1995 Saturn SW2 shift concerns

GLDAVID

MEMBER
1995 SATURN SW2
4 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
200,198 MILES

When cold the transmission will intermittently not shift above 2nd gear. After a few minutes it will shift fine and proceed to shift fine all day. Never does it warm. Has shifted out of third into 2nd with a steady pedal at 55 mph. RPM's at that time were through the roof.

5 Replies

SATURNTECH9

MECHANIC
30,870 POSTS

So do you have any code's?

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Wednesday, October 13th, 2010 AT 2:02 PM

GLDAVID

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6 POSTS

No codes.

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Wednesday, October 13th, 2010 AT 3:05 PM

SATURNTECH9

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Are you sure there isn't any codes?Have you checked for code's?If the car is dropping out of third back into 2nd and the rpm's are racing while your driving then there should be some code's.

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Wednesday, October 13th, 2010 AT 3:16 PM

GLDAVID

MEMBER
6 POSTS

I have a snap on graphing brick. I pulled trans codes myself and there are none. Most of the time it works fine. But if I get straight on the freeway in the morning it will: work fine, not shift out of second no matter the throttle position (if I manually shift into neutral and back it will still go into second even at 55mph) and once it downshifted into second from 3rd while under acceleration. It takes about 1 to 2 minutes and it will start working fine. It has never happened while warm. Also occasionally it will be slow going into reverse.

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Wednesday, October 13th, 2010 AT 5:49 PM

SATURNTECH9

MECHANIC
30,870 POSTS

If your getting a delay in reverse that is most commonly caused by a lack of pressure that will also cause issue's with the forward gear's. You would have to perform at least a min max test on the transmission line pressure and remove the valve body and air check the clutches to make sure all the piston's are holding. Usually shifting act's up on a hot transmission not a cold one.