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wont shift out of first gear!still... help!?!?!?!

Old 10-21-2009, 11:51 PM
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Default wont shift out of first gear!still... help!?!?!?!

ok again 1997 cherokee, 4.0 auto, replaced the TPS, been told could be the TCU, or selenoids, then more research reveiled it could be the kick down cable too... so heres what its doing, just some opinions as to where to start is all im looking for. it goes into reverse, and drive all great, but i take off, and it wont shift out of first gear into second. and as soon as i let off the gas after moving in first, it drops right down to idle, and i have to rip on it back up to whatever rpm i let off at to get the tranny to grab again and make me move, any help guys?
Old 10-22-2009, 12:00 AM
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First, it has fluid? I know too simple.

Have you tried shifting through the gears manually?
Old 10-22-2009, 10:51 PM
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yes it has tranny fluid lol, that was the first thing i checked after the tps. i was told sometin bout the tsc and im thinkin unplug it and try shifting in manually? if that works would that make the contol module bad? i tried shifting manually with everything hooked up... so any thoughts?
Old 10-22-2009, 11:03 PM
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If you can put your tranny in 1-2 and then take off and up shift it manually through all of the forward gears but, it won't up shift automatically that means one of two things. Either your Transmission Control Unit (TCU) is bad or, it isn't getting the 12vdc power that turns it on. If that is the case, the good news is your tranny is mechanically fine.
I actually have a toggle switch that I put inline in the TCU power wire so I can manually turn the power off to my TCU when I want the tranny to stay in 1st gear for trail crawling.
Old 10-24-2009, 02:12 PM
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ok thats fine, i can try that, and im willing to, but where in the 97's is the tcu located? ive been told under the dash, under the center console, checked the center console, its not there, so where under the dash is it? which side?
Old 10-24-2009, 02:57 PM
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Originally Posted by 97_chrkee_guy
ok thats fine, i can try that, and im willing to, but where in the 97's is the tcu located? ive been told under the dash, under the center console, checked the center console, its not there, so where under the dash is it? which side?
Try looking under the right side dash under glove box, dont know if its the same as my 94 though. Check your PM...Tj
Old 04-11-2010, 08:22 PM
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just seeing if you guys have figured out this problem, cuase its the same one I'm having right now!
Old 04-11-2010, 08:29 PM
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heres the problem on my buddys chevy 1500 it had the same problem. he had something wrong with the wiring to the cilinoid so it told the computer to put the trans into a safe mode which wont let it get out of 1st gear. you might have to plash your computer inorder for it to work
Old 04-11-2010, 08:53 PM
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I had this problem mine is a renix but my tcu was under the dash on passanger side i unplugged my tcu fuse and shifted manually did you put the tps in right where the little post was under the one on the tb
Old 04-11-2010, 10:07 PM
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my 90 is doing the same thing I unpluged the fuse and have been shifting manualy.does any one know which color the power wire is I would like to try running a seprate power wire to it.
Old 04-11-2010, 11:15 PM
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Default wont shift out of first gear!still... help!?!?!?!

when my '95 did this, I replaced the speed sensor, and that seemed to fix it. At least it works right now. good luck doesn't take too long to do, either
Old 11-18-2010, 03:22 PM
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I have an 89 doin the same thing, i went simple first and changed fluid, made sure it wasnt burnt or anything, then decided to buy a trany didnt fix it, tried putting a diferent speed sensor in, didnt fix it, my next guess is the TPS
Old 10-24-2012, 06:42 PM
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I just picked up a 97 that needs alittle love. And it won't shift automatically but does manually (I drove it home.) I'm going to look into the tcu and sensor just wondering if there is one direction someone can point me in to save time.
Old 10-24-2012, 08:21 PM
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I had a 93 that did this. It was just a fuse that went bad. Shorted some wires. It wasn't a bad fix though.
Old 10-24-2012, 10:27 PM
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I'd there a sensor on top of the rear diff. I know dodge rams have this. My dad had one go out and it done this

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