2007 jeep grand cherokee electronic shift module problems

Hi all,

I went off-road camping this past week and had some fresh new problems with my white commander "Betty White".

Usually the transmission limit is 5 gears when in [D], however half way through the trip I realised it wasn't showing [D] anymore when I shifted into [D], instead it was showing [4], indicating to me that it's upper limit of gears was 4th. Accompanied with this problem was an inability to use the electronic shift module with 4WD either activated or not activated. It simply doesn't work anymore.

It still drives, it gets me up to 4th gear when I put it in Drive and still shows [4] on the display, but the electronic shift module seems dead.

Any ideas? I will be looking to sell Betty White in the next few months, so I'd like to get this sorted before then obviously.

Thanks for any help.

Best thing to do is read the DTC codes with a scanner, or try the key dance to display any DTC codes. That should point you in the right direction. It could be a dirty electronic shift module, but I think the symptoms for that are usually a "[P][R][N][D] display and it sounds like you just have a [4], so I don't think it would be that.

I used to get to 5 until the dealer did the final drive reprogram recall, and havent seen 5th since. I still get the shift on the highway, but i cant really tell if its just the convertor locking up.
The dealer looked at me like i was nuts when i tried to explain the sudden loss of mileage, and questioning whether i was actually getting into 5th gear.
Ive since let it go since they claim not to be able to reverse the programming.

Best thing to do is read the DTC codes with a scanner, or try the key dance to display any DTC codes. That should point you in the right direction. It could be a dirty electronic shift module, but I think the symptoms for that are usually a "[P][R][N][D] display and it sounds like you just have a [4], so I don't think it would be that.

Ok thanks Tankman67. I'll look into it. We're in lockdown right now so I'll see if I can find a place tipp get the codes or else give this key dance a shot.
Cheers buddy

Betty White- what XK do you have? There's 2-3 different transmissions and engines you could have. Fill out your profile as well so we got all the details to help you.

Usually if the manual gear selector no longer works and the transmission display locks into 1 gear then it is in some sort of "limp mode". Sounds like yours is still shifting, you just don't get 5th and/or overdrive. Get us some codes. If the computer decided you only get [4] then it knows SOMETHING. It could be a LOT of things; usually internal like a shift solenoid, pressure or temp sensor, valve body...I'm not 100% if low oil will cause it to lock you out of some gears, but check that, too.

Just a thought... I too have a white Commander although with the small 3.7. If I shift down to drive and then pull the shifter to the left, it will max out the gear that it will get to. IOW's, it will limit how high a gear it will shift to - this is also shown on the dash. If you accidently bumped it to the left you would max out at shifting to 4th and now instead of your dash reading PRND it will read PRN4. Pull the shifter again to the left and you will max out in 3rd and the dash will read PRN3, etc... Just put in in drive and push the shifter to the RIGHT to get it back! Seems obvious, but the first time it happened to me I didn't know when I couldn't get into 5th, either! If my explanation isn't good lemme know and I'll post something to youtube and give you the link...

Hi all,

I went off-road camping this past week and had some fresh new problems with my white commander "Betty White".

Usually the transmission limit is 5 gears when in [D], however half way through the trip I realised it wasn't showing [D] anymore when I shifted into [D], instead it was showing [4], indicating to me that it's upper limit of gears was 4th. Accompanied with this problem was an inability to use the electronic shift module with 4WD either activated or not activated. It simply doesn't work anymore.

It still drives, it gets me up to 4th gear when I put it in Drive and still shows [4] on the display, but the electronic shift module seems dead.

Any ideas? I will be looking to sell Betty White in the next few months, so I'd like to get this sorted before then obviously.

Thanks for any help.

I have 2010 commander, would no longer show D but didn't shift out 4 gear either, had to replace the shift solenoid

Just a thought... I too have a white Commander although with the small 3.7. If I shift down to drive and then pull the shifter to the left, it will max out the gear that it will get to. IOW's, it will limit how high a gear it will shift to - this is also shown on the dash. If you accidently bumped it to the left you would max out at shifting to 4th and now instead of your dash reading PRND it will read PRN4. Pull the shifter again to the left and you will max out in 3rd and the dash will read PRN3, etc... Just put in in drive and push the shifter to the RIGHT to get it back! Seems obvious, but the first time it happened to me I didn't know when I couldn't get into 5th, either! If my explanation isn't good lemme know and I'll post something to youtube and give you the link...

Based off this quote from his original post, im assuming he already knew about and tried the manual shifting you are talking about. Also, any time you shift out of the Drive position (like to Neutral, reverse, or park) or even the next time you start and drive, regardless of what manual gear you might have previously been in, it’ll reset back to [D]. So even not knowing about how the manual shifter works would have gone away the next time he drove IF that’s all the issue was.

.....Accompanied with this problem was an inability to use the electronic shift module with 4WD either activated or not activated. It simply doesn't work anymore.

However, you can’t deactivate 4WD on these Jeeps, so unless he was referring to 4-Low, then I don't know exactly what he’s referring to here....

I have 2010 commander, would no longer show D but didn't shift out 4 gear either, had to replace the shift solenoid

That’s what i’m thinking probably happened....but that should give us some DTC codes if he’ll ever get back to us with more info

Hi all,

I went off-road camping this past week and had some fresh new problems with my white commander "Betty White".

Usually the transmission limit is 5 gears when in [D], however half way through the trip I realised it wasn't showing [D] anymore when I shifted into [D], instead it was showing [4], indicating to me that it's upper limit of gears was 4th. Accompanied with this problem was an inability to use the electronic shift module with 4WD either activated or not activated. It simply doesn't work anymore.

It still drives, it gets me up to 4th gear when I put it in Drive and still shows [4] on the display, but the electronic shift module seems dead.

Any ideas? I will be looking to sell Betty White in the next few months, so I'd like to get this sorted before then obviously.

Thanks for any help.

I talked a friend of mine in a trans shop and he said to drive it on the highway and stay at 60 mph and to pay attention to the tach. It should be right up in the 2000 rpm range. If it's higher then you have a problem.