Could sensors or anything else affect transmission?

170

Asked by want2buy Dec 27, 2012 at 11:54 AM about the 2004 Saturn VUE V6 AWD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

2004 Saturn Vue 6Cylinder AWD with 135K miles. Automatic transmission is slow to change gears. Tranny fluid changed twice since we've had it. The recent tranny fluid change hasn't helped the issue. It seems it may be louder when changing gears also.
Could there be a sensor or any other item to blame or are we stuck with an expensive transmission replacement?

8 Answers

177,545

Transmissions are sensitive to low voltage situations. Clean and tighten the battery connections and read the running voltage from the alternator. If the voltage is good (13.5-14.5 VDC), consider taking it to a transmission shop for a diagnosis.

4 people found this helpful.
Best Answer Mark helpful
170

Thank you for reply. I forwarded info to hubby and will let you know if it fixes our dilemma.

69,815

I am curious as to whether the trans fluid was removed and a new filter and fluid was added. Or did you have the local oil change place flush it?

2 people found this helpful.
170

Thanks for reply. We had both fluid replacements done by local mechanics not oil change places and not dealer. We will check with mechanic when we ask him about the voltage scenario. What do you think could be the implication one way or the other.

1 people found this helpful.
69,815

The pump pulls fluid out of the pan through the filter and onto its journey as clean fluid. Afterwards it reenters the pan as slightly dirty fluid. The original and by far best method consists of pulling the pan off, draining the dirty fluid and removing the old filter. Install clean filter, clean the trans pan and magnet then reinstall, and put clean fluid in. The "new and improved" method of flushing the system sucks the dirty fluid out and replaces it with clean fluid. The way the filter gets cleaned is they flush it backwards. Fluid goes into the cooler lines backwards forcing debris out of the trans filter and then the fluid is pushed backwards through the system forcing debris into the vital trans compunents. In the end your trans is full of debris and still has a fairly dirty filter.

2 people found this helpful.
170

Tenspeed, Happy New Year 2013! THANK YOU soooooooo very much!!!! My hubby got 14VDC after cleaning the battery terminals (forgot to check it first :<( Would have been very interesting to know the before#. The first day of driving, it was still a bit sluggish shifting. But today it was back to normal! I can't thank you enough because we were out looking for another car rather than to pay for a tranny for this money pit of a car! Must have been built late on a Friday nite! Now I'm going to check out more about our driver seat not heating. THEN, I'll do a post for our son who's been having a huge dilemma with his 1984ish Dodge pickup. Again I thank you for blessing us with a very happy start to a new year.

3 people found this helpful.
177,545

You're very welcome. Thanks for the "Best Answer" click. We replaced a blown tranny in a Chevy Astro van because of a low voltage condition. Glad to be able to pass on some real life experiences.

1 people found this helpful.

hi have 2005 saturn vue 3,5 v 6 i have light engine,one igo to aurizona chek, machin rear i have to change, sensor switch, car stil same,light one car not run good, ilike to have same knor this problmas i hope same one to hell ,thany, sensor switch,

Your Answer:

VUE

Looking for a Used VUE in your area?

CarGurus has 8 nationwide VUE listings and the tools to find you a great deal.

Postal Code:

CarGurus Experts

  • #1
    Kartboarder22G
    Reputation
    1,860
  • #2
    Christopher Chris
    Reputation
    840
  • #3
    mkath13
    Reputation
    770
View All

Find great deals from top-rated dealers

Search

Related Models For Sale

Used Ford Escape
124 Great Deals out of 4,594 listings starting at $1,995
Used Ford Explorer
86 Great Deals out of 2,065 listings starting at $2,999
Used Honda Accord
40 Great Deals out of 910 listings starting at $1,599
Used Nissan Frontier
22 Great Deals out of 878 listings starting at $5,998

Content submitted by Users is not endorsed by CarGurus, does not express the opinions of CarGurus, and should not be considered reviewed, screened, or approved by CarGurus. Please refer to CarGurus Terms of Use. Content will be removed if CarGurus becomes aware that it violates our policies.