Won't shift into OD?
10-29-2005, 08:50 AM
#1
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Won't shift into OD?
My '97 won't shift into OD. Even doing 60 on the highway it's in 3rd. Pushing the button on the shifter turns the "OD off" light on, but that's it. No flashing OD light and no codes. Anyone seen this before?
10-29-2005, 01:15 PM
#3
Just want to make sure I've got this right: When the button on the shifter is pushed in, no light on the dash, but your transmission won't go into overdrive. When the button is not pushed in, you see the 'Overdrive off' light on the dash and the transmission works correctly i.e. doesn't go into overdrive. That sound right?
10-29-2005, 01:55 PM
#4
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First off it's a 4 speed automatic with a locking torque converter.
Is the car shifting through all 4 gears and missing the lock up? Keep in mind lock up only happens after the transmission is completely up to operating temperature. Or is the transmission only shift through 3rd gear and hanging up without going into 4th? Fourth gear is actually an overdrive gear, but overdrive doesn't happen until the torque converter locks up.
Is the car shifting through all 4 gears and missing the lock up? Keep in mind lock up only happens after the transmission is completely up to operating temperature. Or is the transmission only shift through 3rd gear and hanging up without going into 4th? Fourth gear is actually an overdrive gear, but overdrive doesn't happen until the torque converter locks up.
10-29-2005, 03:10 PM
#5
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It shifts into 3rd and stays there. No 4th and no lockup. I believe the Max only locks in 4th. I'm thinking maybe the temp sensor as that is the behavior when the fluid is cold and there are no faults or errors. The OD button has no effect other than turning the dash light on and off.
10-29-2005, 04:22 PM
#6
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If it were the temp sensor you'd get into 4th gear but the converter would never lock up. Being you don't even get into 4th, it's not that.
You could just have a bad 4th gear shift solenoid. I'm not sure if you can replace only one solenoid or the whole solenoid pack. But that might be your problem.
You could just have a bad 4th gear shift solenoid. I'm not sure if you can replace only one solenoid or the whole solenoid pack. But that might be your problem.
10-29-2005, 05:40 PM
#7
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From looking at the shop manual, I don't think there is a 4th gear solenoid. All 4 gears seem to be controlled by the A and B shift solenoids. The pack is the A and B, the overrun solenoid, and the torque converter lockup. Are you sure that it shifts into 4th when cold? I didn't think so.
10-29-2005, 06:17 PM
#9
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Originally Posted by jvienneau
Are you sure that it shifts into 4th when cold? I didn't think so.
10-29-2005, 08:39 PM
#10
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I just looked in the shop manual again. The same two solenoids are used to shift all 4 gears. It also lists the temp sensor as a possible reason for it not shifting into 4th. I ohmed out the sensor and it seems bad. The book says 2.5K cold and 300 ohms hot. I got 3.5K hot. I think I'm going to put a 500ohm resistor across the temp sensor leads and see what happens.
10-29-2005, 09:39 PM
#11
Originally Posted by jvienneau
My '97 won't shift into OD. Even doing 60 on the highway it's in 3rd. Pushing the button on the shifter turns the "OD off" light on, but that's it. No flashing OD light and no codes. Anyone seen this before?
10-30-2005, 06:42 AM
#12
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Originally Posted by jvienneau
I ohmed out the sensor and it seems bad. The book says 2.5K cold and 300 ohms hot. I got 3.5K hot. I think I'm going to put a 500ohm resistor across the temp sensor leads and see what happens.
10-30-2005, 08:42 AM
#13
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It's the temp sensor. I put a 470ohm resistor across it and now it shifts into OD and locks just fine. Fixed my hard 1-2 shift as well. I think I'll just leave it this way and manually take it out of OD when it's cold.
10-30-2005, 09:12 AM
#14
Originally Posted by jvienneau
It's the temp sensor. I put a 470ohm resistor across it and now it shifts into OD and locks just fine. Fixed my hard 1-2 shift as well. I think I'll just leave it this way and manually take it out of OD when it's cold.
I think my temp sensor is starting to show signs of failure too. I noticed last winter that it would take a LONG time before my car would shift from 3 to 4 and then lockup... I mean 10 miles or more of highway driving... Is this something that is easily replaced once the tranny pan is dropped?
Btw - good work on diagnosing the problem!
10-30-2005, 12:01 PM
#15
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Yes, the one in the trans. I don't know how hard it would be to change and I'll probably never find out :-) Pins 6+7 on the 8 pin brown AT connector are the temp sensor. I have all the connector pinouts memorized now...
10-30-2005, 09:14 PM
#16
OMG, the same thing just happened to me today. Id never had it happen before though. I had the engine warmed up for 2 minutes, and had driven around for a good 5+ minutes at around 20 mph (i was at a construction site) before i got onto the highway. Then i noticed i was doing 5k rpm at like 60 mph and said wtf that cant be right. I waited a lil bit in case stuff wasnt warmed up but to no avail.
So i pulled over and turned off the engine and restarted again. I drove off, and it shifted normally again.
So i pulled over and turned off the engine and restarted again. I drove off, and it shifted normally again.
10-30-2005, 09:19 PM
#17
Originally Posted by hitman4
Automatic?
is it realy worth it?
is it realy worth it?
With that taken care of, I had a similar problem and ended up having to have my overdrive band and temp sensor replaced... you might take it to a ***REPUTABLE*** shop and see what they think, I stress that you should take it to a reputable transmission shop and even then, take what they tell you with a grain of salt.
11-06-2005, 09:36 AM
#18
Okay my trannys done this again a few times and its getting annoying. I dont wanna be cruising at 60+mph at 5k+ RPM. I am also thinking is a faulty temp sensor, since i never had this problem during the summer weather.
Does anyone have an idea at all how much it would cost to fix/replace?
Does anyone have an idea at all how much it would cost to fix/replace?
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