01 alero shifting hard and clunking

[frobotz]

Well wit started yesterday. i did a fluid service with filter. Everything ops checked good lastnight. My wife drove it to wal mart today, It started shifting hard and the check engine light came on. Any thoughts before I take it to the shop?

[scoopy03]

Originally Posted by frobotz

Well wit started yesterday. i did a fluid service with filter. Everything ops checked good lastnight. My wife drove it to wal mart today, It started shifting hard and the check engine light came on. Any thoughts before I take it to the shop?

possible vacuum leak......but is it 4cyl 2.4 or 6cyl 3.4? i know with the 4 cylinder because i had it happen on mine i had check engine light and it was shifting hard and clunking and jolting me back and forth. the location of the vacuum hose i had problem with was right by the middle of the engine by the throttle body.

[frobotz]

our is a 3.4 v6 with 43k miles. 2001 alero, automatic. i will check the vacuum lines and get back to you.

[frobotz]

No joy, I ran a high end scanner on it. We wen thru all codes. Only issue with check engine is an intake air temp sensor. The trans is not registering voltage at the pressure switch located on the front of the trans. I think it works like a modulator valve did on the old transmissions, so the trans thinks its at full throttle. I dont know. Looks like about $1350 for a used trans, then its off to trade it in. I cannot believe GM ever produced such a POS as this car. Everything from passlock to a transmission without a dipstick. Wheel sensors made into bearings. Man this car should have never been built, or recalled completely. I have heard the aurora is just as bad. This will be our last Oldsmobile ever.

[scoopy03]

Originally Posted by frobotz

No joy, I ran a high end scanner on it. We wen thru all codes. Only issue with check engine is an intake air temp sensor. The trans is not registering voltage at the pressure switch located on the front of the trans. I think it works like a modulator valve did on the old transmissions, so the trans thinks its at full throttle. I dont know. Looks like about $1350 for a used trans, then its off to trade it in. I cannot believe GM ever produced such a POS as this car. Everything from passlock to a transmission without a dipstick. Wheel sensors made into bearings. Man this car should have never been built, or recalled completely. I have heard the aurora is just as bad. This will be our last Oldsmobile ever.

1350 for a used tranny heh. i got mine with warranty installed for just 50 well that was years ago now though but you should be able to found a grand am or something and it shouldn't cost that much for a tranny just the install if anything.

[xeroinfinity]

Yeah for a good transmission you'll pay about $500-600 then $600-800 on an install.
Just did this on my GA SE, same tranys

I did the work my self and still spent about $3000.

Also Check that IAT, if its bad that'll effect your trans shifting

[khayward2004]

yea check the IAT sensor i have the same issue with my v6 and it cost about 10-15 for the sensor itself and its recommended to change the wiring about 25 from the dealer at the same time

[frobotz]

Originally Posted by khayward2004

yea check the IAT sensor i have the same issue with my v6 and it cost about 10-15 for the sensor itself and its recommended to change the wiring about 25 from the dealer at the same time

Tell me more.
I had a guy that works at AAMCO come by with his scanner. No codes associated with the trans. I had a idle air temp sensor code. If your IAT gave you hard shifting and klunking noise I will get it replaced before I replace the transmission. Thanks i will let you know what i find out.

[frobotz]

I have been calling arund to auto parts stores< Noone offers the Idle Air temp sensor. I guess its a dealer part.

Let me ask, Did your start shifting really hard when your IAT went out?

[frobotz]

replaced the IAT. Idle dropped down to around 600 RPM lik eit should. bad news is the trans is still shifting really hard. Looks like its $1325 for me.

[xeroinfinity]

Might give your car a day or so to see if changing the IAT helps the shifts.

SO they are saying no codes ?
How long has it been since your fluid & filter change ?

Your trans might not be broke, lets hope its something simple not requiring a new or rebuilt one.

[gen6eric]

Originally Posted by frobotz

Well wit started yesterday. i did a fluid service with filter. Everything ops checked good lastnight. My wife drove it to wal mart today, It started shifting hard and the check engine light came on. Any thoughts before I take it to the shop?

We just went through this battle. I know that it can be any number of things, but this is our story and what the solution was for us. (Keeping my fingers crossed ... it's been five days ... and no more problems.)

My daughter's 2001 Alero started dying (intermitently) at lights / stop signs / parking. It would start back up, but would straighten up on it's own and work fine for a while.

There were no reports from her regarding warning lights, but when my husband checked for codes it showed P0102. He tried checking for vacuum leaks, cleaning the K&N reusable air filter, cleaning the throttle body, and the Idle Air Controller. Each time, the car would run fine for a day or two, then start dying again.

The last time this happened, when it was started back up, it began the hard shifting thing and the engine light would come on. It was still throwing the P0102 code and my husband finally started checking things out with a volt meter. He discovered that there was a frayed wire (that broke when he jiggled it) in the connector plug that connects to the MAF sensor.

He was able to remove the broken piece of wire from the plug and re-solder the wire. His belief was that the wire bundle that was taped to another wire bundle and pulled so taut, that the pressure of some other cabling (being pushed on by the closed hood) caused enough stress to damage the wire.

Of course, after he struggled with these wires that barely had enough length to reach their destination, we did find out from a mechanic that we consulted with that there is a pig-tail connector that he could have purchased. But ... at that time, he just wanted it fixed and the auto parts stores were closed.

At least if any of those other wires are damaged, he will know where to look first when the next symptoms appear.

[frobotz]

well I got it, I had to replace several bad wire ends to repair the damaged ground wires causing the compputer to default to the -40 degree setting cousing high fluid pressure. Wow these cars are really big pieces of crap. As soon as I find someone that wants this car, its a gonner. Adios to Oldsmoble forever.

[Blue Bowtie]

Originally Posted by frobotz

No joy, I ran a high end scanner on it. We wen thru all codes. Only issue with check engine is an intake air temp sensor. The trans is not registering voltage at the pressure switch located on the front of the trans. I think it works like a modulator valve did on the old transmissions, so the trans thinks its at full throttle. I dont know. Looks like about $1350 for a used trans, then its off to trade it in.



well I got it, I had to replace several bad wire ends to repair the damaged ground wires causing the compputer to default to the -40 degree setting cousing high fluid pressure.

The scanner told you exactly what you needed to know. Incomplete diagnosis of the indicated problem is not the fault of GM. At least you deserve credit for sticking with it and completing the repair, especially given your obvious level of frustration.

Originally Posted by frobotz

Wow these cars are really big pieces of crap. As soon as I find someone that wants this car, its a gonner. Adios to Oldsmoble forever.

If you think the car is a "piece of crap" because of a wiring problem, you never, EVER, EVER want to own a Honda or VW/Audi. You've never even seen wiring problems until you get a 5-7 year old example of one of those. Then there is Ford, but at least they are making an attempt to fix it.

Originally Posted by frobotz

I cannot believe GM ever produced such a POS as this car. Everything from passlock to a transmission without a dipstick...

Just like the most "sophisticated car ever produced" - BMW. They have fill and drain plugs on the trans pan in some of their vehicles and no dipsticks. Some of those "really good" Mercedes don't even have a crankcase oil drain plug, if you want to complain about something.

Originally Posted by frobotz

...Wheel sensors made into bearings.

Just like the "Most popular car ever made" - Toyota. Many of their vehicles have wheel speed sensors integrated into the hub assembly. You can thank that superior Japanese technology for that brain fart. Actually, that's not even fair, since that method of assembly is familiar to many brands and models, and Toyota just copied it like everything else.

Originally Posted by frobotz

Man this car should have never been built, or recalled completely. I have heard the aurora is just as bad. This will be our last Oldsmobile ever.

If it is that "bad" you're going to be really disappointed with a lot of other models once the problems start. Look around at some of the other sections of AF and other model-specific sites for whatever model you choose. Don't look at the numbers of posts, but the content. You'll see what kinds of problems are being experienced after Consumer Reports and Car and Driver have long since forgotten their editorials.

[frobotz]

Hey, I have owned and worked on alto of cars, This one os by far the worst engineered of them all that I have owned. My car only has 43k miles on it. This is the first car my wife has had that wasnt ford and it isnt making a very good impression. ( i am a dedicated GM man myself) The scanner told me i had no voltage at the pressure valve in the transmission, nothing more. I had to do the footwork to find this elusive ghost causing the car to be almost undrivable. I had to stay at it even after the AMMACO guy told me it was just a bad transmission. ( I didnt see how if it still shifted in all gears and drove fine except hard shifting) I know all cars have issues, but our old Sable was twice the car this one is. i am gonna set on it for a couple weeks and if i dont get a warmer feeling about it, Its gone.