A6 trans problem today. Help needed !
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,223
Likes: 14
From: Lower Macungie Township ; Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
A6 trans problem today. Help needed !
Has anyone had this happen to them or know a solution ?
I had the car in a Memorial Day parade this morning and it worked fine in drive and in sport using the paddle shifters. Then we all went for lunch and the trans would not go into park. All I seem to have now is reverse, neutral, and drive. I shut it off in neutral and the engine shut off but it stays in acc. mode (won't go to off). The headlights/ tail lights stay on and the doors won't unlock automatically. Also the memory seats are messed up. When I get out and close the door ; the horn beeps 3 times and the dic shows "shift to park". The yellow acc light is on and the red off light is blinking. Any ideas would be appreciated. I did manage to manually turn off the lights and put the battery tender on the car for now. Thanks in advance
I had the car in a Memorial Day parade this morning and it worked fine in drive and in sport using the paddle shifters. Then we all went for lunch and the trans would not go into park. All I seem to have now is reverse, neutral, and drive. I shut it off in neutral and the engine shut off but it stays in acc. mode (won't go to off). The headlights/ tail lights stay on and the doors won't unlock automatically. Also the memory seats are messed up. When I get out and close the door ; the horn beeps 3 times and the dic shows "shift to park". The yellow acc light is on and the red off light is blinking. Any ideas would be appreciated. I did manage to manually turn off the lights and put the battery tender on the car for now. Thanks in advance
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 20,352
Likes: 568
From: Ventura County, Calif
Diagnosing remotely is always a crap shoot but my guess is it's the internal mode switch gone bad. If it is, it's a fairly common issue, been several threads on it here. If you have access to a code reader you will get P0700 and P1825. So far I don't recall any repeat problems after someone has had this switch replaced.
In case you're interested in an explanation here's one from Talon90:
In case you're interested in an explanation here's one from Talon90:
the P0700 is an code set with the TCM has a failed diagnostic, meaning something else caused the failure. The P1825 is the failure that requested the P0700. The P1825 is from the IMS as noted. This likely means that the mode switch detected a condition that didn't agree with the mechanical shift. The IMS is basically an electrical confirmation of a mechanical action within the automatic transmission. The shift lever will move some slides that will open fluid ports. The IMS will look to confirm that the mechanical switch took place. Unfortunately these two codes don't tell you much and further diagnostics are required.
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 31
Likes: 2
From: Texas
I haven't had that issue but if you have an On-Star package they can run a diagnosic for you. I had my 'check engine' light come on (of course after the Service dept. was already closed) so On-Star was able to provide the code and at lease give me piece of mind to know if I could drive it or shut down completely and have it towed.
Good Luck!
Good Luck!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 7,158
Likes: 152
From: Chicago IL
I had a similar problem after swapping out my center console/ radio bezel. There is a cable linked to the trans that tells the computer when its shifted into park and enables you to shut the car off. I contacted Talon90(our resident Corvette guru.) He suggested I remove/ lift up the bezel near the gear shift lever and check for any loose connections. Sure enough that was the problem. I checked/ secured all the wires and was then about to "shift into Park." One of the other nagging issues when this happens and until you correct it is, you'll get the "Shift to Park" warning and pressing the starter button won't allow you to turn the car off... The only way to do that(other than fixing the cable) would be disconnecting the battery. Leaving the car in "acc" mode will eventually/ slowly drain your battery. I was lucky, it was an "electrical" cable vs "mechanical" cable problem and a quick fix.
Last edited by Tom_Slick; May 31, 2010 at 06:24 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,266
Likes: 0
From: Bonsall CA
Same almost exact problem 3 mos. ago. Wouldn't go into Reverse or Park. BROKEN CABLE IN THE GEAR BOX. Also, had a bent shifter arm,...that might have been from trying too hard to get it into park.
The same deal with the lights, got em all off except for the NAV/radio light, which drained the battery after 2 hours, b4 I could get back to disconnect the battery.
Lights, radio, worked, but was low enough volts where car wouldn't turn over. I couldn't jump it, the tow truck driver couldn't, even the dealer had to put a charger on battery to get it into the bay.
The shifter module was $600 installed. GMPP covered it. Since you've got reverse, you can get it to dealer.
The same deal with the lights, got em all off except for the NAV/radio light, which drained the battery after 2 hours, b4 I could get back to disconnect the battery.
Lights, radio, worked, but was low enough volts where car wouldn't turn over. I couldn't jump it, the tow truck driver couldn't, even the dealer had to put a charger on battery to get it into the bay.
The shifter module was $600 installed. GMPP covered it. Since you've got reverse, you can get it to dealer.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,223
Likes: 14
From: Lower Macungie Township ; Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
update
First off, thanks for all the quick responses 
I went out this morning to start the car to take it to the dealer and it wouldn't start. I had it on the battery tender all night but, the battery went dead anyway. Tried to use my jump start and tried jumper cables to my other car and nothing worked. It was flatbeded to the dealer this afternoon. I'll let you know what happens next. Thanks again.
Seems strange to me that I could not jump start the car.
I went out this morning to start the car to take it to the dealer and it wouldn't start. I had it on the battery tender all night but, the battery went dead anyway. Tried to use my jump start and tried jumper cables to my other car and nothing worked. It was flatbeded to the dealer this afternoon. I'll let you know what happens next. Thanks again.
Seems strange to me that I could not jump start the car.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 672
Likes: 1
From: Scottsdale AZ
First off, thanks for all the quick responses
I went out this morning to start the car to take it to the dealer and it wouldn't start. I had it on the battery tender all night but, the battery went dead anyway. Tried to use my jump start and tried jumper cables to my other car and nothing worked. It was flatbeded to the dealer this afternoon. I'll let you know what happens next. Thanks again.
Seems strange to me that I could not jump start the car.
I went out this morning to start the car to take it to the dealer and it wouldn't start. I had it on the battery tender all night but, the battery went dead anyway. Tried to use my jump start and tried jumper cables to my other car and nothing worked. It was flatbeded to the dealer this afternoon. I'll let you know what happens next. Thanks again.
Seems strange to me that I could not jump start the car.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,266
Likes: 0
From: Bonsall CA
First off, thanks for all the quick responses
I went out this morning to start the car to take it to the dealer and it wouldn't start. I had it on the battery tender all night but, the battery went dead anyway. Tried to use my jump start and tried jumper cables to my other car and nothing worked. It was flatbeded to the dealer this afternoon. I'll let you know what happens next. Thanks again.
Seems strange to me that I could not jump start the car.
I went out this morning to start the car to take it to the dealer and it wouldn't start. I had it on the battery tender all night but, the battery went dead anyway. Tried to use my jump start and tried jumper cables to my other car and nothing worked. It was flatbeded to the dealer this afternoon. I'll let you know what happens next. Thanks again.
Seems strange to me that I could not jump start the car.
And, the battery was only 9 mos old, and has worked fine ever since, so it was a good battery to start with.
If the service manager said what he did, after seeing hundreds of Vette problems over the years, why would you be surprised that the battery didn't take a jump? Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't.
Tonight, I went to shut my door, and it didn't close because the window was all the way up. Another C6 owner jiggled the lock, and it lowered, so it could shut, and then go up.
These cars are a bit too electrically advanced for them to be fully understood by the engineers that created them. The result is random
stuff like you and I went through with the battery, and who knows what else.
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