Sable not shifting/speedo not working

[mazingo]

Hey guys, I need some help here. My mother has a 1996 sable with the AXOD tranny.
Recently the engine has been idling high. Cold:start RPM is 2000 then down to 1500 then down to about 1000. after it warms up it hovers about 900 to 1000 rpm. It acts like the torque converter is engaged because it surges when you put it in gear ( I think it s because the rpms are high).

Later the Speedo started going crazy and bouncing (or not working at all) and the transmission did not want to shift out of 1st gear. When it first started acting up you could pull the shifter down into low gear and it would start to shift and the speedo would work.

Well it has finally got to where the speedo stays on 0 and the tranny stays in 1st.

I changed the Idle air control valve it smoothed out the idle a little but it is still high. I changed the VSS but same thing. The speed ometer does not work and it will not shift out of low.

Check engine light is on but was on before this started. Can I pull the codes by jumping the terminals on the model?

Is it possible it is the sensor on the shift linkage?

I read in a post where the some of the tranny sensors wil make one idle high. I would appreciate any help.

[98SableGS]

Sounds like a speed sensor. This happened on my 1998 Mercury Sable 3.0 V6. Have the check engine codes read at AutoZone. They will do it for free.