Transmission Traumas?

rooineck · July 2005

Well by this time you either managed to figure out and repair the reverse gear by yourself, or you have forked out nearly two hundred bucks for a new linkage assembly (+-$130.00) and workshop labor to install.

If not, and for all others having the same problem it can be resolved for under $5.00 (yes five dollars) if you are mechanically inclined and prepared to spend about an hour or maybe two.
A cold beer at hand does help.

The problem is caused by a worn or broken linkage bush assembly connecting the gear stick to the forward running linkage cables to the gearbox.
In this case the driver side bush is worn or broken, affecting the reverse gear which can no longer get past the gate.
If the passenger side linkage bush breaks (and it will) then first or second gear will not engage.

Chrysler Dodge should have a linkage bush assembly replacement kit but they don't.
With a kit one would be able to repair the linkages at the bottom of the gear stick in about 15 minutes.

Repair means building a replacement bush oneself using the old broken pieces as the model.
If the old pieces are too far gone the bush can be quite easily calculated and manufactured out of a piece of suitable diameter nylon or heavy rubber hose cut to size.
I used fuel hose this time but I forget what I used on the other side.
A metal or nylon washer on each side of the linkage keeps the new bush in place.
A spring clip or a spring washer is needed to close the end of the rod holding whole at the bottom of the gear stick.

I was able to find most of the parts in my garage but all can be purchased for under five bucks at your nearest auto parts shop.

Removal of the console is not too difficult.
There are four screws (2 front and two back) beneath small round covers which need to be carefully lifted out with a screwdriver.
Move the seats back and the handbrake should pulled up as far as it will go.
Lift the console up from the back therafter it can be firmly but carefully pulled upwards and out past the gear stick and brake lever.
The gear stick may need to be pulled all the way backwards or all the way forwards during the upwards manoever.
Replacement is in reverse taking care to keep the seatbelt anchors out of the way or you will have to remove the whole thing again.

Patience and calm are essential.

The Neon is a fantastic little car to drive and looks great, but things break too easily due to poor quality.
Why is it not possible to match the quality of Honda and Toyota.....?
Fortunately ours does little mileage each year so we will hang on as long as we can.

renner85 · July 2005

heres my problem. i have a 1993 mercury topaz. 2.3 automatic trans. my problem is,,as i was driving it, it suddenly went into neutral, as if i'd kicked it out of gear. there was no warning. the shifter works fine, and the linkage at the trans also appears to be working. whenever i shift from park into one of the driving gears, the RPM briefly increase slightly (approx. 100 RPM), as if the computer is trying to do something. on this particular model, the trans is controlled by a microcomputer. if anyone has any experience with this, and knows what causes this, any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks...all signs seem to lead to the PCM, however this isnt a cheap part, and would like to know if anybody can either confirm or this or point me in the right direction

alcan · July 2005

all signs seem to lead to the PCM

If it's the 3 speed AXT transaxle, the most common cause of that problem is the transaxle oil pump drive shaft splines sheared off. The pump stops turning and trans line pressure drops to zero. Easy way to diagnose it, hook up an oil pressure gauge to the trans line pressure test port. If no pressure, the pump can be accessed and the shaft replaced.

aacuk · July 2005

When I select 4wd on my 1999 2dr Tahoe and accelerate there is a sound like gears jumping, all is well in 2wd.
Can anyone help please?

Thanks, Roy. :confuse:

aacuk · July 2005

Check that the radiator cap seal & pressure spring is OK, I could be that the radiator cap is allowing the water to blow out of the overflow pipe when the engine is hot and up to pressure,

john78 · July 2005

Hello to all. I have a 1998 6 cylinder Isuzu Rodeo that has an automatic transmission with an intermittent and perplexing problem. The problem (a moderate shutter when the trani shifts from 1st into 2nd, and a little less of a shutter when it goes back into 1st) started about two weeks after I had the transmission flushed. A mechanic had talked me into a 90,000 maintenance package that included the trani flush. The shutter does not always happen. If it is going to occur, it only happens the first time I drive it in the morning. If I then shut off the engine and start her up again, the problems are gone and it drives as smooth as it can be. Even if the car sits in the driveway in the sun for a while and then I start it up for the first time, there is no problem. The problem seems to be temperature/first drive of the day dependent. I took the vehicle to a transmission shop about a week ago. They ran a diagnostic but according to their machine there is nothing wrong. When they test drove the car, it did not shutter for them. As I said, it is an intermittent problem. The shop put something called lube guard in the transmission and said to come back if it shutters again. Well, the problem happened again this morning. I thought I would ask out there for advice before bringing it back to the transmission shop. Thanks. John78

joe3891 · July 2005

Another reason not to get a flush, sorry that all I can say.

sherriel123 · July 2005

My transmission fluid went way too low a couple of weeks ago, and now my 4th gear will not disengage. It just keeps coming on without me even hitting the button.

joe3891 · July 2005

Sounds like the 4 th gear valve is stuck on, must have got hot and gumed up when the fluid went low.

flytedhy · July 2005

What can one do to make an automatic transmission last a long time?

alcan · July 2005

Install a big cooler, change the fluid & filter at 30K intervals, don't tow in overdrive, pray.

Mr_Shiftright · July 2005

The enemy of the automatic transmission is HEAT, not dirt, not sudden acceleration, blah blah. It's heat. So what alcan is telling you is, in fact, ways of avoiding excessive heat build up.

joe3891 · July 2005

Will praying help, I have never tried that. Changing fluid and filter every 30K has worked for me.

alcan · July 2005

It can't hurt, and I like to hedge my bets. LOL

d_toy_man · July 2005

My 98 Jeep Wrangler with automatic transmission has developed a clicking noise when it is in any gear except Park. The noise reminds me of child placing a playing card next to a his bicycle spoke. Any idea's what I am up against?

Mr_Shiftright · July 2005

you mean idling in gear while waiting for a light or only when moving?

If idling, I would suggest a loose flex plate at the transmission torque converter.

If when moving, I would suggest a bad u-joint.

d_toy_man · July 2005

98 jeep automatic does this after being driven ,but randomly. you can sometimes shift into neutral and back in gear and noise quit.The tranny fluid has been changed and reads o.k. on the stick.It never does this in park or neutral.I had a blazer that had a week nose gear and under power it would hit the flywheel.But this does it setting still in driveway.Thanks for your help so far this is really got me stumped.

Mr_Shiftright · July 2005

You might have to get it on a lift and have someone listen to it with a stethoscope but it does sound like a flex plate that is cracked....just a guess for a weird problem....so the click doesn't get more rapid as you step on the gas or does it?

d_toy_man · July 2005

The clicking noise stays at a constant rythem at any speed.It comes and goes i might here all week.If i shift to neutral and back it go away .Then not hear it again for a month or so. The flex plate sound like a possibility .It does sound like the right location of the noise.Like i said it sounds like a playing card on a childs bike.

d_toy_man · July 2005

The clicking noise stays at a constant rythem at any speed.It comes and goes i might here all week.If i shift to neutral and back it go away .Then not hear it again for a month or so. The flex plate sound like a possibility .It does sound like the right location of the noise.Like i said it sounds like a playing card on a childs bike Thanks again for your help.

lnphx · July 2005

My 03 6 cyl Wrangler Sport has an automatic transmission and less than 20,000 miles. When I let it sit for a few days, and then try to put it in reverse, the indicator goes to R and you can hear/feel the shift but the vehicle just sits there. It isn't until I rev up the engine does it abruptly jerk back after few seconds (which seems like a long time). I have tried to explain this to the dealer at 5000 and again at 20000 and he thinks I am crazy(they have kept it over night and the next day it is fine). If I drive it every day it is fine however, it is only when it sits a while .... I feel the transmission is losing pressure and this is abnormal functioning. This is my first jeep but isn't the basic function of an automatic transmission the same regardless of type of vehicle...any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Mr_Shiftright · July 2005

I'd do a service on the transmission and see what happened. Sounds like a sticking valve somewhere...

joe3891 · July 2005

I would suspect the converter is draining down, leaking valve.

Mr_Shiftright · July 2005

Oh so you mean the pump has to refill it in the morning, like that?

joe3891 · July 2005

Yes, it takes a while to fill a drained converter. The fact it takes a few days of none use before it acts up is a great clue. Not sure why the dealer has not picked up on it.

mwayne · July 2005

My 99 Deville has had 2 trani overhauls, under warranty since April 2003. It went out again this winter. I was in California at the time, took it to Allen Cadillac, Laguna Niguel but they said nothing wrong. I knew better but got back to the midwest and things went fairly ok until I went to KC last weekend. Trans hot idle engine came on 5 times on the trip. Took it to local dealer who warrantied the trani and was told it is the same problem but I should completely replace the trani at my expense and they will give me a $3000 certificate off a new car purchase. My position is, I fullfilled my obligation in Feb2005 when I took it in to Allen and Cadillac really should have replaced the trani in the first place. I feel like I am getting the shaft and Cadillac is getting the mine. Any advice??

jakrohn · July 2005

I have a Porsche 924 with a manual transmission. Recently I tried to shift into reverse and it won't slide in. There seems to be a blockage in the way. Is there a way I can adjust the linkage and if so, how? All gears have been working great with no problem previous to this.

I hate to just take it to a transmission repair repair shop if I can do it myself. I am hoping it isnt wrecked!

John

lemko · July 2005

I don't know if this is the proper place to ask this question as I cannot find the "Add Discussion" link.

My 1989 Cadillac Brougham (RWD) apopears to have developed a significant coolant leak. The car runs fine and doesn't appear to overheat. I have seen a small puddle of coolant on the floor of my garage and the leak appears to be coming from a spot between the rear edge of the oil pan and the leading edge of the transmission bell housing.

What is wrong?
What are the best-case and worst-case scenarios?
What must be done?
How much will this repair cost?

The car is in otherwise extremely good condition so I want to keep it regardless of it's age.

Mr_Shiftright · July 2005

this is a duplicate post so we'll deal with it in the cooling system forum. It's really not a transmission issue.

baum · August 2005

Hi! I am new to this site and I am hoping I can get some advice. My 1990 Acura Legend is having some shifting problems.

It has an automatic transmission. This happens totally randomly, usually when it is hot outside.... my car seems to be stuck in 3rd gear. When I accelerate from a stop, it lags, like I am starting in 2nd or 3rd gear. And when I am driving above 30 MPH, my RPM's don't go down, like I'm not shifting into a higher gear. Also, I notice on my dash that the "S3" light flashes. :confuse:
Could this be a transmission problem or something easier? PLEASE HELP ME!!

THANK YOU anyone!!

jeepwife · August 2005

We have the same problem with our 99 Jeep. It seems to happen the most in hot weather when stuck in traffic. Once the engine cools it will not do it again for weeks. The dealers can not find anything they think we are crazy. Have you had any luck yet with your problem? It sounds the same.

jaredb_79 · August 2005

I have a 2000 Dodge Stratus, and more occacionally than not I feel a jerking when the car down shifts usually around the 20-30mph range. Anyone ever run accross this? It feels like it is a hard shift going down, like shifting from 4th to 2nd in a manual at a higher rate of speed. The feeling is not as exagerated as that would feel like though, but it is definately noticeable. Doesn't cause any problems on acceleration, or any other problems I can see. any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

ryanfiala81 · August 2005

My '97 has a bit of a highway-specific problem. Above 60 miles per hour, the car begins to lunge noticeably. This is verified by the tachometer jumping back and forth within a range of up to 300 rpm (for instance, between 1900-2200 at 70 mph or so). The problem occurs primarily on even the slightest of inclines while the cruise control is engaged. This problem may be primarily in the cruise, but I've experienced this without the cruise engaged as well. I had the trans flushed within the past year, and the car has around 95,000 miles. Also, the problem seems to emerge once the car has completely warmed up. If anyone has any troubleshooting guesses, anecdotes, or similar tales of woe, I'm all eyes. Thanks.

alcan · August 2005

The "lunge" you're describing is the torque converter clutch applying and releasing. First thing to do is correct any engine driveability problems which could lower manifold vacuum. At the mileage you describe, spark plugs and wires are prime suspects. Replace with AC Delco only.

w9cw · August 2005

I have a '94 Dodge Grand Caravan ES with 151K on the original 4-speed electronically controlled automatic. As everyone knows, this transmission is famous for problems, but I've really not had any until recently. I've changed the ATF and filter every 20K, and the transmission has never been abused, which I guess explains why it's lasted this long.

The front pump seal is leaking which requires careful attention to the ATF level. Other than the seal leak, I don't have any symptoms of an impending transmission failue. But, I know it's time to look at repair or a rebuild.

The local Dodge dealer wants $2600 installed for a remanufactured transmission. AAMCO's estimate to rebuilt the existing transmission is from $1200 to $1700. A local independent shop with 30 years in the business quoted me $1440 total to also rebuild the existing transmission.

Any suggestions on the above options - using a remanufactured replacement or rebuilding the original? I've heard some horror stories regarding AAMCO, but I also know that opinion can vary depending on the franchised shop. I'm leaning toward going with the independent shop.

Thanks.

reg_richards · August 2005

I can't tell you exactly what your problem is but I can tell you where to start. First, the S3 light blinks when the transmission control module (computer) detects a fault. It should retain these faults in memory indefinitely unless they are cleared or there is a loss of power to that computer. So, first and foremost you need to find out what code(s) are stored in the computer. There are no secrets or mysteries about how to do this, but it's a pain in the neck. You need to drive the car for a bit (long enough for the car to not shift or whatever and to be certain that the S3 light is blinking). Okay, now put the car in park and take the passenger's seat out of it. That's right take the seat out of the car. Why? The transmission control module is under that seat and you need to be able to see the side of it facing the center console. Why? Because there is a little LED (light) blinking on it and you have to count the number of blinks grouped together (nine quickly grouped blinks followed by a pause is Code 9; nine quickly grouped blinks a two & a half second pause and then four quickly grouped blinks isn't Code 94 it's Code 9 and also Code 4; however there are several two digit codes so if you get one blink and then a pause slightly longer than the quick groups but slightly faster than the rest of the pauses say about one second, then two quickly grouped blinks its Code 12 not Code 1 & Code 2; the codes will endlessly repeat so just grab a piece of paper and make tick marks for each blink and dashes in between digits and then decipher the codes after the fact.) This is about all you'll be able to diagnose failing you just happening to have a full tranmission pressure test kit for your L5 4-speed A/T and a digital storage oscilloscope to pinpoint test all of it's sensor's and actuators. Take it to a shop (not even necessarily a transmission shop, just a credible INDEPENDENT repair shop [you tend to find really good mechanics at the independents and maybe 1-4 really good per dealership), tell them the codes that you know it has (this will empower you as far as somewhat establishing your knowledge on the subject). Then let them diagnose it and put there name, so to speak, on the repair. Honestly it could be as simple a turbine shaft speed sensor and you'll only fork out a couple hundred bucks or less.

ryanfiala81 · August 2005

In November of 2003, I had the intake plennum and fuel pressure regulator replaced, as the old one had warped and been replaced with one off of a Bonneville, according to my mechanic. The car had been stalling randomly at idle, but has not since the repair; however, I suspect after what you've told me that my manifold vacuum is still not where it could/should be. Is there any easy way to test this? I replaced the spark plugs (I used Delco) recently, but not the wires. I will strongly consider making that my next investment. Thanks for the advice.

isellhondas · August 2005

Yes, by all means, go with the trusted independent!

Trust me on this one!

alcan · August 2005

"I suspect after what you've told me that my manifold vacuum is still not where it could/should be. Is there any easy way to test this?"

A vacuum gauge connected to any convenient manifold vacuum source usually works.

alcan · August 2005

Ditto.

d_toy_man · August 2005

No i have not found the problem yet, Like you said it happens in hot weather and not all the time .I notice that in reverse backing up a steep incline will cause it more times then not.

mechanicgirl · August 2005

hi all im new hear. i have a 99 dodge stratus recently bought. i have put a new head gasket on it and new o2 sensors, but here is the problem now my hubby was on the hi-way when the cars rpms went up and the engine light came on so he pulled over and checked the fluids when he started the car again the rpms were fine but now it wont go into gear it starts fine and acts like it wants to go but it wont i replaced the input and output speed sensors but still nothing... please help..thanks

ragnar · August 2005

Hey. I'm considering buying a '94 VW Jetta GL, but I took a test drive and I'm a bit leery about the automatic transmission. It seems to randomly downshift into 2nd or 3rd out of Drive for no apparant reason. It stays that way for less than a minute before going back into Drive, but then a minute or two later is back to the lower gear. It seems to be a constant issue. Anyone know what the problem is or how much it might cost to fix? The car's in pretty nice shape otherwise and I'd be getting it cheap, but I don't want to pay as much or more to fix it as I do to buy it.
Thanks in advance!
-R

jyeoman · August 2005

When I upshift my Suzuki 1.8 into second, if acceleration is over 3000rpm there is a grind as if I blew the shift or didn't press clutch pedal enough. Clutch is in good shape. Mechanic checked, said transmission shaft and bearings are good, no play.He advised to shift at lower revs. No metal debris in fluid. As it will cost a lot to have transmission dismantled at Suzuki dealer for extended warranty estimate, does anyone out there have any suggestions as to what the problem is, so I can bring a suggested diagnosis to Suzuki?

alcan · August 2005

First, don't suggest to the mechanic what the problem is. Describe the symptoms. He's been doing it a lot longer than you have.

Second, if it's grinding when shifting into a single gear range only it's usually a symptom of a defective synchronizer ring. Requires transmission removal and disassembly to correct.

joe3891 · August 2005

Have the codes read, that should give you a clue. That is a lot better than throwing parts at it, that can get expensive.

baum · August 2005

I'll try it out! I haven't had the problem since I last wrote, so hopefully I won't have to worry about it, but now I know where to start. Thank you!
I was looking around on the internet and it said that on the pasenger side kick panel, there is a plug thing that you can stick a paperclip chaped like a "c" into the plug and it will make your dash display the flashing "S3" lights......I'm going to see if I have one of those plugs and hopefully I won't have to take out the seat...
Thanks again for all the input.

baum · August 2005

reg_richards
Thank you so much for your help. I got the codes figured out this morning. I had 7 quick blinks, a 2 1/2 second pause, then 8 more quick blinks. This is translated into a code 7 AND a code 8 right?
I am going to do some more research online to see if there is a faulty code book that I can translate my codes into.
Once again, thank you for your help.
Oh, I didn't even have to take the seat out or wait for the light on the dash to start flashing again. All I did was turn the key to the accessory mode, look under the passenger's seat from the back seat, and the LED light was right there flashing before my very eyes!!!

mechanicgirl · August 2005

yeah, im allready doing that its just a matter of renting the obd2 to pull the codes, thanks.

mechanicgirl · August 2005

but what im looking for is ideas of what else it could be i never had any trouble with the tranny and this just happened out of the blue

Transmission Traumas?

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