tranmission trouble

ok so i have a 97 XJ with the AW4 atutomatic transmission and today i was driving along and stopped at a stop sign when i went to go again it felt like i had a 5-speed tryin to start off in 3rd gear. i parked the car and came back an hour and a half later and drove it for 20 min and it shifted fine. i went back and parked it again and came back and drove it again 2 hours later and drove it for about 30 or 40 mins and it started up again and the check engine light came on. i have a scan tool and used it and it returned two trans codes one sayin somethin about the transmission shift module malfunctiona and some tranmission solenoid B (i think) error. i know the neutral safety switch is prone to malfunction on XJs becuz they get dirty and cause problems like back up lights not comin on which mine have only been comin on some of the time for about 2 years now. can it cause a situation like this or is this something bigger and i need to take it to a tranmission shop?

there are a bunch of similar threads out about this very problem. i would start by cleaning your NSS and giving it another try if this does not solve the problem it is most likely the solenoid for which you can search and find out how to replace/determine if its the prob.

you checked the fluid level right??
also try checking electrical connections.

so i took it to a Mr. Transmission shop and they replaced the solenoid and its still not fixed and they r gonna need to keep it longer. im not happy at all since im supposed to take it on a trip on friday and i have ppl goin with me and they r depending on me. if anyone has anyideas or suggestions i would love to hear them

The transmission control unit relies on a signal from the TPS (throttle position sensor) to get the shift points right. Anytime the shifting gets weird, that is the FIRST place to look. All the other parts of the AW4 setup are far more dependable. There have been a number of posts about the TPS getting out of spec with no error code showing. You might be able to see something other than a smooth progression in the signal as you rotate the throttle, if you hook in a voltmeter. If you havn't replaced the TPS in a while, I would just replace it.
If the NSS acts up, you loose backup lights and/or it won't start in either park or neutral or both (but might start if you pull or push the gearshift over a bit). I have never heard of a NSS affecting shifting......but it sounds like yours needs cleaning anyway. It is typical for transmission shops to dig into the tranny, when the problem is sensors. It's like they don't know what to do with an electronically managed tranny...after all, they have only been that way for what, maybe 15 or 20 years?

well i definately know that my NSS needs cleaning cuz my back-up lights have decided they will come on when they feel like it but no starting problems have shown up but im sure they will if i dont take care of that. the TPS i have had go out b4 but when that did the shifting was random it would shift up and down and the RPMs would go up and down and it was all the time til i got it replaced. but now it shifts fine til it gets warmed up after like 30 mins or so and then will only stay in one gear that i think is either 3rd or 4th. but if this is also a sign of the TPS being bad then i will have them replace it and see if that takes care of it. what other electrical compnents are there that can affect it like this and where r they?