I just had a number of odd things happen while making a 500 mile drive with my transmission (I have an 03 with the stock 5 AT):

1. In the mountains of the transmission seemed to shift a little odd, but I figured it was just the mountains causing the cruise control to get a little confused, thus causing more shifting than normal

2. When I got out of the mountains it started to act weirder, getting up to higher RPMs then normal before shifting to 5th gear.

3. After about 20 minutes of this, it did not ever shift to 5th gear. (noticed because the RPMs were staying about 700 RPMs higher than normal on flat ground)

4. I tried to shift in to manumatic mode, and it just stayed in D. Manumatic did not work at all.

5. I pullled over and turned the car off and then back on. It was then able to get in to manumatic, so I assumed everything was ok, but I noticed the check AT light was on.

6. Turned the car off, left it for 10 minutes, turned it back on. Now I have no check AT light, and everything appears to work.

7. For the next 10 minutes of driving, shifting is really bad. I was hitting 5k RPMs before shifts would occur, if they happened at all.

8. Magically, everything heals itself and I am having no problems now. I drove 50 miles to get home with no incidents.

I have a few questions:

- Has anyone ever seen something like this?
- Any ideas as to what the problem is?
- I am going to take it to the dealer to see if there is anything wrong, but since it is a Holiday weekend, it will be a little while before I can get it. Can anyone think of a reason to not drive it in the meantime?

Thanks,

Scott

 

Have you checked the fluid level?

 

I just had my 60k maint done two weeks ago. Everything should be fine, but I was going to double check that today (got home at midnight last night and didn't feel like it then)

-Scott

 

So, as per your suggestion, I just tried to check my fluid level, but I didn't see the gauge. So I opened up my owners manual to find it and the only thing I could find said to take it to the dealer to have the transmission fluid checked. The transmission fluid dip stick isn't even labeled in the owner's manual schematics....

So I guess I don't really know how to verify that fluid level with this car. Oh well, it is a trip to the dealer for me. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

My 2004 sedan manual says the same thing, that you can't check the fluid level.

However, while installing my ground kit a couple of weeks ago, I noticed a dipstick. It is on passenger side between engine and firewall.

Good luck,

Mark

 

Sounds like your transmission may of overheated going up into the mountains. Have you checked your tranny codes to see if anything is wrong?

 

No, I have not. How do you check the codes? I didn't know there was a way to get the error codes from the car without specialized equipment.

 

Scott,

have you gone to the dealer. I seam to develop the same problem and I leave in Chicago and there is no mountains and it is damn cold now for it to over heat specially considering that my commute is only 3 miles.

 

Yes, I have been to the dealer and had this fixed. I actually had to go back a number of times as the problem persisted, but was rather sporadic and the dealer had a hard time tracking it down. Basically the circuit board / computer that controls the transmission shifting broke. I think it may of shorted out. They replaced it and all has been well since then.

I don't remember the name of the part off the top of my head, but if you need to know it, let me know and I will dig up my receipt from the maintenance.

-Scott

 

I need to know what part was replaced I'm having same issue with my 05