Auto Transmission not shifting!

[Clement]

I've a '94 Merc Sable 3.0L with the AXOD transmission. This transmission currently won't shift past 2nd gear.
Up until about 2 days ago this was working fine, shifting smooth with no problems. Now it shifts from 1st to 2nd with no problem, but it won't shift out od 2nd. It doesn't even try to shift out of 2nd.

This car has done this before, over the winter it did this for a few months, and then just went back to shifting normally.

About 2 days ago, immediately before this started, it was delaying the gear shifts, It was running to higher than normal shift points. Now it just doesn't shift. Also it's not throwing any codes.

I'm thinking that this is an electrical problem, a sensor maybe not telling the transmission to shift? I can't afford to take this to a garage right now. I can try to work on it myself.

What can I try to get this working?

 

[chas3]

dont know a bunch about ford transmissions. i had the vacuum modulator fails in my '88 ford. no upshift. i dont think the axod has a vacuum modulator though. anyway:

a) check fluid levels

b) condition of the fluid?

c) last change?

d) http://www.txchange.com/axodadj.htm

 

[Clement]

The fluid is fine, **** the transmission is the 2nd in the car and only has about 50K miles on it, the fluid has been changed 2x since then and is clean and unremarkable.

 

[Alan]

This really sounds like a ECU related problem.Maybe you should try to reset the computer by diconnecting the battery for 20 minutes.It could cure it.

 

[brianl703]

Did you do a Key On Engine Running test or just a Key On Engine Off test?

The Key On Engine Running test will sometimes pick up problems that do not show up when you do a Key On Engine Off test.

 

[Clement]

The engine was off. I'll try it again this afternoon after disconnecting the battery.

I don't believe it was the throttle cable issue mentioned by Chas3 as this problem has occurred before, and went away just as mysteriously.

Anyone else?

 

[Clement]

Man you guys are good!

I disconnected the battery for a half hour, stepped on the brakes.

Reconnected the battery.

It works fine!

Havent had the codes read yet. I'll do that to see if there is something in there that caused this.

THANKS!