Metro Automatic Transmission Fixes

[HannabilRox]

Maybe others can add on to this post with other symptoms / fixes for Metro automatic transmissions going forward.

Just wanted to post some automatic transmission issues I have had with my 92 GEO Metro 1.0L w/ 3 speed automatic and their fixes for those who may be experiencing the same problems. This transmission barely has 90,000 miles on it, and I replaced the filter / fluid @ 70,000 miles.

1) Symptom - Put shifter in "D" and the car would start out in 3rd gear. Manually shift in "1" and "2" and those gears worked with no problems. Reverse worked fine as well.

Fix - replaced the automatic transmission control module.

2) Symptom - same as #1 above. If I were to gently put the shifter in "D", the car would start out in 3rd gear. If I were to put the shifter in "D" a little more forcefully, it would work as normal.

Fix - The nut on the shift cable under the hood that connects to the transmission shift arm / neutral safety switch had come loose. Tightened the nut and put shifter in "D" gently or forcefully and it worked fine.

3) Symptom - Start the car from sitting overnight. Would go into reverse and shift properly until it warmed up. After the car warmed up, it would not shift from 1st to 2nd without letting off the gas after the car wound up to 5,000 RPM on the TACH in 1st gear. Manually shifting to "1" or "2" did no good. No longer had reverse. Let the car sit overnight, worked fine until it warmed up.

Some troubleshooting that was attempted:
a) Replaced automatic transmission control module (ATCM) - no change
b) Replace speed sensor - no change
c) Replaced neutral safety switch - no change - however, leaving the neutral safety switch in the "P" position, and removing it from the shift rod and just laying it on the tranny, wires still connected, I was able to start and drive the car by manually shifting the transmission from "1" to "2" to "D" and it worked just fine. I also had reverse, so I concluded that the transmission bands / clutches themselves were not bad, but must be the valve body / solenoids.

Fix - Dropped the tranny pan and replaced the ( 2 ) shift solenoids located in the valve body. Also replaced transmission filter and gasket while at it and tighted up the valve body bolts.