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Pontiac Grand Prix Transmission Problems

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Comments

  • steve115steve115 Member Posts: 9
    Another follow-up to my earlier message regarding the surging/jerking with the tachometer jumping.

    I took my GP-GT with 79,000 miles into the dealer and asked them to check the catalytic converter. They called me a few hours later and said the converter was fine but the ignition test showed problems and the vacuum test failed. They said I needed new ignition coils and wires and a replacment intake plentum because the old one was warped (it's plastic). Total cost about $1,200. I said no and paid the $70 minimum. I am not sure a they knew what the problem really was and I was not going to dump that kind of money in when I know it needs brakes, tires, and so on. I am seriously considering trading it in.
  • stoneflystonefly Member Posts: 3
    Justin, I am having the same problem with my A/C, Heater blower. The blower will only work on setting 4. Did you find a solution? Also my tranny will only shift from 3rd to 4th when I get the RPM's to 3,500 or speed to 45 mph. Other gears shift okay. I changed the tranny fluid and filter, but no change. Any suggestions?
  • nathan211nathan211 Member Posts: 2
    1) I have a 97 pontiac gtp, and I had your same problem with the a/c, heater blower. On mine it turned out to be the "blower motor resistor". This is located inside the passenger compartment on the passenger side of the car at your feet. There is a small fabric covered piece held on by 2 plastic christmas tree clips. Once that is off you should be able to see the blower motor. There are 2 wires that plug into the blower motor (mine were black and red I think)and these run back to the resistor. There is also a plug from the car harness that has about 5 wires that plugs into the resistor. To get the resistor out (after unplugging the electrical connections) there are 3 or 4 small bolts that hold it in place. I believe that I used a 5/16 wobble socket. It will be EXTREMELY hard to get the bolt or bolts closest to the firewall without a wobble socket. Once those are out, you should be able to pull it out and replace with a new one from your favorite parts store, should be around $20. If you have any questions let me know. I am going to try and attach some pictures, If it doesn't work, email me and I will send them to you.">
  • stoneflystonefly Member Posts: 3
    Thank you very much for the tip. I will try this. I have another problem which you may or may not have had experience with. My ABS, Tire Pressure, and Trac lights come on and stay on in my dash. I think this has to do with one of the sensors located by the rotor. Is there a good way to test to find out which one is bad?
  • nathan211nathan211 Member Posts: 2
    Sorry, I have not had any issues with my ABS,Tire pressure or trac lights. I really don't know how to test them.
  • stoneflystonefly Member Posts: 3
    No problem. I figured out what was wrong. While rotating the tires today I checked all four speed sensons that are attached to the wheel hub assembly. On the front driver side the wire that comes from the hub assembly to the connector split because it somehow disloged from the metal bracket. Two options to fix. One is to replace the wheel hub assembly, quite costly and timely, or attempt to soder the wire. I am going to try optoin two.
  • g35nowg35now Member Posts: 1
    Add my car to the list too. It has exactly the symptoms of msg #51. It is a 2000 with 100K miles. My garage has changed the pressure solenoid (twice), the torque converter (temporary improvement), and this week after the transmission stopped working totally they changed the transmission. Put in a used one with 36K miles. Pressure solenoid and torque converter kept as they were recently new. There is improvement but still has the symptoms occasionally. Has anyone found a solution to this problem???
  • montana_catmontana_cat Member Posts: 26
    In reply to message #60 (and others), this is the poster of message #51.

    My car has been to the dealership twice more since my last post. In trip #9 (in three months), they had it for two days checking everything over and cleaned the fuel injectors. There was some improvement, but my car still surges on some hills.

    I called the service manager, and he said they would do it again (trip #10 in three months). So, they did it again, keeping it two more days - leaving the injector cleaner in overnight and changing the fuel injector regulator(?).

    I got the same results, a little more improvement, but still no solution. The service manager has been on vacation this past week, but I am calling him Tuesday morning.

    On the positive side, my gas mileage has improved by 3-4 mpg, and my car doesn't feel like it is trying to pull a dead elephant up a hill, but it still has fits.

    This is as annoying as all get-out. I love my car, but I have been considering trading it in more and more. :confuse:
  • steve115steve115 Member Posts: 9
    This is an update on my two earlier posts. I just traded my 2000 Grand Prix GT primarily because of the problem with surging & loss of power. This would only occur when the engine was warmed up. I attribute the problem to the warped plenum (plastic intake manifold) that the dealer wanted to fix for big bucks. The plastic gaskets and intake manifold seems to leak on all of the 3800 series engines at about the 75,000 mile range. I also had a problem with the Tachometer dropping to zero and the “Track Off” light turning on from time to time. This would only happen when the engine was hot and then more frequently on very hot days. Sometimes the engine would stall. When restarted, the tack would work again and the “Track Off” light would go back off. One final irritating item was that water would leak on to the floor of the passenger floor area whenever it rained hard. Given that I have all my work done at the GM dealer, I knew this was going to cost me thousands. And who knows what is next? The transmission? So, I traded it in on a new vehicle. I did not get much for it in trade but I could not sell it privately given all the problems. Hopefully whoever does eventually buy it will be more mechanically inclined than I am and will be able to fix it without too much expense.
  • rob1997rob1997 Member Posts: 5
    Ref msg 51
    I have a 1997 GT with 342k miles.
    I had the same problem. I had my PMC software updated $75 at the dealer.
    The old software in the PMS was disengaging the lockup in the torque converter late.
    The PMC update was a fix.
    (Note) Most trans only lockup in 4 gear, ours can lockup in 3 & 4 gear, which is why it may jerk at different speeds.
  • montana_catmontana_cat Member Posts: 26
    To rob1997 (msg. 63)

    This is the poster of msg. 51 and a few others after.

    Thank you for posting that information. My car is going to the garage again tomorrow. I printed your post off and will give them that. Everything I see on here that might be a possiblity gets taken to them.

    It is really awesome that you have gotten 342K miles out of your car. At this point, I think mine will be lucky to make 100K.
  • iahawks1iahawks1 Member Posts: 1
    I have the same issue as in msg.51 did updating the software as described in msg 63 fix you issue montana_cat?
  • heyitrunsheyitruns Member Posts: 1
    Problem w/ my 91 SE - trouble shifting out of park. I can physically move the lever to drive or reverse but the engine just revs like it's in park/neutral. Can sometimes manage to get it going by giving it a lot of gas... Once it's on the road it shifts smoothly, no problems at all.
  • montana_catmontana_cat Member Posts: 26
    iahawks1,

    Yes, I do believe the problem is FINALLY solved.

    Thank you rob1997!!!! :) You don't know how happy I am right now!

    As far as details, the dealership said my car had the "latest" software installed on it, but after reading rob1997's post the service manager called GM. GM gave him brand new software that had not been released yet (as of Wednesday, Jan. 10). SO, iahawks1, I would make sure they contact GM for the newest software, or you may still have the same problem.

    When I accelerate, the tach no longer tries to stick and surge around the 2K mark. I didn't post an update any sooner, because I had a nice long drive tonight with lots of hills and I figured that would be the ultimate test. And my car passed!!! Yay! I've been dealing with this problem for six months, so it is almost unreal that it is resolved now.

    rob1997, what is the PMC and PMS? I'm not that car smart. And is this why I've had transmission problems at 30K and 60K ... bad computer software??? I sure hope the new software will be the end of my transmission problems.
  • kaz5555kaz5555 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1998 gtp with the same prob as you guys have and I was just at the dealership short of reading your last message so I printing it out and taking it tomorrow. Do you think the update will be for my car to if so you have the update code for the dealership?
  • montana_catmontana_cat Member Posts: 26
    Hi kaz5555,

    No, I do not know the code, but I could probably ask the service manager. I have to go down there and settle up with them on my bill. Just make sure they have the newest one that was just released by GM.

    The service manager had originally told me to drive it a week and see if it worked. I called and asked if he cared if I tested it out a little longer to make sure the problem was fixed. So, I will be talking to him at some point this week. My car is still running like a dream, and has not messed up since.

    Good luck with your car. I printed out Rob1997's message and that was what FINALLY fixed my car, so hopefully these posts will do the same.
  • rob1997rob1997 Member Posts: 5
    To: montana cat
    I’m glad you car is working fine. I intended to write PCM not PMC (Power Control Module), also known as the computer.
  • luisluarcaluisluarca Member Posts: 1
    Lucky me. My 2000 Grand Prix just truned 170k miles (knock on wood) The thing is a champ..it just is. I have had to replace the orginal trans back at 65k. So far so good...until today. The service engine soon came on along with a winding sound obviously coming from the transmission. Had to go to work for about five hours, when I came out to start the car all was well as usual but the service engine light was still on and the car wouldn't shift into gear. I freaked. Waited a bit and it drove me home just fine after it seemd it just needed to warm up. This has never happened before. Still a winding sound from the trans and the service engine light is on. What gives? I don't want to buy a new trans and I'm kind of broke. Besides, at 170K, am I to beleive this could be the end? I say nay. What should I do? A simple trans fluid change along with a trans pan cleaning or should I take it to AAMCO so they can rip me off. Any thoughts? Oddly enough, this car means allot to me. Even if I keep in the garage, not running, I will still keep it until my affection for it subsides. It was actaully in a GM SuperBowl commercial this last weekend!! The thing is in mint condition...I kid you not. No dents, no dings all original parts, except the trans, one owner, one engine. I could really use some help here.
  • gt0102gt0102 Member Posts: 2
    I did post a recent comment on another problem for Grand Prix under electrical problems...but this one is stumped everyone at the dealership.This problem was with surging & loss of power. This would only occur when the engine was warmed up. I attribute the problem to the warped plenum (plastic intake manifold) that the dealer wanted to fix for big bucks. The plastic gaskets and intake manifold seems to leak on all of the 3800 series engines at about the 70,000 mile range. I also had a problem with the Tachometer dropping to zero and the “Track Off” light turning on from time to time. Sometimes the entire dashboard would not work. This happened when the engine was hot and then more frequently on very hot/cold days. Another time this happened was when i was driving. Sometimes the engine would stall. When restarted, the tack would work again and the “Track Off” light would go back off. One final irritating item was that water would leak on to the floor of the passenger floor area whenever it rained hard. Given that I have all my work done at the GM dealer, I knew this was going to cost me thousands. And who knows what is next? AGAIN IM DONE WITH GM!!!! :sick: :lemon:
  • rocket98rocket98 Member Posts: 9
    Hi,

    Having the same exact problem as post #66, did you ever find out what the problem was.

    Thanks!!
  • lizardetlizardet Member Posts: 1
    I can't get my 2000 grand prix out of park. It has 80,000 miles. Any ideals? Once it gets out of park it drives fine. Just gets stuck? If you keep trying to shift after about 1/2 hour HA HA it will shift out of park. But once you stop the car and put it back into park it gets stuck again.
  • gpryan101906gpryan101906 Member Posts: 1
    yea i have a 1997 pontiac grand prix with 163,000 well some times going up hill at like low rpm it seems to jerk im talkigna bout the tranny so when ever it does that i just give it alot of gas like 3 grand or more and it snaps out of it, im woundering whats wrong with it??? also when i got the car it has like rust color kind of sludge in the coolant box and the raditor but i have drove it for like 4000 miles sense i got it and it seems fine, except for the nasty burning smell when i play around with it a little bit, and when i pull into a drive way and let it sit for a bit so i just wanna know whats going on with it.
  • taunitauni Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP Supercharge... I still owe a little over $6,000 for it and so far I have replaced the Theft deterent module (car kept shutting down while driving) that was $250, then I replaced the computer because every code was coming up as bad that cost me $620, then my automatic transmission went along with my fuel pump and some control module, that cost me $2300, now I just had more work done to my transmission (the pump) that cost me anothr $157, and now I have a PO440 code which is the evap system malfunction (don't know what that cost is yet) and a PO742 Torque converter stuck on which will cost another $500. Also, the front end needs replacement as well. Now I am looking at more $$$$ spent.... Pontiacs look good but completely [non-permissible content removed] the bed before they are paid off. My car over the last 7 months has run me into alot of $$$($3327 to be exact and counting). Why are these cars such pieces of junk? My friend owns a Toyota and it has more miles on it than mine and all they have to do is break jobs and get tuneups... Hmmmm
  • montana_catmontana_cat Member Posts: 26
    As far as the problems with your transmission, read my message #51 and then I believe #64. Rob1997 posted that a computer program was the fix and it worked for my car after 12 trips to the garage and $1,500 to have all these repairs. I would try the computer program first, because it only costs $40. But definitely get it checked out and don't let it go or you will begin to have more transmission problems. They replaced parts in the transmission first and that is costly.

    I've been posting on this thread for several months, and if you look back and read what all I have had done, maybe it will help you.

    The program was brand new that they put on my car and had not been released yet. The dealership contacted GM and got it.

    I don't know what to tell you about the radiator. I have not had that problem.
  • btighebtighe Member Posts: 2
    I have had the same issues with my 2000 Grand Prix GT. I was able to fix the leaking problem by putting silicone along the bottom of the windshield (on the plastic part between where the wipers are and the windshield). I have also had the tachometer drop to zero randomly at times, which resets after I restart the car?
  • sdk52sdk52 Member Posts: 1
    My 2002 Grand Prix Gt won't shift into overdrive anymore, any ideas?
  • coblurcoblur Member Posts: 4
    My 2000 Grand Prix (108K) has been a decent car.
    But,the problem is occasional hard shifting. This only happens after at least 45 minutes of driving. The car shifts perfectly up to that point. Then out of the blue it shifts HARD and continues to do so through all the gears. It never slips and I always have good power. It's just a quick hard shift. I have read some pretty similar symptoms here, not nothing exactly the same. Any Ideas??

    I recently had some electrical problems, (blower fan, AC, auto head lights not working) turned out to be in the ignition switch. Hope this helps and save hours of tracing. They all work great now.
  • acinderacinder Member Posts: 3
    I know there is a new pcm update to correct the hard shifting but the three local dealers in my area have no clue on how to get the new program. Does anyone have the service number or any other info than can help me get this new program
  • montana_catmontana_cat Member Posts: 26
    acinder,

    Tell the dealership to call GM Tech Support in Detroit! That's what my dealership finally did. They installed the latest update in my car and I have not had a problem since. And the program only costs $40!

    This was after I had spent $1,200 having the transmission torn apart multiple times with no avail, over a six month time frame.

    Rob1997 was the one who pointed me in the right direction on the program.

    Good luck! I hope you can get one of those three dealerships to call Detroit!
  • acinderacinder Member Posts: 3
    what dealer did you take it to? I have tried 3 different dealers and they all say the will only use the updates supplied by gm in their database ie " 2002 programming" It has been a nightmare with these guys. I even called gm customer service and they are completely clueless. They didnt even know that my pcm could be flashed :confuse: If you could give me the name of the dealer you went to maybe they could point me in the right direction. All i need is the update part number or the calibration number. Was your car a gt or a gtp? Any way you could post the work order information.That would help us all out alot. Thanks the fast response.
  • bruntzjpbruntzjp Member Posts: 1
    I noticed recently that my tranny makes a rattle sound when I punch it on the highway. I have a 2002 GT with about 53k on it. When I drop the hammer it seems like it has less power than it used to and it will rev very high while it slow climbs in speed. Once it starts to rev high, 4-6 rpm, i can hear a rattle from underneath me. I just had the 50k eng service done a few months ago. Had the belt replaced, coolant flush, and tranny flush. A car buff buddy said it may be because I got the tranny fluid flushed. Said something about the seals and leakage or something. Could this be it? I don't want to have the tranny replaced. I've been staying safe and driving slow keeping it at 2-3 rpm, but we all know that's no fun. I've never seen so many people get pissed off on the highway in one week! Someone please help me!!! I hate this slow driving!!
  • montana_catmontana_cat Member Posts: 26
    Hi acinder,

    I have a 1999 GT. Mine already had the "latest update" per GM too, but when the mechanic called technical service in Detroit they gave my car a new update that had not been released yet. This was in February of this year. I began the whole ordeal of taking it to the garage 12 times in September 2006 through February 2007.

    Someone else on this message board had asked for the program/calibration number too, but when I asked the service manager, he said he didn't have one because they did it over the phone.

    Here is what I can get off my my FINAL work order/receipt. I don't know if it will help.

    "Drivability Concern"
    "Check shudder under load"
    "Reprogrammed to the latest update per technical assistance."

    Cost $44

    The dealership I went to is actually a Chevrolet (not Pontiac, but still GM of course) dealership in southern Ohio. I don't know where you live, or if that would be a benefit. The service manager who had been there for years recently took another job, so I'm not sure if the new one would be able to help you.

    I understand the nightmare that you are going through all too well. I have actually been through it twice. I started having this problem when the car was three years old. They replaced parts then and they replaced parts again this time for lots of $$$ before we finally found the problem.
  • acinderacinder Member Posts: 3
    I am beginning to think that GM is keeping the update a secrete because they dont want to get sued. Just think of all the owners who were told their transmissions needed to be rebuilt and it was actually a faulty program. I am going to have the dealer call gm and say they rebuilt the trans once and now they are having the problem again. I figure the cars that have gone through the rebuild already are the only ones they are releasing the update to.
  • swg1swg1 Member Posts: 1
    GT0102 or anyone, please help! I am having the exact problem on my '99 GT, the Tach will randomly shut off, causing a surge, and the TRAC OFF light comes on simultaneously. Sometimes when this happens, it also kills the engine, just did it yesterday going 60 mph. My brother in law is a mechanic and has tried everything, but nothing is working, does anyone know what the source of the problem is?? HELP! :sick:
  • ksenaksena Member Posts: 1
    hey maby some one can help me out with this problym ive ben haveing on my 1997 grand prix gtp. At first my transmishion was acting up on me shifting very hard and sliping once and a while, aslo my speedomiter drops down to zero when i give it a little gass and the transmishion ingages. i tried replaceing my speed control sencor and it fixed tha problym with the hard shifting but my speedomiter still only works while my car is coasting and not when im giveing it any power.

    The only mods. that i have done to the car are a short ram intake, throttle body spacers, smaller pullys and a transmishion intercooler.

    Any help with my situation would b greatly apprecieated.
  • apple5apple5 Member Posts: 1
    My 00 GP GT did the same thing, My brother is a parts manager at our local GM place and I let him take it to work one day and he put the computer on it and it come back with a Tranny Code not sure what the code was, but the code had something to do with a pressure sensor under the side cover on the driver side of the transmission. The service Engine light never came on, but he cleared the code out anyway, and it didn't do it for almost a month, and one day on my way to work I stopped at a red light and when i took of BOOM hard shifting started again, every time i stop it and take off it shifts hard from 1st to 2nd.. I wasn't really worried about it, until I started to notice when It shifted hard from 1st to 2nd I could hear this high pitch WINE inside the tranny, So i took it back to the GM place, and we hooked the Tech 2(Tech2 is a computer that most GM places have that can tell you near about everything the car is doing)>> up to my car and drove it around town as we monitored the transmission with the tech 2 when it was shifting hard the tech 2 was showing the transmission pump was putting out to much pressure causing the pump to wine, So with the previous code that was on the computer a month ago that was showing up a pressure sensor error, pressure to high or low, and know seeing that the tech 2 was showing to much pressure I had the pressure sensor changed, and it fixed the problem.. The the problem first started the car had 85k miles on it, It know has 143k on it and transmission works great......
  • montana_catmontana_cat Member Posts: 26
    acinder, let me know how it turned out.

    I was signed up for e-mail updates when someone else posted on this forum, but it hasn't been e-mailing me.
  • coblurcoblur Member Posts: 4
    Wow Apple 5, you really hit it on the head! I read your post and took my car out for a long drive. Sure enough it started to shift hard and I noticed for the first time a high pitched whine!! Almost sounds like a power steering pump. I'm going to get the pressure sensor changed. I will let you know!! This is great!
  • kirkham133kirkham133 Member Posts: 1
    '89 Grand Prix with slipping trany,
    changed fluid and filter w/2 bottles of Lucas additive
    result - no reverse (smells burnt) shifts really slow when in drive. Is there any hope and if not is there a quick fix solution to get another week out of her??? Please help!
    It's a 4 speed automatic on a 2.8L motor
  • bcarson1bcarson1 Member Posts: 4
    I have a 2001 Grand Prix GT that has been giving me lots of problems lately. I think that they may be related. First was water getting into the blower motor, so I had to replace the blower and hopefully stopped the water leak with some caulking.

    Then the power locks stopped working when you put the car in gear and when you shut the car off, they work OK if you push the lock or unlock your self.

    I have been having problems getting the key out of the ignition sometimes too, this seems to come and go but I found a trick on the web to use a straw to unlock the key release.

    Now the latest problem is that sometimes the car won't go into park. It will go through all of the gears but when you get to Reverse it won't go past that into Park.

    Could the locks, key sticking and not going into Park all be caused by the same problem, and if so what could it be? I have a feeling that they are all related some how!
  • michael59michael59 Member Posts: 2
    Hi, I tried to reverse my 99 Grand Prix GT out of the driveway this morning and the shifter seems to be stuck. When I apply my brake in order to engage the shifter from "park" to "reverse" the shifter seems to be stuck. I am parked on a slightly sloped driveway. The car starts fine however I can't seem to get it into any gear? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
  • cnwcnw Member Posts: 105
    Sounds like you might be experiencing "torque lock". When parking on a slope, if the car rolls forward or backward in "park" after you take your foot off the brake, it applies tremendous pressure against the parking pawl--a pin that locks the transmission so it won't turn. Subsequently, when you attempt to take it out of "park", there is a great amount of side pressure against the pawl pin, thus making it hard to shift. Simple solution: Apply the emergency brake/parking brake BEFORE shifting into "Park". :)
  • grand05grand05 Member Posts: 1
    i have a 2005 grand prix which i love but it seems to hesitate whenever i accelerate its happening more and more lately,any idea's
  • michael59michael59 Member Posts: 2
    A few things that come to mind 1. check the spark plugs. 2. check the air and or fuel filter. 3. Bad gas (dirty gas) try filling up with "premium gas" throw some gas line cleaner in with the fill up.

    Try these things and let me know. Good Luck!!!
  • evilangel1evilangel1 Member Posts: 2
    I was driving my Grandprix when it downshifted to passing gear I lost all gears but first. I got it back to my house then it set for a week. I had to move it when I got in it I had all gears back but reverse. When it gets warm I loose 2,3,and 4th again. what could cause this. I had no warning before I lost the gears
  • evilangel1evilangel1 Member Posts: 2
    Watch that my car does not have reverse at all I put it in and the engine just revs and until the tranny gets warm I have all the other gears. once it is warm I loose all but 1st
  • grandprixmangrandprixman Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2004 Grand Prix GT2. It has about 68,000 miles on it. Sometimes when I go from reverse to drive, then step on the gas, it hesitates. It doesn't do it all the time. I don't notice any other issues. Do I have a possble problem? I have an extened warranty to 72,000 miles, so if there is a serious problem, I can get it repaired.

    Thanks!!
  • j_kingj_king Member Posts: 1
    Hey,

    I got a 2001 GRAND PRIX, aprox.150,000. the other day driving on the highway my car downshifted as i was passing a car as usual, but then never shifted back. i am currently stuck driving in 4th gear. could this be related to the software issue?
  • bond007mgmbond007mgm Member Posts: 4
    Hello,
    Im not sure if this is a PCM program issue or a pressure sensor issue? It hard shifts from 1 to 2 and sometimes 2 to 3. This only happens when the car is warmed up. I dont hear any wine like APPLE5 said.
    Thanks for any help
  • coblurcoblur Member Posts: 4
    Hi, Apple 5 and all other pontiac guys

    I've been trying to find the part (Pressure sensor)[see post 90] for my car. The dealer thinks I'm nuts and doesn't know what part I'm talking about. Do you know the exact name, or a number for the part?

    I'm still shifting hard and whining away!
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