dcsalling

I have a 1991 Honda Accord with auto trans that is stuck in sports mode regardless of the switch position. The transmission will not shift automatically but will shift into first manually and any other position is third gear. This is not all the time but it is about 50/50. Ex: This morning I drove to work with no problem, shifted like it always had.... but 6 hours later, I started the car and the sports light was on and it would not shift properly.... several stops and it would not revert to its old self.... I would not be suprised if I went for a drive at this moment and it worked perfectly again.... I have seen some information on the trans control computer going bad... but this is too intermittent..... I also have read something (but nothing definitive) about the solenoids that control the shifting getting sticky with age..... any one with any experience out there???? how hard is it to lube the solenoids and get them moving freely in the valve body or will just having the trans flushed usually take care of it? THANKS!!!

Danny


Modified by dcsalling at 12:12 AM 6/17/2004

Chiovnidca

Does it have a trouble code stored?

dcsalling

I am not familiar with the procedure to check the codes.... now that you mention it... I should have thought to check... first thought would be that the computer has ENGINE fault codes .... but I am sure it would be simple to tie them together... do you know the procedure?.... I will get it asap....

Thanks,

Danny

aceclimber722

I am going to bump this because this same problem has just occured in my little brothers car and we need some help!
TIA

Confuc1ous

i would recommend getting the trans flushed, but then if that doesnt solve the problem, if work has to be done to your transmission then you lose out...

wyldbil

Add me to the list. Mine is doing the EXACT same thing. Someone from the list wrote and offered to sell me a rebuilt TCM, and to tell me how to make sure that this is what I needed. But since I wrote him back he seems to have fallen off the face of the earth. So, will someone please tell me where the TCM is and what to look for? PLEEEEZ?

I plan to try the "disconnect the battery and hope it resets" method in the morning, and maybe a trans flush if I can find a place to do it on short notice.

I plan to travel a LOT in this car this summer, so I gotta get it up to scotch. That and the power mirrors (see my thread) are the only problems I am having. (knock on wood)

hondadude

http://members.troublecodes.ne...n.jpg
Jumper the connector and turn the key on, count the flashes.

wyldbil

Will not say "case closed" until driving awhile, BUT, I did the "disconnect the battery to reset" thing just now. and the problem SEEMS to be solved at the outset. Let me explain: Previously upon starting, the "S" light would come immediately on and stay on for several minutes, regardless. NOW, upon several restarts, no "S" light and the "S" mode is turning on and off with the switch.

Checked fluid and it is clean and at the appropriate level.

So far so good. If this changes, I will post again with any further developments.

Now, will someone PRETTY PLEASE read my power mirror post and help there?
I am begging here...(OOPS! Someone did...)

wyldbil

Followup as promised- the missus and I went a-ridin' this afternoon and evening. "S" light came on when car was started and stayed on for about the first fifteen minutes.Then, "S" light went out and car behaved as it should the rest of the time. So for now, I have to say inconclusive at best.

I wish the guy who offered to sell me a rebuilt TCM would write back. You out there Carlos?

cmrvi1

Behind the right hand corner of the dash on the passender's side (just below the glove compartment) you will find 2 connectors taped to the wire harness with blue tape ( unless someone previously removed the tape). One is a three wire connector (data link connector) the other is a two wire connector. By jumping the two wires on this connector, you check for engine and transmission codes.
With the ignition switch off, connect the two wires together. Have a pen and paper handy. Turn the ignition switch on. The S light (or D4 light if your car doesn't have the S light) should start to flash a code. Might be a combination of long and short flashes. A long flash stands for 10, and short flashes are 1. For example, if the light blinks: long-short-short-short, then that is a code 13. When you find out what code it is, post it and I can tell you what is going on. BTW, 90-93 Accords have a bad habit of burning out the trans computers. So sometimes you won't get a code. The light will just stay on steady when you jump the connector. Let me know if this is the case, and I'll tell you what to look for.
If the light doesn't blink when you jump the connector, then your TCM (transmission control module) might be bad.
To verify this, remove the TCM ( it's located under the rug on the passenger side bolted to the firewall. You will find two modules bolted to one bracket. The TCM is the smaller of the two. Unbolt it from the bracket. remove the four screws that hold on the cover. Look at the board carefully. If it is bad, you will find a burnt out resistor and leaking capacitor. If this is the case, I can rebuild it for you.
Email at cmrvi1@yahoo.com and I'll give you more details.

This is the TCM


With the connector pointing down, the bad spot will be in the lower right corner



This is what the damaged part looks like up close



Modified by cmrvi1 at 12:13 AM 7/4/2004


Modified by cmrvi1 at 12:19 AM 7/4/2004


Modified by cmrvi1 at 12:22 AM 7/4/2004


Modified by cmrvi1 at 12:26 AM 7/4/2004

Confuc1ous

damn, **** is too damn complicated, i cant believe it throws codes like that, i wonder, it stopped for a while when you disconnected the battery, ok, but then later it came back on and went away again, perhaps something electrical, thats all i can think of, i wouldnt suggest the tranny flush til you can decipher the code it throws at ya...

alb_accord

well if u drive then the car goes from first gear to the third one while the "s" light is on then it might be the "shift control selenoids"

as everyone said before>>>> get the tranny codes and that will show u what's wrong with the tranny. than take it from there. don't just go and change parts.

so get the codes and be done with it.
to find out how to get the codes go to http://www.cb7tuner.com forum is only for 90-93 accords only. there is a thread there with pic that shows u how to check the codes.
so get the codes and come back here

wyldbil

Hiya alb- Thanks for the heads up. Tell me more about these solenoids! (Actual part name, source, co$t, etc.)

UPDATE- Drove the car to the grocery today (7-8 miles) with the "S" light on the whole way and the tranny not shifting. Disconnected the negative battery terminal for the time we were in the store. (30-45 min) Have driven a LOT today since coming out of the store with NO malfunction. While I still haven't taken time to look at the TCM, does anyone have any theories about today's behavior?

Chiovnidca

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by wyldbil &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">does anyone have any theories about today's behavior?</TD></TR></TABLE>
My theory is that it has an intermittent problem. Have you checked for codes yet? Quit trying to guess the problem.

cmrvi1

I bet you dollars to donuts that your TCM is bad. Pull it out and check it as per the photos above.

Jeskabris

So my Accord is stuck in sports mode. We bought it a year ago and occasionally it would slip into it. At first I could reset the battery, as some of you have tried, and last week it would slip in and out of sports mode about 11 times in two minutes and I discovered that turning the lights,blinkers,high beams,or radio on would get it back out. This week,unfortunetly, it is totally stuck. The button on the gear shift does nothing. Resetting the battery does nothing. And screwing with the lights does nothing. Took it to two shops and they told me to take it to the dealership bc there was nothing they could do. Before I spend more then I paid for the car...any advice?

Robbrk

Hello Everyone. I had a 1991 Honda Accord EX 2.2 once before and I had the same problem. The "S" light would turn on in the dash and the car would stay stuck in second gear. If the car was gonna to act right at the time the "S" light would turn off. When it turns off I heard a click under the dash and I reached my hand under there to find a relay which happened to be the main relay. It's right beside the steering column just about the pedals. I decided to replace the Main Relay and it fixed the problem. The light would turn off and I could drive the car like normal.

Robbrk

I hope this can help someone before they spend a bunch of money on other parts for the car. The main relay was like $50 from advance auto.

u092714

I'm having exact same symptoms on a 91' accord w/260k mi.
sport light blinks on then off sometimes stays on solid.
tranny won't shift any higher than 2nd.
See that your post was a while ago can you tell me what the fix was?
Thanks,

MAD_MIKE

Your TCU has put the transmission into limp mode, 2nd gear.
You will need to retrieve the codes from the TCU.
Passenger side kick panel, there will be a two wire blue connector floating in space.
Jumper it with a wire
Turn ignition to II(ON).
Watch for any codes from the CEL, D4, S, or any other warning lights.
Record codes down and report back here for further diagnostics.

u092714

Thanks for reply. will jumper connector and report back.
Fyi, I pulled TCU out of car and looked inside wondering if I'd see burnt resisters and or blistered cap.
Everything looked like new. I've seen notes on line stating TPS causing this kind of problem.

MAD_MIKE

A faulty TPS can cause a few issues. No way to be certain until you pull the code(s).

u092714

Good morning.
Tried to pull code(s). None show up. With jmpr in place only the Check Engine light blinks out a 41 ( O2 sensor) which I've had unplugged for years
with no apparent ill effects. When the trans problem is active the S light stays lit solid and I get the limp mode behavior. This morning when I started the
car the S light was out. When I can out of the house the light was on solid and sure enough it was in limp mode. After driving about 5 miles the light went
out and the car drove normal for the next 12 miles to work. This same thing happened when I left work yesterday except when starting car to leave the light
was out and never came on at all. So again with the jumper in place the S light is either always out or on solid. I've ordered a TCU from RockAuto. Should
be here tomorrow.
I seen mention of VSS issues causing TCU problems, but I see no symptoms with speedometer action. Hate throw parts at problem, but don't have known good
spares to use for troubleshooting.
Thanks for staying with me.

u092714

Still fighting with "S" light; trans limp mode problem.
Swapped TCU received from RockAuto. Worked for about 3 days thought I was in the clear.
But went to leave work and trans blipped and "S" light came on.
Symptoms are the same but different. Still won't throw any code(s), but now is stuck in 3rd or 4th gear.
When acting up the "S" light will flicker and may stay on or go out.
Ordered another TCU from RA and will send 1st replacement back.

u092714

Anyone know of TCU/ECU wiring diagrams for 91' Accords?
Would like to know what sensors and signals this box monitors.