1996 Jeep Cherokee Sport 4WD 175,000 4.0

JFROESCHLE

MEMBER
1996 JEEP CHEROKEE

The car will not run in overdrive. The exception to this is when traveling up a hill the car shifts into overdrive and when it crests the hill it downshifts back into 4th. The transmission has been in for a little less than a year, it was a bench tested certified used part. I had a transmission shop test the vehicle and their determination was it's not a transmission problem, possibly the TPS. Also, the temp gauge stopped working at about the same time as the shift problem. Could there be a correlation? When I disconnect the temp sending unit while the engine is running the PCM turns the aux fan on as though the engine is hot and back off as soon as I reconnect it. So it would seem the PCM is receiving data from the sending unit, and the problem is just the gauge not working. Does the transmission shift rely on temp data from the PCM? Do I need further testing of the temp system? Or would you start by replacing the TPS? This car has an Asian Warner (Toyota?) Transmission. Any thoughts are appreciated.

2 Replies

MERLIN2021

MECHANIC
17,250 POSTS

Being that it's a 96 it should throw a code for most of the problems you listed, but try the VSS on tranny.

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Thursday, June 28th, 2007 AT 4:29 PM

JFROESCHLE

MEMBER
2 POSTS

Merlin,
Thanks for the reply. I thought most of the problems I listed should have thrown a code also. Anyway, I decided to replace the Throtle Positions Sensor first since it was only a 5 minute job and the part was only 30 bucks. It must have been faulty because the tranny shifts perfect now.