General Operation

General Operation
The automatic transmission is a combination of a 3-element torque converter and triple-shaft electronically controlled unit which provides 5 speeds forward and 1 reverse. The entire unit is positioned in line with the engine.

Torque Converter, Gears, and Clutches
The torque converter consists of a pump, turbine, and stator assembly in a single unit. They are connected to the engine crankshaft so they turn together as the engine turns. Around the outside of the torque converter is a ring gear which meshes with the starter pinion when the engine is being started. The entire torque converter assembly serves as a flywheel, transmitting power to the transmission mainshaft. The transmission has three parallel shafts: the mainshaft, the countershaft, and the secondary shaft. The mainshaft is in line with the engine crankshaft. The mainshaft includes the 4th and 5th clutches, and gears for 4th, 5th, reverse, and 3rd, (reverse gear is integral with the 5th gear). The countershaft includes the 3rd clutch, and gears for the final drive, 1st, 4th, 5th, reverse, 2nd, park, and 3rd (the final drive gear is integral with the countershaft). The secondary shaft includes the 1st, 1st-hold and 2nd clutches, and gears for 1st, 2nd, and idler. The countershaft 5th gear and the countershaft reverse gear can be locked to the countershaft at its center, providing 5th gear or reverse, depending with which way the selector is moved. The gears on the mainshaft and the secondary shaft are in constant mesh with those on the countershaft. When certain combinations of gears in the transmission are engaged by the clutches, power is transmitted from the mainshaft and the secondary shaft to the countershaft to provide D5, D4, D3, 2, 1 and R positions.

Electronic Control
The electronic control system consists of the powertrain control module (PCM), sensors, and seven solenoid valves. Shifting and lock-up are electronically controlled for comfortable driving under all conditions. The PCM is located below the dashboard, under the front lower panel behind the center console.

Hydraulic Control
The valve bodies include the main valve body, the regulator valve body, the servo body, and the accumulator body. They are bolted to the torque converter housing. The main valve body contains the manual valve, the modulator valve, the shift valve C, the shift valve D, the kick-down valve, the servo control valve, the torque converter check valve, the reverse CPC valve, the lock-up shift valve, the relief valve, the cooler check valve, and the ATF pump gears. The regulator valve body contains the regulator valve, the lock-up timing valve, and the lock-up control valve. The servo body contains the servo valve, the shift valve A, the shift valve B. the CPC valves A and B. The top accumulator body contains shift valve E, CPC valve C, 1st-hold accumulator piston, 4th accumulator piston, and 5th accumulator piston. The accumulator body contains the 1st and 2nd accumulators and lubrication check valve. Fluid from the regulator passes through the manual valve to the various control valves. The 1st/1st-hold, 3rd, 4th, and 5th clutches receive fluid from their respective feed pipes, and the 2nd clutch receives fluid from the internal hydraulic circuit.

Shift Control Mechanism
The PCM controls shift solenoid valve assemblies A, B, and C, and automatic transaxle (A/T) clutch pressure control solenoid valves A and B while receiving input signals from various sensors and switches located throughout the vehicle. The shift solenoid valves shift the positions of the shift valves to switch the port leading hydraulic pressure to the clutch. The A/T clutch pressure control solenoid valves A and B control the CPC valves A and B to shin smoothly between lower gear and higher gear. This pressurizes a line to one of the clutches, engaging the clutch and its corresponding gear.

Lock-up Mechanism
In D5 position (2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th), in D4 position (2nd, 3rd and 4th) and D3 position (2nd and 3rd), pressurized fluid is drained from the back of the torque converter through a fluid passage, causing the lock-up piston to be held against the torque converter cover. As this takes place, the mainshaft rotates at the same speed as the engine crankshaft.
Together with hydraulic control, the PCM optimizes the timing of the lock-up mechanism. When the torque converter clutch solenoid valve activates, modulator pressure changes to switch lock-up on and off. The lock-up control valve and the lock-up timing valve control the range of lock-up according to A/T clutch pressure control solenoid valve The torque converter clutch solenoid valve is mounted on the torque converter housing, and A/T clutch pressure control solenoid valve C is mounted on the transmission housing. They are all controlled by the PCM.

Gear Selection





The shift lever has nine positions: P PARK, R REVERSE, N NEUTRAL, D5 1st through 5th gear ranges, D4 1st through 4th gear ranges, D3 1st through 3rd gear ranges, 2 2nd gear, 1 1st gear, and the sequential sportshift mode position.
Starting is possible only in the P and N positions because of a slide-type neutral-safety switch.

Automatic Transaxle (A/T) Gear Position Indicator
The A/T gear position indicator in the instrument panel shows which gear has been selected without having to look down at the console. With the shift lever in the sequential sportshift mode position, the indicator next to the D5 indicator in the instrument panel will display the gear selected.