Hard kick when going into Reverse, then dies?

[Yokozuna]

Hi, I have a 96 SL1, with about 78,000 on it. I have had some problems with it, but this is my most major one yet. ( It's auto by the way!! )
When I start the car up in the morning, and I try to shift into reverse, it kicks really hard, then I back down my driveway, and all that bull. But When I get out into the street and shift it into drive, the car revs up to about 2,500 RPM and then dies. Then I have to shift it into nuetral, and start it with the emergency brake on, or else it won't start. ( It wont start in park, or in park even if I have the emergency brake on. ) But once I get it started, and going, the car shifts fine and never dies, unless it sits for about 5+ hours. Any body know of a reason for this behavior? It's just your basic SL1 ( Auto, air, am/fm cassett ) nothing else. I'm afraid of getting another saturn if this car is going to do me like this.

[95sl2urbo]

check the boards i think we have talked about that before..

[wolfman]

Sounds like the automatic's shifter and/or BTS (Brake To Shift) switch are simply out of adjustment/loose. If you have a shop manual you can repair/adjust this yourself...if not any Saturn dealer should be able make quick work of this problem.

[Yokozuna]

Good try, but I ( Think ) that's already been replaced. ( My dealer said they replaced something like that......... don't know if it was that though.... )

But thank you.!!

[Yokozuna]

95 sl guy, I have, but not a single one realates to this problem exactly. But thanks anyway!

[wolfman]

UMMM...I didn't say it needed to be REPLACED, I said it needed to be adjusted....EVERYTHING even new parts can WEAR...or work themselves loose under day to day use/conditions...Just because they think?!?(they had better KNOW!!!) it had been replaced before does not mean it or one of it's compnants does not need attention now..

[Yokozuna]

No need to get mad, But the people up @ the saturn dealership ( saturn of monrovia ) are all a bunch of blondes! ( LOL )

[ssicarman]

Sounds like it may be a couple of prolems. Maybe a valve body starting to go south, do a search of the board. Very recently there have been a few post on this subject. The other problem could very well be the transmission neutral safey switch. This is the switch on the trans where the shifter cable is. Make sure that all the wiring is hooked up to it. If this is the one that was just replaced then perhaps the adjustment may only be out. They are a royal pain to get adjusted properly.

[Spanky]

It sounds like you may have more than one problem. When was the last time you changed your transmission fluid? The delayed and hard shift into reverse is a standard Saturn problem. This is supposed to be due to the trans valve body. The other problem sounds like something else. My sister's Tracker had a similar problem. It didn't stall, but it would not shift out of first until it was completely warmed up. Once warmed up the transmission would work fine. Once the engine cooled off for a few hours it would act up again. We took it into a transmission shop and they wanted over a grand to rebuild it. The car isn't even worth a grand so we tried some additives. My dad found something that works, and as far as I know it still shifts fine now. I can ask him the name of the additive if you want to try it. But I would change your fluid regardless. It sounds like there might be some serious gunk in there.

[Qlara]

Valve-body in the tranny is likely the case.

Someone has suggested one quick test: Start the car, make sure Tranny fluid is OK first! Then engage into Reverse with Parking brake tightly pulled. (Make sure the car won't move when brake pedal released!) Let it idle in this way for 15-20mins, then drive it normally (Local/Highway) for some miles. See if the Reverse Kick is less noticeable.....if not, the valve-body is surely the blame.

The purpose for the sitting in reverse is to let the flowing tranny fluid to wash up the reverse passages in the valve-body, which may gum up due to less frequent use than foward Drive.

[BobL]

Son's 2000 SL1 just had the valve body changed at 32K.

Early huh? Never expected it so soon. Dealer had just changed fluid at 30K service interval.

Problem started very slowly. Several second delay + harsh shift to reverse. Now, it's fine again.

In automatic transmissions, how often do dealers/mechanics/regular people change the transmission fluid. If the engine oil is changed every 3k, then when the gears are moving, then don't they get about the same wear as the engine?
Just fuel for thought......

---K

[BobL]

"S" series drain for auto trans is every 30K.

[Spanky]

Originally posted by Katz94SL1
In automatic transmissions, how often do dealers/mechanics/regular people change the transmission fluid. If the engine oil is changed every 3k, then when the gears are moving, then don't they get about the same wear as the engine?
Just fuel for thought......

---K

Saturn recommends every 30,000 miles. From a friction standpoint, the transmission would have wear comparable to the engine. The big difference is the engine has air and fuel constantly flowing through it and they both have pollutants it them. Also, the combustion process itself leaves residue behind. Changing your engine oil is mostly to get rid of all the crud. Modern oils can last much longer before they breakdown, but after a while the oil will start to act like liquid sandpaper due to the deposits.