Alright folks, my job here is to empower the masses with good information so they can fix their “heap” and avoid paying the “Stealership” Instructions are posted at the bottom of this write-up.

The automatic transmission in my wife’s 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee began shifting “funny” one day while in traffic. The next morning when she went to pull out of our driveway she thought the transmission felt like it was slipping. That night when she returned from work I took it for a test drive. I backed out the driveway in reverse with no problems. When I put it in drive and tried to accelerate, the RPM’s climbed up to about 2,500 and the vehicle was really slow to take off. I stopped and held the brake and pushed down on the accelerator a little (holding it in a set place) to check for a slipping condition. The vehicle held a steady RPM and did not climb so I determined that it wasn’t slipping. I tried to drive forward and again it took off real slow (like the brakes were stuck partially on) even though I was pushing the accelerator down quite a bit. I then knew that the transmission was starting off in third gear instead of first gear. After many hours of internet research and reasoning based on personal automatic transmission knowledge I determined that the GOVERNOR PRESSURE SENSOR was the cause of the problem. Good 42RE Transmission page: http://www.asashop.org/autoinc/july98/techtips.htm

A great site to find out the COMMON PROBLEMS with your Heap Grand Cherokee is: http://autos.msn.com/research/vip/de...and%20Cherokee
Open this page and click on the “more information” button for your year vehicle. When the new page displays your year vehicle click on the “reliability” button (about middle of the screen) and it will display all common problems with your model and year.

NEEDED ITEMS: A new governor pressure sensor, transmission oil filter, rubber gloves, at least 6 quarts of MOPAR ATF +4 transmission fluid (a little costly), a large (wide) oil drain pan, a bunch of rags, a good lint free cloth, electrical parts cleaner or denatured alcohol, a ratchet, ½” socket, 7/16” socket, torque wrench, Torks bits or Torx screwdrivers I don’t remember the size the Torx screws were (you can buy a whole cheap set at Walmart or auto parts store)

INSTUCTIONS: Safely Jack-up or raise vehicle so you can operate under it. Begin by removing the bolts from the front of the transmission oil pan. Then start removing the bolts on the sides of the pan working your way to the back. With the drain pan under the transmission begin loosening the bolts on the rear of the oil pan. Oil will start to flow out the front portion, (it’s a little messy and be careful if it’s still hot) once you have the pan drained pull it aside and clean it out with a rag. There is a doughnut shaped magnet in the corner of the pan, remove it and clean it too (DON’T FORGET TO PUT IT BACK). I use denatured alcohol or electrical parts cleaner to clean the pan because it leaves no residue. Finish off with YOUR lint free cloth, you don’t want to get any crap in the transmission, not even lint…
Print off a copy of the picture in this link http://autorepair.about.com/library/faqs/bl615f.htm
Now with the picture you can see where the sensor is located and what it looks like.
Unplug the wire from the Governor Solenoid and from the Governor sensor by prying lightly on the little plastic clip on the top of the connector while pulling out. Take your time and don’t break them.
Notice in the picture and in your transmission that the plate holding down the governor pressure solenoid and sensor is held on by only three 7/16 bolts and two Torx screws. This is TOO EASY! Remove the bolts and screws.

Place your hand under the SOLENOID so it doesn’t drop and evenly pull down on the holding plate. The solenoid and holding plate will fall in your hands. Now pull the PRESSURE SENSOR out.
Place clean transmission oil on the New pressure sensors rubber ring and insert it into the hole it came from. Clean the SOLENOID off with a lint free cloth and re-insert it. Lastly, place the holding cover over the solenoid and sensor so it holds them in place (it locks around the pressure sensor). Tork the bolts (three 7/16 bolts and Torx screws to 35 inch LBS.
Now remove the 2 Torx bolts holding the transmission oil filter and change it. Put the gasket and oil pan back on (mine had a re-useable rubber and metal gasket, nothing else was needed) put all bolts in finger tight and then Torque down the pan bolts in a CRISSCROSS fashion to avoid warping the pan. I torqued mine to 70 inch LBS.
I put in 4 quarts of oil, started it up with the parking brake on and moved the gear selector through all gears to get the oil movin. I then put it in neutral because mine says check oil with engine running with gear selector in neutral on the trans dipstick. Mine took 5 ¼ quarts total, and it didn’t read on the stick until after the 4th quart. Check for leaks and test drive….recheck oil level when hot and don’t overfill.