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Transmission Traumas?

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  • im_sloaneim_sloane Member Posts: 2
    To Mr Shiftright,
    I mentioned above my 93 Escort Wagon, whinning noise when in gear. Tranny feels fine in all gears. I had the fluid changed, no improvement. Tech said it sounded like the pump sucking for fluid. Seems to get better when hot, not as noisy after a long trip. I tried a can of Trans Tune before the fluid flush. Any advice?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Not much more you can do that what you did---just wait for a failure, which may be a long time from now. I wonder if this might also be the differential? Was that checked? If you see metal filings in either the trans or the diff oil, then you know something is chewing itself up in there, like the pump or some gear or bearing material.
  • alyn1alyn1 Member Posts: 4
    just recently bought a 2000 impala. guy said the tranny was junk. once i got the car home i started it up and the car seem to be ok except for the tranny wouldnt shift properly. so i checked the fluid and it was almost black and about 3 quarts low. i dropped the pan and changed the fluid and filter myself. the car shifted better but still had a problem shifting from 2nd to 3rd and now the engine light popped on. so, i had the car tested and it showed a mis-fire and the TCC solenoid was bad. so, i started reading through all the posts here to get some opinions and info on how to fix. now, thanks to all the help from you guys, i was able to replace the tcc myself. BUT, i still have problem. here is what i have done so far.
    1. complete tune-up. (no more mis-fire) but says bank 1 is running rich
    2. added sea-foam trans cleaner and drove car. changed fluid and filter.
    3. dropped trans and changed TCC solenoid.
    4. completely removed cat-converter (added straight pipe for time being)
    since the repairs, this car runs and shift great in every gear but 3rd. no slipping, no hard shift, no nothing. it just wont shift from 2nd to 3rd unless i let off the gas. driving the car like normal, after it shifts into 2nd, it gets up to about 50mph and high rpm then i can just barely let off the gas pedal and it will shift just fine into 3rd and then goes rite into OD no probs. the only other thing i can thinnk of is changing the pressure solenoid but not sure if that would fix or not. any suggestions please....
  • nhammacknhammack Member Posts: 3
    Hello all, first time poster on Edmunds and would appreciate any help/advise anyone is willing to give. Our 2nd transmission just went out on our 2005 Saturn Vue 4cyl. 2.2 lit. Automatic AWD. The fist time our tranny went out was literally 3 miles from our way home on a family vacation in 2007 when it was still covered under the vehicles warranty. Saturn found it especially odd considering the low mileage (18k) on the Vue but since it was under warranty they had to replace it. We asked the shop why the transmission would go out so early on a new car since it was only two years old at that point and they said it was due to driving conditions... :lemon: My Wife rarely used it as a commuter car, as we would commute together in another vehicle. Otherwise it sat in our driveway for my Mother in Law to use while she was watching our oldest at home.

    Here we are again with Tranny problems in 2011 and of course it couldn't be a worse time as we're already dealing with some money issues like many of the people in our Nation. When we were traveling yesterday we were coming to a red signal and began to slow as were started to come to a stop and hear a metal like rumble under the car, :confuse: *tick* *tick* *tick* *tick* *tick* *tick*. I also noticed that when I pressed on the accelerator that we were not going anywhere... :cry: it was as if I had placed the car in neutral. When we came to a stop it was pretty obvious that we were not going anywhere as all the accelerator did was rev the engine. Luckily there was a good Samaritan that stopped and helped us tow our vehicle off the road and into a parking lot where we were able to meet up with AAA tow service. We had it towed back to our house :sick: since we don't really have the funds right now to take it into a shop, and I began looking around for parts online.

    At this point my "cheap" side began telling me that this was the better option but my "Safe" side said this wasn't an option. I've got two boys and another on the way and knew that parting out a tranny wasn't the best option at this point. Considering my lack of knowledge when it comes to vehicle maintenance I've decided to take it to a shop (CERTIFIED TRANSMISSIONS) on Monday to see if they can run a diagnostic on it and find out if I do need to get a new tranny or not. I'd rather get it checked out by someone who knows what they're doing then by tinkering around with it myself.

    After reading up on the Certified Transmissions site it was pretty obvious that we could have been performing regular vehicle maintenance on our transmission. I was taking it into Big-O Tires to get oil changes, tire rotations and a "maintenance check"... but I don't think that covered a transmission fluid check as there wasn't a great description on what all was being checked in that "30 point" vehicle check. They also never mentioned anything about the transmission which leads me to believe it wasn't being checked at these services before taking long trips. The most recent service was on February 12th, 2011 ( this last month) and the only description to me on the service invoice that would make sense would be the description: *Check & Fill all vital fluids*. Again I don't know if this also covers the transmission fluid but I would have to assume this does being a consumer that doesn't know squat about vehicle maintenance and taking it to a reputable company.

    So I think the best option at this point is to take our 2005 Saturn Vue to this tranny shop as they will tow it for free, run a free diagnostic, and we will be able to know more at this point as we don't know what is exactly wrong. Does anyone have any comments, questions, &/or suggestions?
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    edited March 2011
    You don't indicate how many miles are on the vehicle currently.

    Does sound like you need a transmission shop to look at it. Whether the best one in your local area is the one you have chosen, I have no idea one way or the other.

    When I had a transmission problem years ago, I took it to one of the national chains (so I could get it fixed under warranty while traveling if need be), and the local franchise had a very good reputation and you could clearly see that was their specialty due to the volume of business in the shop.

    That is a nice warranty they offer, what does the written warranty say if you are out of area? I guess this line of thinking only applies if you travel extensively out of state.
  • nhammacknhammack Member Posts: 3
    edited March 2011
    Doh, you're right @Kiawah - the current mileage is 81,382 I sort of assumed it would enter that in for me here on Edmunds since it asked me all of that info when I went through registration ... I'm just hoping that it's a minor repair, but with my luck it's going to be a major repair. :cry: Usually when you hear metal on metal contact during a breakdown it means it's not gonna be cheap. :(

    As far as a written warranty out of state, I don't know. It was after 5PM on Saturday this all happened which at that point the shop was closed for the day. They are also closed on Sundays, so I guess I'll be calling Big-O-Tires in the morning and see who they recommend for Transmission issues. Then I'll probably give these guys I found online (near us) a call and see how busy they might be. Luckily AAA will tow our butts all over the place but if it is going to cost a small fortune after the diagnostic... *ugh* I'm just going to be sick. :(
  • tigerwoodtigerwood Member Posts: 1
    My mother passed away,and i inherited her 1995 honda accord ex 2.2liter 4cyl.I have been driving about a week when i looked down to check my speed and the speedometer was bouncing up and down. At first i thought that mabey it was a cable,but then the drive4 light began flashing,and the speedometer would start to work for a few seconds,then go to 0,and begin to bounce again. As i came to a stop light and started to take off again,i could fell the tranny to slip just a little bit. All this would happen periodically,and then it would drive like it was ok. Well as a few days went by,the problem began to get worse.Its to the point now that it has to be delt with,so i called around to a few places,and they all said it was the"AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SPEED SENCOR"I tried to get as much info as possable so i could replace it myself,but they were only intrested in telling how much it was going to cost to have them to fix it.Would you please advise me on where this sencor is,and any othe info that you may think valueable to me.I just cant afford to have it done,ill be lucky to get the part.THANK YOU :SINCERLY,TIGER RAY ARTIS EMAIL ADD:woodrolivingston@yahoo.com
  • buckslayer65buckslayer65 Member Posts: 1
    my 92 toyota truck has a serios problem jumping, switching, changing gears whenever i start uphill does anyone have a sollution?
  • chucho1chucho1 Member Posts: 1
    When i reach about 20 mph my transmission seems to take forever to shift after that it shifts okay until i stop and start and reach 20mph then it hesitates and then shifts, no engine check lights come on, i have done all the required maintenance, oil levels are good, no noises, the shifting feels smooth other than that one. Help! do i need a new transmission?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    You may still have a stored trouble code for the transmission. You should have the car's computer scanned and see what comes up.
  • huzefa2025huzefa2025 Member Posts: 2
    have had this car for 8 years .. 215,000 miles on it .. yup, drove it a lot but also maintained it ..

    its a 4cyl ex coupe automatic transmission

    tranmission does not shift properly. initially there was a delay in shift. as in when i first started noticing i felt like it would take a 'lil extra time to shift, now its getting worse. when i first turn on the car, i allow it to heat up for a couple of mins and then put my car in drive but the gear does not seem to engage. the car sits in idle for 30 seconds or so and then finally goes in to gear .. it does not shift and remains in the low gears .. as i continue to drive the problem seems to get less worse, as in shifting gets better (relative to not shifting at all).

    I took it to Honda and they said they would replace the transmission for an arm, leg, and an eye. A local mechanic said to drive it till is dies and then bring it to him ..

    I don't want it to get worse .. I feel like if i ride it till it dies, i may kill it to an extent that a tranmission replacement would not be the only thing i would need .. what are my options? i am concerned that if I get a new transmission, what are the odds that a couple months later something else goes out on me .. its a big investment and i am not sure which route to take.

    Looking for suggestions/advice.

    Thanks
  • burdawgburdawg Member Posts: 1,524
    Sounds like low fluid pressure to me, the pump may be going out.With that many miles though it doesn't make any sense to try and repair the problem without rebuilding the entire transmission.
  • 1barnett11barnett1 Member Posts: 1
    i want to swap the guts of my 99 f-350 7.3L transmission with a 99f-250 v-10, they are identical except for the bellhousings, where can i get a how-to manual for this
  • alltransalltrans Member Posts: 5
    ATSG (Automatic Transmission Service Group) has rebuild manuals.
  • alltransalltrans Member Posts: 5
    The most common problem with those model transmissions is the torque converter clutch fails and ultimately the transmission needs to be rebuilt. However, there are many good fixes and for the right price, may be worth fixing. 200,000 miles on a Honda motor is nothing as long as you don't work it too hard with a transmission that is slipping. If you are gonna keep the vehicle I would fix it sooner rather than later.
  • homer19homer19 Member Posts: 5
    I have a 2004 Dodge Ram 3500 4x4 diesel...while towing my travel trailer i lost towing power my truck was making a loud ..almost open exhaust sound and vibrating....unhooked trailer..seems sluggish but when i come to a stop sign it revs up...so much i have to put it in neuteral..or I'd launch across the intersection.....seems worse in reverse...will not move under any load....runs on hwy great..had this for a year...tranny?...comp?..electrical?....everyone says something different!! Help me out !!
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well you'd have to have the codes read to see what's up. Otherwise one guess is as good as another. I'd look at the turbo/wastegate/piping first off.
  • homer19homer19 Member Posts: 5
    no code comes up .....only code that does come up is clutch fan ?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Changed your fuel filter lately?
  • homer19homer19 Member Posts: 5
    yes i have and tranny fluid....
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Stumped. :sick:
  • homer19homer19 Member Posts: 5
    just a note...i was clicking the tow haul button before this happened...like right before it happened as i wasa going up hills and down hills ?? that help ?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Does it shift normally from a stop light to highway speed? In other words, can you count the number of shifts?
  • homer19homer19 Member Posts: 5
    yes it shifts fine.
  • kellynnkellynn Member Posts: 1
    have a 2002 civic coupe ex(auto)..

    when we got ti used in 2008, (married to a mechanic honda/dodge) we knew the tranny could last a month or years, since it was alreadfy slipping.. it lasted a year. we were on the 400(major highway in ontario), and my hubby turns to me and says "i've got no gears", luckily we were by a turn off and we managed to get it to limp off the highway.

    we replaced the tranny(used from a wreck).. and 6 months later the new one had started slipping, we've had the car 3 years and are just driving it till the next tranny blows, so we can stick in a 3rd one.. the car is great otherwise(even with close to 340,000kms) and it is cheaper to replace the tranny than to find another decent used car.

    we have researched, and this is a common problem for the automatics of certain years, sadly other than what is said about the torque inverter .. i don't think honda gives a damn and i view it as a defect that honda should have fixed.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Must be some kind of computer engine management problem, with all that erratic behavior--is the person using a really pro scanner to read codes?
  • alltransalltrans Member Posts: 5
    Finding a good used Honda transmission is like finding a needle in a haystack. the torque converters don't last very long. You might want to rebuild it with a good converter or you will continue to throw away your money on used ones.
  • alltransalltrans Member Posts: 5
    p.s. the car companies only have to disclose as much as the government makes them.
  • grimyfacegrimyface Member Posts: 27
    My 2005 Corolla's transmission was completely rebuilt last May. It ran fine until October, when it developed a symptom of seemingly being unable to shift (sometimes) when slowing from highway speed to about 20 mph, then having to speed up again. If I use the accelerator *very* gently and avoid changing gears, it's OK again after about 20-30 seconds, but otherwise it exhibits a harsh, repeated clunking that only gets worse if I try to give it more gas. :sick:

    The transmission shop manager says he won't work on it till one of his techs can reproduce the problem (so far he has been unsuccessful). His explanation is that there are just *so* many tests that he could run that it would take weeks to try and track this down. This sounds a little fishy to me. :confuse:

    He did say that it's probably a communication problem, and that there are *several* sensors that could be affecting it, as well as the ECM. (He also mentioned something about a technical bulletin indicating some problems with the ECMs that were installed in last Spring's recall.) This sounded reasonable, and since the car now has 73K miles, I thougt some of the sensors might be past due for replacement.

    What surprised me, though, was the fact that when I review the car's maintenance schedule, there was no mention of *any* sensors whatsoever needing periodic replacement--not even O2! :surprise:

    Anyway, I did learn from this forum that it is possible for an error code to be stored even though the "Check Engine" light hasn't come on, so I'm going to be looking into that. Any other advice would be appreciated!
  • jeffg8jeffg8 Member Posts: 3
    I have 253K original transmission on a 2001 Acura MDX. Check engine light came on with PO740 Torque Converter lockup, today while engaged it would not go from a traffic stop. 3,4,5 in 2 you could get it going all the way back to highway speeds, shifting back up to 5. Am I doing any damage shifting while driving, I plan to take it in Wed or Thr if it lasts. Would I be better off taking it to a trans shop versus the Acura dealer I have always used. They are higher but everyone charges something. I have also used a Honda dealer for an Accord I have, usually about $100 cheaper for similar services but no loaner. Just wondering what I'm getting into. Any thoughts appreciated.
  • iceman9272005iceman9272005 Member Posts: 3
    I have a 1989 4wd Suburban that has a beefed up 350 4 bolt main,and a rebuilt 700R4 transmission with a shift kit. It bangs from 1st to 2nd gear at 15 MPH. Shifts a little hard from 2nd to 3rd gear at 25 MPH. Then from 3rd to 4th gear at 35 MPH it will sometimes not engage at all ! I have to manually shift it down to 3rd then manually shift back up to 4th. I had another 1989 Suburban with a 700R4 transmission a few years ago and went through 3 transmissions with that vehicle. Any kind of help or advice I can get will be greatly appreciated.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Sounds like the valve body is hanging up?
  • dub_cdub_c Member Posts: 3
    anytime u change an automatic transmission u should put a new torque converter in, in most cases they ruin the tranny
  • dub_cdub_c Member Posts: 3
    edited April 2012
    i was tuning my fuel injection and had all the gears, when i turned around to head back to the shop i was in second and went to neutral, killed it and when i got back in it (2 minute later) to pull it in the shop, i only had third and fourth, so i pulled the transaxle out and replaced the nose cone, and then checked to see if it had first second and reverse, sitting on the bench it seemed to be working, when i installed the transaxle into the rail i tested again, it seemed to have all gears, but when i put the motor back in it was back to 3rd and 4th, the transaxle was fully built by professionals and never made any noise before it just quit, before i pull it back out can anyone give me any ideas of what it might be?

    i am leaning towards a shift fork broken or bent, possibly loose and sliding on the shaft, any help will be greatly appreciated
  • ronsteveronsteve Member Posts: 1,234
    Weekend before last I had a transmission episode with my 2006 V70 2.5T. Wondering if it's a fluke thing, or a sign of something more sinister to come.

    I was driving on a through street in Madison, 30 mph speed limit and a bit hilly. Going up one of the hills at 25-30mph, I felt it "gear-hunting" for a couple seconds, after which it settled into 3rd. Didn't think anything of it until I got to the top of the hill, and it stayed in 3rd. I put it in manual mode and upshifted to 4th, which worked. BUT... when I went back to D, it shifted back into 3rd even though I was doing between 35-40mph on flat road. So back to manual mode and forced 4th again.

    A mile or two later, I came to a red light. Put it back into D, and it has shifted without incident ever since.

    The car has almost 97K miles on it, and the extended warranty expires at the end of the month. Is it worth leaving with them for a day to see if they can duplicate the problem and better troubleshoot it? Anyone else had this happen, and what were the eventual results?
    2015 Acura RDX AWD / 2021 VW TIguan SE 4Motion
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well I'd bring it in to see if a transmission trouble code was stored---in this way, you'd have a record of a problem on file, even if they didn't end up fixing anything.

    Not necessarily an indication of anything dire---have you had a transmission service lately?
  • ronsteveronsteve Member Posts: 1,234
    Thanks to Volvo and their "lifetime" transmission fluid/service, no it hasn't been serviced. I'll see what they think.

    Also, I should mention that I had it in for a routine oil change, and they said it hadn't stored any transmission trouble codes, and that the only thing to do would be to leave it with the shop foreman, and a detail description of what happened, so he can drive it and see if he can duplicate the problem. I think there's some hills/streets around Louisville that would resemble where I had the issue up in Mad-town. ;)
    2015 Acura RDX AWD / 2021 VW TIguan SE 4Motion
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well could be some electronic glitch mostly likely---the TCM reads various data from speed sensors and gear selector position, etc, and then sends signals to the various solenoids. These units are pretty complex and it's hard to guess what's up without testing. Usually "hunting" means some sort of confusion in the transmission's brain.
  • drmccanndrmccann Member Posts: 1
    2007 Jetta 2.5 Wolfsburg.

    About 6-12 months ago, the transmission would occasionally slip. Recently, I was driving and the transmission slipped COMPLETELY out (ie, it's like there is no gear). The interesting thing is that when I leave the car sit for a couple hours, it will drive for 2-3 miles, then I get no transmission action again. There is a leak of transmission fluid on the transaxle, so I added about 1qt of Lucas anti-slip fluid. This didn't seem to help. PLEASE, I'm looking at $3500 to replace this thing, so if anyone has a suggestion, please don't be shy. I would really appreciate it! Thanks!
  • srs_49srs_49 Member Posts: 1,394
    If you want to shotgun it, I would replace the tranny fluid and filter screen (no flush), using the proper VW recommended fluid. You may have made things worse with the Lucas stuff.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Best thing you can do at this point is drop the transmission oil pan and see if there is debris or burned fluid..if there is no apparent damage, then change the filter, add the proper VW fluid and see what happens.

    if condition is the same, you'll have to scan for trouble codes and probably have the unit tested by a qualified shop before you condemn it to a rebuild.
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