TEST 1: Low Reverse Shift Solenoid Resistance Test
OK, to get this show on the road, I'm gonna' ask you to check the resistance of the Low Reverse Shift Solenoid (Shift Solenoid A) and as mentioned in the previous page, this bad boy is part of the solenoid pack.
We'll accomplish the resistance test by directly probing the round metal male terminals, of the solenoid pack, with your multimeter's leads (and in Ohms mode). The pins that you're gonna' test are the solenoid pack's pins #4 and #7.
Remember, Pin #4 is the one that feeds power (10 to 12 Volts) to the Low Reverse Shift Solenoid. Pin #7 is the one that feeds the activation signal from the PCM (or TCM).
NOTE: Let your vehicle cool down if you have been running the engine for an extended period of time or you run the risk of serious burns if you test the Low Reverse circuit with a hot engine.
If the engine/transmission are hot, let them cool down for about an hour. Be careful, use common sense and think SAFETY.
OK, this is what you'll need to do:
- 1
Disconnect the transmission's solenoid pack's electrical connector.
If you already have it off of the vehicle, well that's OK too, since it'll be that much easier to test pins #4 and #7. - 2
Place you trusty multimeter in Ohms mode.
- 3
Probe the metal male terminal labeled with the number 4 with the red multimeter test lead (see photo above).
- 4
Probe the metal male terminal labeled with the number 7 with the black multimeter test lead.
- 5
Your multimeter will register between 0.5 to 9 Ohms if the Low Reverse Shift Solenoid is OK.
Let's analyze your test result:
CASE 1: The multimeter registered the indicated Ohms. This is good and the expected test result, which of course let's you know that the Low Reverse Solenoid isn't fried.
Since a trouble code P0750 is lighting up the check engine light and the transaxle is not shifting out of 2nd gear, the next steps are:
- Check the continuity of circuit #7 between the Transmission Control Module (or PCM depending on how it's set up on your vehicle) and the solenoid pack's connector.
- Check the physical condition of the solenoid pack's electrical connector and the round metal terminals inside of it for damage.
The above steps are beyond the scope of this article, but at least now you know what direction your troubleshooting needs to take.
CASE 2: The multimeter DID NOT register the indicated Ohms. Double check that you're testing the correct metal male terminals on the solenoid pack and retest.
If you still don't see the indicated resistance in Ohms, then the Low Reverse Shift Solenoid is bad. You'll need to replace the solenoid pack assembly to resolve the problem.
Low Reverse Shift Solenoid Test Conclusion
The Chrysler solenoid pack is an item most Chrysler (Dodge or Plymouth) vehicles will need to get replaced sooner or later. Over the years, working as diagnostic tech in an automotive repair shop, I've replaced quite a few of them, so in this section, I want to share a couple of personal suggestions that I think will help you:
- Whenever any of the shift solenoids, inside the solenoid pack, go bad, the transmission will go into LIMP IN mode. This means the transaxle will stay and run in 2nd gear only.
- A bad Low Reverse Shift Solenoid will not cause your transmission to slip.
- If your vehicle's transaxle is slipping, then replacing the solenoid pack will not help since slippage is a direct result of internal transaxle damage (burned clutch discs, broken/worn internal hard parts, etc).
- Can a bad solenoid pack cause the transaxle to go bad?, the answer is YES if you don't take care of the problem as soon as possible and/or continue driving it for extended amounts of time/distance in LIMP IN mode.
I hope this test tutorial helped you.
Chrysler Transmission Solenoid Pack Tutorials
The following tutorials relate to this transmission solenoid pack tutorial:
- How To Test Diagnostic Trouble Code P0755 (2-4 Shift Solenoid Malfunction).
- How To Test Diagnostic Trouble Code P0760 (Overdrive Solenoid Malfunction).
- How To Test Diagnostic Trouble Code P0765 (Shift Solenoid D Malfunction).
If this info saved the day, buy me a beer!
