need help: AOD-> TKO500/ wiring for reverse lights and safety sensors

87coupe50 · Feb 19, 2008

My recent purchase has some issues that I'm trying to correct. Currently I have no reverse lights and can start the car in gear without the clutch pushed in. I have been doing a lot of reading on the subject via this forum and many others; I think I have it straight even though there is a lot of confusing opinions about what the sensors actually do. I don't want to start connecting stuff and frying the electrical system. I am not very good at electrical diagrams. Also, i would like to keep the current connectors intact, if possible. I have some questions so any help would be appreciated.

Here is the current setup at the trans: I only have one connector coming out of the floorpan which has an extension on it (tiewrapped around the trans mount) with some type of terminating plug on the end of it. The Neutral Safety Sensor is hanging down and not conected to anything and there is nothing connected the reverse light sensor on the trans.

I've read that I can cut off the connector and connect 2 of the wires (PPL/ORG, BLK/PNK) to the reverse light sensor and splice the other 2 together to simulate neutral or connect to the NSS wires on the trans for the KOER diagnostic codes, is this right? Why do I only have one connector when most say there are two for a AOD car? Is it because I don't have cruise and therefore no VSS connector? If I try to find a wiring harness from a manual car, will it connect at the drivers kick panel and give me the 3 connectors that I need; VSS, reverse and NSS?

Here is under the dash: It looks like the previous owner transplanted the entire clutch pedal assembly including the connectors from another car.

I have these wires still hanging under the dash. It looks like the same connectors but the wiring colors are different and the white connector has 4 wires instead of the 3 in the previous pic. It looks like the black connector has the loopback (which has been mentioned as the Clutch Safety Switch prewired for manual with loopback by factory)

Can I get rid of the old cut connectors and use the other ones that are hanging? What is the white connector for? I can't find it in the diagrams.

hoping someone can help me out. Thanks in advance!!!
Dan

87coupe50 · Feb 21, 2008

Well, I cut the connector off of the end of the extension cable and spliced the 2 wires for the Neutral safety sensor and connected the other 2 wires to the reverse light threaded prongs. The car would still start with out the clutch pushed in and the reverse lights now work.
I went up under the dash and removed the factory loopback on the black connector (clutch safety sensor) and then connected the black connector into place on the clutch connector. The car will now only start with the clutch pushed in.

Does anyone know what the white connector is for? I know it says its for the Neutral safety switch, but what does it do? Everything seems to work the way it should. Although I haven't tried to do the KOER diagnostics yet.

I just got back from the junkyard and found the actual extension with the reverse light connector with the NSS looped back!!! $5!!! I found it on a '88 mustang with 2.3L and manual trans.

jrichker · Feb 22, 2008

There is a Neutral Safety Switch on the transmission and another one of the clutch pedal arm.
They are wired in paralell and both have the same function. They tell the computer it is safe to
dump the engine running codes.

The computer wants to make sure the A/C is off due to the added load on the engine for the engine
running tests. It also checks to see that the transmission is in Neutral and the clutch depressed
(T5, T56, Tremec 3550 & TKO)). This prevents the car from being driven while the computer is in test mode.
Key On Engine Running test mode takes the throttle control away from the driver for several tests.
This could prove hazardous if the computer was jumpered into test mode and then driven.

Diagrams courtesy of Tmoss &Stang&2birds

2000xp8 · Feb 22, 2008

Dan, try making your font normal size, it will be alot easier for people to read and help you.

87coupe50 · Feb 22, 2008

Thanks Jrichker!!!

I will connect the white connector under the dash for the KOER tests.
Do I need to connect the 2 wires under the car (that are currently looped) to the trans NSS in order for the KOER to work properly? or will the looped wired do the same thing as far as telling the ECM to proceed with the tests?

jrichker · Feb 22, 2008

87coupe50 said:
Thanks Jrichker!!!

I will connect the white connector under the dash for the KOER tests.
Do I need to connect the 2 wires under the car (that are currently looped) to the trans NSS in order for the KOER to work properly? or will the looped wired do the same thing as far as telling the ECM to proceed with the tests?

The looped wires will work OK, you just won't have the safety lockout working.

If you dump the codes, just be sure to remember to remove the test jumper from the computer diagnostic connector before attempting to drive the car .

If any of the wiring isn't correct you will get a code 67.

Here's the how to dump the codes if you don't already have the how to information.

Dump the codes and see what the computer says is wrong…Codes may be present in the computer even if the Check Engine light isn’t on.

Here's the link to dump the computer codes with only a jumper wire or paper clip and the check engine light, or test light or voltmeter. I’ve used it for years, and it works great. You watch the flashing test lamp or Check Engine Light and count the flashes.

See http://www.troublecodes.net/Ford/

IF your car is an 86-88 stang, you'll have to use the test lamp or voltmeter method. There is no functional check engine light on the 86-88's except possibly the Cali Mass Air cars.

89 through 95 cars have a working Check Engine light. Watch it instead of a test lamp.

Codes have different answers if the engine is running from the answers that it has when the engine isn't running. It helps a lot to know if you had the engine running when you ran the test.

Trouble codes are either 2 digit or 3 digit, there are no cars that use both 2 digit codes and 3 digit codes.

For those who are intimidated by all the wires & connections, see http://www.actron.com/product_detail.php?pid=16153 for what a typical hand scanner looks like. Normal retail price is about $30 or so at AutoZone or Wal-Mart.

Or for a nicer scanner see http://www.midwayautosupply.com/pc-7208-90-equus-digital-ford-code-reader-3145.aspx – It has a 3 digit LCD display so that you don’t have to count flashes or beeps.. Cost is $30.

need help: AOD-> TKO500/ wiring for reverse lights and safety sensors

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