Violent Transmission?

I have an '01 Alero with an automatic transmission and the 2.4L. My shifting has been acting really weird the last couple of days. When I take it from Park to Reverse, it shudders really quickly. It shudders when I take it from Reverse to Drive as well. It also does it when it's just shifting from First to Second and the other gears.

The car has 54,800 miles on it, and I've never changed the transmission fluid, but the manual says not to change it unless you're driving in these really weird conditions.

Has anyone else experienced this? Any explanation? Thanks for any help.

[AGT]

Sounds like some slipping.

Honestly a trans fluid change could help but more likely to be service work.

[Gr1m]

i had the same problem with mine, culpritfor me was my IAT sensor harness pigtail, if your throwing codes get them read and you can move on from there

I did get a code read. It said "the pcm has determined that the input from the engine coolant temperature sensor is lower than expected for the current engine operating conditions."

Does that have anything to do with the transmission?

I had some sort of sensor unplugged from the tube going from the air filter to the engine. Is that the IAT sensor?

EDIT: I plugged that sensor back in, but it was still shifting rough. Does it take a while for it to get better?

[strtrydr]

disconnect the battery for 15 min ... this will reset the computer and it will have to "re-learn" everything.

Can i just disconnect the black wire? Will that reset it?

Originally Posted by NibCrom

I did get a code read. It said "the pcm has determined that the input from the engine coolant temperature sensor is lower than expected for the current engine operating conditions."

Does that have anything to do with the transmission?

I had some sort of sensor unplugged from the tube going from the air filter to the engine. Is that the IAT sensor?

EDIT: I plugged that sensor back in, but it was still shifting rough. Does it take a while for it to get better?

Same thing happened to me, same code. My MAF and IAT Sensors were bad. But after the IAT was replaced, the trans issues stopped. MAF was a code thrown after I cleared the IAT.

[SIUlero]

Originally Posted by NibCrom

Can i just disconnect the black wire? Will that reset it?

Nobody answered this yet, so I will...

Yes, unbolt the black battery cable

Thanks SIUlero. Hey my wife has a 94 Cutlass Supreme. A little different from yours, but the same family of cars.

[TheEdgeofSanity]

and as for the car manual, whoever made it is full of shit. i don't understand why there's not a trans fluid dipstick. my car was ran in "normal driving conditions" and when i decided to have the fluid changed, it was really nasty. having it changed helped my trans out alot and it hasn't slipped since.