42RE valve body for 2002-Up, Sonnax-updated, dyno-tested and ready to install. Ships fast from the USA.
Most 42RE valve body listings are just a cleaned-up core with the same worn bores put back into service, which is why the shuttle shift or late 2-3 shift so often comes right back a few months later. This one is different: it's a 42RE valve body rebuilt with the Sonnax bore and plug updates that correct the specific wear points Chrysler's design is known for, then run on a dyno before it ships so the shift timing and pressures are verified rather than assumed.
The 42RE is the lighter-duty member of Chrysler's A500 4-speed overdrive family, paired with inline-six and smaller V8 engines rather than the heavy-duty trucks that got the 44RE. Its valve body routes pump pressure through a bank of spool valves to apply the underdrive, overdrive and reverse elements, while a governor pressure solenoid and sensor bolted to the body feed the controller the data it uses to time each shift electronically instead of relying on a mechanical governor. The failure point on high-mileage units is consistent: the aluminum bores that seat the 1-2 and 2-3 governor plugs wear oversize, pressure leaks past them, and the shift strategy starts guessing instead of commanding clean shifts.
Pull codes before you order. A stored governor pressure or governor sensor code with otherwise normal line pressure and clutch volume numbers points at the valve body's governor circuit, not the clutch packs. TransGo's notes on governor pressure solenoid contamination across the 42-48RE family describe this exact fault pattern, and this writeup on the P1757 governor pressure fault explains the pressure threshold the controller is watching for when it sets that code.
This valve body fits the 42RE as used in 2002-and-up Jeep Grand Cherokee WJ, Cherokee and Wrangler TJ inline-six applications and Dodge Dakota and Ram 1500 trucks with the lighter-duty engine options. If your truck runs the larger V8 or diesel engine options instead, you likely have the heavier-duty 44RE rather than the 42RE — check our 44RE valve body, 2002 listing if that's your application, or send your VIN and we'll confirm which one you actually have before you order either. A worn pump can produce similar low-pressure symptoms on these transmissions, so it's worth ruling out if the valve body swap doesn't fully resolve the shift complaint.
Drop the pan and replace the fluid and filter at the same time; ATF+4 is the only fluid this transmission is designed around. If the bands or clutch packs are also worn, a standalone valve body won't fix a shift complaint caused by mechanical wear underneath it — pair this with our A500 family master rebuild kit in that case, or the 44RE master rebuild kit if you've confirmed the heavier-duty unit instead. Torque the valve body bolts to spec in the correct sequence, and cycle through every gear a few times after the swap so the adaptive controller relearns against the updated part.
| Transmission | 42RE |
| Year Range | 2002-Up |
| Condition | Remanufactured / updated |
| Testing | Dyno-tested |
| Shipping | Ships from the USA |
Doing this repair right usually means replacing these at the same time. Same transmission, ships together.
A standard remanufactured unit is typically a cleaned-up core with the original bores. This one has the governor bore and plug updates applied to correct the known wear points, and every unit is run on a dyno and checked for correct shift points and pressures before it ships.
Jeep Grand Cherokee WJ, Cherokee and Wrangler TJ inline-six models and Dodge Dakota and Ram 1500 trucks with lighter-duty engine options. Larger V8 and diesel trucks generally ran the heavier-duty 44RE instead.
Both are built on Chrysler's A500 4-speed overdrive platform. The 42RE is the lighter-duty version paired with inline-six and smaller V8 engines; the 44RE is the heavy-duty version built for larger V8 and diesel trucks.
ATF+4 only.
1-2 shuttle shift, harsh or flared 2-3 shifts, converter clutch shudder at steady speed, and limp mode tied to a governor pressure or governor sensor code.
Yes, it carries a 1-year warranty.
