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MORE: Transmission questions

Car Transmission Questions

Question:   1991 Plymouth Voyager Van 3.0 mileage: 70.00. AT 60 mph or above 3 speed auto transmission seems to shift in and out of gear. Tachometer will go up and down when this happens. Garage put in rebuilt torque converter and it did not fix it. Then they put in a valve switch and then they rebuilt transmission. All this and it still is not fixed. Then they put on an engine modulator and that did not fix it either.

Answer: Your problem is most likely caused by a faulty transmission control module.

Question: 1991 Mitsubishi Galant GSR 1997 CC mileage: 60,000. Hey, guys I gotta question about transmissions. I have a Mitsubishi Galant with a semi-new engine, and just about everything else has replaced. The last thing to fix in the 10 yr old car is the transmission. It has a 5-spd manual transmission. While driving on the interstate a few weeks ago, the 5th gear would "slip out" and the gearshift would go back to neutral. So to make it home, I had to hold it in 5th position. Eventually it went out completely. I got it home, but then when I wanted to move it out of my garage, I could not put it in reverse. So, both the 5th gear and reverse are no long useable. I've contacted some mechanics in my town, and they say that the synchronizers are shot, and that I will need a new transmission. Just wondering what you guys think about the situation, and if you could help. Thanks a bunch!

Answer: The cost of a replacement transmission may be relatively expensive. Done properly, having your transmission repaired would serve you just as well and be a whole lot cheaper.

Question: 1993 Mazda 929 3.0 V6 mileage: 96,000. My 1993 Mazda 929 shifts very hard going into 2nd gear. One dealer is telling me there is a small hand held machine that you can hook up to the car's computer and it will tell you if there is a problem with the transmission. Another dealer told me there is no computer on the 1993 model and all you can do is look for a light on the dash. This light is supposed to flash a code that tells you what is wrong with the transmission. If this is true, is it possible that the light is burned out or is not working? Thank you for your response, I am very desperate for an honest answer!

Answer: Your car has both systems. You can hook up a scanner and read the computer or you can cycle the computer and it will flash the light on the dash. Either way, you will be able to read a fault code to identify the problem.

Question: 1995 Dodge Neon 2.0L sohc mileage: 35,000. My son let the transmission fluid get very low on his automatic transition neon. He did not tell me until it started slipping in third gear. We toped off the fluid level and all was fine for a while. Now it seems to slip going into 2nd and third gears even though the fluid level is fine. Eventually it goes into gear by letting up on the gas. What has happened and what is the cure?

Answer: When a transmission gets low on fluid and starts to slip, what is slipping is the clutch packs. When this occurs, the clutches wear out quickly. In this instance, you will need to remove the transmission and replace the clutch packs (transmission overhaul).

Question: 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0 mileage: 51,000. I've changed the trans filter and fluid. Shortly after, I checked it and the oil looked like pancake syrup. Was not thick but discolored. How can I drain the converter? And, how do you adjust the clutches. Gail.

Question: 1990 Mazda 929 V6 mileage: 107,000. Here is a question for you Mazda engineers. From 1st gear to 2nd, or from a complete stop (such as a stop light) and you give the car gas, should the Rpms jump from 2000 to 3000-4000 RPMS? I can understand a gradually climb, but my car first hesitates and then jumps to like between 3000 and 4000 rpms and then shifts. Also on the highway if you want to change lanes, it does same if you give her some gas. I have taken the car to the mechanic and was told that the transmission was fine, but I think their idea of fine means if the car moves. So, for peace of mind sake, I had the transmission flushed, but the same problem remains. Should I be looking at the fuel injectors maybe the car isn't getting enough gas or have the transmission checked again?

Question: 1996 Ford Taurus GL 3.0 V6 mileage: 38,000. Bought car in November with 35K miles. Cold here up north and although car shifts smartly from Park into Drive, it will not shift from 1st gear to 2nd, and from 2nd to 3rd, unless I keep a steady pressure on the gas pedal and drive for about a mile. If I push too hard on the gas the transmission jumps out of gear and engine revs up. After driving a mile or so, everything shifts OK. If I park car for a few hours the whole process starts over again. Had transmission filter and fluid changed - no help. Any suggestions?

Answer: Your transmission is controlled by a computer. If you scan it, you may find some fault codes that will pinpoint your problem. You may have a sticky valve or solenoid in the valve body.

Question: 1994 Chevy p/u 3500 454 mileage: 140,000. The transmission locked in first gear, it won't change at all, it will go in rev. and at the same time, the speedometer stopped working. This all started at once, everything was fine, I stopped at a red light and when I pulled off it would not shift. I checked the connections at the trans, and the fuse in the cab, they were ok. What can I check next?

Answer: We have found on Chevy trucks, that a faulty ignition will cause the condition you described.

Question: 1994 Pontiac Grand Am 6 cyl mileage: 90,000. How much should it cost to replace (rebuild) the automatic transmission in this vehicle?

Answer: Two different automatic transmissions were popular in your vehicle. To rebuild the three-speed model should cost approximately $1000.00, the four-speed model, approximately $1600.00. All this is assuming that you have no damage to any of the "hard parts" (gears, etc).

Question: 1995 Ford Taurus V6 mileage: 50,000.  Hi, All of a sudden my parking gear will not budge.  It gets stuck and will not move.  I have to shake the steering wheel a lot and then it moved.  Is this a major problem?  Did I lock something by mistake that I do not know about?

Question: 1988 Volkswagen Jetta 4 cyl mileage: 184,000. I just recently added 80w/90w gear fluid to my transmission, which was running low, and this is the type that the manual says to use. Everything seemed to run fine for a little bit, but then it started to act up. When I would shift into the next gear, it would go fine if I put steady pressure on the gas, but if I pushed the gas pedal down, the engine would rev up, and the speedometer would gradually rise. Would this be caused by adding too much transmission fluid?

Question: 1994 Mitsubishi 3000 GT vr-4 v-6 turbo mileage: 60,000. Hi, I just got through with the 60000-mile service at a Mitsubishi dealership. The problem I had before and after the service is that I have a difficult time shifting the manual transmission into 1st and 3rd gear. Is it normal in this car? Is there anything that can make it easier to shift? Everything else related to the transmission is working fine. On a cold start, it is really a struggle to shift but as I drive a few miles shifting gets easier but not smooth. Yes, I do press the clutch all the way to the floor before I shift gears.

Answer: The first thing we would do is to change gear lube in the transmission. Also, check the clutch to make sure it is operating properly and releasing fully.

Question: 1990 VW Jetta gl 1.8 4-cyl mileage: 81,000. Bob and Ken, I have always thought of myself as pretty inclined when it came to my cars but this one has got me stumped. I have only had this car for about a month now but I had one just like it for about a year and they both ran great and this one still runs great. Except, on my way up to college about a week ago I was crusin along at about 78 on the interstate in 5th cuz my car is a manual 5 speed and all of a sudden it slipped out of gear and redlined cuz I had the cruise on. So, I downshifted to 4th and then tried to re-shift into 5th but come to find that there is not 5th. So every time I try to go to 5th it will shift in but then when I let out the clutch and the RPM's kick in it just revs like it is in neutral and when I shift it feels very soft like there is nothing behind the shift at all. What happened I have no clue. Please help I am very reluctant to take it to some mechanic and have him tell me that it is 1000 bucks or something when it is really a $ 1.50 part. Steve

Answer: Unfortunately, it sounds like you may be in for some internal transmission repairs.

Question: 1993 Plymouth Laser 1.8 mileage: 127,000. The vehicle has sat for around 4 months without any attention or driving. I had it checked-out with a competent mechanic prior to purchase. The engine ran great and the transmission shifted very well. Needing to get it inspected (including NC emission tests) I added an additive to the gas that "ensured" passing the emissions test. 30 miles after adding the additive, the engine seems less peppy, and the transmission shifts really hard (up and down) and will not go into the upper gears. I'd appreciate your perspective. Concerning the tranny, is there an underlying mechanical problem. Could there be a connection to the additive? If so, is this permanent or temporary--most likely sensor malfunctioning.

Answer: Some gasoline additives can cause problems with your engine. The oxygen sensor may have been damaged or possibly a catalytic converter is partially plugged.

Question: 1998 Ford Taurus 3.0L mileage: 40k. My transmission makes a thump when moving the shifter from drive to neutral or park. It is similar to a broken motor mount but the mounts are new. I have had it at the dealer five times for this. They replaced the motor mounts, and played with the idle. Now they are telling me this is normal. I can't believe Taurus owners would tolerate this annoying thump and sometimes clunk from the transmission. I was thinking of changing the filter and fluid just to make a visual inspection at the least. Any ideas?

Answer: Check the cradle mounts as they may be causing your problem.

Question: 1985 Oldsmobile 98 3.8 mileage: 113,000. My car was bought at an auction. It did not start, so I replaced the fuel pump, and that fixed it. I drove for about 50 miles, no problems, and then all of a sudden the tranny neutraled out at third gear. If you put the car back in 2nd, it will engage just fine, and shift between 1st and 2nd just fine. At idle, it engages just fine in reverse and drive, but as soon as it gets to 3rd, it just goes neutral. Any suggestions? This reminds me of that old Eddie Money song "I Can't Drive 55."

Answer: It appears from what you have told us that you are probably ready for a transmission overhaul. By the way, it was Sammy Hagar who sang "I Can't Drive 55."

Question: 1997 Mercury Cougar 4.6L V8 mileage: 63,000. Automatic Transmission Shifter: Recently when I start the car, it is often very hard to depress the shifter button and move the shifter out of PARK. It's like the safety lock is not disengaging, but it doesn't happen every time. It's worse when the car is on a very slight incline and the engine is cold. Any ideas? Linkage? Electrical?

Answer: Your car is equipped with a transmission safety lock, which prevents the car from being removed from park unless the brake pedal is depressed. The switch on the brake pedal or the lock mechanism on the gearshift may be faulty.

Question: 1999 Dodge Caravan 3.0 mileage: 77,500. Given the history of the Caravan's transmission, if I keep the transmission serviced at the regular schedule time, will this help keep the thing from coming apart?

Question: 1999 Ford Taurus 3.0 24 valve mileage: 13,000. Automatic transmission shifts are not very smooth. Worse when cold. Second gearshift feels hard. Have had several dealers check it they all say everything is fine no trouble codes. Even when driving slow trans has abrupt shift feel. Any ideas.

Answer: Rescan the drive train computer. If any codes are present, they will need to be cleared. There is a possibility that a solenoid in the valve body is hanging up.

Question: 1994 Chevy/Suburban 4x4 350 mileage: 121,000. Shifts hard (or slams is more like it) when put in drive from park or neutral. Seems to take a little more time than it used to on the fist shift sequence, but runs thru the next shifts to overdrive just fine. When at cruising, speed if slight gas petal applied it vibrates so bad it feels as if the rear end is coming out. Let off the gas or give more gas and it stops vibrating. Any ideas---I have changed the u-joints and also had to replace the catalytic converter (so I replaced the o2 sensor just in case.) Help! I am scheduled to take it to the dealer tomorrow for diagnostics and really don't want to if it can be avoided.

Question: 1995 Infiniti G20 1.8 mileage: 101,000. Automatic Transmission. I purchased this car brand new and the first signs of transmission problems began yesterday. Once the car gets up to 55MPH, the RPM jumps from 2500 to 4500 and the transmission won't budge -- it tries to shift, but is unable to. The only way to make it from point A to B is by going under 55MPH, and as you know, this won't work on the Washington DC Beltway. I have taken it to a local Infiniti dealership and they said everything checks out fine and that they test-drove it. Well, they misinformed me, b/c when I picked up the car, I checked the mileage, and found that they hadn't driven it. They said they tested everything out on their computer and everything tested out. Help!

Answer: This is definitely a "got ya"! You might try having the transmission serviced (fluid and filter change). However, we would bet that the transmission is starting to fail in your car. Maybe you can trade it in at the dealership that said the car was fine.

Question: 2000 Honda / Accord V6 mileage: 10,000. I have a Honda Accord - V6 with a 4 speed automatic. When cruising at about 40 mph the vehicle begins to jerk a bit as if it had a manual transmission and I suddenly floored the gas pedal. I spoke to a service rep at the dealership and he stated that this was due to the "locking" transmission and that it was normal. But, for some reason, I don't believe him. Any clues on this?

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