Fail safe mode on 1g auto trannies

MATCHBX · 12-14-2004

Well, it hit me on the way over to my mother's house as to what's wrong with Terina's tranny. It won't shift up or down from 2nd gear. It works fine in reverse, neutral and park. I remembered reading a while back in the owner's manual that if the tranny detects a malfunction, it will go into safe mode. It will only have one forward gear (either 2nd or 3rd). The only thing they say to do is take it to the dealer to have them diagnose it.

My question is, is there any way to diagnose it without going to the dealer? Any codes to read or anything? I changed the tranny filter and oil tonite because the old stuff was brown. It had almost 25,000 miles on the last change. I also put some lubegard in it. I have a spare tranny sitting here but I really don't want to have to swap it out if there is an easier fix.

HondaKiller · 12-14-2004

You can read the codes from the Tranny ECU with a multitester, I'm pretty sure there's a vfaq on it.

MATCHBX · 12-14-2004

Where is the tranny ecu and which terminals? Also if someone can point me toward the tranny codes, that would be great.

Alpine TSi · 12-14-2004

Tranny ecu should be on the floor right behind the ECU. At least that is where three big plugs with a lot of wires are in my car as it was a AT now a MT.

HondaKiller · 12-15-2004

you attach the multitester to two pins on the data port, where you would plug in a datalogger. http://www.plymouthlaser.com/tcucodes.htm

MATCHBX · 12-15-2004

She decided to take it to AAMCO tonite before I got home (she called me earlier and said she was going to). After about 6 phone calls later, she is on her way home for me to diagnose it. They couldn't get their computer to read the computer. First they tried with "chrysler" fed in aas vehicle type. They called and said it wasn't reading it, so I told them to try "mitsubishi". Suddenly it started to read it but then wouldn't connect again.

She just pulled up so I am going to see if I can figure it out. The only question I have is how do you erase codes? It doesn't mention that on the website.

MATCHBX · 12-15-2004

Looks like the tranny computer is screwed. I hooked up the multi-meter to the diagnostic port (using the tranny computer pins in the diagnostic port) and absolutely nothing. Didn't even twitch the meter. I'm using an analog meter. I switched over to the engine ecu and the meter started sweeping like it was supposed to so I know the meter works. I reversed the leads for the tranny computer and nothing.

I now have a post in the classifieds for a computer.