• Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

aw4 trans problem!

badbowtie87

badbowtie87

NAXJA Forum User
Location
missouri
I just bought a 96 jeep cherokee country. Its the first jeep ive ever owned so i dont know much about them. The transmission has a weird problem. When you put it in drive and try to take off it slips or actually just feels like it is in third gear trying to take off. If you put it in first gear and manually shifts great with the exception that it only stays in 2nd gear for a split second before it shifts to 3rd on its own. When you come to a stop it does it all over again. It also will not downshift when you step on it and the kickdown isnt broken. Im sure the tranny is not in good shape because the tranny fluid is burntand it has 140K on it but like i said it shifts great when you manually shift it. Any ideas on where to start? Any advise would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
 
badbowtie87 said:
Im sure the tranny is not in good shape because the tranny fluid is burntand it has 140K on it
Click to expand...
Drain it and refill with non-synthetic Dexron-III. Do that again in a week or two to get more of the old stuff mixed out.
 
badbowtie87 said:
I just bought a 96 jeep cherokee country. Its the first jeep ive ever owned so i dont know much about them. The transmission has a weird problem. When you put it in drive and try to take off it slips or actually just feels like it is in third gear trying to take off. If you put it in first gear and manually shifts great with the exception that it only stays in 2nd gear for a split second before it shifts to 3rd on its own. When you come to a stop it does it all over again. It also will not downshift when you step on it and the kickdown isnt broken. Im sure the tranny is not in good shape because the tranny fluid is burntand it has 140K on it but like i said it shifts great when you manually shift it. Any ideas on where to start? Any advise would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Click to expand...
Also pull the codes with a scanner,that transmission is computer controlled and will send codes.
 
badbowtie87 said:
I just bought a 96 jeep cherokee country. Its the first jeep ive ever owned so i dont know much about them. The transmission has a weird problem. When you put it in drive and try to take off it slips or actually just feels like it is in third gear trying to take off. If you put it in first gear and manually shifts great with the exception that it only stays in 2nd gear for a split second before it shifts to 3rd on its own. When you come to a stop it does it all over again. It also will not downshift when you step on it and the kickdown isnt broken. Im sure the tranny is not in good shape because the tranny fluid is burntand it has 140K on it but like i said it shifts great when you manually shift it. Any ideas on where to start? Any advise would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Click to expand...

JOIN THE CLUB!! Mine too!
 
Check the TPS (throttle position sensor). The throttle cable does not control shifting as in other hydraulic-only transmissions. It controls the internal hydraulic pressure and hence the shift firmness. The Trans computer controls the shifting based on the speeds sensor on the tranny, throttle position, and shifter position. A bad TPS sensor will cause poor shifting.
 
I put a new tps on as well as a map sensor and that didnt help. Iwas then told to check the TCU fuse and it looked fine. I also tested the power at the TCU and it had power so i thought i would try a new TCU or at least a salvage yard TCU.
 
badbowtie87 said:
I put a new tps on as well as a map sensor and that didnt help. Iwas then told to check the TCU fuse and it looked fine. I also tested the power at the TCU and it had power so i thought i would try a new TCU or at least a salvage yard TCU.
Click to expand...
Did you check all three fuses?
 
Ok idefinatley did not check 3 fuses. just the 2 under the hood. But there are 2 terminals on the TCU plug that have power so i thought that meant it had all the power it need to operate. If there are 3 fuses for that then i have not found them. My haynes manual says nothing about them since they dont go into great auto trans detail.
 
badbowtie87 said:
Ok idefinatley did not check 3 fuses. just the 2 under the hood. But there are 2 terminals on the TCU plug that have power so i thought that meant it had all the power it need to operate. If there are 3 fuses for that then i have not found them. My haynes manual says nothing about them since they dont go into great auto trans detail.
Click to expand...
The fuses are F15 F6 F3
 
Ok, the problem for me is that the fuses under the hood are not labled. I have some small new style fuses and these huge fuses non of which are labled??? I checked all of them and each are fine. All of the fuses under the dash are also fine. I checked each one with a test light. I think im running out of stuff to try.
 
badbowtie87 said:
Ok, the problem for me is that the fuses under the hood are not labled. I have some small new style fuses and these huge fuses non of which are labled??? I checked all of them and each are fine. All of the fuses under the dash are also fine. I checked each one with a test light. I think im running out of stuff to try.
Click to expand...
Are your brake lights working?
 
badbowtie87 said:
the brake lights are working but my backup lights are not. I think the nss is to blame for that
Click to expand...
Now that could be important.
Your Backup light's are part or the range selector. if you don't have voltage to the range selector, you will have a problem just like yours.

Range.jpg
 
I am in the middle of the same thing with my 95 xj. I just got a TCU from the junkyard today along with an AW4 and an NJ 242 plus driveshafts for $175 bucks. I am going to try the TCU this weekend if I can find my keys that I lost!! This seems to be a common problem as I have found other threads with the same exact problem. Please keep us posted on your results and I will update with my progress as well.
 
ok this does make a little sense about the range selector. So basically the way it looks if i have problems with the range selector or no power to it i should say then it will not complete the path to the TCU???? Or it will just cause similar problems?? I did try one new thing today. I unplugged the TCU on my friends 95 country and the problem is identical to mine. But it could just mean that my TCU isnt getting the correct info to do its job. I dont know im just rattling here i guess.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

B
2000 4x4 sport with 4.0 auto trans issues looking for help.
Replies
4
Views
1K
lawsoncl
L
1
AW4 Harsh Engagement
Replies
4
Views
2K
acruz95
A
J
AW4 Problem shifting first to second when hot
Replies
2
Views
1K
cruiser54
C
4
Timing gear?
Replies
3
Views
99
4x4JeePmaNthINg
4
X
AW4 Confusing Drive Engagement
Replies
3
Views
2K
cruiser54
C
Back
Top