Safety Warning
DIY auto repair can cause serious injury, fire, or vehicle damage. These guides are for informational purposes only. Always follow OEM torque specs, wear PPE, and consult a certified mechanic if you are unsure. You are solely responsible for your safety.
Shift Control
The PCM instantly determines which gear should be selected by various signals sent from sensors and switches, and it actuates shift solenoid valves A, B, C, and D to control gear selection.
Shift solenoid valves are a normally closed type. Shift solenoid valve opens the port of shift solenoid valve pressure leading to shift valves while shift solenoid valve is turned ON by the PCM, and closes the port when shift solenoid valve is OFF.
The combination of driving signals to shift solenoid valves A, B, C, and D and their respective gear position are shown in the table.
| Shift lever Position | Gear Position | Shift Solenoid Valve | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | B | C | D | ||
| D, D3, and S | Shifting from N | OFF | OFF | OFF | OFF |
| Stays in 1st | OFF | ON | OFF | ON or OFF | |
| Shifting gears between 1st and 2nd | ON | ON | OFF | ON or OFF | |
| Stays in 2nd | ON | OFF | OFF | ON or OFF | |
| Shifting gears between 2nd and 3rd | OFF | OFF | OFF | ON or OFF | |
| Stays in 3rd | OFF | OFF | ON | ON or OFF | |
| D and S | Shifting gears between 3rd and 4th | ON | OFF | ON | ON or OFF |
| Stays in 4th | ON | ON | ON | ON or OFF | |
| D | Shifting gears between 4th and 5th | OFF | ON | ON | ON or OFF |
| Stays in 5th | OFF | ON | OFF | ON or OFF | |
| S with sequential shift mode | 1st | OFF | ON | OFF | ON or OFF |
| 2nd | ON | OFF | OFF | ON or OFF | |
| 3rd | OFF | OFF | ON | ON or OFF | |
| 4th | ON | ON | ON | ON or OFF | |
| 5th | OFF | ON | OFF | ON or OFF | |
| 2 | 2nd | ON | OFF | OFF | ON or OFF |
| 1 | 1st | OFF | ON | OFF | ON or OFF |
| N | Neutral | OFF | OFF | OFF | OFF |
| R | Shifting from P and N | OFF | OFF | ON | ON |
| Stays in reverse | OFF | ON | ON | ON | |
| Reverse inhibit control | ON | OFF | ON | OFF | |
| P | Park | OFF | OFF | OFF | ON |
Use the Manual With the Right Hardware
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When to See a Mechanic
Stop DIY work and contact a certified mechanic immediately if any of the following apply:
- • You smell fuel, burning insulation, or see smoke.
- • Brakes feel soft, pull hard to one side, or make grinding noises.
- • The engine overheats, stalls repeatedly, or misfires under load.
- • You are missing required tools, torque specs, or safe lifting equipment.
- • You are not confident in the next step or safety outcome.
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