Hey guys,
My A/T Temp light popped on yesterday and now it pops on after driving only short distances and won't go off. There is no indication that the transmission is actually hot; I can put my hands on the cooler and pan without burning them. The coolant is crystal green, and the A/T oil is beautiful candy-saliva red with no odd smells. There is no foaming of the A/T oil. Sensor is dry (or at least appears to be dry - it is located next to the cat, so it would have a natural tendancy to stay that way).

Was trouble-shooting with NathanC and he mentioned the diode on circuit on the wiring harness. I don't have any tools to check it, but I cut it out of the tape and it looks brand new.

I tried driving with the light on, but the drive felt sluggish and I pulled over to a friends house to check it out. Being that it's cold and snowing, I'm reluctant to take my chances and drive the rural 3hrs to Cincinnatti.

Anybody have any other hints to what might be going on here?



Here's a breakdown of my recent driving activity:

I have towed my car a few times with the truck fully loaded. The A/T light popped on in June for the first time under these conditions while I was driving 75mph in 95? weather (fan clutch is also bad). I was glad to see that it was actually working. I pulled over, let it cool off, and continued on. That's my heavy towing.

From Sept-now, I've been driving down a rugged 1/2mi gravel/mud/water road to get to our work site. I had driven down that road 4x/day, so 2mi/day. That's my off-road driving.

I just changed the motor oil on Friday and it was BLACK. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" />

Yesterday, I drove the truck @55mph for 2hrs. The A/T temp light came on just after slowing down. I was within a mile of my destination and pulled over and let it cool down. Light went off after 2min in P.

Today, I drove ~8mi, parked and met up with friends for 15min, got back in the truck and the A/T temp light popped on after about a half mile. Drove two more miles, pulled over to let it cool down while I investigated. I found nothing suspicious or hot. A/T temp light would not go off, so I decided it was a false positive and continued on. A/T temp light went off immediately upon pulling out of the gas station. Drove 1mi and the light came back on.

Drove several miles with the light on and decided that the car was performing sluggish and pulled over at a friends house to troubleshoot. That's where I am now. I'm stumped. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />


Other concerns:

I haven't changed the fluids on the truck in a few years - since I installed the new A/T & t-case in November '05.

Engine fan clutch is going bad, but engine temp is fine.

Radiator is busting at the seems - it has a slow steady leak which I've been carefully attentive to until I can get it repaired.

I'm expected to be on a project in Dayton, OH tomorrow, but called in and said I was having car trouble.

Any ideas?

-DougB <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

Hi Doug - <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

Maybe the temperature senser is bad.

Frank

On this short drive to the worksite, do you use lowrange?
Feeling sluggish is something like a warning.
AT temp light coming on after slowing down can be real, the trans, if it is hot gets less cooling after slowing but still has leftover heat that needs to be dissipated.
Getting hot in the winter is not normal, if it is hot as you question.

We had that problem with my daughters 90 after a few trips
through a deep muddy puddle.Got a new sensor but before I replaced it the problem went a way.I think the old sensor dried out.Check it out it's covered by a rubber boot.If I remember right other had the same problem (water)
Russ <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/patriot.gif" alt="" />

Just drove it around town a little bit more today. Light came on in less than 5mi of easy driving. It is butt cold out here today.

Let the truck cool down for an hour or so, then started it and let it idle for about 30min. A/T temp light came on in about that time.

I'm going to say Frank is correct - faulty switch.

My delusion of sluggish performance was either just that - a delusion, or icy roads. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" /> I cruised around town today with the light on and the A/T feels like it's performing solidly.

I'll get this thing replaced when I can. Until then, I'll live with the red light staring me in the eyeball.

Doug
Try cleaning iy first I bought the sensor for my daughters Monty but never did use it and it was doing the same thing
Russ <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/patriot.gif" alt="" />

Hit the sensor connector with wd40 to dry it out. then pack the connector with silicone brake lube and plug it back. Sensor is on pside of the tranny where the atf line attaches to the box.

I've put over 1000mi on the truck since the problem first started. The sensor is not wet, it's just bad. It seems to come on as soon as the truck gets to normal operating temp or sooner. Unfortunately, I don't have time to swap it right now, so as long as I'm not towing anything I'm just going to ignore it. Oh man - I'm gonna become that guy who puts a little black piece of electrical tape over the light to make it go away! What's happening to me?! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" />

-DougB <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

Welcome to the dark side.

Ya ... I have a 1989 4-Door Monty that has very similar "transmission light issues". I'm usually just so happy to have the tranny working that I couldn't care less if the tranny light is on or off, ... as long as I'm not walking, ... I usually feel like I'm way ahead of the game.

Never had problems with my 5-Speed Raiders, ... but the Auto in the Monty has sucked large donkey.

I go with the "dried out" theory, ... which seemingly explains many of the ghosts in my machine, ... a Florida truck with many "dried out" rubber fittings, gaskets, fittings, and parts, ... truck otherwise mint, ... (if you don't count the blown motor).

Walking is a part of Raider & Montero ownership, ... have a back-up car, ... and hopefully the back-up won't be another dead Raider, ... as I now seemingly have my choice of 4 dead beasts sitting in the driveway, ... none of which will help me get to the store in the dead of Canadian Winter.

Keep ***** about the transmission light and your truck will hear you, ... think you ungrateful, ... and pull the pin when you need her the most, ... KARMA sensitive vehicle ... count your blessings when actually in motion, ... keep hush hush on the complaining and references to "that damn transmission light again", ... we wouldn't want her to get upset, blow a crucial, and leave you walking, (although it would be without further concern for your truck's transmission light).

Ever hear your truck laugh at you, ... mine does, ... every time I walk past her at the end of the driveway on my very cold Canadian winter walk to the store, ... the *****.

When these trucks are tired, ... they tell you, ... Mine has a transmission light that thinks it's at a Disco, ... an Emergency Brake Light that comes on in the cold, ... a throttle cable that makes noise in the cold until it warms up, ... bugs, ... gremlins, ... whatever, ... none of the solutions are critical, ... and like most solutions on most cars, ... they cost money, ... and are investments in a depreciating asset.

Hope that helps ...