dirtydeeds

Noob here! I have a 1996 Cherokee that seems to sort of surge when I put it into drive. It shifts fine while driving though. Is this normal? If not what can cause this hard shift into gear?

Kyle

How much force is this "surge"?

It is normal for you to feel a little jump when shifting into gear.

dirtydeeds

I suppose it is more than I am used feeling in any of the other cars/SUVs I have had. I just got this today and it is my first jeep. It almost seems like it wants to move forward by itself although no accelerator is applied.

Kyle

Most if not all auto trannys have power in both D and R.

morroneplay

Well i used to work at a delta sonic and i guess Cherokees and grand Cherokees coming out of the wash when u put in N to D there serge out really fast and the driver loses control. but doesn't happen every time we always call a CODE 3 when a Cherokee comes through the wash so the workers can move out the way if it ever did happen.

dirtydeeds

CODE 3?! That's good stuff!! It sounds like it may be common. Maybe I will go drive some old Cherokees from used car dealers to see if they are similar. It just feels a little abnormal to me, but I have nothing to base this on.

Kyle

I wouldnt worry about it too much, you are probably just fine.

dirtydeeds

After driving the jeep the past day or so I have noticed one thing about the transmission issue:

It barely surges at all when I start and go if the jeep's been sitting for a while (engine cold). It seems when it is sufficiently warmed up that it surges and it seems to make this noticeable jolt when shifting into R and into D, although the jolt into R is not at bad as the jolt into D.

Does this shed any light on the issue to anyone?

nick_n_ii

There is a air sensor in the throtal body, when it get's carbened up it can cause surging after the motor is warm. Easy to clean with some carb cleaner... It helped when mine screwed up...

dirtydeeds

Thanks, man. I'll give this a try...are these symptoms similar to what you saw with ours then? Is the throttle body fairly accessible?

dirtydeeds

Forgot to ask...is this the Idle Air Control Valve that you're talking about?

nick_n_ii

Yep that's it, for got what it was called, ya the "Surg" is the very same as what I had.. Cleaned it and all has been good ever since..