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Transmisson kicking hard when it's shifting
yellowbobo
Member Posts: 2
I bought a 2005 Buick LeSabre Custom on 10/07/2015 with 151,189 on it the only problem it had when I bought it the ABS light was on so before I start my journey with the car I stop in Action Auto Part to get a read on the car it said it was a tire sensor no problem I start my journey from New Hampshire to Rhode Island now that's just over 111 miles on the way down no problem with the car Transmission was shifting great so forth. Now fast forward on the 11th i had it tune up brake job, rotors done, oil change and spark plugs ABS lights still on didn't do that yet on the 16 I feel the transmission kicking hard when it's shifting when I start it and go it shift find but when it warm up it starts kicking hard no check engine lights came on to indicate anything wrong with the car by the way. Take it to a transmission shop today to get a diagnostic check he said the the transmission need to be change they say a have a code that register but would not have bring on the check engine light I'm iffy about it cause he did not show me the code and it is gonna cost me $1800 bucks. My question is can it be something else?
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Best Answers
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imidazol97
Member Posts: 27,595
Some of that era of H-bodies had a problem with the pressure control module
in the transmission now working right and now being able to adapt to control
the shift times. So after two long shifts (greater than 0.65 seconds IIRC) the
transmission goes into a fail safe mode where the pressures are high to be sure
the shifts don't slip too long to protect the transmission. If there's a code
it may be 1811.
When the car is shut off for a half minute or more and restarted, the transmission
goes into normal mode again and the hard shift is gone until the PCM doesn't build
enough pressure to make the shifts short enough and the trans goes back into
safe mode.
If it jerks when freshly started and cold, then I'd be sure it's had a filter
change and update to proper fluid. If the restart fixes the symptom temporarily,
there might be a way to delay having to rebuilt or replace the unit.
If the car is driven briskly with shifts occuring at higher RPMs such as 2000
and above, the PCM is able to get the right pressures and the trans doesn't
go into the safe mode. Cold weather also seems to help. A proper diagnosis
would determine the PCM is the problem.
Replacing the PCM and probably the other two shift solenoids while in there
requires taking off the side pan of the trans. That means the engine/trans have
to lifted some or the thiing dropped to gain easy access, although reading it
sounds like some can do it working with little room. Several hundred dollars
would be the price range.
Some of the Bonneville folks have been putting in a shift kit in the control
part of the trans that's open when the bottom pan is off. That has different
springs to replace the original ones and changes the shift operation avoiding
the long slip times. Search for shift kit 4T65E which is that transmission.
There are lots of articles and you tube videos. Same trans is in Grand Prix
so those may be helpful.
My trans has 203 K miles on it. It has acted up with some long slips but I've
never tried the shift kit nor replacing the PCM. I've thought that a complete
replacement might be easier if it does go out. The problem is replacing
a trans may be a large fraction of the value of the car.
The trans shop wants to do the easiest, quickest way for them with the
least risk of a problem afterwards. Your local repair shop might do a shift
kit.
Has the car had a trans fluid and filter change? Dexron VI fluid is the
replacement now. Don't use the Mercon/Dexron combo that is on the
shelves.2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
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imidazol97
Member Posts: 27,595
Do not have a flush done. It should be changed by dropping the pan and putting in
a new filter and just adding the fresh 6-7 quarts of fluid that will be drained out of
the 13 that it holds. Replacing half the fluid, especially if the fluid has never been
changed, is safer. The partial increase in detergency and additives will be slower
at loosening things and moving them into the pan hopefully to be caught by the
new filter.
What does the fluid look like? Pink? Clear? Brown? Those are the steps for the
color from fresh to aged. If you have no papers in the dash that show a trans
fluid change was done, proceed carefully. No flush. Just drop the pan and
put in 6-7 quarts of Dexron VI. I do that myself and use the Walmart Supertech
Dexron VI fluid.
If the fluid is dark now, I'd drive the new fluid for a few months, 5-10 K miles,
and have it changed again. That's especially true if it makes a difference in your
shifting. Then you'll have about 75% new fluid working in the trans.2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
5
Answers
If the shifting problem is a hard shift in all gears, it' like the pressure control module inside the transmission that doesn't control the fluid pressure correctly. The transmission computer puts it into default mode which shifts firmly to prevent any slippage. This resets when the engine is turned off for a minute or so. It may not repeat until the trans fluid is hot enough that the pressure control module loses the ability to control the flow into the shift accumulator to control the application rate of the clutches as the transmission shifts, and transmission goes back into default mode.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,