ka24e automatic transmission problem.

[Midnightblue]

Hi guys I need help, trying to figure out if there is a way to fix my transmission. It seems that my car might be running on fail safe mode but I am not sure if that's the case. The car runs but it takes it a minute to pick up speed because it's stuck on a higher gear and I can only do about 70 mph before that gear is maxed out and it won't shift down or up, I can manually shift it to 1 and 2 and it does change to a lower gear but even if I have in on 1 the car still seems to be stuck on a higher gear because it just won't pick up speed as fast as it used to. Anyways, I know some people have had this problem, and apparently they fixed by unplugging some plug to runs up to the fuse box by the battery spot, but I am trying to figure out how which plug I need to unplug or if there is any sensors I need to disconnect? Could it be that because I messed with the TPS the car threw itself into fail safe mode and perhaps I just need to get my TPS at the correct spot? I still want to find out if I can get it to run normally by undoing a plug/connection.

[WDRacing]

The TPS has to be correct for a whole slew of things to work correctly. From timing and fuel maps to transmission gear selection. Get that fixed ASAP. Have you checked the fluid level? When was the last time the fluid was changed?

[Midnightblue]

I changed the transmission oil last week, and changed the oil filter too. I'm going to try to get my tps set correctly by this weekend and I'll get back to you on the results. By the way the reason I sorta believe it might be the tps is because the car ran fine before I started messing with it but I had the TPS set to what I thought was the correct spot.

[WDRacing]

The TPS is very sensitive.

[Midnightblue]

Well back with results. I bough a new TPS, and a volt testing meter. But the tps is not the problem. My guess now it's that the MAF is the problem, and it makes sense to me. I just have to wait until my tax returns come in so I can buy one, new, not trusting ebay stuff.

[Florida240sx]

So you're having problems of it shifting?
Sometimes will work other times won't. Gets hung up in a gear and won't go to next. It's a sensor that's expensive.
However if your speedo is working the ecu will use your rpm signal to shift instead. IIRC it's under your center arm rest. Take it off and there's a box there, unplug it. And go back to driving

[Midnightblue]

Yeah, that is the problem. It's stuck on a gear. Sometimes it would work fine but now it just won't go back to normal.
Would you happen to know the name of that sensor?
Anyways, I am just waiting until I have enough money to do a 5-speed swap, might consider getting a different engine too, but still am indecisive. I really like this cars, my brother bough one in 2006 and gave it to me but got impounded and he didn't feel like it was worth getting back. I bough mine in 2013 and have slowly but surely been fixing problems it has and I really just want to restore the whole car eventually, make it clean.

[Midnightblue]

Yeah, that box under the arm rest is what controls the seat belts and the "ding" "ding" sound it makes when you open the doors. But I still tried it it just doesn't fix the problem. By the way my rpm gauge works fine and sometimes the mph gauge works but most the times it's in lala land. Today I had another problem where the engine did not want to start, eventually I held on the gas pedal until it fired it up. I mean over all the engine is not in bad conditions it's just the components that make it work, injectors, fuel rail, ignition system, ect. that needs to be replace. Even on that high gear that is tuck on the engine is very torquey. But I'll start a build thread once I have the parts to make it 5-speed standard. from there I might turbo it. Then I will do suspension/wheels. And paint/body work last.

[MikeRL411]

A location might help! Someone closeby just might be able to drop bu and help cure your problem!!!!!!!!!!

[Midnightblue]

Not about to give out my address simply because I do not trust doing that (no offense). I was simply seeing if there could be a way to bypass the problem as I have read of people who were able to do it. But it seems like it's going to cost money to fix it so I rather spend money towards a 5-speed swap, I already took off the transmission once and put it back by myself. s*** was funny, dragging the transmission on a tire from the back of my house all the way under the car and then jacking it up with two jacks. Then having to try to kick it from behind into place. I even tried pulling it with a suv to lock it into place. (I don't give up when I want to get something done) this time around I think I might buy a crane to facilitate further engine/transmission work. I know my friends could use it too.

[Midnightblue]

So the strangest thing just happened to my car... I was trying to get an inspection done to it but it wouldn't pass because my brake lights weren't functioning properly. So I go back home and I buy just four bulbs for the taillights but then I decided to drive the car to Auto Zone to see someone culd help me figure out why my brake wasn't engaging BUT the craziest s*** happened, my automatic transmission worked exactly how it's suppose to on the way there. So replacing some bulbs fixed my transmission issue where it wouldn't come out of fail safe mode....go figure, like what is the what, I don't even know what just happened.

[WDRacing]

Well thats crazy.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

I wonder if it thought the brake was engaged and therefore wouldn't provide the proper shifting/throttle?
I know they do that on newer vehicles, but damn, that's a new one on me for pre '91....

[Midnightblue]

Also the brake sensors were engage all the time because it seems the backing plate that pushes on the buttons is missing but some tape works. oh I changed a fuse call "rev lamp" so I actually that might have been the problem. But I almost have all the parts to make it 5-speed, just short of a clutch kit, trans mount, clutch master, clutch line and slave cylinder. I have a stock clutch but I think I should buy a new one stage two or three. But sorry about the confusion while the brakes might have played a part on the transmission problem I have a feeling it was that fuse.