Questions and Answers

Renault 19 RT Sticks In THIRD Gear Q. Hi, I have a 1994 Renault 19 RT. It is a 1.7 engine F3N 90 family. Type B53C and fabrication Number D026919. It is an automatic transmission with 144,000 miles. VIN VF1B53C0211364434. The problem is with the automatic transmission computer which is a part no. 7700850842 BVA 101. After driving the car for a short distance, around 10,000 miles or so, the transmission changes to THIRD and remains there.

If I stop the engine it will not restart, presumably detecting the transmission to be in gear? After a rest period of about an hour, it varies, the engine will start normally and the gears change properly from FIRST, until another short driving period then it causes the same symptom.

By attaching a Renault XR 25 test set to the auto computer it is noticed that at the point the gears change to THIRD and remain there the auto computer shuts down, hence removing any means of reading error codes. The feed voltage and ground lines to the computer appear to be good.

Suspecting the computer, a replacement auto computer was fitted. The same problem still occurred. The solenoid valves were replaced last year when the Renault repair shop concluded that to be the problem. Their resistance shows within tolerance. I value a great deal your advice and assistance in identifying the repair of this problem.

Regards,
Graham

A. If the Powertrain Control Module is, indeed, shutting down as you say, there has to be a reason. I would run an independent fused wire to the power terminals(s) of the PCM and an independent ground. If this cures the problem remove the independent ground wire.

If the problem is sill gone, you know that something somewhere in the PCM power supply circuit is malfunctioning. I would guess a Main Relay or wiring problem.