Expert: Roland Finston - 12/7/2011

Question
Hello Roland!  My car suddently would not shift higher than maybe 2nd or 3rd gear...the spedometor stopped working and check engine light turned on all at the same time.  I plugged in the reader when I got home and it gave me a code P1698 and said "Manufacturer Control".  What does this mean?  How can I fix this...or can I fix this?  Right before this happened, I was parking at the dr office and went a little too far and went up on the curb and then said oops and backed up.  When I left the dr, the above happened.  Thanks so much!!  Babette

Answer
Hi Babette,
That 1698 code is indicative that the digital communication signals that are shared between various control module is not coming through from the transmission control module which is the device that is needed to operate the electronic transmission that you have. Its disconnection would cause the 'limp-in mode' of only going forward in 2nd gear and also no speedometer function.
In the '01 manual that I have the module is shown to be on the right side front corner of the engine compartment, low enough that it might have been contacted by the curbing in that incident. It would certainly be plsusible because of the timing and the location so low at to possibly come in contact.
It may be that the multi-pin plug was disconnected from the module, or the module itself may have been damaged. So with the help of a shop light you might take a look at the lower corner both from inside the engine comparment and the underside of the area to see if you can see a rectangular box with a single fat wire harness that end in a multipin plug (probably as many as 40 pins on the plug) at the surface to see if you see anything unusual. If not, then I would seek an independent transmission shop (not a nationwide franchise type) that knows this transmission and see if they can find the tcm and its plug and examine for damage. Please let me know what you learn.
Roland