I've been told that I may need to have the solenoids replaced on my 2002 sle, (254,000 mi, 154,000 are mine). Anyone been through this? Car bucks and runs rough occasionally when starting out, when it's shifting from 1st to 2nd. If I pull over, shift into park, turn it off, then start it up, put it in drive and ease away, it shifts smoothly into 2nd and everything is fine through the rest of the gears. Trans guy says 4-5 hours, around $400-$500 parts & labor.

Very possible that this is your problem! Usually a check engine light with a code pertaining to a shift solenoid problem goes along with this. Do you have a check engine light? If so, what is the code?

Are you sure you don't mean Pressure Control Solenoid, with the common P1811? If so, put in a Transgo 4t65e shift kit to fix the hard shifts, about $40 + fluid & filter.

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Andrew - owner/operator of Bonnevilles Unlimited

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Also possible is a failing Mass Air Flow sensor causing a P1811.

The MAF sensor is a crucial part that tells the transmission when to shift, influences when the spark plugs spark and how much gas the engine needs.
When it goes bad, gas mileage suffers, the car runs poorly and the transmission may not shift right.
I would suggest you replace the MAF sensor with a Hitachi MAF0047 or a good used one from a junkyard and see if all the other problems disappear.
If you can turn a screwdriver and unplug a wiring connector, you can replace the MAF sensor yourself , saving the cost of labor and saving money on the part.
I can't guarantee this will fix all the issues but it very well may and is the least expensive option.
Here is an example of how the MAF sensor failing or being dirty can cause transmission issues http://www.tripleedgeperformance.com/Harsh-Shift-P1811.html