[Peter]

Davy, For some reason after a certain number of years the shift pad has to be replaced, and it’s always the D button that becomes problematic. Order from the Allison number nd not the Prevo number as the dfference is about 4000. Geo.

[Darrell]

Davy… FWIW… we had the same problem in our Vantare and were told to never release the brake until it was in gear… when Larry started doing that we never had another problem but it was becoming a big problem if he released the brake then tried to shift once it would shift the first time it would be fine from then on.

Don’t have a clue how right this info was but we never had the problem again unless he tried to shift after releasing the brake.

Jon any logic to this?

Diane

[Archived]

If it happens again, take a blow dryer and warm up the shift pad, see if this helps, that is what I did on one other coach I had

[jack]

Leaving the brake on is part of the way the “brains” are set up. I cannot shift into gear on mine unless I have the service brake applied so it might be possible that is how it might have been set up originally.

[Archived]

Thanks Jon…

Then that is how ours was set up !

Diane

[Dick]

Thanks for the advice. I will see if it gives me problems saturday.

When you shift mine into drive or reverse with the parking brake on an alarm will sound and not go off until the brake is pulled.

On second reading you were probably talking about applying the foot brake before shifting. Mine will shift into gear without the brake on but I never do.

Davy

[Chas]

Davy…

I meant the parking brake…I always have my foot on the brake as well but if we released the parking brake first, it would not go into gear.

Cheers, Diane

[Archived]

On my 91 model there is an air line going to the Allison from the auxilary air system and if the auxilary air is low it will not shift.

[Larry]

Do you have the 5-speed or 6-speed? Low atf level will cause a cold issue of this nature on 5-speed; not sure about 6-speed.

[Fred]

I have a 6 speed.

Davy

[Larry]

I would check your atf level anyhow. The fluid expands significantly when warm and, on the 5-speed, I had this exact problem when cold with a marginal oil level. After the coach would sit and idle for a time, all was normal.

I always use the pad to check the oil level electronically on the 6-speed. You bring everything to normal operating temp, stop coach, leave engine idling, apply park brake, shift to N, push upshift and downshift arrows simultaneously and wait. The display takes a few, then will read “ol ok” (normal), ol -1 ( down 1 quart) or ol+2 (if 2 qts overfilled); you get the picture.

[Ronald]

Davy, what ever happened with your shifter ? Just curious what it was. Geo.

[Jim/Chris]

One thing I rarely see discussed is our transmissions have a temperature sensor and until the temperature of the transmission reaches a certain value the transmission will not shift.

I think it is 20F. So if your transmission will not go into gear consider that cold temps may be the cause.

[gary]

Maybe I have been doing this all wrong, After starting the engine, and a little warm up, and checking the brakes for air loss, I put my foot on the brake, release the parking brake, put the tranny in Drive and go, no alarms are failures so far? Gary

[Jerry]

The key to how you do it Gary is you have your foot on the brake. I think on our vintage coaches if we do not have our foot on the brake the gear selected will flash and it will not engage.