If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
98 SL2 Auto Trans Shifting Problems
Whenever I take off from a stop, my car seems to hesitate shifting into
the next gear (i.e. it takes a lot more RPMs make the car shift than it used to). It also will hesitate to down shift, whether passing or just coasting down. It will wait so long that when it finally does shift down, it slams into gear and the car will literally jerk like I've hit something. I am hoping that these two problems are related and cheap to fix. Any ideas? It runs really well and has about 80k miles on it. The only thing I can think of is a sensor for the transmission going bad (if it is electronically controlled). |
Ads |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
There is a switch that can be set to either "economy" or "performance".
Sounds like yours possibly got changed to the performance setting which winds out the RPMs to develop higher power before shifts. Bob "jake292" > wrote in message ... > Whenever I take off from a stop, my car seems to hesitate shifting into > the next gear (i.e. it takes a lot more RPMs make the car shift than it > used to). It also will hesitate to down shift, whether passing or just > coasting down. It will wait so long that when it finally does shift > down, it slams into gear and the car will literally jerk like I've hit > something. I am hoping that these two problems are related and cheap to > fix. Any ideas? > > > It runs really well and has about 80k miles on it. The only thing I can > think of is a sensor for the transmission going bad (if it is > electronically controlled). |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
98's don't have that switch.
Bob Shuman wrote: > There is a switch that can be set to either "economy" or "performance". > Sounds like yours possibly got changed to the performance setting which > winds out the RPMs to develop higher power before shifts. > > Bob > > "jake292" > wrote in message > ... > >>Whenever I take off from a stop, my car seems to hesitate shifting into >>the next gear (i.e. it takes a lot more RPMs make the car shift than it >>used to). It also will hesitate to down shift, whether passing or just >>coasting down. It will wait so long that when it finally does shift >>down, it slams into gear and the car will literally jerk like I've hit >>something. I am hoping that these two problems are related and cheap to >>fix. Any ideas? >> >> >>It runs really well and has about 80k miles on it. The only thing I can >>think of is a sensor for the transmission going bad (if it is >>electronically controlled). > > > |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
There's no switch but, I was told by the dealer that the car "learns"
how I drive and makes adjustments accordingly. When I mentioned that I have not changed the way I drive so the car should "remember" what it "learned" did not sit well with the mechanic. He told me that "these cars perform best when driven hard" and that this problem would disappear with rougher treatment. That was about 8 months ago. This problem has gotten progressively worse. Jake Ratbert wrote: > 98's don't have that switch. > > Bob Shuman wrote: > >> There is a switch that can be set to either "economy" or "performance". >> Sounds like yours possibly got changed to the performance setting which >> winds out the RPMs to develop higher power before shifts. >> >> Bob >> >> "jake292" > wrote in message >> ... >> >>> Whenever I take off from a stop, my car seems to hesitate shifting into >>> the next gear (i.e. it takes a lot more RPMs make the car shift than it >>> used to). It also will hesitate to down shift, whether passing or just >>> coasting down. It will wait so long that when it finally does shift >>> down, it slams into gear and the car will literally jerk like I've hit >>> something. I am hoping that these two problems are related and cheap to >>> fix. Any ideas? >>> >>> >>> It runs really well and has about 80k miles on it. The only thing I can >>> think of is a sensor for the transmission going bad (if it is >>> electronically controlled). >> >> >> >> |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
I just found out that there is a vehicle speed sensor.
If it is an electronically controlled transmission, could the vehicle speed sensor could fail over time and not allow proper shifting? Is that what controls shifting? Or, is it merely for the cruise control? jake292 wrote: > Whenever I take off from a stop, my car seems to hesitate shifting into > the next gear (i.e. it takes a lot more RPMs make the car shift than it > used to). It also will hesitate to down shift, whether passing or just > coasting down. It will wait so long that when it finally does shift > down, it slams into gear and the car will literally jerk like I've hit > something. I am hoping that these two problems are related and cheap to > fix. Any ideas? > > > It runs really well and has about 80k miles on it. The only thing I can > think of is a sensor for the transmission going bad (if it is > electronically controlled). |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
To help in troubleshooting you need to be more clear with the symptoms. Is
the delayed shift occurring only between one set of gears or is it on all three up shifts (1-2, 2-3, 3-4)? Bob "Jake292" > wrote in message ink.net... > I just found out that there is a vehicle speed sensor. > If it is an electronically controlled transmission, could the vehicle > speed sensor could fail over time and not allow proper shifting? Is > that what controls shifting? Or, is it merely for the cruise control? > > > > > jake292 wrote: > > Whenever I take off from a stop, my car seems to hesitate shifting into > > the next gear (i.e. it takes a lot more RPMs make the car shift than it > > used to). It also will hesitate to down shift, whether passing or just > > coasting down. It will wait so long that when it finally does shift > > down, it slams into gear and the car will literally jerk like I've hit > > something. I am hoping that these two problems are related and cheap to > > fix. Any ideas? > > > > > > It runs really well and has about 80k miles on it. The only thing I can > > think of is a sensor for the transmission going bad (if it is > > electronically controlled). |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Under hard acceleration the car does great. You wouldn't know the car
had an issue, I just don't like flooring it all the time. When just getting up to speed at a moderate pace, the shift from 1-2 is a little rough, 2-3 is significant, 3-4 is a little better but, there is still a problem. It seems to forget to shift, then slam into gear. From 2-3 used to be around 35 mph. Now, if I don't take measures to ensure a shift; it will stay in 2 and 35 will equate to about 2800 rpm. If I run the car up to about 42 it will shift and I then coast down to 35 and everything is fine. 35 mph seems to be where I do most of my driving. But, it doesn't seem to just have difficulty shifting up, down is awkward as well. Bob Shuman wrote: > To help in troubleshooting you need to be more clear with the symptoms. Is > the delayed shift occurring only between one set of gears or is it on all > three up shifts (1-2, 2-3, 3-4)? > > Bob > > "Jake292" > wrote in message > ink.net... > >>I just found out that there is a vehicle speed sensor. >>If it is an electronically controlled transmission, could the vehicle >>speed sensor could fail over time and not allow proper shifting? Is >>that what controls shifting? Or, is it merely for the cruise control? >> >> >> >> >>jake292 wrote: >> >>>Whenever I take off from a stop, my car seems to hesitate shifting into >>>the next gear (i.e. it takes a lot more RPMs make the car shift than it >>>used to). It also will hesitate to down shift, whether passing or just >>>coasting down. It will wait so long that when it finally does shift >>>down, it slams into gear and the car will literally jerk like I've hit >>>something. I am hoping that these two problems are related and cheap to >>>fix. Any ideas? >>> >>> >>>It runs really well and has about 80k miles on it. The only thing I can >>>think of is a sensor for the transmission going bad (if it is >>>electronically controlled). |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
I'd start with changing the fluid and filter. See if it improves. These
valve bodies get clogged if the fluid is not changed at regular intervals. It may also be a solenoid starting to go flaky and open up so not engaging when expected. It also could be the speed sensor as you suspect as well. You may need to wait till it dies completely before you can diagnose this at that level. Are you getting any trouble light and trans codes? Bob "jake292" > wrote in message ... > Under hard acceleration the car does great. You wouldn't know the car > had an issue, I just don't like flooring it all the time. When just > getting up to speed at a moderate pace, the shift from 1-2 is a little > rough, 2-3 is significant, 3-4 is a little better but, there is still a > problem. It seems to forget to shift, then slam into gear. From 2-3 > used to be around 35 mph. Now, if I don't take measures to ensure a > shift; it will stay in 2 and 35 will equate to about 2800 rpm. If I run > the car up to about 42 it will shift and I then coast down to 35 and > everything is fine. 35 mph seems to be where I do most of my driving. > But, it doesn't seem to just have difficulty shifting up, down is > awkward as well. |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
I was thinking the same thing. Changing the fluid and filter is the
cheapest and easiest option and a good starting point. Bob, I could actually hear the "plunk" that the pockets of thicker fluid made as they dropped into the catch pan. One interesting thing; the trans filter off, it was still pretty hot so, I tossed it to the ground after removing it from the last few threads by hand. When I was finished and cleaning up I noticed something on the filter, right over the threaded hole that fixes it to the engine. It was a large and powerful magnet which, still had some metal shavings caught before entering the filter. I have never seen such a thing. I wish I would have noticed it before I finished, it did't seem worth draining all my fresh transmission fluid back out (not to mention, catch pan already full). I might get some use out of the fluid in it for a while and change it out again sooner than the suggested interval, making sure to replace the magnet. The good news is that like my Dad would have said, "it runs like a scald assed ape." Which as I understand it, it good. Bob Shuman wrote: > I'd start with changing the fluid and filter. See if it improves. These > valve bodies get clogged if the fluid is not changed at regular intervals. > It may also be a solenoid starting to go flaky and open up so not engaging > when expected. It also could be the speed sensor as you suspect as well. > You may need to wait till it dies completely before you can diagnose this at > that level. Are you getting any trouble light and trans codes? > > Bob > "jake292" > wrote in message > ... > >>Under hard acceleration the car does great. You wouldn't know the car >>had an issue, I just don't like flooring it all the time. When just >>getting up to speed at a moderate pace, the shift from 1-2 is a little >>rough, 2-3 is significant, 3-4 is a little better but, there is still a >>problem. It seems to forget to shift, then slam into gear. From 2-3 >>used to be around 35 mph. Now, if I don't take measures to ensure a >>shift; it will stay in 2 and 35 will equate to about 2800 rpm. If I run >>the car up to about 42 it will shift and I then coast down to 35 and >>everything is fine. 35 mph seems to be where I do most of my driving. >>But, it doesn't seem to just have difficulty shifting up, down is >>awkward as well. > > > |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
The Saturn spin on transmission filter (looks like a regular oil filter) has
a magnet integrated into the design. As such, it that gets replaced when the filter gets replaced. This type of filter was a novel idea and in my opinion is head and shoulders above the filter and magnet in the bottom of the in the pan design used in nearly every other transmission I've ever seen. I also like the fact hat the trans has a drain plug as this makes it a lot easier to do this job. The reality here is that given the location of the drain and filter, it is far easier to change the transmission fluid and filter than the regular oil! Hope that your transmission continues to run good. I'd plan on changing that fluid about every 30K miles. Bob "jake292" > wrote in message ... > I was thinking the same thing. Changing the fluid and filter is the > cheapest and easiest option and a good starting point. Bob, I could > actually hear the "plunk" that the pockets of thicker fluid made as they > dropped into the catch pan. One interesting thing; the trans filter > off, it was still pretty hot so, I tossed it to the ground after > removing it from the last few threads by hand. When I was finished and > cleaning up I noticed something on the filter, right over the threaded > hole that fixes it to the engine. It was a large and powerful magnet > which, still had some metal shavings caught before entering the filter. |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Hard downshift 94 Chrysler T&C auto trans | Al VaBeach | Technology | 7 | February 6th 05 12:31 PM |
How to adjust idle on 96 SW1 auto trans? | Chuck Connell | Saturn | 4 | January 21st 05 05:01 PM |
97 Intrepid auto trans temporary failure | gerry cochrane | Chrysler | 2 | December 30th 04 12:50 AM |
Auto Trans: Has she killed it???? | Scott and Cynthia | General | 3 | August 29th 04 11:06 AM |