Car jerks and clunks

1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN
300,000 MILES • 4WD • AUTOMATIC
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GREG ZIOLKOWSKI
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
When I drive my car around town normally it works fine no problems that I can tell. How ever when I take it out on the highway and drive it 100 mph then slow down and drive 30 mph it has done everything from jerk until I turn it off. then when I turn it back on it it's fine, to make a clunk sound, to nothing and work as normal. Like I say when I drive it in town it works fine. The transmission doesn't slip or hesitate or leak fluid or smell funny. I am not sure what it could be.
Mar 18, 2020 at 7:26 PM
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KASEKENNY
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 18,907 POSTS
This sounds like an issue with the torque converter not disengaging when it should. On these older vehicles the torque converter is not applied until higher gears and steady throttle. Once it is engaged, if it doesn't release then it can cause a stalling concern or even jerking, clunking noises because it is throwing off the gear ratios.

Try driving on the highway and then just pull off an off ramp and come to a complete stop and see if the engine stalls. If it does then the converter is not disengaging.

I know you said it doesn't leak or smell but just make sure it is at the proper level as well. Also, have you checked for codes?

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/automatic-transmission-problems
Mar 18, 2020 at 10:06 PM
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