For 1990-2009 cars

# INTERMITTENT LOSS OF DRIVE/ ERRATIC SHIFTS (DIAG. COND.)

#### SUBJECT: INTERMITTENT LOSS OF DRIVE OR ERRATIC SHIFTS (DIAGNOSIS FOR ELECTRICAL CONDITION)

#### MODELS: 1991 BUICK REATTA 1991-1993 BUICK RIVIERA 1991-1994 BUICK PARK AVENUE AND REGAL 1992-1994 BUICK LE SABRE 1994 BUICK CENTURY AND SKYLARK 1991-1993 CADILLAC ELDORADO, SEVILLE, SIXTY SPECIAL AND FLEETWOOD (FWD) 1991-1994 CADILLAC DE VILLE 1991-1994 CHEVROLET LUMINA 1992-1994 CHEVROLET LUMINA APV 1994 CHEVROLET BERETTA AND CORSICA 1991-1992 OLDSMOBILE TORONADO AND TROFEO 1991-1994 OLDSMOBILE NINETY EIGHT AND CUTLASS SUPREME 1992-1994 OLDSMOBILE EIGHTY EIGHT AND SILHOUETTE 1994 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS CIERA AND ACHIEVA 1991-1994 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX 1992-1994 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE AND TRANS SPORT 1994 PONTIAC GRAND AM

TRANSAXLE APPLICATIONS: HYDRA-MATIC 4T60-E (RPO M13)

#### CONDITION:

SOME OWNERS MAY EXPERIENCE ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING INTERMITTENT CONDITIONS:

O LOSS OF DRIVE (NEUTRAL CONDITION) ON HIGHWAY WHILE IN FOURTH GEAR. O ERRATIC UPSHIFTS AND DOWNSHIFTS AT STEADY THROTTLE ANGLES WITHOUT A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT (MIL) (SERVICE ENGINE SOON) ILLUMINATED. O FIRST AND SECOND GEAR ONLY (NO THIRD OR FOURTH GEAR). O FIRST AND FOURTH GEAR ONLY (NO SECOND AND THIRD GEAR).

#### CAUSE:

THESE INTERMITTENT CONDITIONS MAY BE CAUSED BY AN INTERMITTENT SHORT TO GROUND ON THE "A" OR "B" SHIFT SOLENOID WIRING BETWEEN THE ECM/PCM AND THE TRANSAXLE OR AN INTERNAL ELECTRICAL CONDITION IN THE TRANSAXLE. IN MOST CASES, THESE CONDITIONS ARE NOT CAUSED BY A HYDRAULIC OR MECHANICAL CONDITION IN THE TRANSAXLE.

#### CORRECTION:

TO DIAGNOSE THIS CONDITION, IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO PERFORM THE FOLLOWING STEPS THAT ARE COVERED IN DETAIL UNDER "SERVICE INFORMATION":

1. CHECK CONDITION AND LEVEL OF TRANSMISSION FLUID.

2. DIAGNOSE AND REPAIR ALL ECM/PCM DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES.

3. IDENTIFY WHICH SHIFT SOLENOID IS BEING AFFECTED.

4. DETERMINE IF CAUSE IS INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL TO TRANSAXLE.

5. IDENTIFY FAULTY COMPONENT AND REPAIR OR REPLACE AS NECESSARY.

#### SERVICE INFORMATION:

**1. CHECK CONDITION AND LEVEL OF TRANSMISSION FLUID**

USE THE "4T60-E TRANSAXLE FLUID CHECKING PROCEDURE" IN SECTION 7A-5A 4T60-E AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE DIAGNOSIS OF THE APPROPRIATE SERVICE MANUAL. IF THE FLUID IS CONTAMINATED, BURNED OR CONTAINS EXCESSIVE CLUTCH MATERIAL OR METAL, THIS BULLETIN NO LONGER APPLIES AND MECHANICAL/HYDRAULIC DIAGNOSIS SHOULD BE FOLLOWED PER THE SERVICE MANUAL.

**2. DIAGNOSE AND REPAIR ALL ECM/PCM DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES**

CHECK FOR ECM/PCM DTC'S USING THE TECH 1/ON-BOARD DIAGNOSTICS AS DESCRIBED IN SECTION 6E-A OF THE APPROPRIATE SERVICE MANUAL. DIAGNOSE AND REPAIR ALL DTC'S PRIOR TO CONTINUING TO STEP THREE.

**3. IDENTIFY WHICH SHIFT SOLENOID IS BEING AFFECTED**

INSTALL THE TRANSMISSION TEST BOX J 38791 AND THE CORRECT HARNESS (J 38791-10, J 38791-20 OR J 38791-60) AND MONITOR "A" AND "B" SHIFT SOLENOID LED STATUS DURING CONDITION. COMPARE THE ACTUAL LED STATUS WITH THE COMMANDED GEAR STATUS INDICATED BY THE TECH 1. THE SHIFT SOLENOID THAT IS ENERGIZED WHEN IT IS NOT COMMANDED TO BE ENERGIZED IS THE AFFECTED COMPONENT. (ON PONTIAC MODELS, USE TRANSAXLE ELECTRICAL JUMPER J 38835 AND MULTIMETER J 39200.)

**4. DETERMINE IF CAUSE IS INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL TO TRANSAXLE**

IF THE CONDITION CAN BE ELIMINATED OR CHANGED BY MANUALLY OVERRIDING THE SELECTED GEAR WITH THE TRANSMISSION TEST BOX, THEN THE ELECTRICAL FAULT IS EXTERNAL TO THE TRANSAXLE. IF THE CONDITION CANNOT BE ELIMINATED USING THE TEST BOX, THEN THE FAULT IS INTERNAL TO THE TRANSAXLE. IT IS POSSIBLE WITH SOME SHIFT SOLENOID CONDITIONS THAT THE AFFECTED SOLENOID WILL BEHAVE AS IF IT WAS ENERGIZED (CHECK BALL SEATS) WITHOUT ACTUALLY BEING ENERGIZED. IN THIS CASE, THE TECH 1 COMMANDED STATUS AND TRANSMISSION TEST BOX LED STATUS WILL BE THE SAME AND THE CONDITION WILL NOT BE AFFECTED BY THE TEST BOX.

**5. IDENTIFY FAULTY COMPONENT AND REPAIR OR REPLACE AS NECESSARY**

ONCE THE FAULT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL TO THE TRANSAXLE AND ONE SHIFT SOLENOID IS AFFECTED, THE FOLLOWING SUGGESTIONS WILL HELP TO IDENTIFY THE EXACT COMPONENT AND REQUIRED REPAIR:

WIRING FAULTS EXTERNAL TO THE TRANSAXLE:

O CHECK FOR PINCHED WIRING OR WORN THROUGH INSULATION UNDERHOOD AT EXPOSED SHEET METAL, HARNESS RETAINERS OR AT PASS-THROUGH CONNECTORS AT THE COWL. UNDERDASH WIRING AS IT ROUTES TO THE ECM/PCM COULD ALSO BE DAMAGED.

O IF THE CONDITION OCCURS DURING POWERTRAIN TORQUE LOADS (ACCELERATION), CHECK FOR HARNESSES THAT ARE PULLED TIGHT AGAINST A COMPONENT WHEN THE POWERTRAIN MOVES FORE OR AFT.

O CHECK ANY PASS-THROUGH OR IN-LINE HARNESS CONNECTORS FOR BENT OR DAMAGED TERMINALS.

O REPAIR DAMAGED WIRING AND REPAIR OR REPLACE TERMINALS AND CONNECTORS PER SECTION 8A-5 OF THE APPROPRIATE SERVICE MANUAL.

O ON 1991-1993 CADILLAC DEVILLE/FLEETWOOD/SIXTY SPECIAL (FWD) MODELS, REFER TO CADILLAC BULLETIN T-93-105 OR CANADA BULLETIN 93-6E-125 (CORPORATE BULLETIN 316510).

WIRING FAULTS INTERNAL TO THE TRANSAXLE:

O CHECK FOR WIRING PINCHED BETWEEN THE SIDE COVER AND CHANNEL PLATE/VALVE BODY.

O CHECK FOR BENT OR DAMAGED CONNECTOR PINS.

O CHECK SUSPECT SHIFT SOLENOID FOR HIGH/LOW RESISTANCE USING NOMINAL READINGS FROM SECTION 7A-5A 4T60-E AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE DIAGNOSIS IN THE APPROPRIATE SERVICE MANUAL.

O THE TRANSAXLE WIRING HARNESS OR SHIFT SOLENOID MUST BE REPLACED IF FAULTY; THEY ARE NOT CURRENTLY REPAIRABLE.

NON-ELECTRICAL SHIFT SOLENOID FAULTS:

O CHECK FOR SEDIMENT IN SHIFT SOLENOID.

O CHECK FOR SEDIMENT, BROKEN/MISSING SPRING, OR BINDING VALVE IN SHIFT VALVE TRAIN.

O THE TRANSAXLE SHIFT SOLENOID MUST BE REPLACED IF FAULTY; IT IS CURRENTLY NOT REPAIRABLE.

SERVICE PARTS INFORMATION:

IF A COMPONENT REQUIRES REPLACEMENT, REFER TO THE SERVICE PARTS CATALOG FOR PART NUMBERS.

#### WARRANTY INFORMATION:

FOR VEHICLES REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY, USE THE APPROPRIATE LABOR OPERATION AND ITS PUBLISHED TIME FROM THE FOLLOWING LIST:

#### OUTSIDE TRANSAXLE:

WIRING AND/OR CONNECTOR - REPAIR LABOR OPERATION NUMBER: N6270 ENGINE USE PUBLISHED LABOR OPERATION TIME.

#### INSIDE TRANSAXLE:

WIRING HARNESS AND/OR SOLENOID - REPLACE LABOR OPERATION NUMBER: K6554 HARNESS ASSEMBLY LABOR OPERATION NUMBER: K6555 1-2 SHIFT SOLENOID (A) LABOR OPERATION NUMBER: K6556 2-3 SHIFT SOLENOID (B) USE PUBLISHED LABOR OPERATION TIMES.

FIGURES: 0 ATTACHMENTS: 0

GENERAL MOTORS BULLETINS ARE INTENDED FOR USE BY PROFESSIONAL TECHNICIANS, NOT A "DO-IT-YOURSELFER." THEY ARE WRITTEN TO INFORM THOSE TECHNICIANS OF CONDITIONS OCCURRING ON SOME VEHICLES, OR TO PROVIDE INFORMATION THAT COULD ASSIST IN THE PROPER SERVICE OF A VEHICLE. PROPERLY TRAINED TECHNICIANS HAVE THE EQUIPMENT, TOOLS, SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS AND KNOW-HOW TO DO A JOB PROPERLY AND SAFELY. IF A CONDITION IS DESCRIBED, DO NOT ASSUME THE BULLETIN APPLIES TO YOUR VEHICLE, OR THAT YOUR VEHICLE WILL HAVE THAT CONDITION. SEE A GENERAL MOTORS DEALER SERVICING YOUR BRAND OF GENERAL MOTORS VEHICLE FOR INFORMATION ON WHETHER YOUR VEHICLE MAY BENEFIT FROM THE INFORMATION.

COPYRIGHT 1994. GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.