1) Symptoms / verification (what to check first)
- Check behavior: gear “notching” doesn’t hold, pops out of gear, hard/late shifts, selector creeps, or won’t line up with shifter. Scan for transmission codes; verify correct fluid level/condition and shift cable free movement.
- Theory: these symptoms point to loss of positive detent force or mechanical wear rather than internal hydraulic failure. Detent provides the mechanical “clicks” that index/hold the selector; if it’s weak/broken/worn the selector can slip or stick.

2) Understand the detent mechanism (theory)
- Components: selector shaft (detent plate/gear with notches), detent plunger/ball, detent spring, detent cover/retainer, and the external shift lever/cable. The plunger/spring presses a ball or roller into the notches on the selector plate to index and hold each gear position.
- Function: spring preload forces the plunger into discrete notches so the valve body/selector shaft stays in a selected position until commanded to move. Wear, broken spring, corrosion, or foreign debris reduces preload or allows the plunger to bind, so the shaft doesn’t positively locate.

3) Prepare and gain access (practical order)
- Safety: park on level surface, chock wheels, support vehicle on stands, disconnect battery if working near electronics. Have drain pan and rags ready.
- Raise transmission access area, remove belly pan or splash shield as required to reach the shift detent cover on the trans case. You typically do NOT need to remove the transmission or valve body for the external detent assembly.
- Remove any external linkage/shift cable connection to the shift lever arm (note exact orientation) so the selector shaft is free for inspection.

4) Expose the detent assembly
- Remove the detent cover bolts and carefully pry off cover. Expect some ATF leakage — catch it.
- Inspect plunger, spring, ball/roller, detent plate and bore for corrosion, scoring, broken spring coils, collapsed spring, or missing components.

5) Diagnose the exact failure
- Manual test: move the selector shaft through positions and feel/listen for detent clicks. Observe plunger action: it should move freely under spring pressure into each notch and release cleanly.
- Theory: sticking plunger or weak spring causes either no resistance (slips out of notch) or inconsistent engagement (hard/stiff movement). Debris/corrosion causes binding; worn notches allow the ball to ride out of position.

6) Repair choices and how each fixes the fault (in order of action)
- Clean: remove debris, old fluid varnish, corrosion from bore, plate and plunger. Lubricate with fresh ATF during reassembly.
- Theory: removes friction/binding so spring/plunger can function properly.
- Replace spring/plunger/ball (recommended): remove old components and install new OEM-style spring and plunger/ball kit.
- Theory: restores correct preload and restores proper engagement force into detent notches so selector indexes and stays in position.
- Replace detent plate/selector or cover if notches or plate are worn or damaged. If selector shaft or plate is visibly scalloped, the ball will skip; replace worn parts.
- Theory: worn notches reduce effective depth for the ball, so even a good spring cannot hold position; replacement restores geometry so the plunger seats fully.
- Inspect/replace external shift lever/cable bushings and cable position. Adjust cable indexing to factory spec.
- Theory: detent only holds relative to selector shaft — if cable has excessive play or lever is bent/worn the shift will be out of position; correct cable alignment ensures the detent sees the correct shaft position.

7) Reassembly (order)
- Install new plunger, ball/roller and spring into bore. Ensure spring orientation and that spring seat is correct.
- Clean mating surfaces, install new cover gasket or RTV as required, torque cover bolts to factory spec (use factory torque values), reconnect shift linkage/cable in correct indexed position.
- Refill/replace any lost ATF to the proper level and type.

8) Adjustment and test
- With vehicle still supported, cycle the shifter through all positions and observe smooth indexed operation. Engine off: verify that selector stays in each detent position and that manual cable linkage aligns with gear indicator.
- Start engine, perform low-speed shift checks and a controlled road test, checking for correct gear engagement and no popping/slipping. Recheck fluid level hot and adjust.

9) Why this repair fixes the fault (summary)
- The detent repair restores the mechanical preload (spring force) and clean seating surface (plunger/ball into notches) that physically index and hold the selector shaft. Cleaning and replacing worn/broken components removes binding, restores correct geometry, and prevents the selector from floating or skipping positions. Proper cable/lever condition and indexing ensure the external linkage aligns the selector so the detent can do its job. Together these restore predictable, positive gear selection and eliminate the popping/slipping or hard/noisy shifts caused by a faulty detent.

10) Items to verify after repair
- No remaining internal damage (if shifting failures persisted for long, check for internal wear/valve body damage).
- Use only OEM or high-quality detent kits; if symptoms persist after correctly rebuilding the detent and adjusting the cable, further internal diagnosis (valve body, pressure tests) is needed.

End.
rteeqp73

Wrangler Won't Shift? Automatic Transmission Cable Linkage Bushing Fix for Jeep JK / JKU - E... PART LINK BELOW! Many of the older Jeep Wrangler JK / JKU vehicles with automatic transmission are having bushing failures!

Jeep 42RLE Transmission Solenoid Block Limp Mode P0750 Solenoid A Solenoid L&R Remove Test Fl... How to 42RLE Solenoid Pack Test & Flush How to, this example is in a Jeep Cherokee / Liberty / Wrangler 3.7L V6 stuck in limp ...

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