What the car is actually doing is, it drives just fine up through the gears until I am decelerating from the highway or from a 50 mph coast, as coming to a reduced speed zone or traffic light to stop altogether. At the lowest gears it's like it slips for a second then kinda forces itself down into low (idle rpms at that point) as I stop at a red light. So then what happens from that point is, I'll just have to turn the car off and then turn it back on in order for the trans communications to reset and let me go up through the gears again...until the cycle starts all over, and it's back to slamming into lower gears and having to turn the car off and back on at a complete stop. If I do *not* turn the car off and turn it back on, the car will not up-shift from low, and will take itself up to 3000+rpms if I let it (not a wise behavior!), it just *refuses* to up-shift!
I have a Haynes auto repair manual for my generation of Chrysler/dodge model(s) but it says nothing detailed that can help me with this predicament.So, after online research I was lead to buy a shift control module. But before I dug into swapping those out, something still didn't add up. (I recently replaced my alternator) So I cleared all the codes from my car's computer and went on a drive- this time with the scanner hooked up the whole time I was driving. The car's engine light came back on and the problem persisted. This time that 1776 code came up. Scanner said a solenoid was stuck in L/R...L/R solenoid stuck -or that's how I translated it.
So now I'm feeling very distraught. I think I may have to drop the valve body altogether to get to the solenoids, or do I? Which one is it? *Where* is it?.. I can't find good videos or schematics on this car's valve body and solenoids. You see, I've never taken a valve body out, I have no experience there. I've done things to my cars throughout my life, usually routine maintenance stuff. I've never yet opened my engine, rebuilt one, dealt with the heavy matters on my own..
My car has been in the garage up on my jack stands for a few days now. (I had to stop tending to it due to studying for an upcoming exam at school). I feel that testing the solenoids for their power outputs and resistances would be wise before I start pulling stuff off and apart, but can I even get to the solenoids to check them without dropping the valve body on this particular car? I need help... I've lost a lot of time already with this; I really need my car up and running.
I may have left out details needed for additional clarity. If so, please ask and I'll try to give more detail in hopes of figuring this out. You probably already knew the root cause(s) within the very first paragraph. You seem so greatly knowledgeable and I need your knowledge, experience, and insight; I am very much stuck at this point, Mr. Kilmer. Any help you can offer me is greatly greatly appreciated! Thank you for your time!