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jamestiger7

Safrane Gear Shift Indicator Problem

I'm having a strange issue with my 1999 Renault Safrane 2.5 diesel. It's got about 194,589 km on the clock. The gear shift indicator on the instrument panel is completely dead, so I can't shift gears. The automatic transmission is behaving implausibly, slipping and shifting uncleanly, sometimes making grinding noises when I try to shift. I plugged it into a diagnostic tool, and it's throwing an error related to the gear selector. From what I've gathered, it seems like the control unit might be defective. Anyone seen this before?

4 comment(s)

susan_held10

Whoa, that sounds like a proper headache! I've seen similar issues on older Renaults, although not specifically a Safrane. That gear selection display crapping out can definitely mess with the whole system. Is the shift knob itself feeling normal, or is it loose or sticky at all? And when you say "error", do you recall what the specific error code was? Knowing that might help narrow down the culprit.

jamestiger7 (Author)

Thanks for the quick reply! The shift knob feels normal, no looseness or stickiness there. As for the error code, I should have written it down! But it was something along the lines of "gear selector position sensor circuit malfunction" or "invalid signal from transmission range switch". Does that ring any bells?

susan_held10

Yep, those codes definitely point towards a problem with either the sensor itself or the control unit that reads it. Given all the symptoms you're describing, and the fact that it's affecting the gear indicator display, I'd still lean towards that control unit being the prime suspect. Honestly, this sounds like a job for a proper workshop. They can diagnose it properly and replace that unit if needed. It’s probably not a cheap repair - I'd budget around 1000€ based on similar issues I've heard about.

jamestiger7 (Author)

Thanks a bunch for the insights! Sounds like I'm in for a trip to the mechanic. I'll get it checked out and see if that control unit is indeed the culprit. Appreciate the cautious and helpful advice!

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