2003 Sunfire Need help with tranny problem

[dzrtrataz]

I have a 03 sunfire 2.2L dohc automatic with 101,000 miles and just recently I am having problems with the gears shifting. I took it in and I had them replace the tranny fluid and filter. It drove like it was new again. 2 weeks later I have the same problem. When I start the vehicle and put in in reverse it feels like the gears slam into place. Then when I put it into drive BOOM it slams into gear. As I am driving from 1st gear it slightly slams into 2nd and so on. No matter how gentle I put it into gear it feels like the gears automatically slam into place. Any suggestions would greatly be appreciated on what to look for or what to do.

[Moody Blues]

If you are lucky, it might be a bad engine mount, I used to have this problem w/ my old Buick Century.

A quick way to check it is to have a freind help you. Watch the engine as someone holds the brake down and shifts the trans into reverse, then neutral, then drive (assuming you have an automatic). If the engine rocks back and forth a lot, it might be a bad mount. Otherwise, you might have a trans problem brewing. Good Luck

[dzrtrataz]

I was thinking the same thing. I will check it out when I have more light outside. However when i got the fluid and filter changed it ran like new again. Could it be that when they replaced those items they may have reset the codes to the car and with the shift of the motor mounts may have triggered the code again? My check engine is now on and it thugs real hard when gears shift.

[millrtime]

03 with 101,000 miles!?!? dayum thats some serious driving. i have an 03 with 32000, mostly in town driving i guess. i am starting to feel the same occur in mine. def. different from when i got her new. i hope it doesnt grow into wat urs sounds like but my sisters does that also, 93 accord. the thing damn near gives you whiplash everytime u shift into any gear. the dealer in town changed tranny fluid like in urs, and they also replaced the motor mount bushings which seemed to help. it def. sounds like something with the motor though. cavy/sun trannys are pretty strong and can take a lot of abuse, unlike anything else that goes in a gm economy car.....

[dzrtrataz]

Yea, I do alot of driving and vacationing in this vehicle. Most of the miles are hwy of course. The only problems I have had with this vehicle were @ 40,000 miles I had to change the fuel pump I guess down the line I got some bad gas and it killed the fuel pump. Once replaced it drove fine till about 101,000 and now I am having problems with the gears. I like how you said it darn near gives you whiplash, thats a good discription on what happens when the gears change.

[dzrtrataz]

I found 2 problems with the car. The first one is the slamming of the gears was caused by 2 broken motor mounts (upper and lower). Thanks to Moody Blues I was able to he was able to diagnos it for me. I found some good mounts on http://www.carcustoms.net. Here are a couple of pics in case you are trying to picuture the mounts (upper) http://www.carcustoms.net/images/rk-02031010.jpg , and (Lower) http://www.carcustoms.net/images/cc-0002.jpg The second problem I had was a check engine light that came on. I took it to an autozone and they put the OBDII connection and read the code. P0113 displayed and indicated that my IAS intake airflow sensor was reading different temps than the other sensors were reading. This item I picked up at autozone for $10. My engine light is off. I hope my work helps others out so they do not have to spend hundres of thousands of dollars when they could have done it themselves.
Thanks Moody Blues

[ecotec 2.2]

Originally Posted by dzrtrataz

I have a 03 sunfire 2.2L dohc automatic with 101,000 miles and just recently I am having problems with the gears shifting. I took it in and I had them replace the tranny fluid and filter. It drove like it was new again. 2 weeks later I have the same problem. When I start the vehicle and put in in reverse it feels like the gears slam into place. Then when I put it into drive BOOM it slams into gear. As I am driving from 1st gear it slightly slams into 2nd and so on. No matter how gentle I put it into gear it feels like the gears automatically slam into place. Any suggestions would greatly be appreciated on what to look for or what to do.

had the same problum on a 2002 z24 cavalier same motor 2.2 ecotec auto it was the wireing that went to the trany the controled the synoids in the tranny good luck