Wrench Light & occasional check engine light ONLY DURING WET SNOW

busded

Member
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2007 Cx9
every time it snows, especially when the temp is above 10degrees F & snow is a little more wet, within a few blocks of driving the orange wrench light will come on & the transmission shifts a little jerky/chunky.

occasionally this will go away, especially if we aren't driving in the snow and the road is cleared, and the wrench will go away as well. Other times, it will persist and eventually the check engine light will come on as well and the manual shift option no longer works (driving in the mountains I realized this, probably supposed to happen, but thought I'd mention it)

If I shut the car off and then restart, as long as the check engine light hasn't illuminated, the wrench will always go away and the shifting will return to normal, only to return if the snow is deep or being thrown onto the car underside I guess. If the check engine light comes on, every time we drive it the next day the light will shut itself off.

Anyone else experience this? is it a bad sensor? seems like it HAS to be related to the wet snow/cold, but its not JUST the cold, as most of the time it doesn't happen, and it NEVER happens in a rain storm or after a car wash, so it isn't JUST the wet/water component of the snow.

baffled....
 
every time it snows, especially when the temp is above 10degrees F & snow is a little more wet, within a few blocks of driving the orange wrench light will come on & the transmission shifts a little jerky/chunky.

occasionally this will go away, especially if we aren't driving in the snow and the road is cleared, and the wrench will go away as well. Other times, it will persist and eventually the check engine light will come on as well and the manual shift option no longer works (driving in the mountains I realized this, probably supposed to happen, but thought I'd mention it)

If I shut the car off and then restart, as long as the check engine light hasn't illuminated, the wrench will always go away and the shifting will return to normal, only to return if the snow is deep or being thrown onto the car underside I guess. If the check engine light comes on, every time we drive it the next day the light will shut itself off.

Anyone else experience this? is it a bad sensor? seems like it HAS to be related to the wet snow/cold, but its not JUST the cold, as most of the time it doesn't happen, and it NEVER happens in a rain storm or after a car wash, so it isn't JUST the wet/water component of the snow.

baffled....

what is your mileage? have you changed the transmission fluid and filter before? your very first step should be to scan the car whenever the CEL is illuminated. I recommend taking the car to a transmission shop so they can change the fluid if you havent done so already, check the TCU module, inspect and replace solenoids if needed, check valve body, etc..
 
Mileage on the car is 150k, all maintenance has been kept up on this vehicle per manufacturers suggestion, the scan on the CEL showed a transmission issue/number, but I cannot remember exactly the term now- it happened last winter too. When I was driving to the dealer, the light turned off, which is when I realized this problem only persists when the snow is coming down or freshly on the ground.

I'll ask the shop to check the TCU module from there, but haven't pursued a solution like that because we have ZERO problem with shifting or anything transmission related 97% of the time - just a few times a year when it is snowy conditions.
 
Mileage on the car is 150k, all maintenance has been kept up on this vehicle per manufacturers suggestion, the scan on the CEL showed a transmission issue/number, but I cannot remember exactly the term now- it happened last winter too. When I was driving to the dealer, the light turned off, which is when I realized this problem only persists when the snow is coming down or freshly on the ground.

I'll ask the shop to check the TCU module from there, but haven't pursued a solution like that because we have ZERO problem with shifting or anything transmission related 97% of the time - just a few times a year when it is snowy conditions.

Sounds like some sort of electrical issue to me. My Nissan Maximas ABS light comes on only when its very snowy outside.
 
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