pdr

I have a 95 es300. Been driving good. Yesterday, when I drove it the dash transmission light for low gear stayed lit, and the car would not shift out of low gear. When I move the gear selector, the other lights come on normally so there would be 2 lights lit, drive and low or 2nd and low or reverse and low or park and low. In fact, when I turn off the key the other lights go out first and the low light lingers for several seconds before going out. Turn the key back on it immediately lights even though the gear selector is in park. Its as if the low gear is hard wired into being on (due to a short circuit or regardless of what the selector tells it. And the worst thing is you're stuck in 1st gear so you can't go anywhere really.

Has anyone had experience with this? I"m looking for somewhere to start troubleshooting. I figure it's either in the electrical plug to the transmission or the gear selector so I'll start there but if you have other suggestions it would be appreciated.

BDSL

Have you done the simple thing (i.e. check transmission fluid)?

PFB

You're right, that's a weird one.

The transmission shifting problem and the gear selector light indicator problem, don't even sound related, except for the fact that you say that both problems occurred at the same time.

If you have a code reader than check for codes. If not, disconnect the battery for a few minutes and try again. You may get lucky.

If still no go, hopefully someone else can chime in.

Phil

pdr

I was getting a speed sensor error code intermittently before this. Today i tried to clean the speed sensor connector and make sure it was making a good connection as it seemed too loose for my liking . I got what felt like a good solid attachment. I also did the same for knock sensor connector. I took the car for a test ride and the problem was still there as before, but when I shut it off and turned the key back on the light was off and now I'm back to the speed sensor error, OD light blinking. But at least the car shifts more normally now, perhaps no OD that remains to be seen as I haven't taken it up to highway speed.

I'm actually wondering if I had accidentally found a designed in limp mode for the transmission when there was bad connection for those items, the knock sensors and speed sensor. I'm pretty sure I need a new harness for the knock sensors as one wire feels broken. Now that I have a good connection on the speed sensor with no improvement I am thinking it needs replacing.

I'll keep you informed.

pdr

I must have done some good, now my speed sensor error (OD light blinking) is not happening. and maybe I'm back to normal. What I did was bend the tangs on the speed sensor so they would have a more solid connection with the plug. As I said, it felt loose before, and a little shake of the engine when engaging a gear could have disturbed the connection popping the code.