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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

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

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 ...

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.

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

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.

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.

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.