Issue Summary:
- Accumulator springs that have been installed incorrectly, or accumulator-piston shafts that are scored or worn and are interfering with accumulator-piston movement, can cause various shift-quality complaints.
- On some 1996 and 1997 Ford Taurus and Sable models, the PCM may have been reprogrammed to eliminate TCC operation during normal driving conditions.
Shift-quality complaints of various types, mostly harsh shifts, after the transmission has been over-hauled.
The accumulator springs have been installed incorrectly or the accumulator-piston shafts are scored or worn and are interfering with accumulator-piston movement. It is also important to ensure that in applications using multiple accumulator springs, the springs are wound in opposite directions, as shown in Figure 1, to prevent coil bind-up.
Refer to the charts in figures 2 and 3 for proper accumulator-spring usage for AXOD, AXODE and AX4S applications.
The chart in Figure 4 lists the accumulator-spring dimensions for AXOD, AXODE and AX4S applications.
Refer to the charts in figures 5-7 for proper accumulator-spring usage for AX4N applications.
The chart in Figure 8 lists the accumulator-spring dimensions for AX4N applications.
The charts in figures 2 and 3 list part numbers for the accumulator springs in AXOD and AXODE/AX4S units.
The charts in figures 5-7 list AX4N accumulator-spring part numbers.
The vehicle may have come into the shop for repairs not related to the previous complaint. During the road test either before or after repairs, the scan tool indicates zero TCC duty cycle and no TCC apply. Strangely enough, no codes are stored for a TCC-related problem; in fact, after repairs, no codes of any kind are stored, nor is any MIL illuminated, and the transmission works perfectly.
Some 1996 and 1997 Ford Taurus and Sable models equipped with 3.0-liter 12-valve engines have had complaints of engine surge or engine miss at vehicle speeds between 45 and 60 mph (72 to 96 km/h) while still under factory warranty. The factory-recommended repair is to reflash the PCM, which eliminates TCC operation during normal driving conditions. Should transaxle temperature reach 240° F, engagement of the TCC will be commanded. If the vehicle’s PCM has been reflashed with the January 1999 release using Factory Bulletin 99-01-02, the TCC will engage above 48 mph under certain load conditions.
If the PCM has been reprogrammed to eliminate TCC operation, NO repairs are required.
One of the clues to help you determine that TCC has been eliminated would be a door-jamb sticker such as the one in Figure 9 referring to factory TSB 98-13-7, which explains the reasons and actions that prompted the need to eliminate TCC operation.
Another clue would be a sticker under the hood that may bear nothing more than a Ford part number for the new calibration that eliminates TCC operation.
The chart in Figure 10 lists the TCC-elimination calibration part numbers that might appear on the underhood sticker.
January 2003 Issue
Volume 20, No. 1
- Ford AXOD/AXODE/AX4S/AX4N: Updated Accumulator-Spring Usage
- 1996-97 Ford Taurus & Sable: No TCC Apply