A Town and Country that "slips" can mean five different things, and only a couple of them need a full overhaul. These vans are the RT-platform minivans built through the 2016 model year, and from 2011 on every one of them with the 3.6L Pentastar carries the 62TE six-speed (FCA sales code DG2). Earlier 2008-2010 vans can have a four-speed or the 62TE depending on the engine, so read the bar code label on the case before you go further. ATRA shows where that label sits [3]. What makes the Chrysler-badged van a little different from the Grand Caravan on my bench is history. By the time a Town and Country shows up slipping, it often has a reman unit or a replacement converter in it already, and that changes where I look first.
This guide follows the order I work a slip complaint on these vans: confirm it is a real slip, set the fluid correctly, pin the slip to a gear, then match that gear to the clutch, valve or converter problem that causes it. Numbers in brackets point to the Sources list at the bottom.
Prove it is a slip, not a shift strategy
A slip is input speed falling away from what the gear ratio says it should be while the engine flares. Everything else the driver calls slipping is something else: a late shift, a converter that never locks, or limp mode holding one gear. Put a scan tool on it and record a drive, then watch these together:
- Engine rpm against input speed. If engine rpm rises but input speed tracks it, the converter clutch is released or slipping, not a clutch in the box. If input speed jumps above where it should sit for the commanded gear, a clutch in the unit is losing its grip.
- Input and output speed against commanded gear. Divide input by output and compare it against the ratio for that gear in the service information. A ratio that drifts during a steady pull is a holding problem.
- Transmission temperature. You need it for the fluid check anyway, and a slip that only shows hot points at worn seals and ring lands rather than a hard fault.
The 62TE reads more speed sensors than the 41TE it grew out of, including an output speed sensor at the rear of the case that is unique to the six-speed [3]. That is what lets the TCM set the compounder and ratio codes you will use below.
Step one: set the fluid level the way Chrysler intended
There is no dipstick on these vans, and that is why so many arrive low. FCA has already shown how little it takes. Service bulletin 21-046-15 covered 2015 Grand Caravan and Town and Country vans with the 62TE built June 19-21, 2015 that left the plant short of fluid and shifted harshly under heavy acceleration. The repair was simply to inspect and correct the level [2]. A ten-year-old van seeping at a cooler line is worse off than that.
ATRA's 62TE bulletin gives the procedure: van on level ground, read transmission temperature on the scan tool, then set the level with Miller tool 9336 (the wire stick) against the temperature chart. The marks on the gauge are 10 mm apart. A service fill is about 5.5 qt (5.2 L) and a fill after internal repair is about 9.0 qt (8.5 L), and the unit takes fluid that meets the ATF+4 requirement [4]. Treat those as starting points and finish on the stick at temperature. If the fluid is burnt or the pan has friction material in it, note that now, because it decides which repair path you are on later.
Step two: know which clutch holds in which gear
You cannot pin a slip to a part until you know what is applied. ATRA describes the 62TE as a 41TE with an underdrive compounder added to split the transfer drive, which is why it has seven forward ratios counting fourth prime [3]. Three facts from the element chart do most of the work on a slip diagnosis:
- Reverse needs three elements: the reverse clutch, the low/reverse clutch and the low clutch in the compounder [5]. Most techs only think about the first one.
- The compounder sprag holds in first, third and fourth, which is what smooths the 1-2, 2-1, 4-5 and 5-4 shifts [3].
- The low clutch is applied in first only until the output speed sensor sees about 150 rpm. After that it releases and the one-way clutch carries the load [5].
Slip or no-move in reverse only, forward gears fine
This is the classic Town and Country "it drives fine but barely backs out of the driveway" complaint. Transmission Digest describes the trap: the chart points at the reverse clutch, the shop pulls the main box, the reverse clutch looks perfect, the fluid looks great, and the unit goes back together with the same problem. The real cause is the low clutch on the underdrive centerline shaft. Because the sprag carries first, third and fourth, the van drives forward without that clutch, but reverse cannot work unless it holds [5].
The most common reason it will not hold is the roughly 0.020 in. air-bleed capsule blowing out of the low clutch drum. If it was not staked properly it walks out of its bore and leaves a leak big enough to stop the clutch from applying or to burn it. An undamaged capsule can be reused if you stake it back in. A damaged one has to be made, because it is not sold separately [5].
The hydraulic side can do the same thing. Sonnax lists the low/reverse switch valve among the critical wear areas in the 62TE valve body, and flags the clutch pressure tap checkballs on the back of the valve body for drive slip, reverse slip, gear ratio errors and limp mode [6]. Sonnax's guidance is simple: a low vacuum reading at the test location means wear [6]. If the low clutch drum checks good on the bench, the valve body is next.
Flare or neutral on the 1-2 shift
The 1-2 is the compounder changing modes, so a 1-2 flare on a Town and Country is usually the low clutch drum again, this time the ring tower. The direct clutch sealing rings ride on that drum and wear their grooves wider. When they do, the van flares or drops to neutral on the 1-2 instead of shifting [5]. ATRA calls ring land wear on the compounder low clutch drum the most common 62TE failure. Their photos show lands worn to about .005 in. of clearance, they rate the original drum's failure rate at 100 percent, and they tie it to P0792 and P0735, no line rise and a 1-2 slip [3]. Aftermarket drums with a steel insert are available [3].
Transmission Digest notes that a new drum from the dealer comes fully loaded for about $360, and that good used drums are hard to find because so many fail the same way [5]. Do not throw old drums away. The screened orifice from a drum with a bad ring tower can save a drum with a good tower and a missing capsule [5].
Drops to neutral right after launch
A van that pulls from a stop and then goes to neutral almost immediately is not a 1-2 flare. Remember the 150 rpm handoff: the low clutch releases at about 150 rpm output speed and the one-way clutch takes over. If the one-way clutch cannot hold, the van dumps to neutral at that point, much earlier than a real 1-2 shift would happen [5]. On the scan data you see output speed barely moving when it lets go.
The one-way clutch can also be built in wrong. ATRA's teardown notes say the inner race has offset splines, the outer race ID groove faces down when it is installed correctly, and the outer race should rotate counterclockwise when everything is together [3]. Check that before you blame the part.
Slips in every gear right after a valve body job
If a Town and Country slipped badly in all gears and engaged late right after someone had the valve body off, check the gaskets before anything else. Transmission Digest reports technicians installing the 62TE valve body gaskets backwards. Line pressure reads good in park and neutral but low in drive and reverse, and the unit slips in every gear [5]. A line pressure check with a gauge catches this in minutes.
Two other valve body areas in the Sonnax map matter for slip complaints. The blocker valve is tied to wrong-gear starts, gear ratio errors and slip on take off, and the solenoid switch valve is tied to burned 4th and overdrive clutches, bind-up and failsafe [6].
Slip or erratic shifts with P0740, P0868 or P0944
This is the one that matters most on Town and Countrys that already have a replacement unit in them. FCA STAR case S2121000005 (April 1, 2021) documents 62TE torque converters whose internal piston can crack over time. A cracked piston scrapes friction material off the front cover and causes slipping, erratic shifting and one or more of P0740 (TCC out of range), P0868 (line pressure low) and P0944 (loss of hydraulic pump prime) [1]. The case says certain Mopar replacement transmissions and torque converters can have the same problem, lists suspect part numbers, and says remanufactured transmissions and converters built after August 2017 should not [1]. Pull the repair history and look for a reman part number before you diagnose anything else.
The STAR case lays out three repair paths, and the evidence in the pan decides which one you are on [1]:
- P0740 only, fluid not burnt, no friction material in the pan, filter or magnet: replace the converter, fluid and filter.
- P0740 and/or P0868, possibly with ratio codes, no P0944, and the fluid and pan still clean: replace the converter, cooler, fluid, filter and valve body, and flush or replace the lines.
- P0944 with the others, burnt fluid, or significant friction material: this is an overhaul.
The second path is the expensive surprise. Debris from the converter gets into the valve body and cooler, so a new converter on its own does not fix it.
On the bench: clearances that stop a comeback
When the unit has to come apart, these are the checks I do not skip on a 62TE out of a Town and Country, all from ATRA's 62TE update [3]:
| Check | Spec / note |
|---|---|
| Direct clutch clearance | 0.037-0.056 in., measured with the hub removed, using 30 psi air through the compounder feed hole |
| Low clutch clearance | 0.018-0.029 in., same air-check method |
| Low clutch drum ring lands | Replace if worn. About .005 in. of ring clearance is badly worn |
| Direct clutch piston | Delamination (split rubber seal) is common, and a lightly damaged piston can still air check well. Inspect it by eye |
| Cooler bypass valve | High risk area. Replace with a new valve on any repair |
| Underdrive one-way clutch | Outer race ID groove down. Outer race turns counterclockwise when assembled |
Note the direct clutch piston line. A piston that passes an air check is not automatically good, and a delaminated seal is exactly the kind of slow leak that comes back as a hot-only slip.
The repair, by what you found
- Low or wrong fluid, clutches healthy: fix the leak, refill with ATF+4 and set the level hot with tool 9336 [2][4].
- Reverse-only slip: low clutch drum air-bleed capsule, then the low/reverse switch valve and pressure tap checkballs [5][6].
- 1-2 flare with P0792/P0735: compounder overhaul with an updated low clutch drum, new rings and new pistons [3].
- Neutral right after launch: underdrive one-way clutch, and check its orientation [3][5].
- Slips everywhere after valve body work: valve body gasket placement, confirmed with a line pressure check [5].
- Slip with P0740, P0868 or P0944: follow the STAR case table: converter, then converter plus cooler and valve body, then overhaul [1].
Shop the part for this fix: 62TE master rebuild kit with pistons
When the teardown shows burnt low clutch plates, worn compounder rings or a delaminated direct clutch piston, this CoreTransmissionParts kit puts the frictions, steels, pistons and filter for a Town and Country 62TE overhaul in one box.
View the 62TE master rebuild kit at CoreTransmissionPartsNeed something else for the job? Browse rebuild kits at CoreTransmissionParts.
Need parts for this job?
Our 62TE parts page has master rebuild kits, clutch drums, remanufactured valve bodies, solenoid packs and ATF+4 service kits for the Town and Country, all on our own checkout. The 62TE takes ATF+4 only; check the transmission fluid spec chart before you buy fluid.
FAQ
Why does my Town and Country slip in reverse but drive fine forward?
Reverse on the 62TE needs the reverse clutch, the low/reverse clutch and the low clutch in the compounder all holding. The forward gears can run on the sprag without the low clutch, so a low clutch that will not apply only shows up in reverse. The usual cause is the roughly 0.020 in. air-bleed capsule working out of the low clutch drum.
What causes a 1-2 flare on a Town and Country 62TE?
The 1-2 shift is the underdrive compounder changing modes. Wear in the direct clutch sealing ring grooves on the compounder low clutch drum lets the shift flare or drop to neutral, and it usually sets P0792 or P0735. The fix is a compounder overhaul with an updated drum.
Can a bad torque converter make a 62TE slip?
Yes. FCA STAR case S2121000005 documents converters with an internal piston that can crack and scrape friction material off the front cover, causing slipping, erratic shifts and P0740, P0868 or P0944. Some Mopar replacement transmissions and converters are affected, while those built after August 2017 should not be.
How do I check the fluid on a Town and Country with no dipstick?
Park on level ground, read transmission temperature on a scan tool, and set the level with Miller tool 9336 against the temperature chart. The fill tube is capped, so the level has to be set hot. Use ATF+4 only. A service takes about 5.5 qt and a refill after internal repair about 9.0 qt.
Related guides
Sources
- 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 mechanism, the slip and erratic shift complaint with P0740, P0868 and P0944, the suspect Mopar replacement parts and the August 2017 build cutoff, and the three-path repair table. static.nhtsa.gov (PDF)
- FCA US LLC, Service Bulletin 21-046-15, "Low Transmission Fluid Level," July 16, 2015, 2015 Grand Caravan and Town and Country with the 62TE built June 19-21, 2015. Backs the harsh shift from an under-filled unit and the inspect-and-correct fluid level repair. static.nhtsa.gov (PDF)
- ATRA, "62TE Update" technical webinar, 2014. Backs the 41TE-plus-compounder design and fourth prime, the case bar code label, the rear-mounted OSS, sprag holding in first, third and fourth, low clutch drum ring land wear with P0792/P0735, the direct and low clutch clearances, direct clutch piston delamination, the cooler bypass valve and one-way clutch orientation. atracom.blob.core.windows.net (PDF)
- ATRA, Chrysler 62TE technical bulletin (pages 123-124), 2008. Backs the ATF+4 requirement, the 5.5 qt service and 9.0 qt overhaul fills, and the hot level check with Miller tool 9336 and its 10 mm marks. atracom.blob.core.windows.net (PDF)
- Transmission Digest, "62TE: No Reverse." Backs the reverse/low-reverse/low clutch requirement for reverse, the 0.020 in. low clutch drum air-bleed capsule, the ring tower wear behind a 1-2 flare, the 150 rpm low clutch to one-way clutch handoff, the roughly $360 dealer drum and the backwards valve body gasket line pressure symptom. transmissiondigest.com
- Sonnax, "Chrysler 62TE Critical Wear Areas and Vacuum Test Locations" (Chry62TEVacTestGuide, 2021). Backs the low/reverse switch valve, clutch pressure tap checkball, blocker valve and solenoid switch valve wear symptoms and the low-vacuum-means-wear rule. sonnax.com tech resource (PDF)