING FOR A CODE 28(CHECK SHIFTER SIGNAL) THIS CAN BE AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. WHEN YOU TURN THE KEY OFF THE COMPUTER RESETS ITSELF AND NEEDS TO SEE THE FAULT AGAIN BEFORE IT WILL SHUT THE TRANS DOWN AGAIN. HAVE IT SCANNED UNDER THE TRANS HEADING IN THE SCANNER. NOT EVERYBODY HAS TRANS SOFTWARE IN THEIR SCANNERS SO THE BEST THEY CAN GET IS PO700. THIS PRNDL SWITCH IS LOCATED ON THE VALVE BODY AND MUST BE REMOVED BY A EXPERIENCED MECHANIC! THIS PROBLEM COULD BE BAD WIRES AT THE SWITCH UP TO THE TRANS MODULE OR A BAD TRANS MODULE (TCM) COMPUTER. IF YOU GET ME SOME CODES I CAN BE MORE OF A  HELP? I HOPE THIS HELPS A BIT,SORRY SO LONG,TIM.DON'T HAVE IT FIXED UNTIL YOU RE CONTACT ME SO I CAN MAKE SURE YOU DON'T GET RIPPED OFF!!!!! THESE THINGS MENTIONED ABOVE ARE THE ONLY THINGS I HAVE SEEN TO CAUSE ALL YOUR DASH INDICATORS TO LIGHT AT THE SAME TIME.