Transmission Temperature Sensor

DESCRIPTION
The transmission temperature sensor is a thermistor that is integral to the Transmission Range Sensor (TRS). It can only be serviced by TRS replacement.

OPERATION
The transmission temperature sensor is used by the Transmission Control Module (TCM) to sense the temperature of the fluid in the sump. Since fluid temperature can affect transmission shift quality and convertor lock up, the TCM requires this information to determine which shift schedule to operate in.
The PCM also monitors this temperature data so it can energize the vehicle cooling fan(s) when a transmission "overheat" condition exists.

Calculated Temperature
A failure in the temperature sensor or circuit will result in calculated temperature being substituted for actual temperature. Calculated temperature is a predicted fluid temperature which is calculated from a combination of inputs:
- Battery (ambient) temperature
- Engine coolant temperature
- In-gear run time since start-up