power windows slow, tranny hard shift, smells warm

Discuss your 2000-2005 Bonneville SE, SLE, SSEi, Buick Le Sabre 00-05 and Buick Park Avenue 97-05. Please use General Chat for non-mechanical issues, and Performance and Brainstorming for improvements.
Post Reply
KVH2002
SE Member
SE Member
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:57 pm
Year and Trim: 2002 SSEI 179k White
2002 SSEI 24k Black
Location: Lafayette, IN

power windows slow, tranny hard shift, smells warm

Post by KVH2002 »

I'm working on the 02 ssei I inherited from my grandparents. Had it about 3 years and I just wanted to work on the few issues I'm having.
1: The power windows seem slow to me. the driver side has a new motor and the passenger side I'm getting ready to replace the motor. Does the regulator need replaced too?

2: The tranny shifts hard sometimes which I've read its the pressure solenoid. Just wanted to know if this can be done with basic tools. I don't own any heavy duty stuff :/

3: I think the car smells warm sometimes. It's not using coolant or oil but will a lower temp thermostat help?

4: my service engine light is on. the code says it could be the gas cap, evap can, emissions vacuum. what is the likely culprit.

Kyle
Last edited by KVH2002 on Thu Aug 23, 2012 2:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
cbierniat
SE Member
SE Member
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri May 04, 2012 3:36 pm
Year and Trim: 2000 SSEI

Re: power windows slow, tranny hard shift, smells warm

Post by cbierniat »

Windows: you can buy just the motor check www.rockauto.com The regulator is what usually fails

Hard shift: Does it do it while the car is cold, warm, or all the time? Could be PCS sensor. I would do a trans pan drop replace filter and refill. While you have the pan drop you could look into adding a home made shift kit or purchase one from the vendors here. If it has high mileage and you don't know if it's had trans flushes done religiously I wouldn't flush just drop pan.

Smell warm: Where does your gauge read? When's last time coolant flush/change been done? If you want it to run cooler under the half way on the gauge you probably are looking at purchasing a reprogrammed PCM which will turn the fans on sooner than the factory 220 (guess) degrees. Colder stat may drop a few degrees but it'll just throw other electronics off and it won't run as efficient unless you have the reprogrammed pcm with the mods.

Hope it helps i through this together real fast :banana:
cbierniat
SE Member
SE Member
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri May 04, 2012 3:36 pm
Year and Trim: 2000 SSEI

Re: power windows slow, tranny hard shift, smells warm

Post by cbierniat »

gas cap: Here's basic quick checks... Could be triggered while filling tank with car on, faulty cap, not tightened cap. Have the code reset and see what happens.

When i had that problem it was a bad cap.

could be other issues but start there ...
01bonneSC
Certified Bonneville Nut
Certified Bonneville Nut
Posts: 4938
Joined: Sat May 24, 2008 5:18 pm
Year and Trim: 05 Chevy 'Hoe
1997 'maro (3.8L M5)
89 SkiDoo
Location: Sycamore, IL

Re: power windows slow, tranny hard shift, smells warm

Post by 01bonneSC »

If you turn your own wrenches, there's a fix for the windows in the TECHINFO section. Check that out before you go spend money on new regulator.
Image
00Beast wrote:Less off-topic than Lane's Heated Steering wheel, but yeah, back to the topic.
KVH2002
SE Member
SE Member
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:57 pm
Year and Trim: 2002 SSEI 179k White
2002 SSEI 24k Black
Location: Lafayette, IN

Re: power windows slow, tranny hard shift, smells warm

Post by KVH2002 »

cbierniat wrote:Windows: you can buy just the motor check http://www.rockauto.com The regulator is what usually fails

Hard shift: Does it do it while the car is cold, warm, or all the time? Could be PCS sensor. I would do a trans pan drop replace filter and refill. While you have the pan drop you could look into adding a home made shift kit or purchase one from the vendors here. If it has high mileage and you don't know if it's had trans flushes done religiously I wouldn't flush just drop pan.

Smell warm: Where does your gauge read? When's last time coolant flush/change been done? If you want it to run cooler under the half way on the gauge you probably are looking at purchasing a reprogrammed PCM which will turn the fans on sooner than the factory 220 (guess) degrees. Colder stat may drop a few degrees but it'll just throw other electronics off and it won't run as efficient unless you have the reprogrammed pcm with the mods.

Hope it helps i through this together real fast :banana:
I've been noting when it shifts hard. seems to do it when its warm. from everything I've read here sounds like the PCS sensor. I don't know if I have the tools to do this fix myself. I have had it drained, filter changed and refilled because for some reason it was darker than normal. I know it's a newer transmission as well (grandma didn't like how it shifted so she had a new one put in)

The temp has always read right in the middle like it should. it does read a little warmer with city driving on hot days with the A/C on, which i assume is normal. It is probably time for a flush and fill as I do not know when it was done last.
Last edited by KVH2002 on Thu Aug 23, 2012 10:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
nos4blood70
Certified Bonneville Nut
Certified Bonneville Nut
Posts: 9522
Joined: Mon May 10, 2010 6:11 pm
Year and Trim: 2003 SLE
Location: Chicago, IL

Re: power windows slow, tranny hard shift, smells warm

Post by nos4blood70 »

I ran a 180* thermostat for almost 6 months prior to having my car tuned for having one and just the thermostat itself lowered my coolant temp by about 5 degrees. When you flush and fill, drop a 180* in there until you can get it tuned. It'll help.
-Car Guy Carl
"Penelope" - 2003 SLE - 250k Miles
"Sydney" - 2000 Honda S2000 - 101k miles
Image
DRC
SLE Member
SLE Member
Posts: 55
Joined: Sat Sep 01, 2012 10:35 pm
Year and Trim: 2000 SE
Location: Winnipeg, Canada

Re: power windows slow, tranny hard shift, smells warm

Post by DRC »

Since nobody has touched on the pressure solenoid question, I will tell you what I have been told by my tranny shop. The subframe needs to be dropped, and tranny lowered, to access the side pan to get at the PCS. A very labor intensive job, likely not something the average person could do.

You sound like you're having the same symptoms as mine so if fluid/filter are new there's a good chance it's your PCS. Common issue on these transmissions.
Post Reply