AW4 Solenoid Kit 1989-1999, remanufactured and ready to install. Fits the AW4. Ships fast from the USA.
A 1989-1999 Jeep Cherokee that will not upshift, starts out in a high gear, or cruises at freeway speed with the converter unlocked usually has an AW4 solenoid or wiring problem, not a worn-out transmission. This is a remanufactured set of the three valve body solenoids that run the AW4: two shift solenoids and the lockup solenoid. It covers the long middle stretch of AW4 production, from the late Renix-era trucks through the 1997-1999 facelift XJ, and lets you replace the whole set in one pan drop.
The AW4 has no vacuum modulator or governor. A standalone transmission control unit decides the shift and switches the three solenoids on the valve body. In Jeep's own description, solenoids 1 and 2 sequence the 1-2, 2-3 and 3-4 shift valves, with solenoid 2 also involved in applying the overdrive elements, and solenoid 3 sends line pressure through the lockup relay valve to apply the converter clutch. Because each gear is a specific on/off combination of solenoids 1 and 2, one weak coil can make the truck skip a gear, start in the wrong gear, or refuse to leave first.
Start at the cheap end. Look at the TCU connector and the harness where it passes the exhaust, because heat-cracked insulation and green pins are common on these trucks. Then drop the pan and test each solenoid: Jeep's procedure is to meter between the solenoid mounting bracket and its wire terminal, and the spec in both the AW4 overhaul manual and the 1997 XJ service manual is 11 to 15 ohms. Replace any coil outside that range. A solenoid that reads 12 ohms on the bench can still stick when hot, so a hot-only symptom with good readings still points here. If all three test good and the shifts are just harsh or late, compare our AW4 valve body for 1986-1999.
Listed for the AW4 from 1989 through 1999: Jeep Cherokee XJ and Comanche MJ (Comanche ended in 1992) with the four-speed automatic. Over those years Jeep revised the harness and TCU more than once, so look at the connector on your existing solenoids and the shape of the bracket and match them to the photo before you buy. Not sure? Send us the year and VIN and we will check. For a 1987 truck see the 1987 AW4 solenoid kit, and browse every AW4 part in the Aisin transmission collection.
These remanufactured solenoids do not include a screen or pan gasket, so order an AW4 overhaul kit if you also want new seals and gaskets, or add an AW4 auxiliary cooler if the truck tows or wheels off-road, since heat is what kills AW4 solenoids.
| Fits | AW4 1989-1999 |
| Part type | Solenoid Kit |
| Condition | Remanufactured |
| Brand | OEM |
| Reference | A340 |
| Ships | From the USA |
| Warranty | 1-year |
Doing this repair right usually means replacing these at the same time. Same transmission, ships together.
Yes, the listing covers the AW4 in 1989-1999 Cherokee XJ trucks. Because the harness changed over the years, match the solenoid connector and bracket on your valve body to the photo, or send us your VIN.
Three: the two shift solenoids and the lockup solenoid that bolt to the bottom of the AW4 valve body. That is the complete set the AW4 uses.
It often is. A failed shift solenoid or an open wire to it will keep the AW4 from upshifting. Test each solenoid for 11 to 15 ohms and check the wiring before condemning the transmission.
You can, but the other two have the same age and heat history, and the pan is already off. Most owners replace all three at once to avoid a second pan drop.
No. This is the solenoid set only. Buy a new screen and gasket or an overhaul kit to go with it, and refill with Mercon-type ATF.
