2003 Caravan 3.3L Transmission Fluid Problem

[darylcesal]

Ok Here we go. I changed my tranny fluid yesterday and installed ATF-3 instead of ATF 4. Yes I know it was a bad screw up. I went to O'Rielly's, asked what I needed and the clerk gave me ATF-3. I never thought anything of it. Well of course now my van has the infamous "bump" when it is downshifting from OD to third. Other than that it is running fine. I'm guessing that it is a tranny fluid problem but from researching this subject further it sounds like the transmission needs to be reprogrammed? I plan on taking it to the dealer tomorrow and just giving it to them to work. The thing that sucks is that, here I am trying to perform some preventative maintenance and now it looks like I shot myself in the foot.

Also, to drain the fluid I heard that there's a technique where you remove one of the lines from the cooler and put into drive to remove the fluid from the converter. Hopefuly either you or the dealer can help me out on this one.

Thanks for the help.

[mloaks]

I'd forget the draining trick with the cooler, and just get a dealer flush and fill.
Nexttime, just look up the fluid type in the manual, and use it.

[darylcesal]

I had the fluid flushed and changed at Dodge and now the van is good to go. Thank God knowing transmission prices nowadays.