1999 Ford Escort automatic acts like a manual

MJMAW

MEMBER
1999 FORD ESCORT
4 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
186,000 MILES

Boutght the car brand new and haven't had any problems with it until I changed the transmission filterand fluid. It ran fine for a while then started to act up. It now acts like a manual. To dive it you have to put it in low gear then drive until you get to 4000 RPMs and move it up to the next gear, doing this in every gear until I reach overdrive. Someone told my mother-in-law that it was a sensor on the transmission, but she didn't get the name of the sensor and can't get ahold of this man. I have the Hanes manual for the car but it doesn't say anything about a sensor on the transmission. Is it a sensor causeing this problem or something else? Please help I really need to get the car running right.

Tuesday, January 27th, 2009 AT 6:49 PM

1 Reply

DAVE H

MECHANIC
13,384 POSTS

Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS)
VSS is a variable reluctance or Hall Effect type sensor that generates a waveform with a frequency that is proportional to vehicle speed. When vehicle is moving slowly, sensor produces a low frequency signal. As vehicle speed increases, sensor produces a higher frequency signal. The PCM uses this signal to control fuel injection, ignition timing and transmission shift points.

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Tuesday, January 27th, 2009 AT 7:07 PM