# Ford Mondeo Auto (cd4e) Problem



## ESL (Jan 27, 2004)

Wont change up by indicated speed but only if I reduce the engine revs, and sometimes starts flashing the O/D OFF warning light.

This looks awfully like some sort of ECU problem, and its put the transmission into a "limp home mode" by excluding the electronics from the equation.

But any knowledgeable soul have any other ideas - or is this as expensive as it sounds?


----------



## strange_too (Feb 19, 2007)

ESL said:


> Wont change up by indicated speed but only if I reduce the engine revs, and sometimes starts flashing the O/D OFF warning light.
> 
> This looks awfully like some sort of ECU problem, and its put the transmission into a "limp home mode" by excluding the electronics from the equation.
> 
> But any knowledgeable soul have any other ideas - or is this as expensive as it sounds?


It could be a sensor problem, rather than an ECU. Although I don't know much about modern auto's.


----------



## Boxbrownie (Aug 11, 2005)

The concensus where I work is

.1. Check oil level

.2. Has the oil been chnaged regulary (how old is the car?)

.3. Possible its a lock up solenoid in the box

.4. Get it plugged in to a diagnostic.......

Actually they all said get No.1 done first if its not that get No.4 done.....

My tame transmission guru is on vacation presently but all the engineers asked "what year is the car?" of course I said HTFSIK









Best regards David


----------



## ESL (Jan 27, 2004)

I'm going to get my tame diagnostics guy to prod it electronically today. The oil seems OK - right colour, OK level wise, so burning smells. But it does seem after driving it for a bit that I have lost 2nd ratio.

Seems it may be terminal.

Its a Ford Mondeo, 1997-8, CD4E auto box, 2.0L engine.


----------



## ESL (Jan 27, 2004)

Well, it does not look good.

My tame diagnostics guy pulled a couple of fault codes, which seem to indicate that there could be ratio change solenoid problems on two solenoids.

This would explain the missing 2nd gear. He is 90% certain it is a autobox problem as the diags would have given different errors if it was a more simple electrical fault outside of the box. He seems to think it is more likely that the ECU is correctly signaling the change, but the box can't respond and actually do it. After a couple of attempts, the ECU drops the box into "Limp Home" mode.

So that's it.

Over Â£1K for a new box on a car that's probably not worth it, couldn't afford to anyway. Can't sell it with a duff tranny, can't afford to buy a new car. Bugger all to sell to make up the cash.

So that's me on Shanks's best pony for the forseeable future.


----------



## Boxbrownie (Aug 11, 2005)

If you were in the essex area I am sure I could get one of my buddies from the workshop to do some weekend work....but just where is that postcode?

Best regards David


----------



## ESL (Jan 27, 2004)

Hi David,

Thats not my postcode







, sorry mate it's an amateur radio locator. 

Post code is WD3 (Rickmansworth, Nr Watford.)

I would be interested in an opinion though.

Signs are that when the normal electronics are trying to run the tranny, 2nd gear won't select 1,3 and OD(4) work and change OK.

After a few minutes of the ECU recodnising that 2nd is not selecting, it pops the ECU into "limp home" mode. As far as I can see, this means that the ECU is no longer attempting gear changes.

At this point, the tranny is operating as a simple 3 speed, hydraulic auto. Interestingly - it seems that when this happens that gears 1, 2 and 3 all work ok and OD(4) is inhibited. Although I may be wrong on this. In any case, it actually drives better in limp home mode than it does with the ECU trying to drive it.

1998 Ford Mondeo - CD4E Auto box, 2.0L petrol Zetec engine (Mazda drivetrain, I think).

Cheers


----------



## Boxbrownie (Aug 11, 2005)

ESL said:


> CD4E Auto box, 2.0L petrol Zetec engine (Mazda drivetrain, I think).
> 
> Cheers










Its all ours.......honest!

Best regards David


----------



## ESL (Jan 27, 2004)

Thanks Ron - I'll have a nose around.

David.










I'm reliably informed by a mate of mine at Bosch (he is ex Oz) and used to work for a Mazda main Dealer, that they and the basic Engine were Mazda 626. May be wrong tho, may be its just that Mazda and Ford both use em.


----------

