1999 Plymouth Neon improper shifting

BOWSER91

MEMBER
1999 PLYMOUTH NEON
4 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
125,000 MILES

The first thing wrong with it is it idles to high and when I put it in drive from park it kicks in gear hard, CV axle. Also while driving down the highway around 55 or so it does not want to catch the next gear so when I'm going highway speeds its at like 3500\4000rpm. If I feather the gas up to highway speed it catches the next gear but if I'm in it, it does not. And it does not down shift properly either ill slow down to like 25 from 55 or so and give it gas again and it bogs because its in to high of a gear. I bought the car for a dollar so I'm not to worried about it but I need something to drive. Can I but a band-aid on it, would a filter/fluid change and some Lucas do the trick?

3 Replies

2 LINSEY

MECHANIC
287 POSTS

Hi bowser, thank you for the donation. As for the clunk when shifting it into gear, check for bad motor/transmission mounts. The high idle could be due to a dirty idle speed motor or carbon build up in the throttle body, also check for vacum leaks or tears in intake boot. As for the shifting I would definetly start with changing the transmission fluid and filter, and maybe some lucas as well. See what your neon does after that and let me know. Good luck