What the potentiometers do (and why failures look “random”)

The potentiometers report selector/shift position back to the transmission ECU. They’re the ECU’s “eyes.”
If the signal is noisy, drifting, or intermittently dropping out, the ECU can’t trust that the actuator is where it thinks it is—even if
your hydraulic unit is perfect.

Common symptoms that point to bad pots

• Intermittent “gear not available” behavior
• Neutral (N) won’t confirm or flickers
• Fails centering procedure
• Fails selector/gear self-calibration
• Live data values jump, spike, drop out, or don’t track smoothly
• Works cold, fails hot (classic worn track / unstable signal)

Before you start (hard rules)

• Use a scan tool capable of centering + self-calibration for your exact platform.
• Mark everything before disassembly (sensor position, cover position, harness routing).
• Clean bench. Dirt and contamination kill these assemblies.
• Do not command actuator movement after install until sensors are seated, clocked, and tightened correctly.

Tools & supplies

• Torx/Allen set (varies by actuator)
• Pick set + small flat blade
• Paint marker / scribe
• Plastic-safe contact cleaner
• Medium threadlocker where OEM uses it
• New potentiometer(s) / sensor assembly
• Seals/O-rings (replace if housing is disturbed)
• (Optional) Multimeter / bench supply for sanity checks

Baseline check (do this first)

Before you touch anything, pull codes and watch live data. This gives you a “before” reference and helps confirm you’re chasing a sensor issue
(position plausibility/noise) rather than a hydraulic pressure issue.

• Read/record faults
• Monitor selector/shift position live data (names vary)
• Look for unstable readings, dropouts, or values that don’t change smoothly with commanded movement

Potentiometer replacement overview

You can physically remove/replace the sensors, reinstall the actuator, and still fail procedures if you skip the critical piece:
correct clocking during removal and installation. The sensor geometry must be aligned properly, or the first actuator sweep can
mechanically over-travel the wipers.

Potentiometer Removal & Install (Correct Clocking Sequence)

These potentiometers are not “open cover → swap sensor → close cover” like a generic position sensor.
They must be clocked out and clocked in in a specific order. If you mis-clock them, the first actuator movement can
bend or break the sensor arms/wipers.

Important screw note (do this before clocking)

• Shift sensor: One of the potentiometer cover screws must remain removed (or be removed) to allow proper clocking clearance.
• Gear sensor: The left-side screw adjacent to it does NOT need to be removed for correct clocking.

Removal sequence (clock-out)

1) Remove the shift sensor first

Clock the shift sensor to the 12/6 position before it will come out safely:

• Rotate until the top screw hole of the shift sensor is at 12 o’clock
• And the bottom screw hole of the shift sensor is at 6 o’clock

Once it’s clocked into that 12/6 alignment, remove it cleanly.

Why: This alignment unloads the internal geometry so you don’t snag or stress the sensor arms.

2) Then remove the gear sensor

After the shift sensor is out, clock the gear sensor counter-clockwise into its safe removal alignment:

• Rotate counter-clockwise until the left screw hole is at 12 o’clock
• And the right screw hole is at 6 o’clock

Now remove the gear sensor.

Installation sequence (reverse order)

1) Install the gear sensor first

1. Start with the gear sensor already aligned so:
   • Left screw hole = 12 o’clock
   • Right screw hole = 6 o’clock
2. Push the gear sensor into the correct bore/hole in that alignment.
3. Rotate it clockwise until it contacts/engages the gear shift command rod.
4. Tighten down once seated and engaged properly.

   Tip: Do not force it—forcing the sensor into position is how the arms/wipers get damaged.

2) Install the shift sensor second

1. Align the shift sensor to its install-safe position:
   • Top screw hole = 12 o’clock
   • Bottom screw hole = 6 o’clock
2. Insert it in that alignment.
3. Clock it into its final seated position and tighten down.

WARNING: Do not command actuator movement / centering / calibration until both sensors are fully seated,
correctly clocked, and tightened. A mis-clocked sensor may survive sitting still and then break instantly the first time the actuator sweeps.

Step-by-step diagrams (clocking reference)

These diagrams mirror the clocking sequence above. They’re intentionally simple so the reader can visualize “12/6 alignment”
and rotation direction at a glance.

Calibration (where most people lose the plot)

After replacement, you must run the relearn sequence appropriate to the exact model/year/ECU. Typical order:

1. Clear faults
2. Actuator centering procedure
3. Gear/selector self-calibration (SELF-LEARN in most applications)
4. Clutch bite point / self-learn (where applicable)
5. Road test + recheck for stored/pending faults

If live data is now smooth but calibration still fails, check mechanical indexing, harness integrity, grounds/reference,
and selector mechanism play (mechanical slop can mimic sensor faults).

Common mistakes (how this job goes sideways)

• Not clocking sensors to the safe 12/6 alignment during removal/install
• Installing a sensor at an end-stop (over-travel on first sweep)
• Forcing the cover/sensor into alignment (instead of clocking properly)
• Skipping calibration because “it should just work”
• Ignoring mechanical play that causes inconsistent position readings under load