



A 2005-06 Chevrolet Equinox, 2006 Pontiac Torrent or a 2002-03 Saturn Vue may have one or more of the following complaints:
- Reduced power
- Stuck in fifth gear
- SES lamp on
- Radio speaker buzz
- HVAC inoperative
Stored codes: P0223, P0504, P0700, P1228, P1271, P1280, P1599, P1779, P1791, P2101, P2119, P2128, P2135 or P2138 (Figure 1: code definitions).


The instrument panel/body inline 40-pin connector behind the drivers kick panel (Figure 2) has become corroded from water intrusion or physically damaged by the driver.


Install new terminal cut leads to replace the corroded terminal ends as described under service information.

Body wire harness pigtails
0.35 mm, 0.50 mm, 0.80 mm,
Male: 22690871
1.0 mm, 2.0 mm,
male: 22690872 3.0 mm, 5.0 mm,
male: 22687943 0.35 mm, 0.50 mm, 0.80 mm,
female: 21019347
1.0 mm, 2.0 mm, 3.0 mm, 5.0 mm,
female: 21019351




Before or after overhaul, Ford Motor Co. vehicles that are equipped with the 5R110W Torqshift transmissions may exhibit a slipping condition in forward and reverse. Upon performing a line-pressure test, it may be observed that the line-pressure readings, as shown in Figure 5, are below specification. Note: this condition seems more prevalent on 2008 models.


The cause may be that the screened gasket in between the solenoid body and channel plate is blown out, as shown in Figure 4, causing a low-pressure condition.

Note: Sometime in the 2005 production year a line-pressure blowoff was added to the line-pressure circuit as shown in Figure 3.

The gasket blowout happens to be right under the area of the line-pressure blowoff. This indicates that the line-pressure blowoff is not working correctly and/or the calibration is incorrect. Testing has concluded that line pressure can go well over 500 psi on one of these transmissions when there is a pressure-regulator bore problem. Then with the blowoff not working correctly, this may cause the gasket to blow out.

To repair this condition, replace the pump or repair the pressure-regulator bore with the Sonnax repair as shown in service information. See Figure 6 for pressure-regulator-valve location.


- Sonnax pressure regulator valve kit: 36940-03K
- Sonnax reamer kit: F-36940-TL3




A Ford vehicle equipped with a 4F27E may come into the shop with a complaint of a gear rattle or chatter for 1 to 2 seconds during drive engagement.

The driven transfer-gear assembly, refer to Figure 7, consists of three main components, the pinion gear, the driven transfer gear and the park gear.

On earlier models the park and pinion gears are one piece (Figure 8).

On later models the park and pinion gears are separate pieces that are splined together (Figure 9).

The splines on the park gear become worn and will cause the rattle/chatter complaint. This cannot happen with the previous design because of the one-piece design.

Replace the pinion and park gears with either the early or late design components.


July 2017 Issue
Volume 34, No. 7
- GM ‘L’ body vehicles: Stuck in fifth gear
- Ford 5R110W Torqshift transmission slips in forward and reverse
- Ford 4F27E drive engagement gear rattle