Transmission electrical plugs
 

A friend recently acquired a 1999 Ford ranger and you guys quickly assisted helping us sort out a starting issue. 👍 Yesterday he called and said the truck, while on a recent drive would not go into overdrive.
I'm not sure the engine size but it's the four cylinder and of course with an automatic.
The problem was easily fixed, I discovered a wiring harness on the side of the transmission was so loose you could wiggle it with very little finger pressure.
I pulled the plug out and observed 16 pins on the transmission side and they looked nice and clean. I went ahead and plugged the cable back in again and this is where my question is.
The cable connector feels firmly in place now but there was no click. Almost every connector I've ever seen has a little tab and when the connector is pushed fully on there's a little click and you will have to pull on something to release that cable connector.
There's nothing I can see visible here for the connector to snap onto. It's just pressed in place and I see nothing that would lock physically lock it in place.
Is there some sort of a c-clip or something that's supposed to be there to secure it?
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.ran...74192516c8.jpg
The two arrows mark pins that look like they should be coupled by some sort of a connector. One pin is on the harness, and the one on the right is the pin on the transmission connection. It just looks like something is missing.

The 4R and 5R transmissions used the same transmission side connector 1995 thru 2011, like this one: https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/...,350_QL50_.jpg

The truck side was also the same and looked like this one: ??? I can't find a picture of the truck side plug ???

But it should have a tab on each side that locks into the buttons on each side of the transmission connector

That's what I figured. There's a sort of gap between those two pins and it looks like something should be locking them together.
I found like you, the only images I have seen are of the transmission side like you showed.
Well maybe I'll do some dielectric grease on the seals, then slobber on some JB weld after I push the connector in place.:rolling:

Not sure I would use a permanent fix like that, lol

Can you put zap strap thru wires on the truck side and wrap it around the back side of trans connector
Wires would keep it from sliding off I would think
Or 2 of them

Next time I stop over, I'll look at the connector more closely and figure something out ....not involving JB 😁
If I had a 3D printer, I could make a piece that would lock those two pins together.
It's been this way for many years, I'm guessing. We'll figure something out.
Does this look like the problem? Looks to be a crack or where something broke off.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.ran...63e8f7d714.jpg

Thanks.

The pictures in this thread aren't that great, but you can kinda see the metal clip that pivots on the posts and helps retain the connector.

Want to Buy: Transmission Connector 5R55E(Junkyard searchers?) - Ranger-Forums - The Ultimate Ford Ranger Resource

I switched out my connectors back in 2011, and I don't remember it being too difficult. The problem is finding a new one to replace yours with. I was lucky the guy who posted the pictures had one and was willing to send it to me.

Well, I measured and made a couple templates, then made a square bracket out of stainless. It wraps all the way around the plug, but holds itself in place with just spring tension. You can see the two pins protruding through holes in the stainless on each side of the plug.
Conception to reality, about 3 hours, most of it measuring and test fitting.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.ran...b3890a70f8.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.ran...29a6b2cfa2.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.ran...9d78efd64f.jpg