Had this car a couple of years, it ran great.  The autobox conked out into limp mode about 2 years ago, and I fitted another AR25 (in greener days).   Drove around fine for another 16 months or so (maybe 10- 15k miles), then this fault developed....

With the engine at normal temp & selecting 'P' or 'N', the engine revs fine. Then select 'D' or 'R', the box engagement is felt, but the accelerator does not respond & the engine just continues to tick over (it sometimes even stalls when loading it by turning the steering wheel).  Letting the engine continue to idle for a few moments, the car eventually begins to creep & pick up speed, then at 'full creep', the accelerator responds again & the car & auto box behave normally...with plenty of guts, power, and no slipping... that is until coming to a stop.  Then again no accelerator repsonse, no drive, and the engine sometimes stalls. 

Not only embarrassing, but pretty a dangerous event when occurring at junctions and roundabouts!

The ATX fluid is blood red (compared to the more pinky colour of new DxIII), and the levels are fine.  I dropped both sumps to fix a slight leak on the larger sump gasket, the filter seamed OK, & there was not too much gunge on magnet.  Refilled all to levels.

While the car was still on stands, the box worked fine ...but back on the road, there is no change.

Thinking that as the engine and box, independantly, seemed ok, I wondered if it is an electrical problem - so just happened to have a spare autobox ECU to hand, I swopped it over with the one in the footwell.   Amazingly, all suddenly worked fine, and I drove around for about 5 or so miles without problem....that was until I got home (fortunately) & just as suddenly, it all happened again - no response from the accelerator & no drive etc !!

I know its an AR25 box, but if this is now goosed from the engine torque, surely it would not pull away as it does so well, that is after reaching the max 'creep' speed?

As tax and mot are coming up, has any one got any ideas before I consider the ultimate???  Its an N reg with only 117k miles.  its really too nice to ditch.

Mike

Yep! filled with Dexron III - damn pricy stuff too at 7 bucks a ltr!  carefully, and stingily, re-filled using plastic tube and a 50cc hypodermic (without the needle!) - a nurse girlfriend eventually proved her worth!

Mike

That was not Vx's price - that was from a local shop and of a brand name (I don't recall which tho').
I mentioned the colour to help readers eliminate the condition of the ATF being the cause of the problem.

Thanks for the input,
mike

the brakes are fine HTH, renewed all round a couple of years ago and had no probs.  I'm OK with the clutch switch on a manual, thats the one connected to the left ankle bone...but I'm not familiar with the one on an autobox.??