Auto shifter incorrect??

Just figured this out last night. 2000 XJ. If I put the auto shifter into "1-2" the tranny stays in 1st gear. If I shift it up to "3" it uses 2nd and 3rd gears. Why is it marked "1-2" if I only get 1st? Otherwise no problems with the tranny.

this is typical, and yes, kinda lame. I hear it will shift to 2nd if you get the RPMs high enough, but not in a practical range. there are solutions, check my sig and check gojeep's website.

IIRC, try jamming on the gas in an open space, and at around 25mph, you should get a fairly heavy shift up to 2nd (the downshift is harsher than the upshift by far, but it should generally be pretty noticable). i want to say that it likes to shift at almost 5K, but i haven't messed with it recently. in any case, 1-2 does NOT want to shift until there is a pretty big RPM difference between the 1st and 2nd gears in any AW4 i know of (i don't remember how the comfort setting on pre-91's is, but this is not relevant to your situation anyway).

Mine won't shift until it gets too about 3500rpm. don't know why it does this, but maybe the tranny thinks you should be in 4low when you put it in the 1/2 spot?? :huh:

a friend of mine with a ZJ and a 318 can have his in 1-2 and hold it to rev limiter and it still wont shift.. o well.. who cares when you could just put it in drive and... fuggettaboutit

FWIW some chryslers will eventually get into 3rd with the shifter in the 1-2 slot.
Makes sense with a small motor in a light car, but with the 4L though I've never even felt the need to rev it like that.