The Dodge Avenger is where a lot of people first met the 62TE without knowing it. ATRA's 62TE update material lists the JS platform, the Sebring, Sebring convertible and Avenger with the 3.5L V6, as the original applications when Chrysler launched the six-speed [4]. On the 2011-2014 cars the 62TE (sales code DG2) went behind the 3.6L Pentastar (ERB), and FCA bulletin 21-013-12 shows it behind some 2.4L four-cylinders (ED3 or EOG) too [1]. Other four-cylinder Avengers got a four-speed, so the first job on any Avenger is to confirm which transmission you are looking at.
Most Avengers are now high-mileage cars worth less than a used transmission, and that changes the conversation. Owners want to know if the fix is a flash, a solenoid or a full rebuild before spending money. Below is the order I check things in on a JS car, with each step tied to the FCA bulletin or trade source behind it. The numbers in brackets point to the Sources list at the bottom.
Know what makes the 62TE different
The 62TE is a 41TE four-speed with an underdrive compounder bolted on the back. The compounder has its own low clutch, direct clutch, overrunning clutch (sprag) and planetary set, and it runs in either direct or reduction mode [4]. That combination gives six forward ratios plus a "4th prime" ratio used on a 6-4 kickdown, so the unit never has to swap two clutches at once on that downshift [4].
The catch is the 2-3, 3-2 and 4-2 shifts, which are true double-swap shifts: two elements release while two others apply. ATRA puts the clutch-to-clutch handoff at 40 to 70 milliseconds. If the compounder shifts early relative to the main centerline, you get a shudder or harsh shift. If it shifts late, the driver feels a "double bump" [4]. Keep that in mind, because a lot of Avenger "shift problems" are just this timing being off, whether from software, worn clutches or bad adaptives.
The unit also has three speed sensors. The input speed sensor reads turbine speed, the transfer shaft speed sensor (the 41TE's old output sensor, moved and renamed) reads the front annulus and rear carrier, and the output speed sensor reads the compounder output carrier [4]. Those three readings tell you which half of the transmission is slipping.
Shift complaints on 2012-2013 cars: check the software first
FCA bulletin 21-013-12 (November 10, 2012) covers 2012-2013 JS Avenger and Chrysler 200 cars with the 3.6L, or the 2.4L with the 62TE, built before October 9, 2012 [1]. The repair is a PCM erase and reprogram that "improves how the shifts are controlled during upshifts (torque management)." FCA's diagnosis step is simple: if the customer has a shift quality complaint, do the flash [1].
Two details from the bulletin matter in a shop. A battery charger has to hold system voltage above 13.2 volts without going over 13.5 volts during the flash, and an interrupted flash must be restarted. After the flash, clear codes that may have set in other modules [1]. Do this before you touch a valve body. A harsh upshift on a car with old software tells you nothing about the hardware.
GEARS magazine makes the same point for the 62TE in general. Shifts during throttle changes and braking are the ones most likely to be harsh or flared, and you should check for software updates for the specific vehicle before you start replacing parts [5].
Stumble at a stop: P2764 and P0740
The classic Avenger converter clutch complaint is a stumble or near-stall rolling to a stop. The converter clutch is not releasing. GEARS gives the scan tool check: graph input speed against engine rpm. With the TCC commanded off, input speed should follow engine speed with normal converter slip. If it is locked to engine speed when it should not be, the clutch is applied when it should be released [5]. GEARS calls a mechanically faulty TCC solenoid a common cause, and notes it can be replaced without pulling the transmission [5].
ATRA's hotline data agrees. The most common code it reported on the 62TE was P2764, TCC stuck on, and the fix was to replace the TCC solenoid, part 5169313AA [4].
P0740 (TCC circuit/out of range) is where Avenger owners get into trouble. FCA's GPOP tech tip 9004206, which lists MY11-13 JS cars, says that if a 62TE is jerking or slipping with P0740 or P2764, check TCC solenoid operation first. If the solenoid is OK, those codes indicate a torque converter failure and the converter should be replaced [2]. Test the solenoid before you condemn the converter. It is a much cheaper part.
The cracked converter piston
There is a second converter problem that hits Avengers that already had a transmission replaced. FCA STAR case S2121000005 (released April 1, 2021) documents 62TE converters with an internal piston that can crack over time and scrape friction material off the front cover [3]. Symptoms are slipping and erratic shifts, with P0740 and sometimes P0868 (line pressure low) and P0944 (loss of hydraulic pump prime) [3]. FCA lists some Mopar remanufactured transmission and converter part numbers as suspect, and says remanufactured transmissions and converters built after August 2017 should not have the problem [3].
FCA's procedure is a decision tree. Look at the fluid for heat damage, drop the pan and check for friction material, then pull the filter and check it too. How much debris you find decides whether it is a converter-only repair or a full one [3]. If the pan and filter are clean and the fluid is not burned, the converter alone may be the fix. If the filter is loaded with friction material, the pump and the rest of the unit have been eating that debris, and a converter alone will come back.
1-2 slip, P0792 and P0735: the compounder
When an Avenger slips on the 1-2 or sets compounder codes, look at the underdrive compounder first. ATRA calls ring land wear on the compounder low clutch drum the most common 62TE failure. Its slides show lands worn to about .005 in. of clearance, and ATRA gives the original drum a 100 percent failure rate. An aftermarket drum with a steel insert is the fix [4]. Worn lands leak low clutch and direct clutch oil past the sealing rings, which shows up as P0792, P0735, a 1-2 slip, and no line rise when the PCM asks for more pressure [4]. ATRA also points to a worn snap ring groove in the direct clutch housing as a common problem [4].
GEARS adds P0732 to the list and says P0732 or P0735 means a high chance of compounder failure. Watch the countershaft (transfer) speed sensor data to confirm it [5]. Its repair advice is to take the compounder completely apart, even on a low-mileage unit, inspect every bearing, spline, ring land, drum and snap ring groove, and use the updated low clutch drum with locking rings. The complete Mopar compounder assembly is 05078815AD [5].
Specs from ATRA for the reassembly, measured with 30 psi of air through the compounder feed hole: direct clutch clearance .037 to .056 in., low clutch clearance .018 to .029 in. [4]. ATRA also warns about direct clutch piston delamination, where the bonded rubber seal splits. A lightly damaged piston can still pass an air check, so look at the bond line instead of relying on the air test [4].
Pump, bushing and dowel pins
This one is easy to miss on an Avenger that has had a transmission swapped. FCA's GPOP tech tip says the engine-to-transmission dowel pins are critical to the life of several components, and to make sure both are in the back of the block before installing a replacement transmission [2]. Without them, the transmission does not line up with the crankshaft, and you get flexplate cracks and pump bushing damage.
If you are in the pump anyway, ATRA's 62TE pump numbers are: face-to-gear clearance .0008 to .0018 in. (check it with Plastigage), outer gear to crescent .0023 to .0035 in., and inner gear to crescent .0036 to .0151 in. The pump gears have alignment dots that face up, and the side with the larger chamfer goes into the pocket first [4]. ATRA also calls the cooler bypass valve a high-risk part and recommends replacing it with a new valve on every repair [4]. A stuck bypass valve cuts cooler flow, and that cooks a unit no matter how well it was built.
Fluid level and the wrong pan
The 62TE takes ATF+4 only. FCA owner literature for the 62TE says the wrong fluid can hurt shift quality and cause converter shudder, warns against chemical flushes and does not allow additives, with leak-detection dye the only exception [6]. On six-speed applications the fill tube is capped with no owner dipstick, and the level is checked with a service dipstick [6].
The JS-specific catch is in the same GPOP tip. FCA says the dipstick can read wrong when you check 62TE fluid level after filling to the service spec, because the wrong valve body pan may be on the transmission, and the fix is pan 68145886 [2]. If an Avenger has had a used or rebuilt transmission and the level keeps reading wrong, check the pan part number before you add or drain fluid. Our 62TE fluid type and capacity guide covers the fill procedure.
No movement and harsh engagement after a rebuild
An Avenger that will not move goes through GEARS' 62TE list: a stripped or popped-out axle, broken pump gears, a restricted or leaking main filter (disconnect a cooler line to check flow), low fluid, or stripped converter-to-input-shaft splines. If those check out, look for stripped transfer gear splines or a check ball that has blown out of the case line port near the pan. Do not reuse that ball. Tap the hole for a 1/8 in. pipe plug and lock it with permanent thread locker [5].
A harsh engagement into Drive after a rebuild does not always go away with Quick Learn and test drives. GEARS' procedure is to warm the fluid to 90 F (32 C), drive to 10 mph in Drive and stop, then shift to Neutral for 3 seconds and back to Drive for 3 seconds. Repeat until the engagement smooths out, keeping the fluid near 90 F the whole time [5].
One builder mistake from ATRA: the seal between the solenoid block and the valve body has a slot that must face up. Installed upside down, it blocks the 2/4 clutch circuit, and you lose 3rd in limp mode, plus 4th and 6th [4].
The fix, by what you found
- Harsh upshifts on a 2012-2013 car with no codes: PCM flash per 21-013-12, then re-evaluate [1].
- Stumble at a stop, P2764: TCC solenoid, 5169313AA [4][5].
- P0740 with slipping: test the TCC solenoid. If it is good, the converter has failed [2]. On a car with a Mopar reman, work through STAR S2121000005 [3].
- P0792, P0735 or P0732 with a 1-2 slip: compounder overhaul with the updated low clutch drum and new pistons [4][5].
- Pump bushing or flexplate damage after a swap: confirm both dowel pins before the next transmission goes in [2].
- Fluid level reads wrong: check for the correct valve body pan, 68145886 [2].
Shop the part for this fix: 62TE master rebuild kit with pistons
When the teardown shows worn compounder ring lands or a delaminated direct clutch piston, this CoreTransmissionParts kit has the frictions, steels, pistons and filter for an Avenger 62TE overhaul in one box.
View the 62TE master rebuild kit at CoreTransmissionPartsLooking for something else? Browse rebuild kits at CoreTransmissionParts.
Need parts for this job?
Our 62TE parts page has master rebuild kits, TCC solenoids, solenoid block packs, valve bodies and ATF+4 service kits that fit the Avenger, all on our own checkout. The 62TE takes ATF+4 only. See the transmission fluid spec chart.
FAQ
Which Dodge Avengers have the 62TE six-speed?
The 62TE went into the JS platform from the start, first behind the 3.5L V6 in the Sebring and Avenger. On 2011-2014 Avengers it was used behind the 3.6L Pentastar (sales code ERB) and also behind some 2.4L four-cylinders (ED3 or EOG), as FCA bulletin 21-013-12 shows. The transmission sales code is DG2. Other four-cylinder cars got a four-speed, so check the build sheet or the transmission label before ordering parts.
Why does my Dodge Avenger shift hard?
On a 2012-2013 Avenger built before October 9, 2012, first confirm that the PCM has the software from FCA bulletin 21-013-12, which changes how torque is managed during upshifts. If it is up to date, check the fluid level hot, then look for pressure control or line pressure sensor faults. After any repair, the adaptives have to relearn, and Quick Learn alone does not always fix a harsh engagement into Drive.
What causes P0740 or P2764 on a Dodge Avenger?
Both codes point to the torque converter clutch circuit. FCA's GPOP tech tip for 2011-2013 JS cars says to check the TCC solenoid first, and if the solenoid works, the codes indicate a torque converter failure. ATRA lists P2764 (TCC stuck on) as a common 62TE hotline problem fixed with TCC solenoid 5169313AA.
What transmission fluid does a 62TE Avenger take?
ATF+4 only. FCA owner literature for the 62TE says to use only ATF+4, not to use chemical flushes and not to add additives. The level has to be read hot with the correct service dipstick, and FCA has warned that an incorrect valve body pan can make the dipstick reading wrong.
Related guides
Sources
- Chrysler Group LLC, Service Bulletin 21-013-12, "Transmission Shift Improvements," November 10, 2012, 2012-2013 JS Avenger/200. Backs the 3.6L (ERB) and 2.4L (ED3/EOG) with 62TE (DG2) coverage, the October 9, 2012 build cutoff, the upshift torque management flash, and the 13.2-13.5 V charger requirement. static.nhtsa.gov (PDF)
- FCA US LLC, GPOP tech tip 9004206, Remanufactured Transmission Assembly, May 20, 2020 (MY11-13 JS, RT, JC, VF). Backs the dowel pin check before installing a transmission, the P0740/P2764 TCC solenoid-then-converter diagnosis, and the incorrect valve body pan dipstick reading (pan 68145886). static.nhtsa.gov (PDF)
- FCA US LLC, STAR case S2121000005, "62TE 6-Speed Transmission Cracked Torque Converter (TC) Piston Repair Index," released April 1, 2021. Backs the cracked converter piston failure, P0740/P0868/P0944, suspect Mopar reman part numbers, the post-August 2017 note, and the fluid, pan and filter inspection steps. static.nhtsa.gov (PDF)
- Mike Souza, ATRA, "62TE Update" technical webinar (2014). Backs the JS Sebring/Avenger 3.5L launch application, compounder layout, 4th prime ratio, 40-70 ms double-swap timing, the three speed sensors, low clutch drum ring land wear and P0792/P0735, direct clutch piston delamination, clutch and pump clearances, the cooler bypass valve, P2764 with TCC solenoid 5169313AA, and the solenoid block seal orientation. atracom (PDF)
- Keith Clark, "Six-Speed Success: 62TE Things to Do to Deliver Them Right the First Time," GEARS magazine (ATRA), August/September 2022. Backs the software-first advice, the ISS-versus-rpm TCC check, P0732/P0735 compounder diagnosis and updated compounder 05078815AD, the no-movement list and case check ball repair, and the 90 F harsh engagement relearn. gearsmagazine.com
- FCA US LLC, 2019 Dodge Journey Owner's Manual (62TE six-speed). Backs ATF+4 only, the no-flush and no-additive cautions, and the capped six-speed fill tube checked with a service dipstick. vehicleinfo.mopar.com (PDF)