HELP! Transmission fuse keeps blowing!

[wesleyong]

Hey guys,

My name is Wes and as of 5pm today, I am now a proud owner of a white facelift legnum!

I am from Brissie and also managed to bump into the other "Wes" from the forums today at the Blackstump music festival in Sydney! (However, I bought the car from Canberra...)

Anyways, unfortunately I've already hit a problem. The fuse for the auto keeps blowing. We're talking the one which does the lights on the dash for the gears and when it blows, you get stuck in 3rd...

I've only owned the car for a matter of hours, and it has happened on these random occasions...
1. Shifting from Park to Drive
2. Shifting through the gears in tiptronic
3. Fanging it in D from the lights

May I add it was raining light/med and I had the bonnet open for a little bit whilst inspecting it....

Any thoughts guys? It's a pretty significant problem and a little alarming since I just bought the car...!!!

 

[Guest]

If you can check the diagnostic codes that would be a start. Also if you can have a look at the shifter to make sure something isn't shorting down there. You will have to remove the consolel side panels to check this. Have a look at the harness at the gearbox. This will require removal of the air box to have a look at these. Some parts of the harness go through metal retaining clips as it may be they have worn through some cables.

 

[naughtika]

welcome.. and thought i'd make things easy for you... to get the Diagnostic codes, you need to either use a datalogger like evoscan or ground your pin 1. So that the lights on the dash would flicker and show you the codes..

for some reason, its I can't remember if tis pin 1 or 9... wait til the other guys reply..

Once you've done that do an ecu reset.. to do this you need to unplug your negative terminal on the battery and turn your headlights on to make sure that you drain the power left in the ecu & etc.. after 10 or so minutes.. plug it back in, check for error codes and take it for a test drive..

and for the list of codes, this is the link

worse case.. your transmission is stuffed or may need a full ATF flush.. a proper flush

 

[Guest]

With the ignition OFF connect a small wire between pins 1 & 4 on the connector, which is under the dash near the driver's left knee. Then turn the ignition to the ON position (don't need to start) and the dash lights will begin to flash any error codes you may have (kind of like morse code), or steadily blink if you don't have any.

(ignore the Evoscan plug, the vehicle plug is what you are looking under the dash for)

And read this too:

http://ozvr4.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2722

 

[wesleyong]

Thanks guys, much appreciated! Unfortunately I won't get a chance to do any of this stuff till later in the week as I am flying back to Brisbane (From Sydney) and then the car will be transported up via truck. Will keep everyone posted!!

 

[wesleyong]

Hey guys, I managed to get into diagnostic mode and got the following:
ABS 21 Wheel-Speed Sensor (FR) System
AYC 41 TPS system (short or break)
Would either of the above be related to my transmission light fuse blowing problem? Is TPS the throttle position sensor?

Thanks guys!

Wes

 

[Kitty's VR4]

Yes TPS is throttle position sensor

not sure if either of these would cause Gearbox to blow fuses, but 41 is a short or break, maybe a link, maybe not, sorry to hard to diagnose with so little info and not knowing the particular car and what mods have been done...... Is this Buckas's old car from ACT ??

 

[wesleyong]

This is the one originally owned by Mick in QLD, then moved to Bashar in ACT and now me!
Mods...? Exhaust, intercooler, not sure hey! Nothing significant from what I see.

 

[Kitty's VR4]

Peter Thomson's advise would be my first call for where the problem may lay, pull the error codes and also check for pinched wires.

 

[wesleyong]

Man, I'm getting pretty anxious about this... Car is still in Sydney and is being shipped up to Brissie over the next few days. Does anybody else know if [AYC 41 TPS system (short or break)] would be related to my fuse blowing? I'll obviously have to check for exposed wires etc, but the non-turbo Galant manual tells me this error code can also refer to the Auto Trans ECU dying. Geez I hope that isn't the case!

 

[naughtika]

TPS is located on your throttle body.. I'd say give that a clean with a electic contact cleaner,

also Wes, where are you located in Brisbane?

 

[wesleyong]

Hi Christian,

Thanks for your reply!

I am located in Rochedale. Yourself?

 

[naughtika]

nearby.. when is your car arriving?

gut feeling tells me its burnt atf oil..

 

[junior]

nearby.. when is your car arriving?

gut feeling tells me its burnt atf oil..

Makes you wonder if this was a pre existing problem, hence the "quick sale"?????


Gary

 

[naughtika]

Makes you wonder if this was a pre existing problem, hence the "quick sale"?????


Gary

same here..

 

[junior]

same here..

I hope I am wrong 'cause people like that really *iss me off!!

 

[wesleyong]

If it is burnt ATF oil, would that have caused permanent damage? Or is it simply a matter of flush and replace oil? Is there a way to check if the oil is burnt? (Colour of oil on dipstick....?)

 

[wesleyong]

Yeah I know. It was all sweet on my test drive too. Then it was poo onwards. And may I add that the car did not have to be "hot" for this to happen. I started it up Sunday morning and fuse blew in a matter of minutes. I'm annoyed how I can't make any further progress till car makes it's way up here.

 

[junior]

If it is burnt ATF oil, would that have caused permanent damage? Or is it simply a matter of flush and replace oil? Is there a way to check if the oil is burnt? (Colour of oil on dipstick....?)

Normal ATF is red, if you fluid is a dark brown colour or smells like burnt oil then it needs a change.....and a cooler fitted especially in QLD.

Gary

 

[wesleyong]

I quickly checked the oil when I was buying it and I remember it being a reddish colour... Didn't sniff it though...! Can someone please explain how burnt oil could blow a fuse? I didn't know it was linked...