Removal and Replacement

REMOVAL
1. Disconnect battery cables, then remove battery.
2. Secure radiator, engine cooling fan motor, fan blade, and fan shroud assembly to upper radiator support using safety wire.
3. Remove air cleaner assembly and mounting bracket.
4. Loosen left and right shock absorber upper mounting bolt five turns.
5. Disconnect shift cable, then remove shift cable bracket to transaxle case retaining screws.
6. Disconnect transmission range sensor electrical connector, then remove sensor.
7. Disconnect transaxle 10-pin harness connector from transaxle.
8. Install three-bar engine support tool No. D88L-600O-A or equivalent.
9. Remove upper transaxle support insulator bracket mounting nuts.
10. Remove three upper transaxle support insulator to inner fenderwell retaining bolts, then the upper transaxle support insulator.
11. Remove upper bell housing to engine bolts.
12. Raise and support vehicle.
13. Remove radiator air deflector.
14. Remove left and right lower radiator support bracket attaching bolts.
15. Disconnect and remove exhaust system components as necessary for transaxle removal.
16. Remove two A/C suction/accumulator drier to front subframe attaching bolts. A/C suction/accumulator drier is located on front lefthand side of engine compartment.
17. Remove transaxle cooler line bracket to front subframe retaining bolt
18. Remove front subframe as follows:
a. On 2.0L engine, remove oil level dipstick and exhaust manifold heat shield.
b. On 2.0L engine, remove water pump pulley shield.
c. On all engines, disconnect steering column from steering gear at pinch bolt
d. Remove front tires and wheels.
e. Disconnect left and right front wheel spindle connecting rod or ends from front wheel knuckle.
f. Disconnect front suspension lower arm at ball joint pinch bolts.
g. Remove stabilizer bar links to front stabilizer bar retaining nuts, then disconnect links from front stabilizer bar.
h. Remove left and right front engine support insulator to front subframe through bolts.
i. Disconnect power steering oil cooler hoses at front right side of subframe, then drain fluid from power steering system.
j. Remove bumper cover braces to subframe attaching screws, then rotate bumper cover braces forward.
k. Secure wood blocks approximately 40 inches in length to powertrain lift tool No. 014-0076 or equivalent, then position lift under subframe.
l. Remove four front subframe to body attaching bolts.
m. Lower front subframe slightly and disconnect power steering pressure hose and power steering return hose from steering gear.
n. Remove front subframe from vehicle.
19. Disconnect Turbine Shaft Speed Sensor (TSS) electrical connector at transaxle oil pump face.
20. Remove transaxle drain plug and drain transaxle fluid into suitable container.
21 Disconnect transaxle cooler inlet line from bracket at transaxle pump face.
22. Disconnect cooler outlet line at transaxle case.
23. Disconnect transaxle cooler inlet and outlet lines at radiator, then remove cooler lines from vehicle.
24. Gently pry left halfshaft assembly from transaxle.

CAUTION: Do not damage differential seals when using pry bar.

25. Remove right halfshaft, intermediate shaft bearing retaining bracket, and intermediate shaft.
26. Remove speedometer cable and electrical connector from vehicle speed sensor.
27. Remove rubber inspection cover from transaxle to engine spacer plate located at the right rear comer of the engine.
28. Rotate torque converter to align each of four torque converter to flywheel retaining nuts.
29. Lower vehicle and remove upper righthand engine support insulator bracket nuts.
30. Lower engine and transaxle assembly using three bar engine support adjusters until transaxle assembly is level with lefthand frame member. On models with A/C, lower engine until A/C compressor is below righthand frame member.
31. Raise and support vehicle.
32. Support transaxle assembly on a suitable transmission jack.
33. Remove starter motor attaching bolts, then the starter.
34. Remove lower transaxle to engine attaching bolts, then separate transaxle from engine.

CAUTION: Torque converter may fall out of transaxle if assembly is tilted.

INSTALLATION
1. Install torque converter so that converter hub is fully engaged with transaxle. To accomplish this, torque converter must be pushed and at the same time rotated until the converter seats.

Torque Converter Engagement Check:

2. To check if torque converter is fully seated, place a straightedge on transaxle flange as shown in the Torque Converter Engagement Check image.
3. Place transaxle on transmission jack and secure with safety chain or belt.

CAUTION: Do not allow the transaxle to tip forward, as this will cause the torque converter to move forward and disengage from the transaxle.

4. Raise transaxle into place and align with engine.
5. Looking through inspection hole in transaxle to engine separator plate, align torque converter studs with mating holes in flywheel.
6. Move transaxle towards engine and install lower transaxle to engine bolts and tighten bolts.
7. Rotate torque converter and install four torque converter to flywheel retaining nuts and tighten nuts.
8. Remove transmission jack and install metal inspection cover to transaxle to engine separator plate.
9. Connect Turbine Shaft Speed Sensor (TSS) electrical connector.
10. Install front subframe as follows:
a. Place front subframe on powertrain lift tool or equivalent, with wood blocks approximately 40 inches in length secured to lift.
b. Position front subframe under vehicle and connect power steering pressure and return hoses to steering gear.
c. Align front subframe to body.
d. Route power steering pressure and return hoses into position at rear of engine, then loosely install four front subframe to body bolts.

Subframe To Body Alignment:

e. Install subframe alignment pin set tool No. T94P-2100-AH or equivalent into subframe and body alignment holes.
f. After aligning holes, tighten front subframe to body bolts slightly.
g. After completing subframe alignment, tighten subframe to body bolts.
11. Install left and right engine support insulator through bolts.

NOTE: Do not tighten bolts at this time.

12. Install lower radiator support brackets to front subframe.
13. Install transaxle cooler inlet and outlet lines.
14. Connect speedometer cable and electrical connector to vehicle speed sensor.
15. Install exhaust system components.
16. Install new circlip onto left halfshaft, then the left halfshaft into transaxle.
17. Install A/C suction accumulator/drier bracket onto front subframe.
18. Install intermediate halfshaft, bearing, and bearing retainer, then the right halfshaft.
19. Install left and right front suspension lower arms to front wheel knuckles, tighten new pinch bolts.
20. Connect left and right stabilizer bar links to front shock absorber.
21. On models with anti-lock brakes, install Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) wiring loom retainer to stabilizer bar link.
22. On all models, install left and right tie rod ends to front wheel knuckles, tighten and insert new cotter pins.
23. Install front wheels and tighten wheel lug nuts.
24. Lower vehicle and connect steering wheel yoke to steering gear shaft.
25. Install upper transaxle to engine bolts and tighten.
26. Remove safety wire retaining radiator to upper radiator support.
27. Install all wire retaining clips that were removed during transaxle removal procedure.
28. Raise engine and transaxle assembly into place using three-bar engine support adjusters.
29. Install front engine support insulator to lefthand front fender apron and tighten bolts.
30. Install new lock nuts retaining engine and transmission support insulator to transaxle and tighten lock nuts.
31. On models with 2.5L engine, install power steering line retaining bracket to engine support insulator and tighten lock nuts.
32. On all models, remove three-bar engine support tool or equivalent from vehicle.
33. Install Transmission Range (TR) sensor and adjust.
34. Connect transaxle 10-pin harness connector, then the TR sensor electrical connector. Connect wire loom retaining clips as necessary.
35. Install starter motor, then the shift cable mounting bracket and tighten bolts.
36. Install shift cable to manual lever by pressing into stud until a click is heard.
37. Install battery tray, battery, and hold downs.
38. Install new front shock absorber upper mounting nuts and tighten.
39. Fill power steering pump remote oil reservoir and connect battery cables.
40. Fill transaxle to proper level with MERCON Multi-Purpose Automatic Transmission Fluid XT-2-QDX or equivalent. MERCON(R) automatic Transmission Fluid is being replaced by MERCON(R) V as a service fluid, as per TSB 06-14-4.

41. Start and run engine until it reaches operating temperature, recheck fluid level.