Removal
Transaxle - 3.0LSpecial Tool(s) (Part 1):
Special Tool(s) (Part 2):
All vehicles
1. With the vehicle in NEUTRAL, position it on a hoist. For additional information, refer to Maintenance/Service and Repair.
2. Remove the battery and the battery tray.
3. Remove the air cleaner as an assembly.
1 Disconnect the breather tube.
2 Disconnect the mass air flow (MAF) sensor electrical connector and the wiring harness fastener.
3 Remove the air intake tube.
4 Remove the air cleaner assembly retaining bolt.
5 Remove the air cleaner assembly.
4 Disconnect the transmission range (TR) sensor.
5. Disconnect the transaxle harness connector, remove the wire harness bracket nut and position the harness bracket aside.
6. Remove the main control cover vent tube.
All wheel drive (AWD) vehicles
7. Disconnect the power transfer unit (PTU) vent hose from the transmission fluid filler tube.
All vehicles
8. Disconnect the wire harness from the battery tray hold-down bracket.
9. Disconnect the shift cable from the manual lever.
10. Disconnect the wire harness retainer from the shift cable bracket, remove the 2 retaining bolts, and position the cable and bracket aside.
11. Remove the selector lever cable retainer from the transmission fluid filler tube.
12. Disconnect the starter motor harness connector.
13. Disconnect the ground wire.
14. Remove the 2 starter bolts and remove the starter motor.
15. Remove and disconnect both electrical connectors from the upper intake to gain access to the engine for installing the lifting bracket.
16. Install the special tool on the RH cylinder head.
17. Install the special tools.
18. Install the special tools.
19. Install the special tools.
20. Remove the 4 upper transaxle retaining bolts.
21. Loosen, but do not remove, the 4 retaining nuts holding the bracket to the transaxle case. Remove the LH upper transaxle mount bolt.
22. Remove the RH upper engine mount bolt.
23. Remove the front wheels and tires.
24. Remove the 7 retainers and the LH splash shield.
25. Remove the 6 retainers and the RH splash shield.
26. If transaxle disassembly is necessary, remove the drain plug and drain the transmission fluid. After the fluid has drained, install the drain plug.
27. Disconnect the LH suspension.
1 Disconnect the sway bar link.
2 Remove the tie-rod end retaining nut.
3 Remove the lower control arm knuckle bolt.
28. Disconnect the RH suspension.
1 Disconnect the sway bar link.
2 Remove the tie-rod end retaining nut.
3 Remove the lower control arm knuckle bolt.
29. Using the special tool, disconnect the LH and RH tie-rod end from the steering knuckle.
30. Carefully pry down on the LH and RH lower control arms and disconnect the steering knuckle from the lower ball joint and position the steering knuckle aside.
31. Remove the brake hose retainer and the ABS sensor retaining bolt from the RH strut.
32. Using the special tool, remove the RH halfshaft from the intermediate shaft and secure the halfshaft aside.
33. Remove the brake hose retainer and the ABS sensor retaining bolt from the LH strut.
34. Using a pry bar between the transaxle case and the LH halfshaft, carefully disconnect the halfshaft from the transaxle case and secure the halfshaft aside.
35. Disconnect the heated oxygen sensor (1-102S) connector and remove the 2 clips from the oil pan bolt studs.
36. Remove the 2 intermediate shaft retaining nuts.
37. Remove the intermediate shaft.
38. Remove the cross brace.
39. Disconnect the Y-pipe.
1 Remove the rubber hanger.
2 Remove the nuts and disconnect the pipe.
40. Remove the front Y-pipe flange nuts.
41. Remove the rear exhaust pipe flange nuts and remove the Y-pipe.
AWD vehicles
42. Index the driveshaft to the yoke and remove the 6 bolts holding the driveshaft to the PTU.
43. Remove the 2 center bearing nuts and position the driveshaft aside with mechanic's wire.
44. Remove the RH catalytic converter to gain access to the PTU bracket. For additional information, refer to Catalytic Converter.
45. Remove the bolts and the PTU support bracket.
All vehicles
46. Remove the bolt for the mount and the 2 bolts for the cross brace.
47. Remove and discard the nut and remove the cross brace.
48. Remove the electrical connectors and harness fastener from the lower mount bracket.
AWD vehicles
49. Remove the bolts from the PTU.
50. Remove the bolt and remove the PTU.
All vehicles
51. Remove the through bolt from the rear transaxle mount.
52. Disconnect the electrical connector and remove the bolt and output shaft speed (OSS) sensor.
53. NOTE: It is necessary to raise the engine a couple of inches in order to remove the transaxle.
Using the special tool, raise the front of the engine.
54. NOTE: It is necessary to lower the transaxle in order to clear the Subframe to remove the transaxle.
Lower the transaxle enough to clear the frame.
55. Remove the access cover.
56. Remove and discard the 4 torque converter nuts.
57. Remove the fluid cooler tube.
1 Disconnect the turbine shaft speed (TSS) sensor and the harness retainers.
2 Remove the bolt.
3 Remove the fluid cooler tube and position it aside.
58. Remove the fluid cooler tube.
59. Support the transaxle with a high-lift jack.
60. Remove the bolts.
61. Remove the 2 nuts and the stud.
62. Remove the bolt.
63. CAUTION: The torque converter is heavy. Install the special tool before lowering the transaxle.
Move the transaxle back far enough to install the special tool.
64. Lower the transaxle from the engine compartment.
65. If it is necessary to install a new transaxle, remove the 3 bolts and the mount bracket.
