2002 Isuzu Trooper Stuck in 1st Gear

DANNYBOI2DAY

MEMBER
2002 ISUZU TROOPER

Transmission problem
2002 Isuzu Trooper Engine Size unknown Two Wheel Drive Automatic 73000 miles

I'm not too familiar with cars so I have come here to ask of help from people who know a lot more than me about cars.(I'm sure of it) Anyways, I got my 2002 Isuzu Trooper repo'd about a month ago and a day or two after I got it back from the Towing Lot I started having troubles with the Automatic Transmission shifting it would rev up really high then finally kick into gear and jerk the car. Well I figured it was about time for the transmission to get looked at as it is almost 80k miles on the vehicle. Well I didn't have the money to get it looked at then and about 3 weeks later(today) I can't get it to go over 20 MPH and I have to drive in Low Gear AKA 1st. It won't go any higher than that it won't shift it just revs up.

My question(s) are:

1) Could the towing be at fault? I've never had a problem with this vehicle at all for over 30k miles and I've heard if improperly towed it could damage the bearing inside the transmission.

2) What could be wrong? My transmission, the clutch, the towing?

3) Finally, how much would it cost to fix?

I know take it to a mechanic to check but I want to make sure I'll have the money to fix it and if it is even worth fixing. I owe about 3,500 left on the vehicle and my wife keeps pestering me to trade it in but I don't see why I should I've had no problems so far it has been a great vehicle. PS The vehicle has gone through some towing strains. Not often but I'm sure it was rough work for the car.

1 Reply

TSUCHIDA

MEMBER
17 POSTS

My trooper (80k miles, auto transmission) has pretty much the same issue. It started with the jerking while shifting and I figured out that was caused by a faulty "Transmission Range Mode Switch" which is used by the shifter to tell the transmission what gear it should be in (P, N, R, D, etc). I simply cleaned out the range mode switch and things were fine for a few months. Just the other day it started the same rev high/jerk into gear and then suddenly it won't go past 2nd gear. The engine revs just fine, but it's like the transmission isn't engaging at all. Like I'm in neutral, but the gear selector is solidly in D. The vehicle drives just fine in R and from a stop through 2nd gear but it's like the transmission is disengaged at any gear above 2nd.

I'm hopin the range mode switch is ruined somehow and that a new one from the dealer will fix it. I'll report back my findings in the hope it'll help other Isuzu Trooper owners.