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Trac off light and now only first and second gears working

Tiny
HONEYBEE12133
  • MEMBER
  • 2002 CHEVROLET CAVALIER
  • 2.2L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 250,000 MILES
I have the car listed above coupe. It's been my baby getting me every where I need to go. Until I started noticing that my started to act a little funny my "Trac off" light would come on as I was driving and stay on for about 2-3 minutes or a few miles I'm not sure which then it would just turn back off without any other symptoms. Then that ended up changing to me having issues when going up hill pretty much any hill it was like my car was really struggling to get up the hill. I would try to press more on the gas at the same time trying to make sure my RPM's would not go into the red zone, but I would lose speed. But as soon as I got over the hill it was fine again also my "Trac off" light was coming on every time I was trying to go up a hill at this point. No other lights at all would come on strictly just the "Trac off" light. Now if I try to drive my car I have no lights that come on at all not even the Trac off light but now it will go into first gear just fine with no shift problems and it goes into second gear just fine as well. But it will not go into anything higher my RPM's will rise higher and higher, though I do not let it go into the red, but it will not shift higher then second gear. Also keep in mind I have still zero lights that come on no check engine, no Trac off, no ABS, none of them come on anymore at all.
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Tuesday, December 8th, 2020 AT 7:42 AM

9 Replies

Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,907 POSTS
This could be a couple things but most likely it is a speed sensor issue. However, we are just guessing until we check for codes. Even though the check engine light is not on doesn't mean there are no codes.

If the light is currently on, let's check for codes and this guide will help:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/checking-a-service-engine-soon-or-check-engine-light-on-or-flashing

Once we know what is in there we will have a better idea as to what the issue is. Thanks
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Wednesday, December 9th, 2020 AT 1:42 PM
Tiny
HONEYBEE12133
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Actually I had taken it to AutoZone and told them no lights were on anymore. So I was wanting to check for any codes that were stored in it but when he went to check it the code reader said that there were no codes whatsoever not a single one.
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Wednesday, December 9th, 2020 AT 2:00 PM
Tiny
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Okay. So just to clarify, there are no lights on right now and it drives as it is supposed to? In other words, the issue isn't happening?

If that is the case then that makes sense. I still think we have a speed sensor issue but if it is not acting up then we are not going to be able to fix it. We are just going to be guessing and that is not a good idea because we don't have enough to go on to make a good guess so it is just a waste of money.

I would suggest we need to wait until it acts up again and then when the lights are on we scan it for codes.
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Thursday, December 10th, 2020 AT 6:58 PM
Tiny
HONEYBEE12133
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
No there are zero lights on. No warning lights of any sort. But it is acting up it will drive in first gear and shift into second gear but it will not go any higher then second gear my RPM's go up and up, but it will not shift any higher then second gear. Also when it does shift it's not shifting hard or anything. I did have a sensor changed. It was a sensor that was kind of on the bottom side of my transmission. I believe it was the speed sensor, but I could be getting it mixed up.
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Friday, December 11th, 2020 AT 6:44 AM
Tiny
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Okay. That helps. If the vehicle is not shifting past second gear and there are no codes, something seems off.

The reason is, we have multiple sensors that would indicate an issue if the vehicle is not accelerating as it should.

However, if you had the speed sensor changed, then that could be the issue. Can you look at the attached info and see if that is the sensor? If you are not sure do you have any paper work showing what was replaced? A part number would help.

Thanks
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Friday, December 11th, 2020 AT 6:06 PM
Tiny
HONEYBEE12133
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
I know the sensor looked just like that one and it was a friend of mine who switched it out for me. He said that yes it was the speed sensor. Also the issues that I've been having started before I got the sensor changed. Changing the sensor seemed to have zero effect on my car it didn't make it worse or better.
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Saturday, December 12th, 2020 AT 12:38 AM
Tiny
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Okay. Can we step back and get the history on this? I think I am confused because you said the trac off light was on and it was not shifting past second but now that light is not on? Then you mentioned the speed sensor but said that this was happening prior to that and made no difference.

So the vehicle has been doing the same thing the entire time which is not shifting past second gear? Plus there are no codes?

If all this is about right the only thing I can think would cause this with no codes is a shift solenoid is stuck and not allowing the vehicle to shift. I attached the replacement process for this. We need to start with check the fluid and making sure it is clean and at the proper level. If it is, I would think we need to remove this and inspect it to make sure it is not stuck.
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Saturday, December 12th, 2020 AT 4:55 PM
Tiny
HONEYBEE12133
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Basically you've got it the Trac off light was coming on at one point, but when it stopped allowing me to shift passed second gear was when I noticed I didn't have the light on any more. But anyways, I will definitely check into this. Thank you for your patience and I appreciate your input. I will let you know what happens. Thank you
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Saturday, December 12th, 2020 AT 5:13 PM
Tiny
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Okay. So that makes more sense. I don't think the trac light had anything to do with this. So if there are no codes and not shifting out of second, I have to think this is a mechanical issue which would be fluid or the valve.

Thanks for the update. Let us know what you find with the fluid and we can determine next steps. Thanks
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Saturday, December 12th, 2020 AT 6:26 PM

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