What gears will the transmission have if shift solenoid 1 (SS-1) is stuck off?

With SS-1 always off in (D), commanded gears 1 and 2 both produce 2nd gear, and commanded gears 3 and 4 both produce 3rd gear. In lever positions 2 and 1, all commanded gears result in 2nd gear, with no engine braking in 3rd and 4th commands.

What happens if shift solenoid 2 (SS-2) fails off?

With SS-2 always off, in all lever positions ((D), 2, 1): commanded 1st gives 1st gear, commanded 2nd gives 2nd, commanded 3rd gives 2nd, and commanded 4th gives 1st gear.

What causes a shift solenoid to be 'always off'?

The document states the failure can be due to powertrain control module and/or vehicle wiring concerns, or the shift solenoid being electrically or hydraulically stuck OFF.

What does footnote (a) in the SS-1 table mean?

Footnote (a) indicates 'No Engine Braking' — it applies when 3rd or 4th gear is commanded in lever positions 2 or 1 and the transmission is stuck in 2nd gear.

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Shift Solenoid Always Off Failure Chart - SS1/SS2 Gear Diagnosis (Ford/Mercury)

Ford shift solenoid SS-1/SS-2 Always Off failure gear chart vs range selector position

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Ford automatic transmission diagnostic table: gear actually obtained for each PCM-commanded gear when SS-1 or SS-2 shift solenoid is stuck Always Off, by D/2/1 range selector.

AI caption April 2008 · Photo 16 of 86

This service reference document describes automatic transmission behavior when a shift solenoid fails in the "Always Off" state, which can be caused by powertrain control module (PCM) faults, vehicle wiring concerns, or a solenoid that is electrically or hydraulically stuck OFF. Two tables map the PCM-commanded gear (1 through 4) to the actual gear obtained for each transmission range selector lever position — (D), 2, and 1 — for two failure scenarios: Shift Solenoid 1 (SS-1) always off and Shift Solenoid 2 (SS-2) always off. With SS-1 always off, commanded gears 1 and 2 result in 2nd gear in all lever positions; commanded 3rd and 4th yield 3rd gear in (D), but only 2nd gear (with no engine braking, per footnote a) in the 2 and 1 positions. With SS-2 always off, commanded 1st yields 1st, commanded 2nd and 3rd yield 2nd, and commanded 4th yields 1st gear in all lever positions. A technician can use these symptom patterns to diagnose which shift solenoid has failed off based on which gears the transmission actually achieves. The document is uploaded to a 1997 Mercury Cougar gallery and pairs with a companion "always on" chart in the same album.

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Frequently asked questions

What gears will the transmission have if shift solenoid 1 (SS-1) is stuck off?: With SS-1 always off in (D), commanded gears 1 and 2 both produce 2nd gear, and commanded gears 3 and 4 both produce 3rd gear. In lever positions 2 and 1, all commanded gears result in 2nd gear, with no engine braking in 3rd and 4th commands.
What happens if shift solenoid 2 (SS-2) fails off?: With SS-2 always off, in all lever positions ((D), 2, 1): commanded 1st gives 1st gear, commanded 2nd gives 2nd, commanded 3rd gives 2nd, and commanded 4th gives 1st gear.
What causes a shift solenoid to be 'always off'?: The document states the failure can be due to powertrain control module and/or vehicle wiring concerns, or the shift solenoid being electrically or hydraulically stuck OFF.
What does footnote (a) in the SS-1 table mean?: Footnote (a) indicates 'No Engine Braking' — it applies when 3rd or 4th gear is commanded in lever positions 2 or 1 and the transmission is stuck in 2nd gear.