autodsm
10+ Year Contributor
- 107
- 4
- Jul 31, 2012
-
wa,
Washington
This is my third DSM...first two were AWD 5spd, and this is my first auto FWD. Everything is bone stock but there is an issue with the auto trans...feels like it is in limp mode.
First let me start by saying there are NO codes...no check engine light and when I used the diagnostic connector to check for TCU codes, it only has short pulses (indicating no codes)
I went further and opened up the case to the TCU. It looks to be repaired previously and has check marks on some of the chips. The first thing that I noticed was the cap in the middle...there were little rivers or whatnot of solder indicating that the traces were repaired due to leaking capacitor. The cap looked to be replaced and I went further and measured voltage at the green transistor (middle prong) and it was 4.98 volts which indicates the chip is good.
SO with all of that said, the electrical components seem to be in "working order" but I am not convinced.
When in drive, no matter if I start in L, 2, or D the car is still in the same gear, which I do not believe to be first gear. It is very sluggish starting out, even if you floor it. It will never downshift...when you floor it, it will stay in whatever gear and slowly build the RPMs and once it builds boost, it will get up and go. I have felt it shift one time while driving, but it seems like it is always in 3rd gear.
After i got home and ran through diagnostics for the TCU, i turned the car on and put it into reverse...it wentt smoothly into reverse. I dropped it to neutral and it went smoothly into neutral. I then put it into drive and it kind of "lurched" into Drive....was a hard type of transition. I put it back in neutral and then into 2, and it did the same hard transition. Put it back into neutral and then into L and same result. So I put it back into park and straight into Drive and same hard "shift".
Put it back into park and then reverse and it was smooth, so I backed out of the driveway and then put it into drive. It FELT like it went into drive, but when I pushed the gas, it did nothing except rev as if I were in neutral. I put it into neutral and it seemed to be reversing some....kind of like a misadjusted linkage or something. I had to push the car forward while in Drive and it finally "broke free" a little bit and I was able to gas it into the driveway. It was still very sluggish driving into the driveway, not like a normal car if you push the gas it just goes.
Checked the tranny fluid and it is full and pink. Doesnt smell burnt or look burnt at all. As i said, this is my first auto DSM, so i am not too familiar with it...so anyone have a suggestion as to where to start?
First let me start by saying there are NO codes...no check engine light and when I used the diagnostic connector to check for TCU codes, it only has short pulses (indicating no codes)
I went further and opened up the case to the TCU. It looks to be repaired previously and has check marks on some of the chips. The first thing that I noticed was the cap in the middle...there were little rivers or whatnot of solder indicating that the traces were repaired due to leaking capacitor. The cap looked to be replaced and I went further and measured voltage at the green transistor (middle prong) and it was 4.98 volts which indicates the chip is good.
SO with all of that said, the electrical components seem to be in "working order" but I am not convinced.
When in drive, no matter if I start in L, 2, or D the car is still in the same gear, which I do not believe to be first gear. It is very sluggish starting out, even if you floor it. It will never downshift...when you floor it, it will stay in whatever gear and slowly build the RPMs and once it builds boost, it will get up and go. I have felt it shift one time while driving, but it seems like it is always in 3rd gear.
After i got home and ran through diagnostics for the TCU, i turned the car on and put it into reverse...it wentt smoothly into reverse. I dropped it to neutral and it went smoothly into neutral. I then put it into drive and it kind of "lurched" into Drive....was a hard type of transition. I put it back in neutral and then into 2, and it did the same hard transition. Put it back into neutral and then into L and same result. So I put it back into park and straight into Drive and same hard "shift".
Put it back into park and then reverse and it was smooth, so I backed out of the driveway and then put it into drive. It FELT like it went into drive, but when I pushed the gas, it did nothing except rev as if I were in neutral. I put it into neutral and it seemed to be reversing some....kind of like a misadjusted linkage or something. I had to push the car forward while in Drive and it finally "broke free" a little bit and I was able to gas it into the driveway. It was still very sluggish driving into the driveway, not like a normal car if you push the gas it just goes.
Checked the tranny fluid and it is full and pink. Doesnt smell burnt or look burnt at all. As i said, this is my first auto DSM, so i am not too familiar with it...so anyone have a suggestion as to where to start?
