Transmission shift hard when fan is on

Tiny
PRLJM79
  • MEMBER
  • 2001 SATURN L200
  • 133,000 MILES
Transmission shifts very hard. Code P0113. Replaced intake air temperature sensor (IAT) and the throttle control sensor (TCS). Replaced Engine mounts. Replaced wiring from IAT to the Powertrain Control Module (PCM). Same problem. When I clear the code, the car will run perfectly and shift completely normal but after fifteen minutes the radiator fans will kick on full blast and will not cut off and the car shift hard. Is it the PCM?
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Monday, August 8th, 2011 AT 8:14 PM

19 Replies

Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,870 POSTS
Hello,

This happens when the PCM is going bad and needs to be replaced. Here is the location of the unit so you can replace it. I would get a used one and plug it in.

Check out the diagrams (below). Please let us know what happens.

Cheers
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Monday, August 8th, 2011 AT 8:21 PM
Tiny
PRLJM79
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  • 2 POSTS
You nailed it I got a used one for $100.00 plugged it in the car has never run better. :) I love this site.
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Monday, August 8th, 2011 AT 8:27 PM
Tiny
SOLION
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
  • 2001 SATURN L200
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 156,000 MILES
Okay I have the 2.2 liter. Never had any problems until recently.

I can tell exactly when the problem is going to happen. Both fans on the radiator/AC come on and are at 100% running great. If in drive it hard shifts like crazy as if I am in some sort of limp mode. I can hand shift it and get stopped somewhere safe.

Now if I restart the car two or three times, the fans will on one of those tries will turn off and everything is fine, smooth shifting, the same perfectly good car as I have always known and will drive normally for a week perfectly. Then it does it again and I have to go through the routine of limping to a stop somewhere.

I got nothing, I have gone through the wiring harness, I hope to it is not a BCM maybe a TPS? Has anyone heard of this?
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Tuesday, July 17th, 2018 AT 5:38 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,870 POSTS
First of thank you so much for your donation. I have heard of this. You need to get your transmission scanned for codes and bring the code numbers back to me so I can see if I am right. Let me know what you find.
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Tuesday, July 17th, 2018 AT 5:38 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SOLION
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Absolutely no codes, not a single one. I did clean the battery terminals so I may have erased what was there. But even before then there was nothing there, no check engine light ever comes on.
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Tuesday, July 17th, 2018 AT 5:38 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
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Here is the thing I do not know if the generic code reader can read transmission codes. I know they can read engine codes I am not sure if they can read transmission codes and all there codes. I have worked for Saturn dealers over sixteen years and have only used the tech1 and tech2 scanners with factory software and they read airbag, body control module, steering and any other controllers. So I have been spoiled, lol. So I am new to generic scanners all the auto parts stores and do it yourselfers use I know there limited to there capabilities I know for sure 1996 obd2 and up it will read the engine codes but really unsure about the transmission codes. I will check into that. Also, the code I am looking for is a information flag not a hard code so you could have the code without the light ever coming on. What I am thinking is going on with your car is you have a bad line pressure solenoid causing your hard shifting real common for your model. However, I want to see that code so I can say you can start by changing that solenoid and check your transmission fluid for debris. Let me know what you find. Maybe you can get a transmission shop to give you a free code scan call around.
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Tuesday, July 17th, 2018 AT 5:38 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SOLION
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Okay replaced the TPS today and drum roll please.

Wow, that changed things, over the past few weeks I have been super sensitive to every shift point and sound the car makes. One of the alternate problems was a random high idle at stop lights. So changed the TPS and what happened.

1) Transmission shifting is 15% smoother. Downshifts are normal.
2) More power, She moves like she should. Throttle is more responsive.
3) High Idle issues are completely gone.

As for (D) transmission hard shifts /limp mode/fans at 100% this will take time, but if we are good over the next couple of weeks I will say it is fixed. Replacing the TPS ($30.00 at Autozone) made a real and tangible difference.

Apparently the TPS can confuse the PCM and cause the car to go into a limp mode. It is scary and does not throw a proper code for it. People have dropped their transmissions to put in new pressure solenoids, only to have the problem crop back up.

Overall, If you are having the "fans on high/ hard shift" issue. I would say change your TPS (only $30.00 and easy to replace) and see if if things get better. Overall since this problem does not throw a code (or a proper one) it could not hurt and could save you a trip to the transmission shop.

I will update here if the problem persists with hard shifting. Or at least post if the problem has gone away for a minimum of two weeks.
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Tuesday, July 17th, 2018 AT 5:38 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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The TPS on those rarely go bad. I have seen very few of them go bad and when they did they set a code for it, but if it works for you then great. So you are still getting the hard shifts and the fans full speed? Let me know.
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Tuesday, July 17th, 2018 AT 5:38 PM (Merged)
Tiny
J.STIEG
  • MEMBER
  • 352 POSTS
  • 2001 SATURN L200
  • 150,000 MILES
I am working on a car that recently started shifting hard and getting code p0742.
Shifts hard from park to drive and all of the forward gears, like the accumulator was bad.

But after it is in drive and I come to a stop in D and take off again in D it shifts fine through 1-2 and 2-3.

But if I come to a stop and put it in park then D it will jump hard into D and go through the gear hard.

I replaced PC and TCC solenoid and it does not seem to stall when coming to a stop.
I just need to work with the hard shifting. Maybe I need to do a pressure test.
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Tuesday, July 17th, 2018 AT 5:38 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SOLION
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
So far so good, none of the other problems I was having such as the high idle have shown up. The transmission problem was an intermittent one, so we are in wait and see mode. So far so good.
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Tuesday, July 17th, 2018 AT 5:38 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
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To do a pressure test you will need a transmission pressure gauge and a advanced scan tool that can command the line pressure control solenoid. Like a tech2 some of the Snap On ones or some of the higher end OTC ones. Did you get any codes besides the P0742 before you changed the solenoids? I have seen some bad valve body's on those and a few accumulators.
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Tuesday, July 17th, 2018 AT 5:38 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Alright we will play it by ear, but if your transmission starts hard shifting again. I want you to have the transmission scanned for codes. Another thing that makes hard shifts I have seen on those models but not as common as the solenoids is the inlet air temperature sensor or the wiring to the connector. Well let me know what happens. Thank again for the donation hope you use us again for future questions. Also, thanks for using 2carPros.
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Tuesday, July 17th, 2018 AT 5:38 PM (Merged)
Tiny
J.STIEG
  • MEMBER
  • 352 POSTS
I only got that one code. There is no slipping in any gear. And 1-2 shift will clear up after a few take offs when it is left in D. Hard shifting comes when leaving park going into D and then followed by a hard 1-2 shift before it clears up again.
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Tuesday, July 17th, 2018 AT 5:38 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SOLION
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Well, it has been two weeks and not a single hiccup or problem since I replaced the TPS.

Bonus is that gas milage has gone up as well.
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Tuesday, July 17th, 2018 AT 5:38 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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I found a bulletin for that code with hard shifts something about reconditioning the valve body. I would first have the TCC circuit tested. Have a scan tool command the TCC solenoid to see if it works. Then you can see if you have a wire issue or maybe a computer driver issue. Does the code come back as soon as you clear it?
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Tuesday, July 17th, 2018 AT 5:38 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Glad to hear your car is still shifting good. That was wild that it did not set a code and had a bad TPS. Let me know if anything comes up with the hard shifting again.
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Tuesday, July 17th, 2018 AT 5:38 PM (Merged)
Tiny
BUDDY2
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2003 SATURN L200
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 11,100 MILES
My transmission shifts very hard only when the cooling fan is running.
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Tuesday, July 17th, 2018 AT 5:38 PM (Merged)
Tiny
PETRUS4
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
Hey there, I seem to have a similar problem. Did you do any tests on your old TPS to see if it was defective? (With a voltmeter testing for bad spots.)

Also, has the hard shifting come back at all?
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Tuesday, July 17th, 2018 AT 5:39 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,870 POSTS
Let's start with you going to a auto part's store like AutoZone and getting your car scanned for code's.I f you have any code's let me know what the number's are.
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Tuesday, July 17th, 2018 AT 5:39 PM (Merged)

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