Dan91

Yeah, I was driving up a big hill in the 1-2 position(it likes to upshift otherwise) and I turned onto the main road forgetting I had it in 1-2. Got up to maybe 45mph and then it was just like the trans automatically shifted into neutral (engine revved up since I was on the gas) and I realised what I did. So is this just a properly working safety feature to put the AW4 in neutral if the speed exceeds the safe range of the selected gear, or was it something bad? Either way, not planning on doing it again lol.

Basslicks

yes... the computer on that year (and 97+ if I'm not mistaken) goes into a rev-limit mode and will automatically shift the tranny up into neutral to protect the motor and transmission

Zack92MJ

Yep live and learn

djb383

I'm puzzled why the tranny would "slip into neutral". Seems like that would slam the motor against whatever limiter very quickly. Seems like slipping into neutral could cause loss of vehicle control.

Zack92MJ

I dont know if xj have it but I know newer cars do,, if you are in a lower gear and your over revving it in gear I know it pops its self into N to disengage it.


OP did you notice anything else being wrong with it after you did it? did you drive it home?

djb383

What/which newer cars would do that???? When the motor reaches max revs and slows down, or doesn't rev any faster, why would the transmission shift to neutral????

Zack92MJ

Well my buddys focus went into n when he over revved it my mom highland will automatically upshift or downshift for if you 'forget'

And it's probably some safety feature so you don't blow up your transmission

djb383

I can understand upshifting to the next gear but going to neutral just doesn't sound right.

Bet your buddy was ragging on it, missed a shift, passed D/OD and hit neutral. Makes no sense to automatically shift to neutral at high rpm.

Basslicks

It actually has to do with wheel spin. Remember that part in the owner's manual that says "spinning wheels over (enter speed here) can cause damage to transaxle"... Chrysler engineered this to protect the rest of the drivetrain... Sure, it's bad for the motor to bounce against the rev limiter, damaging all of the components would be worse.

I actually had a manual transmission s10 that would do this... I thought I had missed a shift just like you said the first time it happened. So I tried it out in an abandoned wet parking lot... I got the rear wheels spinning, hit the brakes to keep it spinning like that for a bit and didn't touch the shifter... Sure enough, it kicked it out after about 20-30 seconds.

djb383

So what would kick a manual tranny into neutral....some electronic sensor? If the tranny shifted to neutral, then there wouldn't be any damage, no? I still don't think it will shift to neutral automatically.....that just ain't right.

DFlintstone

Djb, It looks like he has an automatic...

Turbo X_J

If the transmission jumps into neutral @ XXXX rpm = failing pump. If the transmission is working properly it will hold whatever gear selected until the engines' valves float or the motor gives up.

Manual transmissions jumping out of gear = defective motor / transmission mounts.

djb383

Thank u sir. I wasn't sure why but any tranny shifting on it's own to neutral (at high revs/speed) just don't sound right....or maybe it sounds like KA-BOOOOOM.

DFlintstone

I guess Renix doesn't have a rev limiter, at least to 5 or 6K. (A brave poster tried it, with sewing machine oil even!)

Basslicks

No, mine doesn't either... Didn't start until the model refresh.