So, my back-up car started acting funny yesterday. For some reason, it decided to stop shifting. When I drive along, it won't come out of second. At 50 MPH, I'm pushing 4 grand on the tach. When I shift manually, I can get it into first... otherwise it's all second, all the time. No other gear is working at all. When I take off without manually shifting into first, it takes off in second.

I have my theory as to what's going on, but I'm gonna hold that back for right now. Another symptom has to do with the little green Sport Shift light on the dash... it won't shut off. No matter how many times I push the button on the shifter, that green light keeps teasing me and won't shut off. I hate that light!!

In another possibly related/possibly unrelated symptom, I'm getting this funny buzzing or vibrating somewhere under the dash. When I push the brake pedal, it stops. When I release it, it comes back. Not sure if that has to do with the shifting or not, but I find it funny that they started at about the same time.

Let me know what you're thinkin'. Any help you can give is greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Jon

 

to the left of glove box and below it is a two wire blue connector with nothing plugged into it . connect the two pins with a wire. key is on engine is not running. the S light will flash a certain number of times then pause and will repeat the same number of blinks. this is a trouble code. count the blinks. chances are you have a shift solenoid faulty. they are located on the front of the trans by rediator shroud. their are two that look identical. one is for lock up torque converter. the other is a 3/4 shift solenoid. apply power and ground to the solenoid. you should be able to feel it click. also hows the trany fluid look.

 

i have a 93 that drives for a minute then when i slow or get ready to turn it just revs and doesnt go anywhere if i put it into reverse itll build psi then go but no forward then if i shut the car off for a few minutes and start i go fine for a fwew and then itll do it all over again
please help

 

btw fluid looks fresh and clean smells good to

 

Johnny-That light is trying to tell you something- I would listen to it. Get the codes as suggested.

 

I sure hope I don't have to use the D4 light to get the diagnostic codes... the LED is burnt out.

 

This site is great... it's right up my alley:

http://techauto.awardspace.com/transmission.html

 

too**

 

Swap the bulb with one that works or use a volt meter and watch the voltage readings to get the code.

 

And, I believe the codes are displayed on an LED on the TCM under the passenger carpet.

 

code will flash on instrument cluster. The green light. If its burned out ( its not an led )Either replace the bulb ( it will have a green sheeth over the bulb for color. ) or check for voltage at the point of lectrical contact. Its worth fixing scince you will have the cluster out. Ive never seen it be the circut on the flexible power distrubution thingamajig. You need the code. Or try switching the lock up solenoid with the 3/4 shift solenoid. They are identical. Be sure the pins in the connectors are not cooroded loose or bent. you can also apply voltage and ground to the solenoid and see if it clicks. It should. Good luck

 

So, I'm pretty sure my Transmission Computer is shot (a.k.a. the TCU). Anybody know where I can get one other than walking into a parts store or a dealer?

I mean, of course I'll try the salvage yards... I'm just wondering if anybody out there has got a parts car...

 

I just opened up my TCU... it doesn't show any obvious signs of damage. No burnt smell or anything like that. According to this website:

"The resistors R41, R42, R43, are overheated or burned and capacitors C27, C28, C32, C33, C5 leaking or shorted."

I see no burnt areas surrounding those resistors, nor do I see any corrosion around those capacitors... the whole thing looks pretty clean.

I did try to pull out the codes... I didn't get anything. I didn't have a jumper wire... so I used a screwdriver. Is that bad?! The plug has two male leads in it, so it shouldn't matter. Anyway... all that happened was that the "S" light turned off. When I pulled the screwdriver out, it turned back on.

 

So, I put the TCU back in... now the car shifts fine. We'll see how long this lasts.

If it messes up again, I'll pull the codes out and post them up here...