Nissan Repair: Transmission and speedometer electrical problems., drive wheels, rain storm

Question
Hi Von,
     Today I was driving in a heavy rain storm. The water was not quite curb deep. My 95' Max with 4 speed automatic transmission was running like a dream, as it usually does. I got on the freeway as the rain was lessening. As the rain stopped I set the cruise control at aprox. 62-65 mph. The rain had ended when I noticed many cars were passing me. I pressed the ACCEL. button on the cruise control but the car failed to respond. Now the car was seeming to slow down even more so I pressed the ACCEL. button again and noticed the speedometer was begining to act like the tach. The more I pressed on the accelerator the faster the speedo said I was going. However, I was actually slowing down and there was no transmission action. The transmission was acting like it was in neutral and still the speedo was acting like a tach. I pulled to the side of the freeway and coasted as far as I could before the car came to a stop. With the car in Drive and the car standing still the speedo would swing from fast and to slow as I pressed the accelerator and released it. When I put the transmission in Park the transmission made a slight grinding sound and the speedo went to zero mph. and seemed to act normal. Now I have no transmission action and the speedo still acts like a tach when the gear sellector is in gear and remains motionless when the engine is revved in Park. Please help. Any help you can give will be be greatly appreciated. Does this sound like a transmission problem or has something electrical gone haywire? Did I hurt the transmission when I pulled the car about 3/4 mile with my truck and a strap? HELP!

Answer
Steve,

The transmission has either water in it or the computer that drives the servos have water in them.  Yes, you could hurt the transmission if you tow the car with the drive wheels on the ground.  You always want to dolly the drive wheels since an automatic does not have a pump that can keep the clutches from sliding.  So, first check the fluid and if it is really overfull you know that there is water in it.  If not the transmission is going to have to be inspected to see if the connector for the electrical has water in it and it is shorting out.