Transmission slips in fourth gear around 50-60 MPH?

Tiny
NITHINCOBALT
  • MEMBER
  • 2008 CHEVROLET COBALT
  • 2.4L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 201,020 MILES
When I drive the vehicle on a level road, everything works good, shifting is good, but after reaching 60-65 MPH the gear shifts down and the RPMs go to 3+ from and then if I take my foot off the gas and gradually accelerate, it shifts into 4th gear, goes smooth up to 80 MPH in the last gear without any problem, and randomly downshifts only at 70+ MPH speeds and again, if I take my foot off the gas pedal and accelerate gradually it stays good in 4th gear. But when I'm driving uphill this happens at around 45 - 55 mph speeds, and if I do the same thing take my foot off the gas and accelerate gradually it will now stay in third gear as I'm driving uphill needs more power.

This is an used car I've had it for almost an year. Is this because of low transmission fluid maybe? I haven't changed transmission fluid, and I don't know whether the previous owner did it.
Tuesday, February 27th, 2024 AT 12:01 AM

4 Replies

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 47,513 POSTS
This sounds like it could be the input shaft speed sensor, but can I ask if the check engine light is on? If so, we should run the codes.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/checking-a-service-engine-soon-or-check-engine-light-on-or-flashing

Also, checking the transmission fluid level is a must as well. Here is how it is done and if it smells burnt then we should change it.

Fluid Types

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID

DEXRON-VI Automatic Transmission Fluid.

Here is the location of the input shaft speed sensor (#46) as well in case a code comes up for it. Check out the images (below). Let us know how it goes.

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Tuesday, February 27th, 2024 AT 9:42 AM
Tiny
KEN L
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Anything?
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Saturday, May 11th, 2024 AT 11:41 AM
Tiny
NITHINCOBALT
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
I've got a code P0016, but crankshaft and camshaft sensors are new good ones, the timing chain is also good. But I still got this code from over a year. And I've checked the input shaft speed sensor it is all good, I've changed the transmission fluid recently. It doesn't change anything at all.
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Saturday, May 11th, 2024 AT 6:52 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
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The code P0016 is for the engine correlation so it won't have anything to do with the engine, please start a new thread for that, it might be that the transmission @ 200k is just worn out. When you changed the fluid did it smell burnt? If so this can be the case.
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Sunday, May 12th, 2024 AT 11:58 AM

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