YACT: GF's 98 Mazda Protege constantly slips into neutral...

[brigden]

My GF's 98 Protege (auto tranny) has started giving us problems. From time to time, when accelerating the overdrive light will come on and the car seems to slip into neutral. This started happening six months ago. She took it to the dealer, he inspected it and returned it telling us he could find nothing wrong with it.

A week later, the same issue. We return to the dealer and the mechanic keeps the car several days. He claims to never have experienced the problem.

One day later, same problems. GF returns car to dealership and asks them to take a third look at the car. They remove all traces of the automatic starter that used to be used and suggest it could have been the problem.

Months pass and no problems. Last night the car shifted into "neutral" six times.

Any ideas? We're at a loss...

 

[tweakmm]

Hmmmmm....yes. :beer:

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: brigden

thing got a hemi?

 

I say go for it.

 

[MaxDepth]

<snore>

 

[brigden]

Christ you guys are fast. Didn't even give me a second to update the OP.

 

The wires that were spliced into for the remote starter are now corroded (the dealer probably just twisted them back together and taped them up), these wires are low voltage (5 volts), this will cause the shifting solenoids to disengage causing the slippage you are experiencing.

Understand ?

 

[BeeVo]

Originally posted by: Roger
The wires that were spliced into for the remote starter are now corroded (the dealer probably just twisted them back together and taped them up), these wires are low voltage (5 volts), this will cause the shifting solenoids to disengage causing the slippage you are experiencing.

Understand ?

Does anyone else just skip down to when Roger replies on car threads(unless I start the thread of course)?

 

[brigden]

Originally posted by: Roger
The wires that were spliced into for the remote starter are now corroded (the dealer probably just twisted them back together and taped them up), these wires are low voltage (5 volts), this will cause the shifting solenoids to disengage causing the slippage you are experiencing.

Understand ?

Yes, of course. Should the dealer be responsible for repairing this and paying for it?

 

No, they will claim no responsability because the remote starter is not OEM.

Go under the dash and look for spliced wires, one at a time disconnect these wires and thoroughly clean the connections, slip a piece of shrink tubing over the wire, pigtail the connection, then solder, once the solder has cooled, shrink wrap the connection.

Do this for all the spliced wires, this will cure your problem once and for all.

 

Come to think of it, check your tranny fluid level first, to do this, start vehicle, shift from park to low stopping at every detent for 2 seconds, do this twice, check level.

 

[brigden]

Originally posted by: Roger
No, they will claim no responsability because the remote starter is not OEM.

Go under the dash and look for spliced wires, one at a time disconnect these wires and thoroughly clean the connections, slip a piece of shrink tubing over the wire, pigtail the connection, then solder, once the solder has cooled, shrink wrap the connection.

Do this for all the spliced wires, this will cure your problem once and for all.

Dude, I am a car n00b. No way I'm doing that myself. I really appreciate your advice, though.

 

You do not know how to solder wires yet ?


I am not a dude, I am a old man, please refrain from calling me as such.