1994 Saturn SL1 Acceleration problem

BRIJMIN

MEMBER
1994 SATURN SL1
4 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
89,000 MILES

My transmission was going bad, hard shifting and slamming in to reverse, seemed to be missing or skipping gears while driving, jumping into over drive for no good reason.

Shortly after all this started I lost acceleration. When I was at a dead stop and step on the gas, the car would act like it was in second gear. Seemed to be working very hard just to move. Once the car was moving it seemed better and went "normal" (see above). Normal for it but not right.

Well I figured I lost first gear in the transmission.

I know what you are thinking. I am in transmission "Safe Mode" = Second gear only. This was not the case because I could get expressway speeds. 70+ no problem, given enough time.

0 to 60 in 1.3 minutes. Not good.

So I replaced the transmission with a used one.

The acceleration problem did not go away and it still slams into reverse.

I highly doubt both transmission had the same issue.

What else could cause the supper slow acceleration? Like its in second gear.

By the way. I recently replaced the following. Plugs, wires, fuel filter, fuel pump, fuel sending unit, transmission and throttle body.

1 Reply

SATURNTECH9

MECHANIC
30,870 POSTS

First of all thank u so much for ur donation. Let's start with what yr and model ur transmission u replaced came out of. Also what codes u have I will give u instructions on how to get them. On the drivers side bottom of the dash theres the obd1 connector where u would put a code reader on. Look at the top row of it far right side theres two pins side by side. Turn the key to the run postion dont start it and jump those two pins together and leave it that way. Watch the service engine soon light flash.U will see it flash once then two faster flashes. Thats a code 12 that means the computer is good it will do this 3 times if it repeats the code 12 after the 3 times u dont have any codes. But watch the light for example if u see 3 quick flashes then 2 quick ones that would be a code 32 it would repeat 3 times then go to the next code when it gets back to code 12 then the codes are done.