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Pontiac Grand Prix Transmission Problems

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Comments

  • stelakisstelakis Member Posts: 1
    I will post this for your (possible) benefit even though I do not drive a GP. I drive a 98 Lumina and last year it started hesitating between gears like it was searching
    before finally engaging to lower or higher gear. All indications pointed to a tranny
    problem. I took it to a tranny shop here in Toronto for a tranny service (to replace the fluid) something I had not done before and the fluid indeed was black. I drove the car some more hoping this was the problem but no luck. Took it to another
    tranny shop and they connected the scanner but no codes. Long story short I took it to a GM dealership and with the scanner connected the mechanic and I took for a drive in a hilly area until the symptom occurred. We went to the shop and put it on the analyzer - the problem was the iginition - bad sparklpug cables shorting out the spark to the engine - and a couple of plugs that had been "fried". Tranny was and is still running fine. Sometimes the symptom will have you looking in the wrong place. I thought I'd share this with you. Good luck with your car.
  • jodi805jodi805 Member Posts: 4
    hi guys, my name is Tony ,I have a 1993 pon. grnd. prx. well i got it about 2 yrs ago ,the old owner explained before i bought it that its got a prob w/tranny.I needed to let tranny sit for 7 minutes before it would go anywhere in the morning or when i used the car that day? i figured its a dirty tranny filter?anyways its been just fine till recently,now its real bad , i must take off a bit quikly to get into 2nd gear 1st is fine but than to catch 2nd i must time it perfectly to get to about 35mph pause and get 3rd! now i only got 1st and crawl to 35mph to 3rd gear no 2nd anymore! what a nightmare--if i had the money to fix it no prob. but im injured and cant do much unless theres a reasonable fix for this? by the way i was told when i first got the car not to change the dark fluid becouse it may ruin tranny --could it be a solinoid on the tranny? bad fluid and filter? computer? or am I done? thanks guys for any help out there,Tony.
  • fordfan_17fordfan_17 Member Posts: 175
    there are 2 different transmissions available for your car . do you have a automatic overdrive or just a 3 speed transmission?
  • jodi805jodi805 Member Posts: 4
    well id say 3 spd. but im not sure the column shift says "od" then "dr" then 2nd and 1st ---so in the manual it says to normal drive use "od" not "D" let me know if I can better answer the question
  • jodi805jodi805 Member Posts: 4
    not sure if i answered in the correct area but column says "OD" then "D" so its a 3 spd.?
  • fordfan_17fordfan_17 Member Posts: 175
    if i remember correctly your post said you had no 2nd gear if you have an overdrive transaxle it is a 4T60 or 4T60E 92-93 was jump years for these transaxles..the 4T60 is a hydraulically controlled transmission with a cable controlling the shift points whereas the 4T60E is fully computer controlled. either way the trans still functions the same way. once the trans has shifted out of first gear to 2nd gear the 2nd gear clutch stays applied in 3rd and 4th gear. if you are having problems with the trans holding 2nd gear then 3rd and 4th will have the same problems. I am so sorry to say there will be no "easy" fix for this if the trans wont hold 2nd gear its overhaul time.
  • jodi805jodi805 Member Posts: 4
    yea it only holds 2nd somtimes and in "D" only I really apreciate youre knowledge on this --I guess im gonna take it to a place thats been around for 25 yrs. now for them to tell me the same thing you told me ,yeah its miricle time now..Again thanks for your expierience and time on my tranny- Tony
  • fordfan_17fordfan_17 Member Posts: 175
    not a problem anytime
  • ziekezieke Member Posts: 1
    Here's one for you. My '04 GTP has the trans. temp displayed on the driver info screen. What is the normal operating temp , and what is too high for this reading?
    Thanks, Zieke
  • aja8aja8 Member Posts: 2
    3or4 yrs ago my tranny was called in and replaced now its slipping gears again, can you tell me why and whom to get ahold of about this problem, as i dont think i should be the one to pay for it to be replaced again. so what can i do about this...
  • aja8aja8 Member Posts: 2
    my car is a "2001" not a "2000" pontiac grand prix se, 3 or 4 yrs ago the transmission was called in and it was replaced now its doing the same thing, who and where do i contact about my transmission slipping....
  • schneider34schneider34 Member Posts: 2
    '97 Grand Prix-120K Miles
    Car will jerk and Tachometer quits working until car is turned off and turned back on. Usually happens when A/C or Heat have been on. Also, now this is strange, when you turn the wheel the radio volume goes down by itself...you can turn it right back up but obviously there is something wrong(and no I am not accidentally turning it down with the wheel volume controls). Just started doing this in the last 1000 miles. Electical issue??? Alternator??? Something more??? Anyone have and issues like this and maybe have what the solutions were??? If its gonna cost me a lot I am selling the thing, already put $3000 into it this past year.
  • justinb819justinb819 Member Posts: 1
    Hi,
    I have been having a problem with my trans. and I cant seem to find anything on this problem in relation to the noise it makes. The trans. seems to be fine except for the whizzing noise it makes In Park and In nutral. with that as I drive the whizzing gets louder as the Trans. excellerates and when it shift the whizzing is less loud. The other thing I noticed is that while dirving, it seems like it shift to fast into the forth gear and so It always goes to 4th than shift right back down to 3rd. the Trans. does not slip, n'or make any clunking noise, only the loud Whizzing.

    Does anyone have an Idea what could cause this and has it happend to anyone.

    Thanks in advance for any help on this matter.!!
  • retiredfirem1retiredfirem1 Member Posts: 1
    Hi Tony;

    Hey I may have your solution! I have a tranny out of a 92 Grand prix that has been rebuilt by a local trans shop. I also have a brand new touque converter for it. It was suposed to be installed into my son's car but he was 17 at th time and totaled it befor I could get it put in. I've got pics I can send if you are interested. I would need a email address. I will let this go cheep...if I don't sell it soon it's going to the recyclers. My contact is mark7151mo@yahoo.com
  • ottawam42ottawam42 Member Posts: 4
    Justin did you find the problem?.... My 2002 SE has just started this same whizzing noice (125000kms). Starts at about 45kph and then goes away (or I cant hear it anymore) at 100kph or 60mph. I took my front wheels off and on stands listened for this noice. From the tranny for sure. Noticed slight leakage around drives side shaft at tranny also. Possible seal/bearing on drivers side? Anyone out there with anything on this problem?
  • ottawam42ottawam42 Member Posts: 4
    reply c.genge@hotmail.com
  • ottawam42ottawam42 Member Posts: 4
    I changed both front bearing yesturday and the wizzing/whining noice is gone. Unfortunately thats the second front set in 2 years. Cheap is not the way to go. BTW bearings are easy to change yourself.
  • chukbchukb Member Posts: 1
    my transy started shifting hard in all gears and when i took it dealership they could find no codes it quit doing cant get to repeat dealership says needs to be torn down and looked at went to a transy shop they said computer needs to be up dated. what do i do now?
  • oimmukoimmuk Member Posts: 1
    :confuse: I have a 95 GRP it has the 4 speed auto with a 3.1. The tranny makes a noise like lifter noise has a week reverse and a solid drive...When in Drive there is no noise. What could this be? :confuse:
  • montana_catmontana_cat Member Posts: 26
    Update the computer! It costs a lot less. I learned this the hard way!

    $1,500 in transmission work and it still didn't shift right. They tried the computer program for $40 and I have not had a problem since.
  • taylor19taylor19 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1999 grand prix that has 150,000 miles. Recently, I am having some problems with my transmission. When you put the car into drive, it shifts fine from first to second, but then won't shift from second until the engine is over 4000 rpm. Also, it shifts from 2nd to 4th so I don't seem to have 3rd gear. When you are in 4th and try to manually shift from drive to 3rd, it goes right back to second gear. I got the transmission fluid changed and went and had the computer checked and am waiting for results. Also, I have a 91 grand prix transmission and was wondering if anyone knew if it would work in my 99 grand prix. I don't know if I am going to have to get a rebuild done or if it could just be some other smaller problem. Any info or advise on what the problem could be would be great. thanks
  • sillybabydaddysillybabydaddy Member Posts: 1
    replaced a front right wheel bearing hub assembly on my 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix GT about a mouth ago. but still making loud drone inside the car,but noise sounds like i have big tires.Noise is coming from right front please help!
  • rutled03rutled03 Member Posts: 1
    warning dash message says 2nd gear start.
    miliage trany. within 5,000 miles i'll call 125,000.
    1st gear no response or does not ingage
  • raynickraynick Member Posts: 3
    I have a 2000 se 3.1. I have just recently put in a used transmission as I had noticed the car to be hard shifting from first to second after about an hour of run time. The reason for the used tranny was that mister transmission wanted 4000$ to do a rebuild. The new transmission is still doing the same thing the old one did. Was hoping that someone out there might have an idea if it is the computer, or pressure sensor that might be causing this, or just bad luck and got a dud of a used tranny. One other thing that I was wondering, does anyone know where to find out what transmission is for this car? I have been told that there are two for this model. The id tag was not on the original that was taken out. I had to do a gear ratio to get the new one.
  • pete81pete81 Member Posts: 2
    Hello, I have a 1995 pontiac and I have a problem with the pawl pin sticking.
    When I press on the brake the car does not want to shift out of park.The bad part is, it does it on level ground, seems to get worse when it gets colder.Is it a electrical problem or mechanical ???

    Thnask, Pete
  • cnwcnw Member Posts: 105
    Have you ruled out torque lock caused by the car rolling forward or backward after being put in "park"? Assuming older models were so equipped, it could also be electro-mechanical; the interlocks between the brake and gear shift lever are electrically actuated to release so you can move the gear shift lever. However, I don't see a correlation between this possibility and the temperature. Temperature could certainly affect the fit/tolerence of the mechanical components, but no to the extent that brute force could 't overcome it. Sorry, I don't have an answer--just more questions to consider in trouble shooting.
  • pete81pete81 Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for your help. I will pay more attention when parking on flat ground to see if I roll a little.
  • sk8ctsk8ct Member Posts: 3
    I have a 2002 Grand Prix with just under 60,000 miles on it. It's been very well maintained. We've started having problems with starting from a stop. It revs out and then finally bumps into gear and goes. It doesn't happen all the time, but it is a bit scary. The tranny guy says it needs to be rebuilt, and quoted $2800.

    1. The transmission should not quit before 60K miles - any chance GM will reimburse for this?
    2. What is the normal cost of having a transmission rebuilt? $2800 seems like alot. They do warranty it for 3 years.
    3. Could it be something other than the transmission needing a total overhaul?

    Thanks for any answers!!
  • raynickraynick Member Posts: 3
    $2800 is alot better than I was quoted from Mister Transmission to rebuild the one in my 2000 SE. They wanted $4000. I am in the midst of trying to figure out the problem with mine. I have changed the pressure solenoid, and had the computer checked. (this is with the second tranny for this car) I am also getting the valve body checked and possibly replaced. Does this happen when the car is cold or after you have been driving for a while??
  • nemesys06nemesys06 Member Posts: 1
    Late i've had problems with my transmission. It doesn't want to accelerate. Its like it's stuck in second gear. It will accelerate slowly, then when i get to 25 mph, it acts like it's confused. it starts to shift between gears. i can't go any faster than 25-30 mph. i have a chance to buy a used transmission, that works like new. a friend too the motor from a 99 bonneville, and has no use for the rest of the parts. it had the 3.8 liter, same size as my motor. any idea if the casing would fit in the grand prix? or any ideas what may be causing my problems in the current transmission?
  • ottawam42ottawam42 Member Posts: 4
    I would have my computer checked for this problem first.
  • karrickkarrick Member Posts: 1
    My Grand Prix is also shifting hard and the RMP's are jumping around. I was wondering where could I find this new software upgrade. I looked on the search sites and i can't find anything about the upgrade.
    please help :cry:
  • montana_catmontana_cat Member Posts: 26
    Hi karrick,

    Sorry to be so long in replying.

    I think I must have been one of the lucky ones. Since rob94 posted the idea of the upgrade, others have asked where to find it and it seems to be a mystery.

    My car supposedly had the most current software, but the mechanic at the garage called someone in Detroit. They uploaded a new, but unreleased version on my car. Since that time, no one else on here seems to have been successful at having someone find it.

    My suggestion to you is to print this stuff off and take it to a dealership. Unfortunately with the shape GM is in right now, you may not get much help.

    I hope you get your problem fixed! I feel for you.
  • jb1987jb1987 Member Posts: 2
    About a week ago my 01 grand prix just stopped shifting into overdrive. Im wondering if it is the speed sensor. Other than that it shifts good.
  • BigWaveDaveBigWaveDave Member Posts: 2
    I have a 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix, 3.8 V6, supercharged.
    When the car warms up a little, I get a ticking noise somewhere around the trans pan/engine pan area. When I drive it goes away but when I coast down to idle the ticking starts. When in drive idle it ticks, when in neutral or park idle it ticks intermittently. :sick:
  • shadetree_mechshadetree_mech Member Posts: 10
    I have a 2001 Grand Prix GTX, modified GTP ~77K miles on it. Anyway here in the last few days when driving slowly it would shift really hard into 2nd, but shifting into anything higher was fine, but not OD this would also only happen after I have been driving it for a hour or so, and about the same time the check engine light would come on, flagged a code of P0716, but would also clear by itself.
    I searched the net to no avail and the folks at the local shop were clueless. Of course the Tranny/GM folks say bring it in so we can diagnose it for you... $$_^_$$ they say! Figured I'd try a few simple things before I'd let them to hack on it. Anyway today I did one major thing by replacing 1 gallon of the tranny fluid which puts me at 50% fresh fluid, definitely a noticeable difference and seems shifts fine now. The fluid I pulled was almost brown in color, versus the nice red/clear new stuff, pretty quick & cheap at $12/gal. Figured I'd do this once more but 6 quarts next time more times to get more fresh in it. I have a 1.5 gal vacuum pump which easily sucks it out in about 10minutes, then replaced it with new, I calculated that after the second flush, I'd be at 87% pure tranny fluid, if needed I’d do it once more with 6 more fresh it’ll be at 97%. Ya, I know I should drop the pan and replace the filter, but I don’t have the time and weather kind of sucks, figure I’d do it later this spring. Phase one, $12 bucks and a few minutes of my time and it seems to have done the trick. How I wish I had a :shades: manual transmission!
    Hope this helps.
  • Thr0ttleJ0ckeyThr0ttleJ0ckey Member Posts: 1
    My 2000 Grand Prix just started not going into drive. It shifts fine in all the other gears. Sometimes it goes into Drive but quickly goes back to 3rd. I have no error codes or check engine light. Did you resolve your problem? If so what did you do?

    Thanks
  • jb1987jb1987 Member Posts: 2
    No i havent resolved it yet. I havent found anyone who can give me a answer on what it could be. Been to 4 different shops, they cant figure it out. They keep saying we can just replace the transmission but we are not sure thats the problem.
  • raynickraynick Member Posts: 3
    My 2000 SE was shifting hard after a newer tranny, new valve body and pressure sensor....more money than I wanted to put into the car...anyways it was still shifting hard. I had the diagnostic hooked back up and took it for a drive...it seems as though the torque convertor is sticking at times. My gas mileage sucks now. Anyone else have this problem?? Is it worth fixing??
  • super2000GTPsuper2000GTP Member Posts: 1
    my tranny just started overheating friday it has never done this before i thought it was the fact that i had barely any coolant in it so i filled that up and put some tranny fluid in it and it still overheats it overheated to 199 friday night. what would cause it to do this and what should the normal temp be?
  • luvmyptseluvmyptse Member Posts: 1
    That is a pretty common problem the grand prix. From what i read anyway.
    Take it to the shop. Let them look it over. Warning its not cheap to fix.
  • cnwcnw Member Posts: 105
    What was your engine temp when the trans was at 199? Trans should be approx same since they use the same radiator.
  • angeltke2angeltke2 Member Posts: 1
    I also have a 2001 Pontaic Grand Prix that will not go into overdrive I took it to the shop today and they said it was a front hub assembly, has anyone heard of this? As far as the windows I have had nothing but trouble with them I have paid about $800.00 to replace two window motors and now another one has gone.
  • dbbacherdbbacher Member Posts: 1
    I am having the some problem with my 2001 Grand Prix. I took it to a transmission shop yesterday they told me that my torch converter was going bad. I was quoted a base price to fix it of $2300.
  • fatboifatboi Member Posts: 3
    i have an 01 gp se with a 3100 engine once in a while when its hot it starts to make like a whining noise and it begin to shift hard like crazy but when i turn off the engine lets say about a minute and turn it back on it goes back to normal. whats the problem??????????????????????
  • 95grandprix95grandprix Member Posts: 1
    Hi, I have a 1995 Pontiac Grand Prix and it shifts hard from 1st to 2nd gear. Im not much of a car mechanic i was hoping u could help me out. Mabey like a tranny flush or somthing
  • tb98tb98 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1998 Grand Prix SE with 271,000 miles and until last Friday I had the most basic knowledge of transmissions. As I was accelerating from 45 - 50mph my car lurched, started making a loud whining noise and wouldn't shift into 4th gear. I was told everything from the torque converter to solenoids to replacement as possible problems/solutions. I also pulled a PO742 code: torque converter stuck on. I found if I drove in D my car had a top speed of 35mph - anything over that produced the whining noise, and had the tach hitting 3,000 when accelerating. Starting off in 3 and leaving it there I can drive like a normal person and it doesn't wind out the tach or make the whining noise, it just doesn't shift into overdrive. It's not a fix, but it helps while I get the money together to replace the trans, as at 271,000 miles this makes the most sense for me. In my search for answers I found this site, which has amazing people and information, thank you to everyone else who has posted :) I also found another site that shines a light onto all of our 4T65E transmission problems: http://www.tripleedgeperformance.com/4T65E_Transmission_Info.php

    I hope this helps someone out there, thanks again.
  • abyers1abyers1 Member Posts: 1
    I am having the exact same problem and I'm not about to get everything under the hood replaced just to have it continue. I've had a few minor things done and none of that has helped. No mechanic has been able to tell me for sure what the problem is and since it is only an intermittent problem I have let it go on for over a year. I was just getting worried that it might eventually cause real damage so I googled the symptoms and found this sight.

    Check out message # 63, 67 and others near those in this same forum. It's all about the same issues we have and they say a PCM software update from the dealership will solve the problem for about $40! But that finding a dealership who will do it is tricky. Also they had GTs so I don't know if that matters.

    I called Pontiac customer service and they were completely unhelpful. I'm taking my car to the dealership on Monday so I'll give an update if there is one to give.
  • grwatchergrwatcher Member Posts: 3
    To montana_cat: what Pontiac do you have?

    My GP has been for 2 months bucking/hesitating when I'm going 45-70 mph up even a slight hill, randomly. No computer codes. I've had it tuned & the fuel system flushed but no help. Took it to a major GM dealer in Winston-Salem & they could get it to do it only once. Based on that the mechanic guesses that it's the torque converter. I went back today and asked them to update the PCM software. I was told it was up to date, they called Detroit. I looked the service manager in the eye and said, "So you are telling me that the software they installed in 1999 is the latest there is for my car?" and he answered yes. He then said that the only update is for the 97 GP (I printed message #63 & gave it to him so I think that's where he got that line). :cry: All this cost me $79. Here's what my invoice says:
    called GM Tac. Case number 109*****. Advised car has latest calibration in vehicle. Calibration number is 9384244.

    I have the full case # & the name of the person he talked to. I also know how customer support at large corporations works. And I feel the sm wanted to just get rid of me & my problem. I want to check this out. I have to keep this car for another 2 years. I have all the maintenance done, had the tran flushed at 58k. Except for this problem, it's a sweet ride and I'm in the car a lot for work.

    Any suggestions? These guys will not lie saying the tran has been rebuilt, I know that. And I know no one in the business.
  • montana_catmontana_cat Member Posts: 26
    grwatcher,

    I have a 1999 Grand Prix GT. I wish you all the luck in the world in getting yours fixed. I agree about the sweet ride and great car - other than this transmission.

    They updated my PCM finally after I had taken my car to the dealer 12 times (no joke) and spent $1,500. I was told by the service manager and mechanic who had worked on my car most of the 12 times that he (the mechanic) called Detroit and they put a new, unreleased version of the program on my car. I have not had a problem since.

    So, there was a new version in late 06/early 07. But I wonder if it was ever officially released? Others have come on here after my posts and said that their dealerships tell them their software is up to date, but they still have problems. So, I don't think they have the same version that I now have.

    Oh, and the torque converter/solenoid cost me $850 and still didn't fix the car. I actually had the solenoid changed three years prior when the car was doing the same thing for $400. Then I had to have the rear main seal fixed because they messed it up changing the solenoid. So, I've had two solenoids, a torque converter --- then the service manager decided it wasn't the transmission even though it was --- and tried a bunch of other stuff. It was the post that I printed off from here that finally got mine fixed.

    I wish I could help you more. I guess my advice would be to try another dealership and see if they are more cooperative. I'm thinking that I got lucky and the mechanic got ahold of the right person when he called Detroit. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask. I'll try to help as much as I can.
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