multiple problems;please help!

:banghead: I hope someone can help me with my problem. my 2000 grand am has 120,000 miles. My rpm's go over 2200 when I start my car. My father-in-law had reset the battery and this has helped for approximately 10 months. I noticed they were running high again so my husband reset the battery a couple of weeks ago. Two days ago my transmission was hard shifting into 2nd and 3rd. We added trans fluid (my father in law said our recent 2200 mile trip to FL could have lost some fluid. It took 2 quarts and hasn't really been slipping since. So yesterday on a 90 mile trip with about 20 miles to go my trac off light came on, my cruise disabled, car was running very sluggish. We turned the car off the trans shifted hard into drive but was fine after that. I know this is long, but if we could please help I will be so grateful. thank you

Welcome to AF.

High idling is usually due to the Idle air control valve-IAC.
Its located on the side of the Throttle body.
It could be faulty or just cloged and not working properly.

First I would get the car scanned with a scann tool that can read ABS and transmission codes. Otherwise your just guessing at "what" it could be.

Check here for some testing procedures that might help.
Tips and Maintenance Sub forum (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=2148)

thank you so much. My father in law checked and cleaned the IAC (and pretty much everything else under the hood). Now it starts at about 1100 rpm and idols around 700-800 when warm. So hopefully this was the fix. He also used your graphics that you posted on locations of sensors. Thank you again, you are greatly appreciated!

thank you so much. My father in law checked and cleaned the IAC (and pretty much everything else under the hood). Now it starts at about 1100 rpm and idols around 700-800 when warm. So hopefully this was the fix. He also used your graphics that you posted on locations of sensors. Thank you again, you are greatly appreciated!

No problem and you are Welcome!