3rd and 4th vanish

[travis35147]

I have a 95 pathy 4x4 and my tranny will not shift to 3rd or 4th gear like they just aren't there. power switch blinks like 16 times when I turn the key on anyone have any ideas please only vehicle and must get back going.

[Slartibartfast]

The power switch is trying to tell you what's wrong. The AT section of the service manual has a decoder for what the trans computer is upset about based on which flashes are longer. The Nico forum used to host the manuals online, last I heard you could still get them from these guys. The troubleshooting starts on AT-39 (page 39 of the AT section).

 

Looks like the light comes on solid for a moment, then makes ten quick flashes. If the first of the short flashes is longer than the rest, that means there's a problem with the revolution sensor. Second, vehicle speed sensor. Third, throttle position sensor. 4th, shift solenoid A. 5th, shift solenoid B. 6th, overrun clutch solenoid. 7th, torque converter clutch solenoid. 8th is either the temp sensor or power to the trans computer. 9th is the engine speed signal. 10th is the line pressure solenoid. If there are no short flashes and it just flashes like a turn signal, the battery's low, it's been disconnected for a long time, or the battery's hooked up backwards. If it just comes on continuously, the inhibitor switch, overdrive switch, kickdown switch, or idle switch circuit is faulty. (Nice of them to lump so many possible causes into one code.) The service manual has testing procedures to follow for each code.

If I had to guess I'd say it sounds like a solenoid. Hopefully it's that easy.