Ultimate cause and solution for Century hard shifting revealed..

[Peter Solarik]

Hello everybody with hard shifting problems.
I had a same problem. Took the car to local trans shop (in the business since 1959) and they replaced the EPC Solenoid.
According to the shop owner (who also teaches new technicians the service of transmissions at local colleges), the main problem is that the transmission is starved of fluid right from the time when the car is new.
He knows these transmission well. It is not only Buick which puts their owners back by thousands of dollars for unnecessary (preventable) repairs, he informed me that most of the GM cars have the same problem. He further said that not one Ford trans came thru his shop with the same problem.
He fixes the problems (after needed repairs) with simple solution.
His technician add some 1.5 litres of fluid on top (above) of recommended amount by GM.
I have the car now back. Problem is gone. Since I just picked the car up yesterday, I did not have a chance to drive it much to find out whether the problem is altogether gone.
I will keep you posted for sure.
He also mentioned that it is understandable that GM will not put out warning to car owners (to add more fluid), since the owners of all GM cars would demand recalls and compensations for trans repairs.
I wonder what our experts here will say about that. I already mentioned this problem/solution here in my previous Thread, but no comment on this GM problem so far has been either supported or dismissed by our resident experts here.
Makes me think - WHY ?!

[Flatrater]

Well Peter I have a hard time believing that. Low fliud level will first show up at the clutches. The clutches will lose their friction material and start to cause a trans slip.


Low fluid level will not effect the PC solenoid. This is an electrical solenoid. The problem with the solenoid is the metal hardness inside. The valve was redesigned.

As for GM being concerned about abut a recall is pure bull. This is not a safety defect which will not cause a crash or death so no chance of it becoming a recall. As for the remibursement GM only owes a GM owner money for 3 years or 36K miles after that its all on the owner unless GM decides to extend the warranty period for the repair. GM has extended warranty repairs many times on different issues. The trans issue you have isn't going to be extended.

As for Fords they have there own problems with transmisisons as all auto makers do.

Your PCS problem is well know by all GM dealers as well as many independent shops. GM has written many service bulletins to address this issue. And the issue comes down to metal hardness not fluid level.

[BNaylor]

Hi Peter,

Glad to see the PCS solenoid took care of your problem. So what was the total amount for parts & labor in U.S. or Canadian $ doesn't matter.

On the issue of the ATF fluid level, I'm going to pass on that subject. My '01 Regal GS is still under extended warranty and don't want to raise any eyebrows at the local dealer when I take it in for service.

Good luck!