Re: Grand Caravan auto-stick problems

 > Joe wrote:
 > I have a '99 Grand Caravan, 3.8L, auto-stick on the column.
 > 
 > Symptoms are as follows:
 > -If I shift into auto-stick mode at any speed, there is no
perceptible 
 > change anywhere--gear indicator stays on 'D', no change in gears,
etc (this 
 > could be normal, as it has never worked so I'm not sure how it
should behave 
 > when first engaged)
 > -Once in auto-stick mode, clicking the up or down switch causes no

 > perceptible change...gear indicator stays on 'D', the gears do not
change
 > -The overdrive button at the end of the shift lever also does not
work--it 
 > does not disable overdrive at any speed
 > 
 > My Chilton's guide has no auto-stick info at all, nor is it
included in the 
 > wiring diagrams, so I'm not sure where to start--can't find a fuse
or relay 
 > for auto-stick, and I don't know where the common failure points
are.
 > 
 > If anyone has any suggestions or info I'd be much obilged.

A common cause of the auto-stick malfunction is a broken wire running
from the steering wheel to the transmission select lever and then
going inside it to the autostick buttons. There are two wires; every
time you shift from park to drive, the wires are bent. Eventually they
break. You can check the wires and see if they are intact or not. If
they are broken, you can try to splice them back together or replace
them with new ones.

Another possible cause of the problem is a faulty transmission control
module (TCM) or a bad lever select pawl3. The TCM is the computer that
controls the transmission and the auto-stick function. The lever
select pawl is the part that engages the auto-stick mode when you move
the shift lever. You can test the TCM with a scan tool or a multimeter
and see if it sends the correct signals to the auto-stick buttons. You
can also inspect the lever select pawl and see if it is worn or
damaged.
 

This is a response to the post seen at:
http://www.jlaforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=8433522#8433522