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something weird happened to me this morning. car was driving good to start but a little time into my drive my car started to shift hard into 2nd and third gear. when i was coming home from work it did the same thing started out good and then started to do the same thing. i stopped to pick something up to eat and when i got back into my car and started it up it was shifting fine. i don't know whats up?? any thoughts guys

Check your fluid and report back with the level, color and smell (burned or not).

i had my mechanic check it last weekend and he said level was good and the color was good.

Sounds like your PCS is going out. It shows its ugly head especially when the trans is warmed up.

You can do a band-aid fix and put in a shift kit to help mask it.
But the proper fix is to have your tranny pulled out and torn apart. The PCS is deep inside the tranny and not something people should try and do on their own.

The trans doesn't have to be completely disassembled, but the subframe has to be dropped and the side cover has to come off.

True, thanks for the clarification.

would it give off a code?

Usually 1811, but not all scanners/code readers can see it.

Sounds like what was posted above. You can either do the shift kit as mentioned or have the PCS changed by someone else unless you feel like you could do it.

myfirstbonnie wrote:Usually 1811, but not all scanners/code readers can see it.

Sounds like what was posted above. You can either do the shift kit as mentioned or have the PCS changed by someone else unless you feel like you could do it.

My car threw the same code when my PCS started acting up. It wouldn't display any lights though, was one of those hidden codes. My aeroforce displayed the code to me. I would take it to the Auto-zone relatively quick to get scanned...codes get reset after 40 key cycles I believe...(mine reset couple times before I got my gauge installed)

If moneys an issue right now I'd just do the shift kit, it will buy you some time to save up the funds to get it fixed. I know Haro did the shift kit to one of his cars with the PCS problem and it helped considerably.

Just my 2 cents here.

how hard is it to change out the pcs? my mechanic normally doesnt do trannys. does it take a long time to do it and money? also is there a writeup on how to do it?

Its not an easy repair, but one that could be done in the driveway. I think Haro has a writeup of it somewhere, but I wasn't able to locate it.

As others mentioned, you would need to drop the subframe so you could remove the side cover of the transmission to access the sensors inside. The picture below shows the side cover that needs to removed. I would recommend going and looking at the same cover on your car and you will get an idea of what needs to be removed. I have never dropped the subframe, so there may be some unique tools you may need...I will let others chime in on this.



Mine was covered under warranty. I dropped the car off to them at 8 am, and had it back at 1 pm. I'm sure you can find a better hourly rate through a local mechanic. I would almost suggest a trans shop so the repair is within there area of expertise. Just my opinion!

well i drove it to work and it did fine both ways. odd

bonnieandclyde wrote:well i drove it to work and it did fine both ways. odd

It hasnt gone completely bad yet. Trans temp plays a big part also. But yes should be changed or put in a shift kit.

Not trying to be a negative Neal here, but my guess is that it'll be back. You're probably just in the beginning stages of it starting to malfunction.

Yea, mine was very temperamental. It only happened like 4 or 5 times over the course of 8,000 miles and was usually after the car was completely warmed up. If it recently happened to you, I would say your code is still stored and could be read with a scanner.

so is it easier to put on a shift kit? i assume it is easier to install?

Yes, you do it all when you drop the pan.

Here's what I did with my car, prices can be cheaper if you shop around a little.
viewtopic.php?f=12&t=26996

If you are going to go the shift kit route, prior to dropping the pan pick up a can of Seafoam's Trans Tune. Follow the instructions on the can. That can help to remove some of the varnish and other crud that can build up over time. Then, drop the pan to install the shift kit, and put in fresh fluid and a new filter.

do you think the seafoam trans tune will help me for now until i get the shift kit? it says it suppose to help sticking electronic solonoids.