1997 Dodge Dakota Overdrive light comes on during normal dr

RICHMC7

MEMBER
1997 DODGE DAKOTA
V8
4WD
AUTOMATIC
150,000 MILES

The overdrive light comes on intermittently during normal driving. I'm not passing or going up hills. The transmission drops a gear. Is this a computer problem or the overdrive switch?

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009 AT 10:47 PM

6 Replies

2CARPRO JACK

MECHANIC
11,533 POSTS

Need to scan the PCM to find out. It could be either, but the PCM should have seen a failure and stored a code

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Friday, October 6th, 2017 AT 5:37 PM

RICHMC7

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4 POSTS

I should have mentioned in my original post that I hooked up my reader to the PCM and there were no codes. Would the codes thrown by these problems reset after a restart?

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Friday, October 6th, 2017 AT 5:38 PM

2CARPRO JACK

MECHANIC
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Not necessarily. This may require a scan tool with the ability to watch the trans commands from the PCM to see what is going on. Does the speedo or anything else change when the light goes out? Besides it downshifting. Is it downshifting out of OD or if you are in 3rd will it drop to 2nd?

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Friday, October 6th, 2017 AT 5:38 PM

RICHMC7

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4 POSTS

I believe it has downshifted from 3rd to 2nd a few times because sometimes the rpms really jump. Not always, though.

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Friday, October 6th, 2017 AT 5:38 PM

2CARPRO JACK

MECHANIC
11,533 POSTS

If it is downshifting from 3rd to 2nd the problem is most likely bigger than just anOD switch. OD usually wont afffect the way the trans works 1st thru 3rd. It may need further diagosing witha scan tool like I mentioned before or at least a trans shop with a break-out- box to make the trans shift so as to see what may be failing