Transmission shifts hard into 2nd gear

TITANUSDIABOLUS

MEMBER
2004 CHRYSLER SEBRING
115,000 MILES

04 Sebring coupe lxi. While accelerating, car shifts into second gear, the car shakes violently, back almost to a stop, then gets in gear. It happens randomly to either second or third gear, sometimes not at all. The automatic transmission fluid is at the right level, good color. This did not happen nine hours ago when I drove it last. The car back violently when shifting into a gear, sometimes second, sometimes third, only once did it not happen at all. There is no error code in the diagnostic computer to this effect, and this car has been slowly falling apart. The started has been replaced three times this year, the battery, the fluids darken and need replacing early, and the electrical system has been a nightmare, but a few thousand dollars have worked those out. I'm now broke and need help.

5 Replies

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
109,885 POSTS

Is it shifting at proper times? Does it feel like the transmission is slipping? As far as a rough shift, shift solenoids can cause it and the governor in the transmission. It needs taken apart to check and some special tools. My concern is without trouble codes, it becomes a guessing game.

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Wednesday, October 5th, 2011 AT 1:56 AM

TITANUSDIABOLUS

MEMBER
3 POSTS

It shifts with perfect timing, I'd doesn't feel like it is slipping. Do you have a rough guess for how much this COULD run me?

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Wednesday, October 5th, 2011 AT 2:07 AM

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
109,885 POSTS

That is hard to say without knowing where the problem is coming from. It could be a few different things. As far as the shift solenoids, they are not too expensive and labor is minimal. The trans pan needs removed, so you will have that expense (trans fluid and I would replace the filter at the same time). The gov can get a little expensive. Again, labor shouldn't be too much of an issue because it requires the same process to access it. The problem is finding someone to check these items and their labor. I hate to say it, and I hope you understand, these are educated gusses at this point. No trouble codes makes it difficult to know for sure. I miss the old days. I could tell you anything about a trans just with a little info. Now, there are so many sensors, solenoids, computers. It is a new ball game.

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Wednesday, October 5th, 2011 AT 2:13 AM

TITANUSDIABOLUS

MEMBER
3 POSTS

Oh I know it. I can work on an old truck in my sleep. I'll try getting the system reset and hammering it for a code.

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Wednesday, October 5th, 2011 AT 2:32 AM

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
109,885 POSTS

I don't feel things are better with the new technology. We had good products that were built in USA and proven. Now we get things from everywhere. Nothing is built as well. People say we can get 200K from a vehicle now. Well, back in the day, I would buy my cars at 100K because everyone thought they were done. I would flush the engine, trans (in my own way), service the differential. And then, with maintenance like we do today, the car would easily go another 100K. I often wonder how many miles I could have gotten from the old vehicles if I had the money to buy a new one and maintain it.

Take care and let me know what you find.

Joe