Hey guys was wondering if anyone know has experienced this in their car or know whats wrong. FYI: I have a 97 max with auto trans.
So I was on the highway driving at around 65 - 70 mph when all of a sudden the rpm went up to 3000 @ 60mph and even a little bit of gas would push the rpm to 4000...It was basically like the Over Drive switch had been turned off even though i hadnt touched the switch. I tired turning it on and off with the switch but nothing happened and the RPM stayed at around 3000 @ 60mph.
I pulled over and turned off the car, restarted it and the Over drive light flashed a few times and then went away. When is started driving again it seemed like it was still doing it cause the RPM went up pretty higher then normal for 20 mph but then all of a sudden it fixed it self or something and everything went back to normal. I was again able to take my car to 70mph @ 2500rpm and the problem didnt occurr again. When i got home just now i tired turning of the car and turning it back on to see if the OD light blinks again but it didnt and everything seems fine...what just happened? can anyone explain or any theories?

 

try checing your tranny fluid level. if you are too low your car wont shift. this happened in my old 90, it was stuck in 3rd

good luck

 

i regularly check the fluid and i had checked it a week ago or so and it was prefectly fine. I would notice tranny fluid leakage too if there were any because i have a fixed spot and work and home where only my car gets parked.

 

then we have reached the extent of my knowlege on the subject.

still good luck

 

your car went into fail safe mode (blinking OD light dead giveaway). It goed back to normal after you restart adter you see the blinks. Did you drive hard or do any peel outs before hand???

 

I think right before it happened I had turned hard on a curved ramp onto the highway while maintaining about 50 mph. Would that do it? I didnt peal out anything though.

 

any eccessive wheel spinning or really pushing the gas petal will lock up 3rd gear and put it in fail safe mode. Ahard turn probably WONT be enough to triiger fail safe. Getting out of a parking spot in the snow is a good example. Dou you still have this problem though???

 

well once i stopped and shut off the engine and restarted everything went back to normal so i dont have the problem right now, but i was just wondering if its something i should be concerned about or need to get checkout or do i go on and pretend it never happened.

 

Make sure your fluid level is correct. The car should be running when you check it!

Perhpas when you took that turn, if you are a bit low on fluid, the pump starved for a second, pressure dropped, and the tranny went into fail safe mode.

I don't think you really have anything to be concerned about as long as it doesn't happen again. Just check the tranny fluid.