Hi all

Have tried a search but couldn't find an answer.

I gave the engine bay of my 2003 TJII AWD a light degrease today and was VERY careful to keep the water off any electrical connectors, but fear I may have hit one.

Since doing the degrease, my gearbox is doing some strange things. Main problem is that it will not reliably select Drive, or any of the forward gears in manual mode. It will select reverse, but as it engages, it really shakes the car back and forth like a bucking bronco (for about 1-2 seconds after R is selected).

If it gives any clue to the cause, the 'D' LED on the dash does not light either, nor will the '1' in manual mode.

I tried disconnecting the car battery for 5 mins, but the fault persisted. I tried selecting N>D>N>D and after about a minute it DID SELECT 'D' (plus D dash LED came on) and car moved forward. Note as it selected Drive, the car shook as described above. I then put it back into N, then again into D, but it wouldn't select D.

I'm nervous about driving it anywhere in its current state for fear of getting stranded - has anyone seen this problem before, or better still have a solution???

Oh, I also removed and reinstalled the ATF filler dipstick (to check fluid level) after the degrease, if that is relevant?

Please hold your flames re hoses and engine bays :iough:

check ur fuses as well

id say water has got into ur inhibitor switch. speak to maggie3.5. he had the same problem.

let it dry

I had a good look inside all the engine bay connectors and found the culprit. There was water inside the connector next to the ATF dipstick. The rectangular rubber 'donut' inside the loom connector was rolled up and twisted out of shape, meaning muck and moisture has been able to get in over time.... The water from today just made matters worse and produced the fault. The previous owner told me the car had a gearbox replacement under warranty in 2004, so maybe the mechanic accidentally twisted up the rubber bit?

In some ways I'm glad this happened (at home), cos it could have happened to my wife and kids out in the middle of nowhere, which would have been much less convenient.

Gave both halves of the connector a good blow out with compressed air, then cleaned up with electronic contact cleaner.

All fixed!!!

Some pics of before and after:

http://i435.photobucket.com/albums/qq77/jeff_sx510/magna/th_wet_plug.jpg (http://s435.photobucket.com/albums/qq77/jeff_sx510/magna/?action=view&current=wet_plug.jpg)http://i435.photobucket.com/albums/qq77/jeff_sx510/magna/th_clean_plug.jpg (http://s435.photobucket.com/albums/qq77/jeff_sx510/magna/?action=view&current=clean_plug.jpg)http://i435.photobucket.com/albums/qq77/jeff_sx510/magna/th_engine_april10.jpg (http://s435.photobucket.com/albums/qq77/jeff_sx510/magna/?action=view&current=engine_april10.jpg)

Yeah for some reason seems to be a common Problem with the AWD's. Mine does the same even with the seal in place. None of my other 3rd gens do it. May be a different plug due to different tranny in AWD.

Yeah try not to do that reverse thing if possible. I had exactly the same thing happen and i recon i now have more drive line slack due to that reverse jolting. It is very savage on the drive line.

Just put glad wrap or a bag over the plug next time.

Very interesting FW. Wonder how many AWDs get sold for ridiculously cheap with this fault?? (actually don't answer that, they are way too cheap on the used market even in perfect form....)

Since drying and cleaning the connector my 'rodeo-rider' style shift issues have completely gone :)

After reconnecting the battery I did the N>D>N... and N>R>N... learning procedure, now shift into D and R is smooth and quiet. Also did the 2-3 shift @60 then stop several times to train the upshift. Everything is 100% happy again.

I think is just a TJ thing to be honest, the basic trans is the same as the FWD, it is only when you get to the diff that it is different

The TJ/KJ have a different plug or seal?

Yeah MF, did the same and the car is like brand new. That Transmission learn page is worth its weight in gold.

i blew my ecu fuse while reversing had to get out he way of a car that didn't see me

I think is just a TJ thing to be honest, the basic trans is the same as the FWD, it is only when you get to the diff that it is different

Don't thinks thats correct - Its a Lancer evo auto box, the torque was too high out of the 3.5 for the JDM AWD box. There's alot of info on the net saying this

Don't thinks thats correct - Its a Lancer evo auto box, the torque was too high out of the 3.5 for the JDM AWD box. There's alot of info on the net saying this

The AWD 5 Speed Auto is based perhaps on the Evo box then the FWD 5 Speed auto is as they share the same numbers. The internals are the same, the rear casing is the same.

ALso, regardless on what this box was "based" on makes little difference as the issue is electrical outside the trans, not internally, just ask Family Wagon about his crap elec connections, he has had the exact same issue in the past and posted it in various threads