MX-83 Cressida. Auto Gearbox - 'fails to proceed'!

[petergoudie]

The auto gearbox in our MX-83 has failed. The gearbox will not drive the car forward or backward. The drive has stopped although it can be pushed in any direction except when in park. Oil level is OK.

Any sugestions on what it is?

Also, how high do you have to raise the car on stands to get the gearbox out from under the car?

Thanks

[Chivalry]

Just stopped working all of a sudden? Had been woring perfectly up until that point? No noises, sluggish gear changes or anything else from the box before it 'died'? Have you physically checked the gearbox from under the car to make sure there's no loose plugs etc?

I'll have a stab in the dark, though not sure how helpful it will be to you. Is an idea at least, before someone more experienced chimes in. Have you checked the ECU? To get to it you need to take off the passenger lower half of the dash, which is basically just the glovebox. To memory there is 4 phillips-head screws to take out, one is behind the speaker grille (which pops off easily), two are behind the black trim on the bottom of the dash, in the footwell (which also pops off easily) and the other is at the top right corner of the glovebox when the lid is opened. With the glovebox out you can easily access the ECU which sits right next to the air vent pipe for the left side of the dash and is right up under the dashpad/top half.

I'm probably way off, but sounds like a relative suggestion to me.

[petergoudie]

Thanks Jake. The gearbox has been slow to change into second for a long time, when it is cold. After the first change is made the gearbox works properly. I've put this down to a stuck control solenoid because I did change the computer plus I read the output. The computer was saying to make the change but the gearbox wasn't following the instruction until it decides to make that first change. Also, the sticking first change only came after I changed the solenoids.

I don't know a lot about auto gearboxes but I'm suspecting there is a pump inside the gearbox that has failed or the torque converter has completly failed.

[andrew_mx83]

pretty high. i take 2 bites with my 500mm jack and use stands under the rails a fair way back + backup spare wheels under it then slide the box out the front. have fun, just make sure the bellhousing will clear the x-member before you start.