I just bought back my 99 2 wheel drive Cherokee. It was my first car, just got it back from the people I sold it to, and my girlfriend and I are working on getting it back to it’s former glory because it wasn’t very well taken care of. I believe I am having some transmission issues out of it. It does have a code for trans range sensor circuit issues (can’t remember the code exactly). I am noticing when I am driving the car at highway speeds, it is unusually high in rpm. And when I shift it from overdrive to 3rd, there is no change in rpm at all. I’ve checked fluid level and it it right where it needs to be. I have removed the range sensor, taken it apart and cleaned it to see if that was it. And I have removed the transmission lockdown cable and drove it with that off to see if that was potentially the issue. Now here’s the real kicker, when in overdrive, from a dead stop, accelerating to speed I clear as day can count four shifts, but still, when clicking down to 3, there is no change in rpm. Am I going crazy, or is there something going on? Should I be running 2500 rpm at 60mph? Just wanting to pick y'all's brains. And thanks for having me on the forum.

 

it should run at @2100RPM at 60mph with stock wheels, on a level road (imo)

I can comment that if inadvertantly driven in 3rd (which is easy to do), there should be a noticeable downshift in RPM if you then select overdrive...so you can test that..it would probably be in the order of 2500 to 2100rpm at 60mph

(with a 3.55 diff..dont know what diff you have)

It may be that the solenoid that controls overdrive operation ..or torque convertor lockup is not operational or not getting the signal to operate

Its best to download the Factory Service Manual, and I think there is a AW4 manual.

The solenoids can be tested with an ohmeter at the connector on lower LH engine block area