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[zirk]

I had a similar problem with my 1999 2.2 petrol estate recently. Gearbox kept going into limp home mode, so many error codes on reader was almost impossible to diagnose reason. It appears to me that the gearbox protection system is so sensitive that any small error switches it into limp home mode.... great in some respects but a nightmare to find the cause  ... like you i read the forum threads in detail, created my own thread, changed the selector switch, no effect...the cam sensor, no effect ...and finally the throttle potentiometer in the foot well, and success!!!  .............. I'm not saying yours is the potentiometer, but if you can pick up a recycle one it might be worth a try ............ (a new one is about £150 !!!!)

Thanks a lot! I'll definately look in to that. Yeah, looks like its really sensitive.
I have a friend with the same car, maybe I can talk him into "borrowing" the sensor to me for testing purposes.

I'll some time reading about this throttle potentiometer now.

Borrowing parts from another known good, is your best bet. Very handy actually. I suppose your first task is to repair communication to the box ecu. If a reader can't see it then maybe the box can't either, hence limp mode.
Theory behind snow mode error is that that function uses 3rd gear for gentle pull away in snow, which is the same as limp mode using third. Thing is pressing sport mode should over ride it, snow mode button is not lit at the time, and bothe sport and snow modes are unresponsive. Gear selector lights are correct. So it's in limp mode it seems to me.

Further diagnosis is difficult tbh, you need one of the admins on here with tech 2 experience. Markdtm, TheBoy, or Kevin Wood. Sugest a pm to the nearest one to you with a link to this thread.

Think Markdtm is probably the nearest, the guy is in Norway Chris.

On a serious note, also worth checking alternator output voltage, Ive had a MV6 auto box keep throwing a wobble in limp mode because the voltage was too high.

Chris.

[MartinP]

I had a similar message, months after buying my Omega,
After changing the 1st/2ng gear solonoid, the oil & filter, cleaning the selector switch I found the problem was the Blue (I think), multi-plug next to the battery was not "clicked home" so giving connection problems.

Worth checking before spending money!

Martin

[feeutfo]

I had a similar problem with my 1999 2.2 petrol estate recently. Gearbox kept going into limp home mode, so many error codes on reader was almost impossible to diagnose reason. It appears to me that the gearbox protection system is so sensitive that any small error switches it into limp home mode.... great in some respects but a nightmare to find the cause  ... like you i read the forum threads in detail, created my own thread, changed the selector switch, no effect...the cam sensor, no effect ...and finally the throttle potentiometer in the foot well, and success!!!  .............. I'm not saying yours is the potentiometer, but if you can pick up a recycle one it might be worth a try ............ (a new one is about £150 !!!!)

Thanks a lot! I'll definately look in to that. Yeah, looks like its really sensitive.
I have a friend with the same car, maybe I can talk him into "borrowing" the sensor to me for testing purposes.

I'll some time reading about this throttle potentiometer now.

Borrowing parts from another known good, is your best bet. Very handy actually. I suppose your first task is to repair communication to the box ecu. If a reader can't see it then maybe the box can't either, hence limp mode.
Theory behind snow mode error is that that function uses 3rd gear for gentle pull away in snow, which is the same as limp mode using third. Thing is pressing sport mode should over ride it, snow mode button is not lit at the time, and bothe sport and snow modes are unresponsive. Gear selector lights are correct. So it's in limp mode it seems to me.

Further diagnosis is difficult tbh, you need one of the admins on here with tech 2 experience. Markdtm, TheBoy, or Kevin Wood. Sugest a pm to the nearest one to you with a link to this thread.

Think Markdtm is probably the nearest, the guy is in Norway Chris.

On a serious note, also worth checking alternator output voltage, Ive had a MV6 auto box keep throwing a wobble in limp mode because the voltage was too high.

Chris.

Ah, doesn't even work fro erricson any more either  .      

[Shackeng]

Went down to the parking garage here at work and put the car in drive. Pressed the snow mode button several times but the car still started in 3rd gear and sport function wouldn't work.

Didn't try to disconnect the whole thing, should I perhaps try that? Wierd that the diagnostic tools (both mine and at the dealer) can't connect to the gearbox?

Thanks again!

Did the snow button light up? If not, this suggests further investigation in this area.

[Remo]

Thanks for all your suggestions guys!

No the snow mode button didn't light up at all, how do I go about investigating this further? Any tip? Do you mean that the snow mode could be jammed?

My plans for tomorrow (even tough it's 22 degrees below zero):
- Check alternator output voltage
- Check the multiplug (blue) connector and maybe spray it with electrical cleaner
- Check ALL fuses

I'm happy to do a £30 paypal-donation to the member who is spot on with the tip of the cause of the problem, all tough it may be a shot in the dark for you without inspecting the car.

I've tried Norwegian Opel/VX forums, but not a single reply.. Way more knowledge here with you guys:)

[Shackeng]

Thanks for all your suggestions guys!

No the snow mode button didn't light up at all, how do I go about investigating this further? Any tip? Do you mean that the snow mode could be jammed?

My plans for tomorrow (even tough it's 22 degrees below zero):
- Check alternator output voltage
- Check the multiplug (blue) connector and maybe spray it with electrical cleaner
- Check ALL fuses

I'm happy to do a £30 paypal-donation to the member who is spot on with the tip of the cause of the problem, all tough it may be a shot in the dark for you without inspecting the car.

I've tried Norwegian Opel/VX forums, but not a single reply.. Way more knowledge here with you guys:)

I haven't been out in mine lately, but IIRC the selector has to be in Drive to allow snow mode to be selected. I was suggesting that if under the correct circumstances you were unable to select snow mode, it suggests that there is a problem with that circuit. I am certainly no expert, and hopefully one of our better qualified OOFers can advise further.

HTH

[Kneepad]

As Shackeng said, the selector lever has to be in drive before you can select snow/winter mode. The button should light up and there should also be a light on the display panel.
If none of the above. pull off the gaiter around the selector lever and push out the snow/winter mode
panel and check the wiring connector is seated properly.

[Remo]

As Shackeng said, the selector lever has to be in drive before you can select snow/winter mode. The button should light up and there should also be a light on the display panel.
If none of the above. pull off the gaiter around the selector lever and push out the snow/winter mode
panel and check the wiring connector is seated properly.

Thanks for the tip, just did it earlier today actually. There's no light in the winter mode light (or sport) at all. Tried to disconnect and reconnect the wiring connector to the winter button under the gaiter but still no joy unfortunately.

Today, I've also checked the following:
- Blue multiplug connector
- All fuses

There's a 30 amp fuse in the engine fuse box that keeps breaking every week or so, but it has been so for as long as I have had the car, so I don't think this has something to do with the gearbox problem. Unfortunately I don't have a wiring diagram so I'm a bit confuses as to where to look (and also what this 30 amp fuses is for).

Still keep thinking about the fault code I got when my diagnostic tool managed to connect to the gearbox that one time; "Power relay voltage low"...

[Shackeng]

I realise that you have probably already done so, but when you put the AR35 in, did you replace the oil and filter? This is the first port of call with autobox problems.

Edit: Sorry, just read your later post confirming this.

[Agemo]

"There's a 30 amp fuse in the engine fuse box that keeps breaking every week or so"

That would worry me, although probably not connected. What does this fuse cover?

[Remo]

"There's a 30 amp fuse in the engine fuse box that keeps breaking every week or so"

That would worry me, although probably not connected. What does this fuse cover?

Yes, it's probably unrelated, but it is worrying. I have no clue what it covers, since the instruction manual doesn't cover the engine bay fuses and I have no wiring diagram.

But here's a pic showing which fuse that keeps breaking:

[Remo]

Pretty sure this has something to do with the glow relay, I've always had a problem with this so I keep "manually" glowing the car and this has always worked fine.

[unlucky alf]

When you turn the ignition on does the "auto g/box" warning come up before you start the engine?, I had this with mine & it turned out to be the g/box ecu was at fault, apparently its unusual for them to go but worth a mention.

[Remo]

When you turn the ignition on does the "auto g/box" warning come up before you start the engine?, I had this with mine & it turned out to be the g/box ecu was at fault, apparently its unusual for them to go but worth a mention.

No there's no warning, but I think my car it pre the "warning era". I have a 95/96 model without dash computer so I'm really not sure if there warning for gearbox faults at all? No unusual lights with the ignition on.

Gearbox ECU is definitely on the list of things I suspect, and I'm considering to replace it even tough it's pretty expensive. (I've also hear that it's unusual for them to break)

What were the other symptoms you had when your gearbox ECU was faulty?

I'm rather unsure as whether to look more into the throttle potentiometer, the throttle response seems perfect and there's no fault codes on the engine. I would assume that if there was a throttle sensor the causes my problem I would have an engine fault code related to this?

[charlie]

If i remember correctly the fuse is for the intercooler fan(it will proably be seized) so should have nothing to do with the gearbox troubles