ok, i know you all are total pro's and i am sorry for this beginner question. i have an automatic 240 wagon, 1991 with 125,000 miles on her. she runs unbelievable but, just in the last month she won't switch into third. i will get up to 40mph but after that no switch into the next gear. she runs so heavy on the rpm's on the highway now that i won't drive her over 40mph. please someone help. she is not in overdrive, the light is not on and i pressed the OD button multiple times to double check and makes no difference. when i press the OD button it does light up so leads me to believe not electrical? please please help. kick down cable?

 

me too. Any answer?

 

You have a 4 speed transmission. If it is not shifting into 3rd (and going fast enough to shift into 4th after that) you may have a sticking kickdown cable. The kickdown cable controls at what rpm the transmission shifts - so a stuck cable will make the trans shift late - or not at all. The cable is attached on the throttle roll - next to the throttle cable - and sometimes when it sticks out it gets caught on one of the studs that the throttle housing is bolted on with, preventing it from returning ever - You can try disconnecting the cable from the throttle roll to see if that helps. If it still won't shift past 2nd gear with the cable disconnected - you have an internal (uncommon) transmission problem.

Most people complain that their trans does not shift into 4th gear. When the overdrive off light is off the trans should shift into 4th or overdrive. When the (overdrive off) light is on - the trans won't shift past 3rd. Most commonly the solenoid that controls oil flow to 4th gear goes bad and keeps the trans from shifting past 3rd. The solenoid gets power all the time allowing oil to flow - except when the overdrive is off. The solenoid does make a audible click - easily heard with the car off - don't confuse it with the click of the relay though -

So - an easy and free solution for a bad solenoid is to remove the solenoid from the left side of the transmission and use a dremel or suitable tool to grind a passage for the oil to flow between the two oil ports on the solenoid. Leave off the small oring and reuse or replace the large one. That will allow oil to flow all the time to the 4th gear circuit. If the trans works normally after that you can leave it like it is - unless you want to be able to downshift into 3rd - then buy a new solenoid ($$$)

 

i had my transmission cable fail, and had to limp home... I found that if I let it rev up in 2nd, then shifted the lever D-2-D, it would shift into 3rd, which let me maintain freeway speeds for the bulk of the run home.

disconnecting the transmission cable at the throttle spool probably won't help, as the cable is most likely rusted and frayed inside the bowden sheath. The only cure is a new cable.

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/vol...-940-1239932-1

the lower end of this cable goes inside the transmission, to replace it, I believe you need to drain the ATF (its been too many years since I did this, but I'm remembering combining the job with cleaning the pan and filter, and replacing the transmission pan gasket).

 

Thanks for the replies.
I apologize for posting my comment on a very old thread. After posting, I read many threads and postings and solved my problem by replacing the fuse #11.
I was not going into 4th gear. But now all is working.
Why would the fuse blow?

 

now, a short of a live circuit to ground is the primary cause of fuse actually blowing.

but, those 240 fuses will deteriorate from corrosion... best thing you can do to a car with the old 'ceramic' fuses is replace ALL of them with the newer style Flosser brand copper/brass fuses, cleaning the contacts of each fuse holder as you go.

.

 

The insulation gets rubbed off/falls off the wire going to the solenoid between the hole in the transmission tunnel and the solenoid - and grounds out against the transmission.