Intrepid will not go forward in Drive?

I have a 1996 Dodge intrepid 3. Something engine, and around 150,000 miles on it. The Check Engine light has been on since the day I bought it. I was told that the switch was bad and did not have the $600 to replace it. My husband recently took out the bulb for the light and I loaned the car to a friend. She reports to me that the car starts up fine, engine sounds good, drives in reverse great, but can't go anywhere in drive, to her it sounds like its stuck in 3rd gear and just dies. Anyone know of what the problem can be. Thank you so much for any help I can get.
Pam