Removal

1. Disconnect battery cables and remove battery.





2. Secure radiator and engine cooling fan motor, fan blade and fan shroud assembly to the radiator support, using safety wire as shown in illustration.
3. Remove air cleaner assembly and mounting bracket.





4. Loosen LH and RH front shock absorber upper mounting nuts five turns counterclockwise.

CAUTION: Since the shock absorber has to be moved to remove the halfshafts, the shock absorbers must be loosened to prevent damage to the shock absorber piston rod.





5. Disconnect shift cable and remove two bolts retaining shift cable bracket to transaxle case.





6. Disconnect transmission range (TR) sensor electrical connector by pressing lock-tab on connector and pulling connector off. Remove the sensor. Disconnect transaxle harness 10-pin connector from transaxle.





7. Support engine with Three-Bar Engine Support D88L-6000-A or equivalent, following manufacturer's instructions.





8. Remove upper transaxle support insulator bracket retaining nuts.
9. Remove three bolts retaining upper transaxle support insulator to inner fenderwell and remove upper transaxle support insulator.
10. Remove upper bell housing-to-engine retaining bolts.
11. Raise vehicle on hoist.





12. Remove radiator air deflector.
13. Remove four bolts retaining LH and RH lower radiator support brackets to front of front sub-frame.
14. Disconnect and remove exhaust system components as necessary for transaxle removal.





15. At the driver's side front corner of vehicle remove two bolts retaining A/C suction/accumulator dryer to the front sub-frame.
16. Remove bolt retaining transaxle cooler line bracket to front of front sub-frame.
17. Remove the front sub-frame.





18. Disconnect the turbine shaft speed (TSS) sensor electrical connector at transaxle pump face.





19. Place a suitable container under transaxle. Remove the transaxle drain plug and allow transaxle to drain.





20. Disconnect transaxle cooler inlet line at transaxle case as shown. Remove transaxle cooler inlet line from bracket at transaxle pump face.





21. Disconnect transaxle cooler outlet line at transaxle case as shown.
22. Disconnect transaxle cooler inlet and outlet lines at radiator.
23. Remove transaxle cooler inlet and outlet lines from vehicle.





24. Remove LH transaxle halfshaft by gently prying with a pry bar.

CAUTION: Do not damage differential seals when using prybar.





25. Remove RH transaxle halfshaft, intermediate shaft bearing retaining bracket and intermediate shaft.
26. Remove speedometer cable and electrical connector from vehicle speed sensor (VSS).
27. At the right rear corner of the engine, remove the rubber inspection cover from the transaxle-to-engine spacer plate.
28. Rotate the torque converter to align each of four torque converter-to-flywheel retaining nuts.








29. Lower vehicle. Remove upper RH engine support insulator bracket retaining nuts.
30. Lower engine and transaxle using a 3-bar engine support adjusters until the transaxle assembly is level with the LH frame member. On A/C-equipped vehicles, lower the engine until the A/C compressor is below the RH frame member.





31. Raise vehicle on hoist. Support the transaxle assembly on a transmission jack. Secure transaxle to jack following tool manufacturer's instructions.





32. Remove starter motor retaining bolts. Remove lower transaxle-to-engine retaining bolts.





33. Separate transaxle from engine and carefully lower transaxle from vehicle.

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