# 96 cadillac with northstar

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/96-cadillac-with-northstar/15572>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [June 19, 2008, 7:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/96-cadillac-with-northstar/15572 "2008-06-19T19:43:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![rollover67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a88e57/32.png) [@rollover67](https://community.cartalk.com/u/rollover67)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2008, 7:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/96-cadillac-with-northstar/15572/1 "2008-06-19T19:43:46Z")

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i just lost mobility no foward/reverse. all at once. when shift from park to any gear engine has no lug down. shift linkage moves and rotates gear lever on top tranny. is there a sensor that tells tranny to shift or is tranny shot?

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**Author:** ![NYBo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nybo/32/17281_2.png) [@NYBo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/NYBo)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2008, 7:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/96-cadillac-with-northstar/15572/2 "2008-06-19T19:48:59Z")

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Have you checked the fluid level? A catastrophic fluid loss would explain it.

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**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2008, 7:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/96-cadillac-with-northstar/15572/3 "2008-06-19T19:56:58Z")

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This is one for Transman, but a catastrophic failure like that would either be fluid loss, converter blow up, or possibly the powertrain control module. Don’t believe there is any simple sensor that would do that. Normally there should have been a check engine light and a code stored if it were an electronic failure. Either way, simple or not, you’ll need to tow it to a trans shop-would recommend an ATRA member shop and not Scamco etc.

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**Author:** ![rollover67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a88e57/32.png) [@rollover67](https://community.cartalk.com/u/rollover67)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2008, 8:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/96-cadillac-with-northstar/15572/4 "2008-06-19T20:01:12Z")

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fluid level ok engine light on but was on when car purchased 1 year ago, would the powertrain controlmodule be mounted under the shift linkage?

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**Author:** ![rollover67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a88e57/32.png) [@rollover67](https://community.cartalk.com/u/rollover67)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2008, 8:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/96-cadillac-with-northstar/15572/5 "2008-06-19T20:06:36Z")

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fluid ok brother said onboard diagnostic said something about speed sensor failure would that cause this problem, i know it would give false speed readings and could cause slow movement due to computer not knowing what gear/speed to be in