My Buick in China is starting to act up. It has about 40K miles on it and has always been babied. Recently rather than shifting smooth it has begun shifting with a jerk even when just accelerating very slowly. Not every time, but often. Now this is a leased car and I have a driver. He said he'd changed the fluid and used a product "from USA", so he's convinced it's the right type. Unfortunately the owner's manual is in Chinese so I have no chance to read up on the layman's instructions. All I could do was check the fluid level and it's full. Aparently he took it into Buick and they couldn't diagnose it either, although I'm suspect at their qualifications in Beijing. Here's the crazy part. Both he and the lease company want to replace the car rather than fix it saying, well the car is over three years old and these things are very hard to fix. I like the car and to me that's a load of baloney to replace a car just because of this with only 40K miles on it. It looks practically showroom new. So does anyone know anything about this new vintage car and what could be causing jerky shifting to start happening like this? I feel kind of lame asking this, but frankly I don't understand how automatic transmissions work anyway. I want to keep the Buick. I need some real simple trouble shooting tips or a probable diagnosis.
Thanks Phil. Hope we get an idea. They're offering me Japanese cars for a replacement. The lease agent is real nice, maybe I can persuade her otherwise. Incidentally, she's cute (early 20s I suppose) and speaks good english. The interesting thing is... her english name is Jelly Gu. I find that sort of amusing.
Mike, I talked with my uncle and he told me this. The only real way to diagnosis a problem on a car as new as yours is to actually put a scanner on it and pull out a code. By scanning the system this separates the electrical system from the mechanical/hydraulic system. He said it is the only real way to do it. The code usually will tell what specific electrical part has gone bad. Now he did state that if a car would come in his shop and it's mileage was under 50K he would look for an electrical problem over a hydraulic/mechanical problem first. I know this did not define the answer you were looking for exactly but this will give you a stepping-stone to move forward with.:TU:
When I was working at the dealership, the 4T60E/4T65E trans would quite often need a pressure control solonoid right around that mileage. Usually sets a DTC, but doesn't always turn on a CEL.
I have a 99 venture that has the same issue but it happens at random. It also has 146k miles on it. The repair shops we have taken it to said they can't troubleshoot it unless it happens when they test it, and it never does. So, please keep me up to date on what you find. Thanks.
Service Bulliten: 00-07-30-002B; replaces 00-07-30-002A; Slips, Harsh Upshift or Garage Shifts, Launch Shudders, Flares, Erratic Shifts and Intermittent Concerns, DTC P1811 or P0748 Set (Replace Pressure Control Solenoid Valve Assembly); specified vehicles 1997-2002 with HydraMatic 4T65E (RPOs MN3, MN7, M15, M76) Some of you guys might want to bookmark GM Techlink . This is a newsletter that is available to GM techs. Most of the older archives are in PDF format. One of the articles details how to search to archives using Google, but I can't remember which one or how to do it.
Hey thanks Dwayne. I have been google searchnig the PCS info and finding plenty of forums out there with this same issue repeated. Is the PCS something I can get to myself without too much disassembly?
I'll let you decide. You'll need something to support the engine/transaxle assembley. I would usually disconnect the shift cable bracket and remove the upper bolt and electrical connector from the top side. On the vans, you'll probably have to remove some air filter ducting. Then you'll have to raise the vehicle enough to remove the sub-frame. Low the engine/transaxle assembley enough to remove the sidecover from the trans. You will lose fluid, have a pan. Pop the left axle out and let it drain some out there. After the side cover is off, remove the electrical connection from the solonoid, remove the pin that keeps the solonoid in the valve body. Reverse the procedure to reassemble. It wouldn't be a bad time to service the filter. Refill with fluid. If it a DTC stored, you'll need it cleared. There is more than one solonoid in the valve body. Use your new part to tell which one is the PCS. Most of the gaskets are reusable. Be careful with the o-ring seal around the axle are. Leave it in the case if it stays. Doesn't take much to stretch them, then they fall out of position and get cut on reassembly (don't ask me how I know). Bottom four bolts in the side cover are usually Torx (T40, I think). Warranty time usually paid about 4 hrs, expect more for out of warranty. Probably triple it if you do it yourself on the ground. When I was at the dealership (ie: working under a lift), I could usually do them in 2 hrs or less. Nuthin' too it! :laugh:
Okay, how similar is the 4T65 to the 4T60? I have the overhaul manual for the 60 if that would help me "visualize" what's in the 65.
Hate to be the pesscimist but my Regal GS's 4T65E did the exact same thing when it was dieing due to slippage in the 2-3 shift. The jerk is because the trans go to full line pressure when it senses a too long shift. From my experience, running the engine up as hard as I could kept it from hitting really hard and knocking my drink out of the cupholder. I'd suggest getting it scanned and see what the computer says. Also I've met more than a few people that have had thier hard driving GTP's munch trannys at 50k miles. Just some worst case stuff, it cost me $1850 to have mine redone,
