The Grand Caravan, and its twin the Town and Country, is the single biggest source of 62TE units that cross my bench. Dodge put the six-speed in the larger-engine RT vans from 2008, and from 2011 every 3.6L Pentastar Grand Caravan got it through the end of production in 2020. Some early RT vans with the smaller V6 kept a four-speed, so confirm what you have before you diagnose anything. FCA bulletins identify the six-speed by sales code DG2 [1], and ATRA shows the bar code label on the case that carries the transmission part number and build date [4].
A minivan is heavy, loaded and often towing, and almost none get a fluid check because there is no dipstick. This list is in the order I check things; numbers point to the Sources list.
Problem 1: low fluid nobody checked
This is the Grand Caravan problem, and FCA documented it themselves. Service bulletin 21-046-15 (July 16, 2015, also released as rapid response transmittal 15-075) covers 2015 Grand Caravans and Town and Countrys with the 62TE built June 19 through June 21, 2015. The complaint was harsh shifting under heavy acceleration in hot or cold weather. The cause was a low fluid level from the factory, and the repair was simply to check the level and top it up with ATF+4, Mopar part 05013457AA [1]. That shows how sensitive this unit is to being a little low.
The reason it goes unnoticed is in the owner's manual. The 2019 Grand Caravan manual says the level is preset at the factory, routine checks are not required, and so the fill tube is capped and no dipstick is provided. A dealer checks it with a special service dipstick [3]. So a van can seep from a cooler line or pan rail for years with nobody looking. The manual does warn that running with an improper fluid level can cause severe transmission damage [3], but most owners never read that page.
The check is not hard if you have the stick. ATRA's 62TE fluid bulletin says to park on level ground, read the transmission temperature on a scan tool, and set the level with Miller tool 9336 against the temperature chart. The marks on the gauge bar are 10 mm apart [5]. A cold reading tells you nothing on this unit. ATRA gives the service fill as 5.5 quarts (5.2 L), and 9.0 quarts (8.5 L) after an internal repair [5]. Treat those as starting points and finish on the stick at temperature.
Fluid type is fixed. The manual calls for ATF+4 meeting FCA Material Standard MS-9602 and warns that other fluids may affect the function or performance of the transmission [3]. It also says to change the fluid and filter any time the fluid gets contaminated or the unit is opened up, and to use the severe schedule if you regularly tow for more than 45 minutes at a time [3]. Our 62TE fluid type and capacity guide has the full procedure.
Problem 2: stuck in third, the limp-home complaint
When the TCM sees a condition that could damage the transmission, the Grand Caravan goes into Transmission Limp Home Mode. It stays in third gear no matter which forward gear is selected. Park, reverse and neutral still work, and the MIL may come on [3].
The manual's reset for a momentary fault is to stop, shift to park, turn the ignition off, wait about 10 seconds and restart [3]. A van that keeps dropping back to third has a real fault, and on a Grand Caravan the most common root cause I find is the fluid level from Problem 1. Low fluid lets the pump suck air on turns and stops, pressure drops, and the TCM sees a ratio or pressure switch problem. Read every stored code, check the level hot, and only then start on solenoids. Our 62TE limp mode guide walks through the code list.
Problem 3: slip or erratic shifts with P0740, P0868 or P0944
This one is less known. In April 2021 FCA released STAR case S2121000005, a repair index for 62TE units with a cracked internal torque converter piston. FCA says some vehicles were built with a converter whose internal piston could crack over time, and once it cracks it scrapes friction material off the front cover [2]. The symptoms are slipping and erratic shifts with one or more of these codes:
- P0740 - TCC out of range
- P0868 - line pressure low
- P0944 - loss of hydraulic pump prime
FCA says some Mopar reman transmissions (R8054698, R8067698, R8088606 and others) and converters (R8039259, R8070538) can have it too; reman units built after August 2017 should not [2]. That matters on a Grand Caravan, because a lot of these vans already had one warranty transmission. Check the records for one of those numbers.
The diagnostic path in the case is the right order for any 62TE with a slip [2]:
- Look at the fluid. If it shows thermal breakdown, the unit has more than a converter problem.
- Drop the pan and look for friction material on the pan and magnet.
- Pull the filter and look for clutch material in it.
- If the fluid is good and the pan and filter are clean, the repair with P0740 alone is the converter, fluid and filter. If P0868 or gear ratio codes are also present, inspect the clutch plates before you button it back up.
If the pan and filter are full of clutch material, the converter is no longer the whole story, and the unit needs to come out. For converter clutch shudder that is not this failure, see 62TE torque converter shudder.
Problem 4: a stumble or near-stall coming to a stop
The opposite complaint is a van that stumbles or nearly stalls as it rolls to a stop. GEARS gives the scan tool test: graph input speed sensor (ISS) against engine rpm during the complaint. With the TCC commanded off, ISS should fall away from engine speed. If it stays locked to engine rpm, the clutch is not releasing, and the usual cause is a mechanically faulty TCC solenoid, which can be replaced in the van [6]. ATRA reported P2764 (TCC stuck on) as a newer 62TE hotline failure and named the fix: TCC solenoid 5169313AA [4].
Problem 5: 1-2 slip, P0792, P0735 and P0732 - the compounder
When a 62TE slips hard on the 1-2 shift or sets ratio codes, look at the underdrive compounder. ATRA describes the 62TE as a 41TE with a compounder added on the transfer shaft, giving six speeds plus a "4th prime" ratio used on 6-4 kickdowns so the unit never has to do a double swap [4]. The compounder carries the low clutch, direct clutch, a sprag and a planetary.
ATRA calls ring land wear on the compounder low clutch drum the most common 62TE failure. It shows lands worn to roughly .005 in. of clearance and lists a 100 percent failure rate on the original drum, with aftermarket drums available with a steel insert [4]. The symptoms ATRA lists are P0792, P0735, no line rise and a 1-2 slip [4]. GEARS adds P0732 and says to watch the countershaft (transfer) speed sensor data to confirm it [6].
On a van that tows, this is the failure that ends most 62TEs. The 2019 Grand Caravan is rated to pull 3,600 lbs with two people aboard, dropping to 3,000 lbs with six or seven [3], and all of that goes through the low clutch circuit.
The fix is a compounder overhaul. GEARS says to take it all the way apart even on a low-mileage unit, check every bearing, spline, ring land, drum and snap ring groove, and use the updated low clutch drum with locking rings. Mopar sells the complete updated compounder as 05078815AD [6]. ATRA also flags direct clutch piston delamination, a split bonded seal that can still pass an air check, so look at the rubber, not just the air test [4]. ATRA's clearances, checked with 30 psi of air through the compounder feed hole, are .037 to .056 in. for the direct clutch and .018 to .029 in. for the low clutch [4].
Problem 6: no movement
A Grand Caravan that will not move in any range goes through the GEARS short list: low fluid, a restricted or leaking main filter, broken pump gears, stripped converter-to-input-shaft splines, stripped transfer gear splines, or an axle that is stripped or has popped out of the differential side gear [6]. Pull a cooler line to confirm flow and do a lift check before blaming the converter [6].
One bench item worth knowing: GEARS describes a check ball in a case line port near the pan that seals a mainline passage. If it blows out, do not reinstall it. Tap the hole to 1/8 in. pipe thread and install a pipe plug with permanent thread locker [6]. ATRA also calls the cooler bypass valve a high-risk area and recommends a new valve on every repair [4]. See 62TE no movement diagnosis for the full flowchart.
After the repair: harsh engagement
Any time you replace the valve body, solenoid pack or clutches, the TCM adapts are wrong for the new parts. GEARS' procedure for a harsh engagement into Drive after a rebuild is: monitor fluid temperature, warm it to 90 F (32 C), drive to 10 mph, stop, then hold neutral for 3 seconds and drive for 3 seconds, and repeat. The fluid has to stay near 90 F for the learn to continue [6]. ATRA adds one builder error: a solenoid block seal installed upside down blocks the 2/4 clutch circuit. The slot faces up [4].
The fix, by what you found
- Harsh shifts, no codes, any year: set the fluid level hot with tool 9336 and ATF+4 before anything else [1][5].
- Stuck in third: read all codes, check the level hot, then diagnose the circuit the code points to [3].
- P0740 with P0868 or P0944 and a slip: follow STAR case S2121000005: fluid, pan, filter, then converter or clutch work [2].
- Stumble at a stop or P2764: confirm with ISS vs. rpm, then replace the TCC solenoid [4][6].
- P0792, P0735 or P0732 with a 1-2 slip: compounder overhaul with the updated low clutch drum and new pistons [4][6].
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 puts the frictions, steels, pistons and filter for a Grand Caravan 62TE overhaul in one box.
View the 62TE master rebuild kit at CoreTransmissionPartsChasing solenoid codes instead? See the 62TE shift solenoid block pack, or browse rebuild kits at CoreTransmissionParts.
Need parts for this job?
Our 62TE parts page has master rebuild kits, solenoid block packs, TCC solenoids, valve bodies and ATF+4 service kits that fit the Grand Caravan and Town and Country, all on our own checkout. The 62TE takes ATF+4 only; see the transmission fluid spec chart.
FAQ
What transmission is in a Dodge Grand Caravan?
From 2011 through 2020, every 3.6L Pentastar Grand Caravan uses the 62TE six-speed automatic. Some 2008-2010 vans with the larger V6 engines also got the 62TE, while others kept a four-speed. FCA identifies the six-speed by sales code DG2, and the case label carries the transmission part number.
Why does my Grand Caravan shift hard when I accelerate?
Check the fluid level first. FCA bulletin 21-046-15 traced harsh shifts under heavy acceleration on 2015 Grand Caravans to a low fluid level, and the fix was a top-off with ATF+4. The level has to be read hot with service dipstick tool 9336 because the van has no dipstick.
How much transmission fluid does a Grand Caravan 62TE take?
ATRA lists a 5.5 quart (5.2 L) service fill and 9.0 quarts (8.5 L) after an internal repair. Use ATF+4 only, and set the final level with tool 9336 at the temperature shown on the scan tool rather than pouring in a fixed amount.
Why is my Grand Caravan stuck in third gear?
Third gear is the 62TE's Limp Home Mode. The TCM holds third in every forward range when it detects a condition that could damage the transmission. The owner's manual reset is to stop, shift to park, turn the ignition off for about 10 seconds and restart, but if it returns, read the stored codes and check the fluid level hot.
What causes P0740 and slipping on a Grand Caravan?
FCA STAR case S2121000005 covers 62TE torque converters with an internal piston that can crack and scrape friction material, causing slipping, erratic shifts and P0740, P0868 or P0944. Inspect the fluid, pan and filter first. Clean fluid points to the converter; clutch material in the filter means the unit needs to come apart.
Related guides
Sources
- FCA US LLC, Service Bulletin 21-046-15, "Low Transmission Fluid Level," July 16, 2015 (also RRT 15-075), 2015 Dodge Grand Caravan / Chrysler Town and Country (RT) with the 62TE (sales code DG2) built June 19-21, 2015. Backs the harsh-shift-under-acceleration symptom, the low-fluid cause, the check-and-fill repair and ATF+4 part 05013457AA. static.nhtsa.gov (PDF)
- FCA US LLC, STAR Case S2121000005, "62TE 6-Speed Transmission Cracked Torque Converter (TC) Piston Repair Index," April 1, 2021. Backs the cracked piston mechanism, codes P0740/P0868/P0944, the suspect reman transmission and converter part numbers, the August 2017 cutoff and the fluid/pan/filter diagnostic order. static.nhtsa.gov (PDF)
- FCA US LLC, 2019 Dodge Grand Caravan Owner's Manual. Backs the capped fill tube with no dipstick, ATF+4 to MS-9602, the contaminated-fluid change rule, the 45-minute towing service rule, third-gear Limp Home Mode and its reset, and the 3,600/3,450/3,000 lb trailer ratings. vehicleinfo.mopar.com (PDF)
- ATRA, "62TE Update" technical webinar (Mike Souza, 2014). Backs the 41TE-plus-compounder design and 4th prime ratio, the ID label, low clutch drum ring land wear and P0792/P0735, direct clutch piston delamination, the clutch clearances, cooler bypass valve, P2764 with TCC solenoid 5169313AA, and the solenoid block seal builder error. atracom (PDF)
- ATRA Technical Bulletin, Chrysler 62TE lubrication and fluid level check (2008). Backs the ATF+4 requirement, the 5.5 qt service fill and 9.0 qt fill after internal repair, and the level check with Miller tool 9336 at a scan-tool-verified temperature. atracom (PDF)
- Keith Clark, "Six-Speed Success: 62TE Things to Do to Deliver Them Right the First Time," GEARS magazine (ATRA), Aug/Sept 2022. Backs the ISS-versus-rpm TCC test, P0732 and the countershaft speed check, updated compounder 05078815AD, the no-movement cause list and check ball pipe plug repair, and the 90 F harsh-engagement relearn. gearsmagazine.com