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AW4 not shifting

X

XJOLIVE

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Vancouver, WA.
So i have searched and searched and yes searched some more.

My transmission is not shifting when i put it in drive, it is acting like the torque converter is slipping, i checked the fluid it is clean and does not smell burnt. everything i have found said change the TPS and adjust the TV, I did those things and i am still having the problem. If i put it in 1-2 it starts out fine but it will never shift to 2nd so i have to shift it to 3rd and then when i shift it into D i feel like nothing changes. i also get some kind of jerking or hesitaion while driving down the road like it wants to shift or has a miss. i am lost and not very sure what else it could be. any help would be great thank you

Oh it is a 91 xj 4.0 with the AW4

Thanks
 
Have you checked the trans. fluid? Should be BRIGHT RED in color, if dark/brown/black is not good. Fluid lever is also important.
Your issue could also be as simple as the fuse for the TCU being blown out. OR the TCU has failed completely.
The AW4 is electronically controlled. So, if the electronics are not working properly then you essentially only have first, third and fourth gear, buy manually shifting into those positions with the shifter. The TCU is behind the lower dash panel on the driver's side. The fuse is in the same area that runs along to top part of the lower panel.
I might also consider swapping the TPS at the parts store for a new one just to make sure you did not receive a faulty replacement.
Hopefully, worst case is that you have to replace the TCU. Otherwise a new trans or rebuild is in your future.
 
Could be a clogged catalytic converter. This can cause the jerking/hesitatiion and strange shifting issues with an automatic transmission.
 
Depending on what year you XJ is some have a fuse for tcm. It is located up under the dash right side. If the fuse is blown you will have park neutral reverse and 1 gear I think it is 2nd. Limp in
 
Never mind the TCU and fuses. If you put it in low, even with none of this stuff working, it should move. You should be able to manually shift through a portion of the gears. If the shifter is in reverse, because of the design of the tranny it will up the pressure. So if you get some movement in reverse and little or no movement in the forward gears, it is most likely the pump.

You are describing a pump failure. If you want to troubleshoot it, your first step would be to go to Autozone and see if they will rent you a transmission pressure gauge. With that connected to the tranny, you should be able to tell if the pump is working.

You could have something as simple as a bit of debris in the valve body or a stuck solenoid, but I would first check the pressure.

You can most likely find a link to the factory manual on the AW-4 online. It has a full diagnostic sequence.
 
ok so i had a spare AW4 laying around that came out of a good running jeep, i took the solenoids from that one and put them in mine. it still didnt fix the issue, i am thinking that its the TCU.

Problem is still that if i put it in drive it hardly moves but if i put it in 1/2 it moves like normal but will never shift out of 1/2 so i have to manually shift it.
 
Here's a shot in the dark for you. My '96 (or '94 ... can't remember) started to do the same thing while on a trip a few years ago. After checking a few things, I ended up unplugging the wiring loom from the TCM and plugging it back in. It fixed the problem and haven't touched it since. Just a bad connection I guess.
 
XJOLIVE said:
ok so i had a spare AW4 laying around that came out of a good running jeep, i took the solenoids from that one and put them in mine. it still didnt fix the issue, i am thinking that its the TCU.

Problem is still that if i put it in drive it hardly moves but if i put it in 1/2 it moves like normal but will never shift out of 1/2 so i have to manually shift it.
Click to expand...

Read post 5 again.....
 
Remove lower dash panel. On the passenger side will be the TCU and there is a 5A fuse for that. Or, your TCU may be bad.
Manually shifting you will get all but 2nd gear, as that is activated by solenoid/TCU. It is driveable like this if you need to drive it.
 
I believe that up til 94/95 has fuse. 96-up do not.
 
Same issue in my 96 ice cold jeep shifts great once jeep is fully warm and I get to a stop its like it gets stuck in gear and won't dwnshift into 1st.. Just started shifting into2nd on its own when cold!!! It's stressful gonna start with new selinoids I have other tcu boxes its not that wiring looks ok.. I had it scanned it did give a sel code but just weird that she's great when cold???
 
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