Abstract: An improved control of a motor vehicle torque converter clutch (TCC) which detects a condition of TCC engagement when open converter operation is required, and activates an override mechanism to disengage the TCC independent of the normal TCC control in response to the detected condition. This ensures that the TCC is disengaged when open converter operation is required, thereby permitting continued operation of the vehicle in conditions where the vehicle would otherwise be inoperable. When unwanted TCC engagement is detected, the control activates a clutch priority valve by intentionally commanding the engagement of two or more range clutches. When so activated, the clutch priority valve exhausts all but one range clutch and hydraulically disables engagement the TCC. When the vehicle speed is sufficiently high to permit TCC engagement, all but one of the range clutch pressure commands are eliminated, and the clutch priority valve returns to a normal state to permit TCC engagement.