[Thegame9377]

See if anyone can figure this one out?

About a month ago, I pull into a gas station and turn off the car while I go inside. 5 minutes later, I come back out, turn it on, put it in drive, hit the gas...and nothing but RPMs going up. After hitting the gas again, I get the typical blown tranny response of the RPMs going up, the car going nowhere, then jerking and going VERY rough. It's like this all the way home as it's stuck in 3rd gear with the neutral light is blinking.

After getting home and reading a few threads on here of others with this problem, it looks pretty conclusive that it's a blown tranny. Greeaaat. So I garage it and save up some cash for about a month to pay for a new tranny.

This past Friday, I finally have the money together and go to take it to the shop. The car had sat for 1+ month in a cold garage, so I had to replace the battery. After I get the new battery connected, I start the car, put it in gear and.......it's running perfectly fine! No problems at all. All my gears work, no more blinking neutral light, and no more jerking like a blown tranny does. Runs like the day I bought it. The check engine light remains on, so I decide to take it to the shop anyway and have them look over it.

So I get a call back from the shop today and they tell me that they've looked it over, test drove it a few times, checked all the codes, etc. and they say that nothing is wrong with the tranny. They said that the SES code was an "Engine Misfire" and that it has reset its self so they don't think it's anything to worry about. They say it's good to go and to come pick it up with no charge.


What the hell? How is this possible? Any ideas? :dunno:


(2001 GT sporty Spyder)

 

[cszink]

Tha' Fawk???
Maybe a strange problem with the torque converter?
I don't know jack about auto trannies...but at least its working now.
:dunno:

 

[Jabber]

Well, it could be a bad trans sensor. I have seen it happen on a Blazer that I had. Exact same scenario. Could be fluid level in the tranny. Could be lots of things, but if your trans was blown, it definitely wouldn't become un-blown. :lol:

 

[wdlssm]

I had an issue like that, except it wouldn't move. Not stuck in any gear at all. A little while after, I had to have the whole tranny dropped and replaced.

If I were you, I'd hold on to that money. It may not happen any time soon but it will definitely happen at some point. Just save it and consider it a safety net.

My car was a 2001 Sporty GT Coupe.

 

[Hardline]

since these transmissions are fundamentally identical to chrysler's fully electronic trannys in the regards that there is no valve body in them. They are fully controlled by the computer via solenoids. The computer will be constantly looking for the input and output speed sensor data. If it cannot find them, it will automatically panic and drop itself into 3rd gear. It will also be looking for the transmission range sensor. It is more commonly known as the PRNDL Switch. Judging by your claims that it refused to move altogether, i would bet on the range sensor as the culprit, but extremely low tranny fluid can cause the exact same symptoms due to a lack of hydraulic pressure to keep the clutches engaged. Check your fluid level, color, and odor. If it is dark brown or smells like burnt popcorn, get it out of the tranny as quickly as possible. If it is low, add ATF+4 to the transmission through the dipstick tube until it is at the proper level. Tranny fluid should be changed at around 60,000 miles or so, but sooner can never hurt. If your fluid looks good and is at the right level, pull up the Service Manual page on testing the Transmission Range Sensor.

 

[black03gts]

I know im bumping an old thread but where is the sensor located and how can i test it?


I think this is what happened to mine. I had my fluid changed roughly 8k miles ago and now today i had this issue, hard shifting into Drive and reverse. I only had reverse to start with then restarted the car and drive but its only third gear. The speedo isnt working and the lights on the PRND are not on. SRS is on and Check engine light. Code is the TR sensor. Can i replace this? Or is it a tranny place thing? The fluid has a slight smell to it, but why would it be burnt already, I dont beat on the car all the time. I just want all the issues fixed so i can sell it. It seems like all my issues are electrical. First the Heater has issues and now this.

Can some one link me to the service manual page for it. I for some reason have issues navigating around it

 

[snobordin8]

2009 Bump!

My car is having tranny troubles too. I was cruising along the highway and all the sudden it just acted like it was in neutral. It was -4 out if that has anything to do with it. No forward or reverse gears worked. When we were winching it up on the flatbed, it was in park and it would not move, then we put it in neutral and it rolled fine. The car runs fine, just can't get it into gear. The tranny fluid is not dirty, it smells very normal. I cleared the SES codes before checking them, I tried resetting the ecu when I was on the side of the highway to see if that would fix anything.

Anyone have any ideas? I'm thinking it might be that sensor that was mentioned 2 posts up? How do you test that? I don't have a service manual yet.

It did not make any noises that are typical when you blow a transmission (I destroyed 2 2g DSM trannys with too much power and they sounded nasty when the tranny blew). I have to resort to driving a trans am in the snow until I get this figured out.

 

[UKDNA]

I had a GT spyder that would go into 'blinking N' mode every time it rained pretty good. Turns out a cable was unplugged (sorry, don't remember which one) on top of the engine. after I reconnected it, never had the problem again, not even after putting a hood with vents on the car, which allowed rain in. I guess water was shorting a couple of leads.

But when this used to happen, it would not come out of 'N' mode for a few hours, until it dried out, I assume. then it would run perfectly again every time.

Edit: whatever the cable was, it's being unplugged didn't seem to affect the car in any other noticeable way - tho I do think that car threw codes for lean banks prior to that, if that helps - sounds like they might correlate... sorry this was years ago

....may happen with the cable still plugged in but a bad seal at the connector in some cases????

 

[jaloosk]

I'm pretty sure dude hasn't been waiting two years for someone to suggest a fix to his problem :lol:

Good information nonetheless. :yesway:

 

[UKDNA]

Maybe it will help some poor soul someday... and the world will be a little bit better of a place

 

[snobordin8]

Thanks for the follow up, but that cars long gone. It ended up being a pump in the transmission that quit working (don't remember specifics). Took out some other parts with it and ended up costing like $2500 to have it fixed.