Strange noise on start-up.

JUSTINH882007

MEMBER
2007 SATURN ION
78,000 MILES

Sometimes when I start-up my 2007 Saturn ION, I hear this weird noise. I'm not entirely sure how to describe it. The car starts normally at first then it sounds like something in the engine or transmission starts to vibrate or it sounds like something is spinning really fast. It does it for like 3-5 seconds then stops. Is any of this making any sense, its a really strange noise and hard to describe.

I have also noticed that when idling at stoplights my transmission sounds like it has something rattling in it. I was reading my owner's manual and it recommends transmission fluid to be replaced at 50,000 miles and I am now at almost 80000 and haven't done this. Should I have had the transmission fluid replaced at 50k? Could this have caused some damage to my transmission? When accelerating my transmission also has a very slight whine. My right leg rests against the plastic area below the shifter (automatic transmission) and I can a strong vibration when accelerating.

I hope some of this makes sense and you can give me an idea of what is wrong.

2 Replies

ASEMASTER6371

MECHANIC
52,797 POSTS

The noise on start up could be the secondary air pump which runs for a bout a minute then turns off.

Yes, the trans fluid, like all other fluids, need to be changes at the reccomended intervals to prevent damage to the units.

Get both confimred by someone to verify.

Roy

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Sunday, July 22nd, 2012 AT 2:56 PM

SATURNTECH9

MECHANIC
30,870 POSTS

Just to add to this one if you have the 2.2L engine you have air injection if you have the 2.0L or 2.4L then you dont have air injection. Which do you have?If you have air injection the air pump may be failing or not. As far as the transmission goes you change it every 50,000 miles if you dont you can do damage I have it people not change them and let them go too long without changing them. Then they get damaged the noise doesnt sound good they dont start making noises from the fluid just having to be changed. Unless you filter was so clogged the trwnsmission pump was starving for fluid.

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Sunday, July 22nd, 2012 AT 4:11 PM