ASE A2 General Transmission/Transaxle Diagnosis — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A customer says the transmission "slams" into gear only after the vehicle sits overnight. What should the technician do FIRST, before ordering parts or removing the transmission?
- Perform a transmission flush to remove varnish
- Verify the concern by duplicating it, then check fluid level and condition and scan for DTCs (Correct answer)
- Replace the valve body solenoids
- Reprogram the TCM with the latest calibration
Correct answer: Verify the concern by duplicating it, then check fluid level and condition and scan for DTCs
A concern must be verified by duplicating it under the reported conditions, along with basic checks of fluid and stored codes, before any repair is chosen. Replacing parts or reflashing without verification is guessing.
A standard diagnostic sequence is to interview the customer, verify the concern, check fluid level and condition, scan for DTCs and freeze-frame data, and then research service information such as TSBs and diagnostic charts. For a cold-start condition, the technician should duplicate it from a cold soak. Jumping to flushes, solenoid replacement, or reprogramming before verifying the symptom often wastes time and can hide the cause.
Question 2: A technician is checking the fluid level on a vehicle with a transmission dipstick, and the manufacturer's procedure does not specify anything unusual. Which condition is the usual requirement for the check?
- Engine off, transmission cold, vehicle on a lift with the wheels hanging
- Engine off, transmission hot, selector in Neutral
- Engine running, transmission cold, selector in Reverse
- Engine idling, transmission at normal operating temperature, vehicle level, selector in Park (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Engine idling, transmission at normal operating temperature, vehicle level, selector in Park
The usual dipstick procedure is a level vehicle with the engine idling, the fluid at normal operating temperature, and the selector in Park (or as the manufacturer specifies). Reading the level under other conditions gives a false reading.
Automatic transmission fluid level changes with temperature and with how much fluid is in the torque converter and cooler lines. Most dipstick procedures call for the engine running, the unit at operating temperature, the vehicle level, and the selector in Park or Neutral as specified. The technician should always follow service information, since some vehicles need a different gear position or a specific fluid temperature, and many sealed units use a fill-plug procedure with a scan tool temperature reading.
Question 3: While checking fluid on a torque converter automatic, a technician finds the fluid on the dipstick is pink and milky. Which is the most likely cause?
- Coolant entering the fluid through a leaking transmission cooler in the radiator (Correct answer)
- Normal aging of the friction material
- Overfilling with the correct fluid
- A worn output shaft speed sensor
Correct answer: Coolant entering the fluid through a leaking transmission cooler in the radiator
A milky, pink appearance indicates water or coolant contamination, commonly from an internal leak in the cooler inside the radiator tank. Overfill leads to foaming, not a milky color caused by coolant.
Many transmissions send fluid through a cooler built into the radiator. If that cooler develops an internal leak, coolant mixes with the fluid, producing a pink or milky look and damaging friction material and seals. The repair involves replacing the cooler, flushing the cooler lines, and overhauling the transmission, since coolant ruins the friction linings. Burnt odor and dark color point toward overheating and clutch wear instead.
Question 4: A scan tool shows DTC P0700 stored along with other transmission-related codes. What does P0700 indicate?
- A shorted shift solenoid A circuit
- A torque converter clutch stuck on
- A request from the transmission control module to illuminate the MIL, meaning the TCM has stored its own DTCs (Correct answer)
- A faulty transmission range sensor
Correct answer: A request from the transmission control module to illuminate the MIL, meaning the TCM has stored its own DTCs
P0700 is the Transmission Control System Malfunction code. It means the TCM has set a fault and asked for the MIL, so the TCM's own DTCs must be retrieved to find the actual problem.
P0700 does not identify a specific fault. It is set so the powertrain control module can turn on the MIL when the TCM detects an emission-related problem. The technician should retrieve codes from the TCM, record freeze-frame or snapshot data, and then follow the diagnostic chart for each specific DTC. Treating P0700 as the failed component would lead to a misdiagnosis.
Question 5: A technician retrieves DTC P0741. Which condition does this code describe?
- Pressure control solenoid circuit open
- Torque converter clutch circuit performance or stuck off (Correct answer)
- Input/turbine speed sensor circuit range/performance
- Transmission fluid temperature sensor circuit low
Correct answer: Torque converter clutch circuit performance or stuck off
P0741 is Torque Converter Clutch Circuit Performance or Stuck Off, set when actual slip does not match what the TCC command should produce.
The control module compares engine speed to turbine speed when the TCC is commanded on. If slip stays above the calibrated limit, the module sets P0741. Causes include a worn clutch lining, a failed TCC or pressure control solenoid, low line pressure, or contaminated fluid. The technician should check fluid, view live data for slip, and test the solenoid circuit and hydraulic operation as the service information directs.
Question 6: During a road test at a steady cruise with the TCC commanded on, a scan tool shows engine speed of 2,000 rpm and turbine speed of 1,700 rpm. What does this indicate?
- Normal TCC lockup operation
- A defective output speed sensor, because turbine speed must always exceed engine speed
- The transmission is in a lower gear than commanded
- About 300 rpm of converter slip, which suggests the TCC is not applying fully (Correct answer)
Correct answer: About 300 rpm of converter slip, which suggests the TCC is not applying fully
Converter slip is engine speed minus turbine speed. With the TCC applied, slip should be near zero, so 300 rpm means the clutch is not holding.
When the lockup clutch is fully applied, the engine and turbine rotate together, so slip is typically within a few rpm of zero. A 300 rpm difference while lockup is commanded points to a slipping or non-applying clutch, a faulty solenoid, low apply pressure, or a hydraulic problem. Because turbine speed cannot exceed engine speed under drive, the sensor reading is not the issue.
Question 7: A technician uses scan tool data to divide turbine (input) speed by output shaft speed while the transmission is commanded into a gear. What is the main reason for this calculation?
- To compare the actual gear ratio with the expected ratio and detect internal clutch or band slippage (Correct answer)
- To calculate the torque converter stall speed
- To determine the fluid temperature
- To check the TCC solenoid duty cycle
Correct answer: To compare the actual gear ratio with the expected ratio and detect internal clutch or band slippage
The input-to-output speed ratio gives the actual gear ratio, which can be compared to the specified ratio for the commanded gear. A mismatch indicates slip in an apply element.
Control modules use input and output speed sensors to confirm that the gear ratio matches the commanded gear, and they set ratio-error DTCs when it does not. A technician can perform the same check with live data. For example, a ratio higher than expected for the commanded gear suggests a clutch is slipping and letting the input speed rise. It also helps separate a mechanical slip problem from an electrical or hydraulic control fault.
Question 8: Which test equipment is best for observing the waveform from a permanent-magnet (variable reluctance) output speed sensor, including amplitude and signal dropouts at low speed?
- A test light
- A digital multimeter on the resistance range with the engine running
- A digital storage oscilloscope (Correct answer)
- A fuel pressure gauge
Correct answer: A digital storage oscilloscope
A DSO shows the AC waveform's amplitude, frequency, and any dropouts or noise over time, which a DMM average reading cannot show.
A variable reluctance sensor generates an AC voltage whose frequency and amplitude rise with shaft speed, so a DSO can reveal weak signals, missing teeth, or noise. A DMM may display an average voltage or frequency but misses intermittent dropouts. Resistance checks are done with the sensor unplugged and cannot show how it behaves while a tone ring rotates.
Question 9: A technician needs to test a shift solenoid's coil with a DMM for a suspected open winding. Which procedure is correct?
- Measure voltage across the solenoid terminals with the ignition off
- Disconnect the solenoid from the circuit and measure resistance across its terminals, then compare it with the specification (Correct answer)
- Place the meter on the amperage setting across the terminals with the circuit unpowered
- Measure resistance with the circuit energized and the engine running
Correct answer: Disconnect the solenoid from the circuit and measure resistance across its terminals, then compare it with the specification
Resistance must be measured with power removed and the solenoid isolated, then compared with the manufacturer's specification. An open reads infinite resistance.
An ohmmeter works by sending a small current through the component, so the circuit must be de-energized and the component isolated from parallel paths. Compare the reading with the specified range, which is often only a few ohms to a few tens of ohms. Very high or infinite resistance indicates an open coil, and very low resistance suggests a shorted coil. Wiring and connector checks should follow, since a good solenoid can still be affected by a harness fault.
Question 10: A vehicle equipped with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) needs a fluid service. Which fluid should the technician use?
- Any conventional ATF, since all automatic transmission fluids are interchangeable
- Gear oil rated for manual transmissions
- The CVT fluid specified by the vehicle manufacturer (Correct answer)
- Power steering fluid
Correct answer: The CVT fluid specified by the vehicle manufacturer
A CVT depends on the fluid's specific friction characteristics for the belt or chain and pulleys, so only the specified CVT fluid should be used.
A CVT transfers torque through friction between a steel belt or chain and the pulleys, so the fluid's friction properties are tightly controlled. Using the wrong fluid can cause belt slip, judder, or damage. Technicians should confirm the transmission type and fluid specification from service information, and many CVTs have fluid-specific fill procedures that require a set fluid temperature.
ASE A2 General Transmission/Transaxle Diagnosis
A customer says the transmission "slams" into gear only after the vehicle sits overnight.
What should the technician do FIRST, before ordering parts or removing the transmission?
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