Hey guys, I'm pretty new here, but I need some help with my transmission. I have a pretty simple Lancer ES, I haven't done anything to the car. I traded in my Explorer to buy the Lancer because i heard good reviews on it and it was more economical. (I drive 50 miles each way to work....100 miles a day) I bought it last July and it worked great until January when I noticed that the car was shifting very hard between shifts. It wasn't happening all the time, until May....then i noticed that the car was shifting hard all the time, with jerks and a "popping" sound. And then it started to grind between shifts, and this is an AUTOMATIC!! When it does this grinding, the RPM's shoot up to about 4-5K, lasts about 3 seconds and then pops into gear. One time it actually shot off on me, and I had to swerve to miss a car. I took it into the dealer 3 times, and all those the dealer tells me that they can't duplicate the problem. the tech line said there was nothing wrong with it. The dealer refuses to drop the tranny because they can't dup the prob. Can someone PLEASE tell me what the problem could be? The control module? the fuel injector? anything you all could tell me would help me, because I'm at my wits end with this thing.....If I would have known I would have had this many problems with it, i never would have bought it.

 

Go to another dealership and tell them about the experience before and maybe they will be more helpfull. Some dealerships are like that, especially with warranty work. they get paid every time it comes in so the more you go back the more they make.

 

It is under warranty, and they did tell me to keep telling them each time it happens and then they would test it out again and call up tech line. The last time I took it in, I made a 2 day history of when and where the shifting and/or grinding occured. Just so that they knew i wasn't crazy. I'll try going to another dealer, but I'd just like to know what the problem could be, before I took it there.

 

check your tranny fluid level. Make sure there is enough in there. Some times when you are low on fluid the steels and frictions wont lock up and you get major slippage. Else you have worn down your friction plates (can result from neutral drops and other hard driving). Try resetting your ecu and drive easy, the tranny may learn to apply more even hydralic pressure to engage the clutch. Other than that keep and eye on it and try another dealer.

 

Hmmm...I did check the fluid level and I had them add more when it was a little low. I make sure they check it each time I go in. As far as the ECU, they told me that the type of transmission I have was not able to be reset, and even if it was able to be reset, they weren't allowed to do it.

 

You just need to disconnect the battery for a few minutes...that will reset the ECU. NOT ALLOWED TO DO IT? No wonder that dealer sucks...they can't even disconnect a battery...I'd go elsewhere.

 

hell, I gave them permission to drop the tranny, and they told me that they weren't allowed to do that either.

 

that is true. they arent allowed to drop the tranny because then if they mess up putting it back in it is on them. Just unhook your negative (black) terminal for 15 to 20 minutes and then put it back on and start your car (it will idle high for a second) then you can drive around normally (let it sit idle for about 5 minutes) and you have reset your ecu.

 

thanks all, appreciate the help...i'll try that and see what it does