I've been repairing my vehicle after some serious front end trauma. While replacing the a/c condensor radiator and fan assembly I notice that the tubing connecting the transaxial and the ATF cooler was pinched completely off. I replaced the metal tubing with rubber ATF hosing and the vehicle appeared to be shifting fine for the unlicensed test drives. Since then it sat for about 6 month and now I'm back in town to work on it.

Now, the transmission will lock into fifth gear and when slowing to a stop it slips out of gear and then reengages after revving and breaking. It seems that disconnecting the battery and restarting allows the car to get out of limp mode and shift through the gears properly until it slips when slowing again and locks back up in 5th gear.

Based on this behavior I assumed the transmission was fine but the computer control was not. But when I took it to a transmission shop for diagnostics I was told that the hydraulics where bleeding pressure and not allowing a clutch to engage fully.

My question is could there be an easy external fix for my symptoms or do I have to tear this transmission apart? What should I check before I commit to selling or fixing my car?

 

P1773 - I threw this for a bad speed sensor on a rear wheel. If you had front end damage, might have a damaged one in the front, shorted signal wire... Dealership's computer was able to query the computer to pinpoint which one.
https://mitsubishiforum.com/forum/mi...ighlight=p1773

 

So could the ABS Wheel Speed Sensor cause the transmission to go into limp mode?

The transmission shop told me the input and output sensors are working on the transmission and the problem is internal with the hydraulics causing a clutch to only engage 70%. How do I check that the sensor is working?

 

As the stealership explained to me....if the wheel speed sensor goes unresponsive, then the computer has no clue what it is doing. If it can't tell what the wheel is doing then it will go into its default limp home mode. you may be dragging the wheel, the wheel may be gone, the wheel may be just fine...so it plays it safe and enters limp home mode.

Just a guess, but you could get a nice clean pan and disconnect the ATF return line from the ATF cooler/radiator. That might tell you how (some) of the fluid is flowing through the transmission. Make sure the pan is clean and you can put it back in. If you have to top off....you have to get the fluid from the stealership.

 

Okay, thanks. Any ideas about the p0733 - incorrect third gear ratio code.

Should I be concerned that if I get the transaxle out of limp mode with a wheel speed sensor that the transmission could also be ruined by briefly driving with the pinched off ATF tube?