2000 Saturn SL1 banging noise

LLOYD ALCON

MEMBER
2000 SATURN SL1

Transmission problem
2000 Saturn SL1 4 cyl Front Wheel Drive Automatic

I live in vt. Cold weather climate, etc. The trans. Is making a banging noise when it changes gears its a pretty hard bang. When it reaches the last gear it runs fine, no noise, no lose of power. Even when I slow down there is no banging noise. The noise only happens when I start driving. It started today on the way home from an errand and I have not driven the car anymore. Also there are no warning lights coming on at all. Thanks so much. Lloyd

1 Reply

SATURNTECH9

MECHANIC
30,869 POSTS

Well usually when u get a hard shift in every gear it's too high of line pressure in the transmission.U probably ethier have a bad line pressure actuator or wiring going to it. The most likely cause is probably a line pressure regulator which is located in ur valve body. The best thing to do is have it checked out by a professionial I really can't tell u how to diagnose it on This site it takes special tools a transmission pressure gauge scan tool that can buzz the actuators and command the pressures for the step pressure check also air check the clutchs all that. Also u should have the alternator tested sometimes they go bad and cause the transmission to shift poorly. Let me know what u find.