gearbox problems

[lancyman]

Hi All,

I'm getting a bit worried about my gearbox. Over the past few months the hold light
has come on from time to time. I press the hold button and it goes away. Recently,
when i have been doing 60 - 65 mph the box suddenly drops down a gear, is this normal?
As I was driving along the motorway today the van dropped down at about 60, and the
hold light started flashing. I pressed the button as before, but it wouldn't go off. I pulled
over put the van into park. Then set off again. Everything was ok. I then decided to add
some autobox fluid just to be on the safe side. I have also noticed that the van seems
a bit flat and lacking power around 40 mph. Can anyone explain what might be happening?
Is this a common fault?

thanks.

[Driver+Passengers]

Worth ruling out a loose connection on the hold button. When you describe the hold light coming on and you pressing it to make it go off, that's a bit odd... I think the ECU is involved, too.

Dropping gear at 60-65 might be a sign that the TPS is incorrectly set, and the ECU thinks you're trying to kick down.

The drop in speed and the hold light flashing sounds like 'limp mode', but I don't have any experience of this myself.

Flat and lacking power at 40 - 40 is about when the torque converter will lock up (feels like 5th gear) - revs drop to about 1500 and I don't find that I get much pulling power again until the speed is up to nearer 50. If you try pushing your foot a little harder at 40, in lockup, does it come straight out of lockup again and rev higher? If so, again might indicate TPS incorrectly set.

Worth checking the vacuum advance hose under the driver's seat - small rubber hose going from front metal elbow of the intake manifold to the top of the fuel pump. Mine was perished when I got the van and felt like it was lacking power until I fixed it.

There's a procedure for checking ATF level. Check your level.

Not all of this may be relevant, but there's a few things to check. Just reading your post brought all of things to mind, hence the post.

The flashing hold light is probably the biggest clue. I think the ECU maintains the last error code even when the flashing light has gone out... again no experience of this myself, but worth reading up on how to read the error codes.

Hope some of this helps,
Matt.

[mikeonb4c]

It would be worth phoning (and then maybe taking it to, depending on what he says) Adrian at JapanDirect in Bury 0161-763-3003. He's excellent, and not expensive, though if it is a gearbox problem he will probably direct you to a specialist in that kind of work (and even there it might just be the sensor pack from what I've read on here - not as bad as a gearbox rebuild). Good luck, keep us posted.

[Northern Bongolow]

is it flat at 40mph roadspeed, or is it at the revs needed to do 40mph in that gear, if you see what i mean.

fuel filter.
banjo filter.
fuel pump advance pipe.
throttle position sensor.
turbo wastegate valve fault.

[lancyman]

Hi all,

Thanks for the replies. From what you say, i'm not that worried about the flat feeling at
40 mph. It just sort of feels a bit flat before making the move to increased speeds.
I had a look at all the hoses under the drivers seat this morning, and they look ok.
I can't see any damage or loose connections. Anyway, I wouldn't think it's the
fule filter as this was changed when I got the van in Feb 2012, and i've done
12,000 km since. As for the other filters, and things I guess it could be those.
I have also recently had the EGR blanked and wondered if this might be causing problems??
Might have to take it to my bongo garage in garstang.

thanks again.