I have a 96 sport with an automatic aw4 tranny. Occasionally i will take off from a stop and i wont have any power, it just "crawls" its like its stuck in 3rd gear and wont downshift. it doesnt usually help to shift myself either. and when this problem starts, its like it doesnt wanna shift into overdrive. Normally my rpm's are around 1100 up until 55 mph but when this problem starts, my rps's will be around 1500 - 2000 at between 45-60 mph. i have replaced my tps and im almost positive that its an electrical problem cuz when im having these problems, if i pull over and shut the vehicle off and then restart it then its instantly fixed, until it randomly acts up again. Idk what to look at next, maybe the tcm?

 

Could be shift solenoinds or something. But I'm not an auto trans guy.

 

I prefer manuals too but i wasnt lucky enough to find one. I dont think its a solenoid tho because restarting the vehicle wouldnt fix that. im almost positive that its a sensor, or computer problem, i just dont know which one.

 

Really?


If you dont know which one how do you know its a sensor? What sensor would cause the issues your having?

I suggest replacing the crank position sensor, then. Its REALLY easy to do...

 

I'm not having misfires or timing issues so i dont know y it would be the cps.

 

What happens if you unplug the TCU and shift manually? Does it go into 1'st gear when you select 1-2 manually? Shift up to 3'rd when you select 3?

 

That was a joke. Sorry.

 

Where is the tcm exactly? I know its somewhere in the dash on the drivers side, but do i have to take the dash apart to get to it? I haven't had time to look yet

 

I thought it was near the trans itself...

 

Idk, and the chilton's manual is a p.o.s. it doesn't even mention the tcu

 

Are you sure it's a trans issue? It could be an o2 sensor. Try unplugging your front o2 sensor and see if the problem goes away. If it does, you need a new upstream o2. If it doesn't, it's not the problem.

 

TCU should be behind the passenger side knee panel, basically under the glovebox.

 

I would place my money on the shift solenoids. My 98 with the same transmission would feel like it was in 3rd gear from a stop. I would have to manually use the 1/2 gear and then shift into Drive once I got going. I replaced the solenoids that are inside the transmission pan and problem was immediately fixed.

 

 

Only concern I have, in the original post he said it doesnt normally help to shift manually.