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Transmission not working properly

Tiny
RASMUSSEN12
  • MEMBER
  • 2004 BUICK CENTURY
  • 3.1L
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 170,000 MILES
Car cranks shifts sounds good no problems other than the car will not move. I have changed out the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) sensor it was making loud noise when put in park. I have gotten a neutral safety switch that I plan to change out tomorrow. My next step will be transmission control solenoid and maybe even thinking speed sensors. My car was stolen and wrecked but everything works and sounds perfect. No service engine light the only one was the code p0405 for the (EGR) so I fixed that. Car did not have any transmission problems in the past so I am just stunned at what in the world is going on. I did replace front dumper, back dumper, the side panel, the cluster, washer fluid reservoir, rotors and brake pads. Check all fluid had to add coolant and a little brake fluid but nothing is leaking. All plugs that I have inspected is plugged in. I have checked and changed fuses. Tomorrow I plan on getting closer up and personal with the transmission it self, but would really like to know what direction to go in.
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Sunday, April 11th, 2021 AT 12:38 AM

17 Replies

Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,907 POSTS
Any time we have a new or emerging transmission issue we want to start with the fluid. I see you checked it but what was the condition of it? Also, have you checked the linkage to make sure it is connected and adjusted properly.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/automatic-transmission-problems

I attached below the process to adjust it. I would suggest starting with this and go from there. Let us know what you find with this but if this all checks out then a solenoid issue would make sense.
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Sunday, April 11th, 2021 AT 4:59 PM
Tiny
RASMUSSEN12
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
None of the wheels spin in neutral engine just revs up and the car tires don't move. I had for that when we tried to push the car to move it it wouldn't budge so I checked to see if they would spin.
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Monday, April 12th, 2021 AT 9:01 AM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,627 POSTS
Okay, if you start the car and put it in gear does the engine sound change like the transmission is working or does it stay the same as if it was in park? How about if you shift into low, what does it do then? You say nothing moves in neutral? Is that all 4 tires or only the front drive tires you checked? Does the shift lever feel like it is moving the transmission selector itself. It's possible that the insert bushing in the shift cable failed or was damaged and the car isn't shifting out of park. Have someone watch the shift lever under the hood as you try to shift it inside the car. If it's not moving or the cable is off on either end then that is the issue.
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Monday, April 12th, 2021 AT 5:53 PM
Tiny
RASMUSSEN12
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
I moved the front tires but the car is only jacked up in the front so I haven't been able to test the back ones yet.
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Monday, April 12th, 2021 AT 6:07 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,627 POSTS
Okay, but the fronts didn't turn in neutral?
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Monday, April 12th, 2021 AT 6:15 PM
Tiny
RASMUSSEN12
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
They didn't turn in neutral but I can turn them by hand.
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Monday, April 12th, 2021 AT 7:07 PM
Tiny
RASMUSSEN12
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
Think I'm going to get a solenoid kit and try that maybe the speed sensor first because they cheaper.
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Monday, April 12th, 2021 AT 7:08 PM
Tiny
RASMUSSEN12
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
I just really don't want it to be the whole transmission because it has never had problems. So I'm trying everything I can come up with.
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Monday, April 12th, 2021 AT 7:26 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,627 POSTS
Neither the solenoids or sensors would cause that issue. If I'm understanding you the car runs but when put in any gear the front drive tires don't move. Correct. But you can turn them by hand. When you turn one side by hand does the other side turn the opposite direction? If so it sounds like the transmission isn't coming out of park, that would point at the shift cable or the lever on the transmission not an internal problem unless the thieves did neutral drops with it and damaged the parking pawl. What does the engine do when you shift it into gear?
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Monday, April 12th, 2021 AT 10:01 PM
Tiny
RASMUSSEN12
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
Just shifts and if you push the gas the engine revs up.
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Monday, April 12th, 2021 AT 10:29 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,627 POSTS
Okay, so you move the lever and nothing, does the lever seem to move easier than normal or anything like that. Can you have someone watch the lever on the transaxle while you shift it to make sure it's actually moving? As I said earlier, the cables on them have inserts that fail or pop off on the studs that they just snap on. Those are on both ends.
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Monday, April 12th, 2021 AT 10:47 PM
Tiny
RASMUSSEN12
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  • 10 POSTS
I watched the cable under the hood move while we switched gears.
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Monday, April 12th, 2021 AT 10:50 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,627 POSTS
But did the lever on the transmission move with it? If yes then I think you have an internal problem as the solenoids in that transmission are not the only items in control, it should still move even if they are all bad. In this case it sounds like there is another issue.
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Monday, April 12th, 2021 AT 11:01 PM
Tiny
RASMUSSEN12
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  • 10 POSTS
I believe that cable moves.
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Tuesday, April 13th, 2021 AT 12:17 AM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,627 POSTS
I would verify that the manual lever on the transmission moves. If it does and the car doesn't move then something internal to the transmission is bad and likely needs to be rebuilt. You say it was stolen and wrecked, did that happen prior to the transmission issue? Or was it recovered and now has it. If so I would bet they did something like shifting into reverse at speed or something like that and did internal damage that can only be repaired with a rebuild. What color is the fluid and does it have any glitter in it?
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Tuesday, April 13th, 2021 AT 1:37 AM
Tiny
RASMUSSEN12
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
Looks normal it's not real dark and I didn't see any glitter and I had no transmission problems before.
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Thursday, April 15th, 2021 AT 3:46 AM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,627 POSTS
You say you had no problems before, was that before it was stolen and wrecked? If so then you don't know what the thieves did to it. There is a phrase used "Drive it like you stole it" Basically it means drive it like you don't care what happens to it because it isn't yours. That could mean driving it for miles in low gear at high speed, holding the throttle down and then shifting it into gear, driving at 85 MPH and slamming it into park. Plus on the recovery side, they don't own it so may have just forced it into park or neutral without being careful.
That is why I ask if you say you had no trouble before it was stolen as that no longer applies because you don't know what they did.
Your description still sounds like internal damage.
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Thursday, April 15th, 2021 AT 7:05 AM

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