Intrepid speed speed sensor problems

Yes, it sounds like the transmission output speed sensor was bad. Did you disconnect the fuse to the transmission computer or optionally pull the battery for 5-10 minutes to do a hard reset?

Bob

I asked the shop the same question and they said it was unnecessary to disconnect the battery since the device they used to read the codes was also capable of resetting the computer. Possible or am I being given a line of ....? I'm fairly sure the battery was never disconnected since the time was still correct and all the radio stations I had entered were still there.

This should be fine if the scan tool actually had that capability for that vehicle, but did they actually remember to perform the reset?

Bob

Thanks. Engine light finally came back on and shop found input speed sensor connection to transmission control module corroded. Repaired and back to normal. Perhaps that's what killed the speed sensor in the first place.

This does not make sense to me since you indicated the speedometer stopped working when the transmission went into limp mode (2nd gear). This would indicate the output speed sensor (which measures the RPM of the drive shaft to the front wheels) was at fault and not the input sensor (which measures the engine RPM into the transmission).

From your description (originally no speedometer, then had speedometer, but wouldn't shift), I'd suspect that they most likely damaged the input sensor connector when they replaced that sensor. If the facts you conveyed are accurate, then the only other alternative here is that the output sensor failed and then the connector failed too shortly thereafter and before the two sensors were replaced. This seems like a real stretch to me ... they almost certainly caused this poor connection when they removed/reconnected it.

In any event, I'm glad to hear you have resolved the issue.

Bob

While I agree that actions of the shop probably caused the 'cascade' from one failure to two, I think a lot of times just the fact that ANYONE, no matter how capable, getting in there and disturbing things to look, test, and repair, can cause some secondary failures to come to the surface. I wouldn't be upset with the shop.

Mike

Not true at all, Don't you know what a good trip is? If the check engine lite is on and you fix the problem, depending on what the fault code is for, it will be cleared on 2 or 3 good trips as long as the problem is fixed. A fault code stored WILL NOT make the problem continue (unless the problem is not fixed). The best way to determine if the problem is fixed is by letting the controller make the decision. Doing a battery disconnect or erasing the data on the PCM is not a good idea at all.

Glenn

Why not? If the code doesn't come back, then you're good to go. Plus on certain repair jobs, the computer needs to be kicked into a parameter relearn rather than running on the old settings based on defective operation.

Bill Putney (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with the letter 'x')

If the transmission is in limp in mode and the speed sensor corrected the problem the PCM will see this. If your gonna clear the codes to see if the problem returns, why not leave the code there to see if the good trip clears it? If a sensor fixed a problem the lite will go out. Why clear out all the monitors and fuel adaptives? If you have a cylinder misfire and replace the plugs/ wires and then clear the misfire monitor you wont know if the problem is fixed until the monitor will run. If you replace a plug wire/plug and don't clear out the monitor the fault code will return when you drive it

Glenn

i have seen it happen many times, you wouldn't think it would. but sometimes it does. i have even had to discharge capacitors in modules to get things back to correct

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