trans comes out of the gear

usely happends 45+ but not always sometimes it seems to come out of gear, when it shifts down feels like it locks for a second. toke it to dealer no codes sometime it goes for days then sometimes it acts up alot(really random) any ideas? times it doesent wont to shift out of 3rd i think it may be the shifting selnond r how ever u spell it or may be the lock up relay i dont really no anything about this yr car but any help would be great

when was the last time the fluid was changed?

well c it was my girlfriends and i changed it still the same i mean i go some days and days never skips a beat but like yesterday it was acting up badly no one can seem it ponit me in the right way ifanyone knows anything let me no

I bought a 97 contour gl 2.0L with 144K on it. Test drove it(not long enough) and it seemed perfect. Yet after a few hundred miles it started doing the same thing your talking about: shift out of gear and makes a clunk when it shifts back into gear. Sometimes it shift in and out rapidly. and sometimes it shift to a lower gear then back.

I've been researching online and like beyondloadedSE (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/member.php?u=64119) mentioned I'm gonna have the trans fluid/filter flushed/replaced. I'm worried that i'll find metal shavings when take the cover off... :( I also found that the valve body may be deffective. How much might this cost depending on the severity of the problem? anyhoo, this scares the hell out of me when I drive it. But i have to get to work somehow! please anyone know If the trans is gonna die?