Hey Scotty, I live in Dallas, and I’ve got a 1996 Jeep Cherokee 2WD, 4.0L engine, automatic transmission, everything stock, 177,000 miles. I’ve had transmission issues with it since I got it as a project car that then had to become my daily driver for now 8 months. The code is for the output speed shaft sensor. Every mechanic I’ve called seems to not want to touch this car with a 10 foot pole. None of their vendors or junkyards have the part and I seemed to have called anyone within a 50 miles radius. I had been driving it with the transmission issue but then my taillights went out, the dash doesn’t light up anymore and now my power steering is trickling out even after trying the Lucas stop leak like you’d suggested. Are all of these issues related? I don’t want to junk this car since i’d sunk so much money into it already but should I junk it?
Thank you
Although those old Cherokees in general are pretty good (I have one) anything goes when you're talking about a 27-year-old vehicle. A lot depends on how it's been treated over the last two and a half decades. Sounds like that one has had a pretty hard life.
The electrical problems may be related but power steering is hydraulic so that's a completely separate issue. For the electrical stuff start with fuses, relays, and switches if you have not already done so.
Those AW4 transmissions are not exactly rare or exotic, millions of them were sold. They generally hold up well unless abused. What is the actual code that you're seeing for the transmission? Have you tried a transmission shop or a Jeep specialty shop instead of generic mechanics?
1996 was a transition year for the Cherokee. That year it still had the original AMC-designed body and interior, but had OBD2 diagnostics added. Here's a site that has Cherokee shop manuals in PDF format. It looks like they don't have one for 1996, but aside from lack of OBD2 the 1995 manual should be close:
https://cruiser54.com/?page_id=365
You can search nationwide for used parts here:
You might also try a site dedicated to Jeep Cherokees of that vintage:
https://www.cherokeeforum.com/
The exact code for the transmission issue was 83503722. I’m able to do certain repairs but i’m out of my element when it comes to electrical work. The issue was mainly shops I’d call would tell me to bring it in but it would be 3-4 weeks before they’d be able to definitively get back to me and that just wasn’t feasible since it was my daily driver. Since these cars are becoming a classic so to speak and mine is completely stock I don’t want to junk it, so I’ll see if there’s any Jeep specific shops that can work on it.
It appears that code refers to this part which is readily available in the aftermarket:
https://www.quadratec.com/products/55200_0106.htm
(While OEM sensors are preferable, unfortunately that part has been discontinued by Chrysler.)