A couple weeks ago, I started having issues when I would goose the car and try to get it to down shift. It would just lay over and acted like it was running out of fuel. I had a mind to check the fuel pressure, but just never got around to it. Anyways, I don't believe it to be a fuel issue anymore. On the way to work this morning on the interstate, the MIL came on but the car continued to drive normally. As soon as I decelled and got down to a lower speed, it went into limp mode and locked into second gear. I read the codes and got a P0700, P0734 and a 45 with the key dance. TCM malfunction, 4th gear ratio incorrect, and I never did find what 45 meant. It seems like it's a generic trans code.
On the way home, (city driving, not interstate this time) I cleared the codes, and it did it again within 5 minutes as soon as it warmed up. I cleared them again, and this time when it went into 4th gear, it acted like it was in neutral. It didn't want to switch gears with the auto stick, so I popped it into neutral, back in drive, and it went into limp mode. I cleared them once more and drove it in auto stick. All was well in the world until I tried to shift it in 4th gear. It acted like it popped in neutral again, and went into limp mode. Cleared them again, Up shifted and down shifted 1-3 gears and everything was fine. As soon as it hit 4th, neutral again and wouldn't shift. Shifted to neutral, went into limp mode and drove it like that the 2 miles left until I got home.
Now, I'm guessing that either the input or output sensor is messing up and not jiving with the TCM, but I'm not just going to throw money at it. What would be a good way to test these? Tomorrow I will have access to a Snap-On Solis scan tool at school, so I might just take it up there. I'll check it out and see if I can monitor the trans input and output sensors with the scan tool. If I can ohm the sensors to at least start, I'd rather do that so I can drive it tomorrow and not worry about it. Now I know somebody has some good advice out there, right?
On the way home, (city driving, not interstate this time) I cleared the codes, and it did it again within 5 minutes as soon as it warmed up. I cleared them again, and this time when it went into 4th gear, it acted like it was in neutral. It didn't want to switch gears with the auto stick, so I popped it into neutral, back in drive, and it went into limp mode. I cleared them once more and drove it in auto stick. All was well in the world until I tried to shift it in 4th gear. It acted like it popped in neutral again, and went into limp mode. Cleared them again, Up shifted and down shifted 1-3 gears and everything was fine. As soon as it hit 4th, neutral again and wouldn't shift. Shifted to neutral, went into limp mode and drove it like that the 2 miles left until I got home.
Now, I'm guessing that either the input or output sensor is messing up and not jiving with the TCM, but I'm not just going to throw money at it. What would be a good way to test these? Tomorrow I will have access to a Snap-On Solis scan tool at school, so I might just take it up there. I'll check it out and see if I can monitor the trans input and output sensors with the scan tool. If I can ohm the sensors to at least start, I'd rather do that so I can drive it tomorrow and not worry about it. Now I know somebody has some good advice out there, right?