• Home
  • Services
  • Specials
  • Blog
  • Location
  • Testimonials
  • About Us
Cloquet Automotive - Transmission Specialists

Weird Things Happen Every Day 

5/8/2015

5 Comments

 
by Mike Souza (ATRA Memeber)
Gears Magazine December 2011
Picture
Once upon a time, when a car came in with a transmission problem, there was a really good chance there was something wrong with the transmission. Batteries? Tires? Tailgates? Those were someone else's problems... they certainly had nothing to do with the transmission operation. 

These days? Well, weird things happen every day. Like transmission problems caused by low voltage, poor cable connections, or loose or dirty grounds. And to make things even weirder, the battery may still start the engine without being jumped or the terminals cleaned. 

So how do you deal with transmission problems caused by the battery? Start by cleaning and tightening the battery terminal ends before chasing electrical codes. Even if the terminals look good and the vehicle starts without a problem. And if it looks like this one (Right, below for mobile readers) don't even think of going any further until you clean the terminals and check the voltage. This particular instance was a 41TE where a shop worked on it for two days for solenoid codes.        

Battery Weirdness

Here are five examples of cars with battery problems that affected transmission operation:

  1. A Saturn equipped with a TAAT transmission had a complaint of hard shifts. There were no codes stored in any module. The battery voltage was low, but the engine started without any problems Charging the battery corrected the hard shifts. 
  2. 2004 Saturn Vue with the MDRA Honda-type 5-speed transmission had a slip or delay on forward engagement. It sometimes fell out of gear at stop or defaulted to second-gear starts. The wrench light on the dash would light sometimes, but there were no codes present. Checking the battery revealed it would develop only 11.9 volts; replacing the battery fixed the transmission problem.
  3. Dodge or Chrysler vehicles cycle in and out of lockup or 4th gear without any codes stored. This symptom appears most often at light throttle, between 35 to 45 miles per hour. There's a list of 22 or more issues that can cause this complaint, but the most common is loos or dirty battery terminals and poor ground connections. 
  4. Ford trucks equipped with a power takeoff (PTO) unit ; the PTO stops working after a transmission rebuild. There's no problem with the battery voltage or connections; the problem was cause when the battery was disconnected during repair, causing the computer to lose its memories. TO correct it, you'll need to drive the vehicle for at least 7 miles at speeds over 50 MPH for the computer to relearn PTO function. 
  5. Late model Mercedes vehicles with a weak battery or a replacement battery that won't provide adequate current for the starter. This can cause pump bushing failure because of the additional starter draw through the transmission bell housing. 

Tire Weirdness

And the weirdness doesn't end with the battery: Weird things can happen to the transmission because of tire problems, too. Problems such as low pressure, wrong size, or mismatched brands can cause a range of "transmission" problems. 


For example: A BMW equipped with either a 4L30E, or ZF 4- or 5-Speed transmission won't upshift to or past 4th gear after driving on the highway. The transmission receives commands to only 3rd or 4th gear, with no codes stored. 
This particular vehicle had only 42,000 miles, and the right front tire was just changed because it went flat. The spare was new and had no mileage on it. The difference in tire size caused the computer to think the vehicle was in a high speed turn. The curve recognition software would downshift the vehicle to a lower gear and wouldn't allow the transmission to upshift past that gear. This is a safety feature to prevent the driver from losing control of the vehicle on high speed turns. The quick check for this problem was to swap the tire from the right front to the right rear. 
There' a list a mile long of all the issues tires can cause on 4-wheel drive vehicles. The most common complaints are clunks noises, and binding on turns, to name just a few. Use a stagger gauge to check each tire's size when working on these vehicles. An alternate check would be to mark each tire at the bottom with chalk, then roll the car straight until each tire makes 10 revolutions. All 4 tire marks must be within 1/4" of one another. This method might not yet yield accurate results, as even a slight variation in wheel direction can affect the tire position.

Another quick test: If you have a sand or dirt road nearby, drive off the pavement and onto the sand or dirt road. if you notice a sudden jump in rotation, you're probably dealing with a tire size or pressure problem.

Lighting Weirdness

Probably some of the weirdest conditions can be caused by problems with the vehicle's lights. And these conditions can be the most difficult to diagnose.

For example: Some early model Ford trucks may develop harsh shifts; at the same time, the odometer stops working. These vehicles are quipped with a programmable speedodometer/odometer module (PSOM) located inside the instrument cluster. No need to connect the scan tool to this vehicle: just look up at the dome light If it isn't working , the fuse for the PSOM may be blown. A short in the interior lights can cause a circuit problem.

Another problem with Ford trucks can occur with the taillights If someone replaced the original, incandescent, factory-style bulbs with light emitting diode (LED) bulbs, the PCM will think the brakes are being applied. The torque converter will cycle in and out at 25 to 30 percent throttle opening. The same conditions will occur if the cab-mounted brake light is blown, or changed to an LED bulb.  


Hyundai vehicles equipped with an F4A40 or 50-series transmission may stop moving forward when the backup lights are on. A Short in the taillight circuit can back feed into the reverse light range sensor circuit. The TCM is programmed to failsafe to neutral when a signal of reverse and drive occur at the same time. On this vehicle there were no codes stored in any module, and the problem wasn't identified until the transmission was replaced with another unit.

So you have these weird transmission problems that people spend days on, only to find that they're something simple... and completely unrelated to the transmission. Knowing this, maybe you'll remember to check more than just the fluid level.

Here's a set of basic checks that should help you isolate some of the weird problems:
  • Fluid level
  • Battery voltage (12.4V minimum)
  • Battery ground
  • Battery cables and terminal ends
  • Body grounds
  • Interior light function
  • Exterior light function
  • Instrument cluster gauge function
  • Instrument cluster warning lamp function
  • Diagnostic trouble codes stored in all modules
  • Range/inhibitor switch function (check for start in each detent)
  • Any aftermarket accessories installed (interior or exterior)
  • Manufacturer and any aftermarket technical bulletins or recalls


And with that, you'll have a leg up on discovering those weird problems...before the have you chasing ghosts.
5 Comments
403carloan.com link
2/13/2017 06:12:40 am

Not everyone can afford to buy a car without the need to apply for a loan. After all, cars are expensive. However, driving a car has become a necessity more than a status symbol so more and more people are looking for the best possible deals to purchase a car. Car loans or auto loans are personal loans extended to a person for the acquisition of a car through flexible payment options. So, if you are planning to get a car then read on some few tips to guarantee a hassle-free transaction when applying for a car loan.

Reply
missouri rv dealers link
8/31/2017 02:56:04 am

Visit MidAmericaRV in missouri, Pennsylvania. We offer the best in Salem RV, Ascend RV, VikingRV, Travel Lite, and more! Starr's Trailer Sales.

Reply
Jade brown link
2/18/2018 11:13:50 pm

Thank you for sharing such extraordinary information regarding the problems associated with the battery. Battery needs maintenance like other parts of the vehicle to ensure continuous power supply to the vehicle. Extreme temperature has a lot of adverse impacts on the battery and suitable initiatives should be taken to prevent the effects of such extreme temperature.

Reply
Naomi Butler link
10/9/2018 04:52:20 am

Couldn't agree more. The vehicles are nothing but machines which needs regular maintenance to keep it in working order. Fluids used in the vehicle for the various purpose should be inspected at a regular interval. Because lack of such fluid could jeopardize the performance of the vehicle. The battery is one of a key component of the vehicle. So, the condition of the battery needs to be inspected at a regular interval and if necessary should be replaced with suitable substitutes.

Reply
Anne McAdams
2/6/2019 03:42:37 am

A car needs routine maintenance to work smoothly for longer time period and appearance of abnormal signs which indicates that the vehicle has some sort of mechanical issues shouldn't be ignored as it could jeopardize the performance of the vehicle. Besides, tires should be properly inflated which have a significant impact on the fuel economy of the vehicle. Tire rotation and wheel alignment are some of the other important aspects of basic car maintenance which shouldn't be ignored as it could cost a lot. For more assistance, visit
https://autowerkstx.com/contact/

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Cloquet Automotive Transmission Specialists

    Follow @CloqAuto

    Cloquet Automotive

    Transmission Specialist for over 30 years!  

    Categories

    All
    Acceleration
    Battery
    Brakes
    Car Care Tips
    Deals/Coupons/Specials
    Diagnostics
    Differential/Drivetrain
    Fuel Economy
    Performance
    Powertrain
    Safety
    Shocks & Struts
    Summer
    Suspension/Steering
    Tires
    Transmission
    Winter

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    July 2017
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    October 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    March 2014
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013

SITE MAP

HOME   -   SERVICES   -   ABOUT US   -   TESTIMONIALS   -   SPECIALS   -   LOCATION   -   MEDIA GALLERY   -   BLOG  
Cloquet Automotive
1310 18th Street
Cloquet, MN 55720   I   Phone: 218-879-1974

Follow - Tweet - Share - Contact - Watch
Proudly powered by Weebly