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Gear Shift Indicator Not Displaying Correct Gear Selector

Tiny
02ACCORDV6
  • MEMBER
  • 2002 HONDA ACCORD
  • 3.0L
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 92,000 MILES
My transmission was just rebuilt and I have been unable to get it back on the road due to an issue that I cannot seem to resolve. I replaced the Transmission Range Switch/Neutral Safety Switch with a brand new TEC one from the Honda Dealership. I am going to exactly explain what I am having issues with. First I have the gear selector cable disconnected from the gear selector inside the car and where the console was until I removed it to try to adjust the cable. I installed the new NSS with it in neutral and the transmission in neutral. When I turned the ignition on, the indicator light in the dashboard indeed showed it was in neutral. I then pushed the cable up one click and it displayed it was in reverse and the reverse lights were on. I pushed the cable up into park and the park light indicator did not display and the car would not crank either. I pulled the cable out one click, and again was in reverse and it displayed correctly. Pulled again one click out and it displayed neutral correctly. Went down through the gears and each one displayed the correct gear it was in. So I am in gear one and going to go back up through the gears by pushing the cable back up, one gear at a time. When I go from first to second, gear second does not light up in the gear indicator display but it still shows in gear one. I am actually in gear two at this time. I go up another click and it displays gear two, but I am in gear D3. I go up another click and it displays D3, but I am in D4. This remains the same all of the way up, one gear behind what is actually displaying. When I get back into Park it does not display. There is no cable adjustment because I have the cable disconnected and I'm manually pushing and pulling it through the cable sheath to change the gears. I know it is not the Transmission Range Switch/Neutral Safety Switch because I just replaced it with a brand new one from Honda. If you could direct me to the problem so that I can fix it, I would Greatly appreciate it. Thank you very much! Dan
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Sunday, August 28th, 2016 AT 10:31 PM

11 Replies

Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
Scan for codes it may be a TCM or a wiring issue /connection. See pictures for adjustment procedure.
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Monday, August 29th, 2016 AT 6:50 AM
Tiny
02ACCORDV6
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
I have scanned for codes and the scanner shows no DTC's stored in cars computer. Also this problem occurs without the shift cable being connected to the gear selector. I am manually pushing and pulling the shift cable by hand going through all of the gears. I have the same issue when the shift cable is connected to the gear selector and properly adjusted. I have read where it could be burned diodes in the TCM. What steps should I take at this time with no codes showing? Thanks.
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Monday, August 29th, 2016 AT 9:04 AM
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
You can try a new TCM but it may have to be programmed to your car or check the wiring to see if it has a good ground or maybe a short in wiring between TCM and switch. Looking at the wiring diagram it uses the multiplex unit so that could be bad from switch and ground is in center console. It should not have any more than 5 ohms per wire. I am not sure if multiplex unit is sold separately.
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Monday, August 29th, 2016 AT 9:36 AM
Tiny
02ACCORDV6
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Well since Park light won't show in the in the dashboard indicator, it won't start in the park position. The transmission doesn't know what gear it is in either, since it is one gear behind when going through the gears from 1, 2, D3, D4, N, R, P. I'll double check the wiring and ground and go from there. Thanks.
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Monday, August 29th, 2016 AT 1:43 PM
Tiny
RENEE L
  • ADMIN
  • 1,260 POSTS
If I may jump in here, it sounds like the cable could be bad causing the problem you have described. Can you work the transmission in and out of all gears without the cable connected?
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Thursday, September 1st, 2016 AT 10:27 AM
Tiny
02ACCORDV6
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Yes I have been pushing and pulling the shift cable in and out going through all of the gears without it being connected to the gear selector. Even doing that I have the same problem with Park not illuminating in the dashboard gear indicator. When I'm in Park I can't get out of Park without releasing it manually through the shift interlock solenoid. Also I'm one gear behind when going up through all of the gears from gear 1 to Park. When I push the cable in from gear 1 going to gear 2, gear 2 does not illuminate, it still shows that I'm in gear 1. When I go up one more gear to gear 3, the display now shows that I'm in gear 2. Going back up through the gears, the display doesn't correspond to the actual gear that I'm in. It displays one gear behind. Hopefully someone will be able to diagnose the problem so that I can fix it. I thank you.
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Thursday, September 1st, 2016 AT 3:28 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 48,363 POSTS
Has it worked right since the transmission was rebuilt, I could be something the re-builder did when putting it back together. Got a spline off one tooth or something. I would call them to ask.
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Thursday, September 1st, 2016 AT 3:46 PM
Tiny
02ACCORDV6
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
I've never had it on the road since it was rebuilt. This was a problem after transmission was installed back into the car. I have started the car and let it idle for at least 30 minutes several times with no apparent issues. One other thing that I haven't mentioned is that before replacing the Transmission Range Switch/Neutral Safety Switch, the original one Did Display Park and would start in Park like it is supposed to do. I'm going to put the original factory switch back in and see if Park gear shows. It seems that it is an issue with some electrical or electronic component rather than a mechanical one inside of the transmission, but who knows. I'm sure that the re-builder will tell me it was rebuilt without defects. I don't think that they would admit that they did something wrong. Thank you again.
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Thursday, September 1st, 2016 AT 4:30 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 48,363 POSTS
Okay please let us know what you find.
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Friday, September 2nd, 2016 AT 4:31 PM
Tiny
BRIANCOX573
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
Did you ever figure this out? I know it was seven years ago, but I'm having the same problem right now.
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Monday, May 29th, 2023 AT 10:45 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 48,363 POSTS
Yep, I think it was the gear range sensor. They never got back to us but most likely this was the cause of the problem.
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Tuesday, May 30th, 2023 AT 9:38 AM

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