Really strange tranny shift deal

roncoinc

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Seacoast NH
04-v8

Let me start with something that may be related.

a couple of weeks ago i did a little cleaning under the hood.
limited to the right side,a sponge with a small amount of soap on it,shock tower area,rinsed with just a spritz of water out of the hose.
got in the car to move it and noticed climate control display unlit,,functioned fine though.
driving i noticed tranny shifted smoooooth as silk..
usually shift with,,,purpose ?? not hard but taking off like an old man i can feel it shift a tad not to smooth,but acceptable.
if i take off "spirited" slightly it goes through the gears as you would expect.
Now..
Friday night we had a very light rain,more of a heavy mist.
Saturday morning i went for a drive and it shifted like it had no gears at all,i could not tell when it went from one gear to the next !!
then i noticed climate control display out AND message center out AND odometer display out.
but oh did it shift smooooth :)
next stop when i started it back up all displays came back on and it shifted like it normally does.

Today,heavy rain,,started car,,all same displays out.
turn off,remove key,restart,all displays out.
turned on headlights and displays lit up.
turn off headlights,displays off.
Note: today is dark and i "can" see the displays but very dim.

opened hood,no water anyplace i could see,windshield drains working properly.
decided to take a drive and see if it shifted so smooth again or the displays would come back on again.
started car,all displays ON !!
tried restart with key removal three more times and displays always came on.
i didn't go for a drive.

SO,,i have read that this tranny does seem to have a natural "firm" shift in places and is considered normal.
now,,there seems to be two things in play here,,,one,some electrical glitch and a tranny that can shift smoother.
maybe there is a problem that relates to both,if i fixed the electrical i would have smoother shifting ?
or visa versa ??
i will consider ANY thoughts or suggestions on this annoying problem :)

Idle rumination's ...
I have had cars run "worse" in the rain,not better.
heavy mist or very light rain shouldn't splash onto anything.
haven't driven the car in the rain so i don't know what would happen.
can some part or connection be "that" susceptible to moisture in the air to cause a problem ?
battery ?? will check that out tomorrow,,would like to check it when displays are out also.

Sorry for the long description but trying to get and give as much info as i can.
 
Weird. The PCM is down there on the passenger side, can't think of anything else that would cause all those different issues with just water on the right side. Might have had some water get into the wiring harness. You can get in there to look, remove the windshield wipers, remove the cowl cover, remove the strut brace, remove the air filter housing, remove the plastic bit under the air filter housing. The computer wiring harness will now be accessible.
 
Weird. The PCM is down there on the passenger side, can't think of anything else that would cause all those different issues with just water on the right side. Might have had some water get into the wiring harness. You can get in there to look, remove the windshield wipers, remove the cowl cover, remove the strut brace, remove the air filter housing, remove the plastic bit under the air filter housing. The computer wiring harness will now be accessible.

I suppose that's worth a shot.
where the car has been hit in the front maybe could have loosened a connector ?
 
The fuse box is right in front of that shock tower too. Maybe you have a fubared relay?
 
But symptoms only appear when moisture is present ?
and not a lot either ????

I was looking on the owners manual at those fuses and relays.
Remember ANOTHER moisture problem,,one time the E-park brake light came on the dash and switch lit up and wouldn't go out but brake was not on.
tried switch both ways,light on dash,light on switch wouldnt go out,no brake on.
restarted and light went out !!! ???
 
Had the codes read today..:(
C1998
U1262 (twice )
B1267
B1265
B1242
B1499

He said to check and clean ALL connectors i could find starting from the battery up :(
he cleanrd codes but AT light came back on.
working on that now also.
( another thread )
 
If you're going "back to the start" have you also verified the battery (and alternator) is good? Low voltage can create all kinds of problems.
 
If you're going "back to the start" have you also verified the battery (and alternator) is good? Low voltage can create all kinds of problems.

I hear you there and that is something i will do ASAP !!
having an electronic/electricity background i am familiar with battery problems.
a note to add after my years working with DC is in the system the ground is the most important part of the circuit.
if after my fluke shows something to check i will bring out the scope to check.
will have to get somebody to haul out that big assed old sencore out but i know how ac spikes can affect DC components.
And thanks for reminding me of where any electrical trouble shooting should start :)
 

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