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Stellantis North · 1988–present

Ultradrive

The Ultradrive is an automatic transmission manufactured by Chrysler beginning in the 1989 model year. Initially produced in a single four-speed variant paired with the Mitsubishi (6G72) 3.0-liter engine in vehicles with transverse engines, application was expanded to the Chrysler 3.3- and 3.8-liter V6 engines in 1990 model year Dodge Caravan/Grand Caravan, Plymouth Voyager/Grand Voyager, Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Dynasty and Chrysler New Yorker. A six-speed variant (62TE) was introduced in the 2007 model year and remains in production for several models as of 2019. The Ultradrive and succeeding transmissions are produced at the Kokomo Transmission plant in Kokomo, Indiana, which also manufactures other Chrysler automatic transmissions. As of 2020, Dodge Journeys equipped with four-cylinder engines are the only applications of the four-speed Ultradrive (40TES) remaining in production. The Ram Promaster will be the only vehicle to use an Ultradrive transmission after 2020.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Predecessor: TorqueFlite

All Stellantis North Ultradrive data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years →

History

The Ultradrive was a significant technological advancement in transmission operation, one of the first electronically controlled automatics. It pioneered many now-common features such as adaptive shifting, wherein the electronic control unit optimizes shifting based on the driving style of the operator. It earned a reputation for being unreliable. While the Ultradrive transmission had numerous issues, reportedly due to being rushed into production, a common problem was not necessarily caused by a design flaw, but by poor labelling: both owner's manuals and transmission fluid dipsticks advocated the use of Dexron transmission fluid in the event the required fluid was not available. The transmissions were designed to use a special fluid (Type 7176, also known as ATF+3, now superseded by ATF+4) and many owners reported failures from the use of Dexron, as well as temporary issues which were resolved when the proper fluid was added. There may also have been mistaken impressions of failure due to the "limp home" feature. When the computer sensed a problem, such as a sensor giving an inappropriate reading, a code would be stored in the car's computer and the transmission would default to second gear only, under transmission computer control, so that owners could still drive to a service location for diagnosis or repairs. This may have caused perceptions of failure and premature replacement. A major drawback to the "second-gear-only limp mode" was, if second gear was the defective gear, the vehicle would not go forward. The torque converter measured 9.5 in (24 cm) in diameter and was mounted to the flywheel by a flexible drive plate. The transaxle was cooled through an oil-to-water heat exchanger in the collector tank on the radiator, and/or a standard oil-to-air heat exchanger

"Autostick" option

In some applications, the driver could select a certain gear with an extra position on the stick. Marketed as "Autostick," activation required the driver to press a safety button on the selector stick, whereby and the selector could be moved to the "manual" position—where side-to-side movements towards the + and - icons (or pressing the + and - buttons on column-mounted selectors) made it possible to manually engage the transmission sequentially through all four forward speeds. The computer could override the gear selector to limit maximum engine RPM or prevent selection of a gear too low for vehicle speed. The option was advantageous in certain driving conditions, e.g., slippery roads or mountain driving.

Technical information

There are currently four different types of units. Chrysler switched to a new coded naming convention in the 1990s. This new standard starts with two numbers, the number of gears (4–6) and the torque rating (0–9) plus two or three letters describing the unit. TE: Transverse electronic LE: Longitudinal electronic AE: Transverse electronic all-wheel-drive Differences in bell housing and bolt pattern can be seen between years and platforms (e.g. 2013 Grand Caravan RT platform 62TE is not bolt compatible with a 2013 ProMaster VF platform 62TE).

A604/41TE

The 41TE is a four-speed transmission originally fitted on 1989 Dodge/Plymouth vehicles with the 3.0 L 6G72 V6. Applications include (but are not limited to) the Dodge Caravan/Grand Caravan, Plymouth Voyager/Grand Voyager, Dodge Shadow, Chrysler LeBaron and Chrysler Sebring (1995–1997). Applications: 1989–1993 Chrysler New Yorker 1989–1995 Chrysler LeBaron 1989–2010 Dodge Caravan 1989–1993 Dodge Daytona IROC 1992–1993 Chrysler Daytona IROC (EU) 1989–1993 Dodge Dynasty 1989–1994 Dodge Shadow 1989–1994 Chrysler Saratoga (EU) 1989–1994 Plymouth Sundance 1989–1994 Dodge Spirit 1989–1994 Plymouth Acclaim 1989–2000 Plymouth Voyager 1990–1993 Chrysler Imperial 1990–1993 Chrysler New Yorker Fifth Avenue 1990–2010 Chrysler Town and Country 1992–1994 Plymouth Duster 1995–2000 Chrysler Cirrus 1995–2006 Chrysler Sebring 1995–2006 Chrysler Stratus (EU) 1995–2000 Dodge Avenger 1995–2006 Dodge Stratus 1995–2006 Chrysler Sebring (EU) 1996–2000 Plymouth Breeze 2000–2003 Chrysler Voyager (US) 1989–2007 Chrysler Voyager (intl.) 2001–2010 Chrysler PT Cruiser 2002–2003 Dodge Neon 2004–2008 Chrysler Pacifica 1995–1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse non-turbo 2008–2010 Volga Siber 41AE. The 41AE is a variant of the 41TE that was originally used for the all-wheel drive variants of the minivans, and was also used for the Chrysler Pacifica from its 2004-model-year introduction until the model was discontinued in 2008. Applications: 1991–2004 Chrysler Town and Country 1991–2004 Chrysler Voyager (intl.) 1991–2004 Dodge Caravan 1991–2000 Plymouth Voyager 2004–2008 Chrysler Pacifica 40TE. Since 2003 (2004 model year), the 41TE was replaced by a similar but cheaper and lighter 40TE transmissions in cars equipped with inline-four-cylinder, or naturally aspirated engines. Applications: 2003–2010 Chrysler PT Cru

A606/42LE

The 42LE was an upgraded version of the 41TE modified for longitudinal engines. It debuted in 1993 on the LH cars. It is strengthened with a reworked final drive unit, barreled axle shafts, and upgraded clutch packs. The major modification to a longitudinal drivetrain while maintaining front wheel drive was accomplished by adding a differential to the transmission case, which was driven by means of a transfer chain from the output shaft of the low/reverse clutch assembly at the rear of the transmission case. Applications: 42LE 1999–2004 Chrysler 300M 1993–2004 Chrysler Concorde 1994–2001 Chrysler LHS 2001–2002 Chrysler Prowler 1994–1996 Chrysler New Yorker 1993–2004 Dodge Intrepid 1993–1997 Eagle Vision 1997–2002 Plymouth Prowler

42RLE

The 42LE was modified in 2003 as the 42RLE, originally for the then-new Jeep Liberty. It is a 42LE transaxle, modified for use in rear-wheel drive vehicles by removing the integral differential and transfer chain. Power flow exits the rear of the transmission. The case has also been modified. By design, it has full-electronic shift control with adaptive memory to learn the operator's driving habits controlled by the vehicle's Transmission Control Module (TCM). Contained within the automatic's torque converter is an Electronically Modulated Converter Clutch (EMCC), designed to act as a shock absorber for harsh shifting. 42RLE production ceased in early 2012. Gear Ratios for the 42RLE: 1st: 2.80 2nd: 1.55 3rd: 1.00 4th: 0.69 Applications: 42RLE 2005–2010 Chrysler 300 2006–2010 Dodge Charger 2004–2011 Dodge Dakota 2004–2009 Dodge Durango 2005–2008 Dodge Magnum 2007–2011 Dodge Nitro 2003–2012 Jeep Liberty 2003–2011 Jeep Wrangler 2009 Dodge Challenger V6 2003–2012 Dodge Ram

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name
Ultradrive
aka
41TE/A604, 42LE/A606, 40TE, 41AE, 40TES/41TES, 42RLE, 62TE
Manufacturer
Chrysler Corporation (1988–1998), DaimlerChrysler (1998–2007), Chrysler LLC (2007–2009), Chrysler Group LLC (2009–2014), FCA US LLC (2014–2021), Stellantis (2021–present)
Production
1988–present
Class
4- or 6-speed automatic
Predecessor
TorqueFlite

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Check the linked sources for citations.

Sources

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