Mudshack Posted May 30, 2018 Report Share Posted May 30, 2018 My journey is a 2015 with 67,000mi and it is the 6cyl AWD. It shifts VERY rough between Park, Reverse, and Drive. When accelerating it never shifts up into 2nd. Can run probably 45mph and still in 1st. Dealership says it is the fuse box (Power Distribution Center). Dealership says it is corroded and needs to be replaced for $650. Says the part alone is over $400. 2 things......1) how does a fuse box control the gear the tranny is in. 2) I found the stock part for $120 online, is this a DIY fix??? what concerns me is I already don’t trust this dealership but went to them because I assumed it was warranty transmission issue. Are they playin me? I can find anywhere on the inter web where the Power Distribution Center was the cause for the transmission to not shift. And no one has made a YouTube video about this. Time me for a 2nd opinion? Limp to another dealership? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armando G Posted May 30, 2018 Report Share Posted May 30, 2018 Out of curiosity did you take a look at the PDC to see if you can simply clean/fix the corrosion? Maybe take a look at the Powertrain Control Modules fuse to see if you can replace it. If you can and it makes a difference then it would be a start. You will be looking for cavity F150 I believe. If you do see corrosion then maybe you will be able to clean it out. Transmissions have so many working parts that it is really hard to say why it could be doing that. There is an electronic factor in them and if the dealer gave you a starting point, then it could possibly be a DIY fix. I have not changed one on a DJ, but I did on a Ford vehicle. It was not because of a transmission issue, but because of an injector issue (if I remember correctly). My PDC was just ugly (corroded and musty). I started having numerous error codes and changed a few sensors with no success. Once I changed that unit, my issue was fixed (at least that one...that was my endless band-aid car). You may also want to take it to a reputable transmission shop to get diagnosed. I believe the powertrain is covered under warranty until 100K mile mark. Good luck. jkeaton and Mudshack 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudshack Posted May 30, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2018 Armando G, Thanks. When I go to pick up the DJ from the dealer, I will ask them to show me what they are talking about, and see if they will. I am assuming that they will not. I will bring it home, and look through it as you have suggested because prior to me taking it to the dealer, I just assumed it was a Transmission Warranty issue and took it straight to the dealership. I mean....its a Dodge....so transmission issues are just assumed to happen at some point. If I do not see anything obvious, I have identified another Dodge dealership that I will limp the DJ into later today. See if they come back with the same diagnosis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudshack Posted May 30, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2018 Update. I picked the DJ up from the dealership. They agreed to show me what was the issue. And all the service manager did was point and say it is all corroded underneath where you can't see it. See attached picture of what he pointed at. So, I am guessing this is the Power Distribution Center. I plan on figuring out how to disconnect it and look under it and clean any corrosion that may be under there. I have worked on most of my own cars over the past 25yrs. But these new cars baffle me. I can't even figure out where the battery is to disconnect it.......yet. Google/Youtube are my friend. BTW - the DJ shifted just fine on the way home. No issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkeaton Posted May 30, 2018 Report Share Posted May 30, 2018 Battery is in front of the driver side wheelwell. Check your owners manual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudshack Posted May 30, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2018 Update. I figured out how to remove the TIPM/Power Distribution Center from the vehicle. When I did, I verified that the dealership was right. The Powertrain Control Module was corroded. Turns out it was a light corrosion on the copper pegs. I used light vinegar and a toothbrush to get all the corrosion off. I cleaned off the exterior of the TIPM/PDC and then on the underside where all the narrow pegs come out of the unit there was light corrosion as well. I cleaned that up. Unfortunately I couldn't get inside the TIPM/PDC to see if there was corrosion internally (which I am sure there is). But all contacts are now cleaned. If the shifting issue comes back I will clean again. I will keep cleaning until I need to replace the TIPM/PDC. It is a $400 part that litterally plugs in. 5min fix. Enjoy the pics. I just hope that if anyone has this issue that they can use this thread as a reference. Shoot, I should probably make a Youtube video (my first) explaining it all. I only say this because in nearly 24hrs of searching, I found not one reference to this issue nor how to fix it. 2late4u and larryl 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armando G Posted May 31, 2018 Report Share Posted May 31, 2018 Glad that sort of worked out for you. Corrosion is a killer in these newer cars. You may also want to try and coat the connections with corrosion prevention gel stuff (don't remember the technical term). My daughter's Ford would not start (sounded like a bad starter...click, click, click), was quoted $250 at the dealer, to which I said hell no. Luckily the mechanic that inspected it told me it was just some corrosion under the battery ground that needed to be cleaned and scraped (thick paint at the connection point), which I did and coated with that gel stuff...had not had a problem since then. I told her we will monitor the connection at every oil change to make sure it's clean. Any older car, I would of diagnosed the starter and/or connections to it. That little bit of corrosion was screwing up a relay that wasn't letting the car start. Anyway, thanks for the update. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachelle Posted July 18, 2021 Report Share Posted July 18, 2021 So we are having this same issue with our 2011 Dodge Journey it is saying a code but even the transmission shop doesn’t know. So we are going to take it to the dodge dealer maybe they know but now we can check to see if it is the fuse. Where did you find the part we can’t find it anywhere to buy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2late4u Posted July 18, 2021 Report Share Posted July 18, 2021 On 5/30/2018 at 6:22 PM, Mudshack said: Update. I figured out how to remove the TIPM/Power Distribution Center from the vehicle. When I did, I verified that the dealership was right. The Powertrain Control Module was corroded. Turns out it was a light corrosion on the copper pegs. I used light vinegar and a toothbrush to get all the corrosion off. I cleaned off the exterior of the TIPM/PDC and then on the underside where all the narrow pegs come out of the unit there was light corrosion as well. I cleaned that up. Unfortunately I couldn't get inside the TIPM/PDC to see if there was corrosion internally (which I am sure there is). But all contacts are now cleaned. If the shifting issue comes back I will clean again. I will keep cleaning until I need to replace the TIPM/PDC. It is a $400 part that litterally plugs in. 5min fix. Enjoy the pics. I just hope that if anyone has this issue that they can use this thread as a reference. Shoot, I should probably make a Youtube video (my first) explaining it all. I only say this because in nearly 24hrs of searching, I found not one reference to this issue nor how to fix it. so did it work fine and no problems after the trip to the dealership or was it still not shifting right and then you cleaned the tpmi/pdc module and has it stayed working fine after that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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