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When selecting any gear it says it is in third gear, shifts hard?

Tiny
ELIJAH GARRETT
  • MEMBER
  • 2004 SATURN L300
  • 3.0L
  • V6
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 186,000 MILES
When the transmission is in park, it says it’s in 3rd gear. If I select any of the other gears, it says it’s in 3rd. It’ll only rev up to 2,000 RPMs when in neutral or park. Then it starts to surge forward slowly. It’ll go forward like one foot, then stop, go forward, then stop repeatedly. It shifts hard now, and I can go forward and reverse through all the gears but have no idea what's causing it. All the fluids are good too. It gives power to the obd2 scanner but won't let me scan anything I've tried multiple scanners.
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Monday, July 24th, 2023 AT 9:58 PM

13 Replies

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 48,356 POSTS
I would start by checking all fuses, especially the CD-DLC fuse in the under-hood fuse panel, left side. Here is a guide to help and the ALDL connector wiring diagrams which is what the computer uses to access the system so you can see how it works.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-a-car-fuse

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

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Tuesday, July 25th, 2023 AT 7:23 PM
Tiny
ELIJAH GARRETT
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
I checked all fuses already and replaced ECM, but nothing fixed it.
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Tuesday, July 25th, 2023 AT 7:56 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 48,356 POSTS
Okay, it sounds like the transmission range sensor needs to be replaced, here is the location and how to change it out. My bad I should have thought of that earlier, sorry. Check out the images (below). Please let us know what you find.
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Thursday, July 27th, 2023 AT 1:45 PM
Tiny
ELIJAH GARRETT
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
I just checked the grounds and one of the grounds we're at 8 volts instead of 12 the rest we're at 12 volts and when the key is on the on position it drops to 5 volts. Also, when messing with it when the key is on Accessories mode the transmission shows the correct gear but not in run or when running.
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Thursday, July 27th, 2023 AT 2:30 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 48,356 POSTS
Grounds are not supposed to have voltage unless the ground is bad. Can you recheck the connections to ground. Please use this guide and I have included the ground wiring diagrams so you can do the testing, all of them should have close to .0 Ohms

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-wiring

Check out the images (below). Please let us know how it goes.
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Friday, July 28th, 2023 AT 10:09 AM
Tiny
ELIJAH GARRETT
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
When I checked the grounds, I set it to my voltmeter to 20 volts and connected my positive to the positive on the battery and the negative to my grounds to make sure there was power getting through.
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Friday, July 28th, 2023 AT 10:35 AM
Tiny
KEN L
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  • 48,356 POSTS
Okay, if there is any question about the voltmeter, please go over this guide:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-use-a-voltmeter

Please let us know how it goes.
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Saturday, July 29th, 2023 AT 12:31 PM
Tiny
ELIJAH GARRETT
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
I'm having a mechanic look at it over the week. I'll keep you updated.
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Saturday, July 29th, 2023 AT 6:36 PM
Tiny
KEN L
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Please do.
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Monday, July 31st, 2023 AT 10:24 AM
Tiny
ELIJAH GARRETT
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
I have a update, we replaced the throttle body and pedal and now it idles perfect, but now there is no response from the pedal when pressed.
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Friday, August 4th, 2023 AT 11:35 AM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 48,356 POSTS
Sorry, we only handle one problem per thread, please post your new question here, you must be logged in. What ever happened to the transmissions problem?

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/new

Cheers, Ken
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Saturday, August 5th, 2023 AT 9:47 AM
Tiny
ELIJAH GARRETT
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
I think the transmission problem is due to lack of power since that one ground is only getting 8v instead of 12v, makes sense to me because when the vehicle is on it drops to 5v and when off it's at 8v and when at 8v the transmission is showing the right shifter position.
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Saturday, August 5th, 2023 AT 11:49 AM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 48,356 POSTS
Can you please shoot a quick video of the test you are doing? That way I can tell for sure what's going on. You can upload it here with your response.
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Monday, August 7th, 2023 AT 9:47 AM

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