trans trouble

89 Chrysler New Yorker - 3.0 trans trouble -

I was driving up the highway at about 60 MPH and the engine started
freewheeling, like the motor and trans were no longer connected. I
pulled onto the shoulder and when I got down to about 10 MPH it shifted
into 1st and stayed there. I drove home in 1st and checked the fluid -
OK. Next day, got into it and everything seemed OK.

I recently replaced a fuel injector and had the top (plenum? I think
it's called) off, but I don't know what I could have done wrong there.
I don't see any kind of kickdown cable or linkage on this. Anyone know
how this works?

Thanks in advance

 

what it sounds like to me is that your car went into limp-in mode.
which means it actually shifts into 2nd gear and stays there, the car
puts it self into a safe mode, not completely undriveable...you can
really only go up to 30 mph. is your car still doing that?

 

what it sounds like to me is that your car went into limp-in mode.
which means it actually shifts into 2nd gear and stays there, the car
puts it self into a safe mode, not completely undriveable...you can
really only go up to 30 mph. is your car still doing that?

 

No. It drove fine the next day. I am going out for a longer drive now
to see what happens. I don't know why the problem would just go away
like that.

 

I ask if it is still doing that.. b/c i have a 94' new yorker.. and its
in limp-in mode right now, i don't understand why it would just do it
once. every where i've read about this problem.. its been a pretty easy
fix. if it does it again my 1st suggestion would be to take it to a
tranny shop, ask them to hook it up to the comp and get the codes.. see
what that says. from what i read and talked to people who've had this
problem.. seems like a few things.. you probably have a different
tranny then me.. i have a 42le and in my tranny type, seems to have
beed a bad solenoid or the input/output speed sensors or possibly a bad
TCM (transmission contol module) (thats my next thing to try)... do you
do your own work?? let me know if it does it, again take it to a tranny
shop, who will hook it up and diagnos it at no charge, see what they
say, then follow the next step to fix it.

 

I try to to all my own work but don't have the tools / knowledge to get
into a trans like this other than basic maintenence. Drove the thing
around for about 4 hours today without problems.. It's my girlfriends
car and if this happens when she is driving, she won't know what to do.
I wish I could be shure what happened.

Thanks for replying

 

Well, you can be sure what's *going* to happen if you keep on driving
around with the transmission intermittently going into safe mode: You'll
melt it down and create a much larger repair bill for yourself.

 

hey RZ... yeah only happening that one time makes no sense to me.. then
again i don't know everything about cars.. i would say even tho it
hasn't happened again i would take it to a tranny place that'll hook it
up to the comp to get the codes... if it says nothing's wrong... well
maybe it was just a fluke thing... i've had weird things just happen
one time to me... or if it gives codes then you can take the next step
to fixing it....

tranny's are hard to do work on b/c there is so much into them... any
problem seems like it could be a million things wrong.... my cars been
in limp-in mode for the last 3 months.... mainly so long, cuz my
husband and i aren't really rushing to fix it.. and i don't like to
take vehichles to shops to fix if i can do it myself... i think its the
whole "chick can work on her own car" i take pride in that not
many ladies can say that... we're lucky too, at my husband's work hey
have almost every tool you need.. b/c his boss races formula v's... so
he builds his car right in the shop...

like i said hook it up to a computer 1st thing... let me know what they
say.. good luck.. ~~autumn~~

 

I think the reason that they assume it is 1st is because when in limp mode
1st is locked out too so even if you stop or put it in park or neutral then
back in drive it goes directly to 2nd and skips 1st. When our dynasty was
in limp mode I could feel the difference in acceleration from a stop caused
by being in 2nd.

 

Jesus, all you got to do is take it to a dealership and have it scanned. If
the TCM puts the trans in limp mode it sets a code.

Ted

 

Why? It could be an intermittent electrical fault. In this trans the input
speed sensor is right under the cooling lines, if they weep fluid the
tranny oil runs down over the sensor and rots the rubber connector.

It won't say that. limp mode sets a code.

But you can't do it yourself or you would have fixed it already, so
what gives?

But your not working on your car, your not fixing your transmissions,
and you haven't been doing this for the last 3 months.

Your 94 can be scanned easily, you just go buy an OTC 4000E
off Ebay and the right connectors and software cartridge and your
in business. I did a couple years ago and the total cost was something
like $350. Now they are cheap as dirt.

Ted

 

hey RZ.. was wondering how everythings going with the car. has it
happened again or were you able to hook it up to a comp to get the
codes checked? just wondering?

As for you TED.. people come to this website for help or with hope to
find answers to their questions or better understanding for what is
going on with their cars they drive everyday. There is no need for your
rude comments when all this guy had was a question about what his car
did. If you are not going to be helpful.... no one wants your imput!
And there is no need to make ignorant comments to anyone! As for my
car, we are not talking about the problems with my piece of crap.. I
have that under a different topic, I was mentioning what was going on
with my car to give RZ a little support so he knows the reason behind
my trying to actually help him... tons of other people are going thru
the same limp-in mode on stupid crap chryslers. Anyway.. If you're
going to give some effective feedback, GREAT! but if all your going
to do is pick on what people write noone needs to be discouraged here.

Daniel A.-- to be honest, when my car 1st went into limp mode i thought
i wasn't shifting out of 1st gear.. thats just what it seemed like.. i
didn't realize that it was actually not shifting out of 2nd until i
started reading up about it...and talking to people. This problem has
happened to alot of people... it sucks

 

There are 2 types of people that come to this newsgroup. (not website)

There's the folks that truly want to fix problems they have, the right way.
There are the people who when told to go buy a factory manual, they
do it. These are the people who when told to get their car computer
scanned, they do it. These are the people who end up not wasting a
lot of money on replacing things that don't need to be replaced.

Then there's the folks that come here hoping to be told some magic
bullet that is going to cost next to nothing and fix their car by magic.
They are the folks when told to go buy a factory manual they whine
that it's too much money and beg to have the 60 relevant pages or so
of the factory manual, posted to the newsgroup. These are the folks
that when told to get their car scanned they go to AutoZone and
get the free engine computer scan then wonder why everyone in
the newsgroup tells them those codes are useless and to go to a
dealer and have them pull the transmission computer codes. These
are the people who spend hundeds of dollars replacing perfectly
good parts while shotgunning because they won't spend the tens of
dollars on decent manuals or a scanner that is acutally useful.

Did it ever occur to you that the limp in mode exists to save the
guts of your transmission from being shredded? I guess you would
rather when the transmission computer loses sense inputs that it
just guess at things like vehicle speed and engine speed when deciding
to make a shift. What's a few ground gears between friends, eh?

When people post obviously wrong crap like "there's no codes even though
it went into limp mode" then I'm going to pick on them.

It does NOT suck. It is the smartest thing that the trans computer
programmers
could have done. It does not leave the driver stranded by the side of the
road
and it doesen't allow the driver to destroy their transmission, and it is
intrusive
enough to force all but the truly foolish vehicle owners to get their
vehicle into
a repair facility before damage will be done.

Ted

 

I did know that when your vehicle goes into limp or "safety" mode that
it is a good thing... what sucks is cars breaking down. which no matter
how old or new a vehicle is, it always needs upkeep. and something is
always going to need to be fixed or replaced. What I meant by this
doesn't make sense... was that he was driving down the highway and his
car did what seems like, it went into limp mode... then he went home
checked the fluid.. it was ok.. took the car back out, and it hasn't
happened sense. meaning it did this one time... and never again... but
like i already said i'd never even heard of this until it happened to
me... and when it happened to me... It didn't just do it one time.. it
has stayed in limp mode (if that makes sense..sorry so confusing).. but
do you get what i mean?? why would it only do it once and never again??
That's why i said take it to a reputable (sp?) tranny shop to pull the
codes to see what it says. then follow the next steps from there..
obviously you want to pull the codes 1st... not just start throwing
parts at your car for no reason.
Ted.. is it ok if i email you with the info on my car.. for some
input.. you seem very cranky.. but you also seem very smart.. so i
guess it evens itself out i'm going to take my car back to this
tranny guy..that pulled my codes before.. if it is ok, i can explain it
to you. The reason i haven't went back to him yet is becuase he's two
towns over... up the mountain, and i'm a little nervous to make the
drive again...