Transmission/clutch problem -- VX bucks!

[ColoradoVX]

I wonder if anyone else has encountered the problem I'm having with my 1999 VX (approx 113,000 miles)? Sometimes, when accelerating rapidly from a standing start, especially if on a slight uphill grade, the transmission will appear to slip and then literally buck (rear wheels only as far as I can tell) when engaging. It may do this repeatedly when accelerating through 1st and 2nd. It may also do this on a bumpy road, for instance, when on a road that seems to have ridges on it every so often. I'm guessing a problem with the clutch pack but it is hard to tell how bad it may be. I can prevent it from occurring simply by accelerating more gradually.

One transmission shop said $2500 to $3000 for a new "kit" without even getting into it. Has anyone else experienced this and, if so, how did you correct it? This is my second VX and I never had this problem with the first one. Thanks.

[Breezy]

I haven't had that problem, but a few months ago when I first got my VX, the tranny went out completely. I purchased a used transmisson from a member on here (Wisdom) and had it installed. Total was about $1300 to buy and have it put it at a local shop. Much cheaper and works great now! It was a much better option for me than to have it rebuilt for $3000-$5000 I was quoted. Ha.

[bearandbee]

I have a similiar problem but its a rare occurance. My front wheel drive is disabled so it has to be a wheel rear drive issue. I did have a hard, loud clink when it down shifted but changing trans filter, fluid improved that immediately. Let me know if you find a fix.

[Ldub]

The first thing I'd is check the fliud level/color...:_wrench:

THEN decide what you need to do.

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/fluid1.png

[samneil2000]

What you are describing sounds a lot like what mine does under hard acceleration. But when mine does this it's actually cycling power to the front wheels on and off rather quickly, like it thinks the back tires are slipping (that's not gonna happen) I can see the TOD bars flash full and back down over and over and feel the surging that coincides. I've heard other owners mention this after adding larger or more aggressive tires. I have 33 inch MT tires and that's when I noticed it starting. It hasn't bothered me enough to worry about fixing it. I don't often leave a stop under full throttle...
To see if yours is doing what mine is, just watch the TOD graph and see if fills up when it surges.


I wonder if anyone else has encountered the problem I'm having with my 1999 VX (approx 113,000 miles)? Sometimes, when accelerating rapidly from a standing start, especially if on a slight uphill grade, the transmission will appear to slip and then literally buck (rear wheels only as far as I can tell) when engaging. It may do this repeatedly when accelerating through 1st and 2nd. It may also do this on a bumpy road, for instance, when on a road that seems to have ridges on it every so often. I'm guessing a problem with the clutch pack but it is hard to tell how bad it may be. I can prevent it from occurring simply by accelerating more gradually.

One transmission shop said $2500 to $3000 for a new "kit" without even getting into it. Has anyone else experienced this and, if so, how did you correct it? This is my second VX and I never had this problem with the first one. Thanks.

[mdwyer]

It also sound vaguely like the transmission mode switch. When you change the transmission lever, do the lights on the dashboard follow it? Or do they flicker and show random things? After a few seconds of getting an invalid result from that sensor, it will silently go into a limp-home mode that causes shifts to be REALLY harsh, complete with CLANG!

[vxcp]

Are you sure its a tranny problem? I needed a new fuel pressure regulator (and fuel pump) when I encountered bucking as described here http://vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=20261

[Y33TREKker]

Restless Leg Syndrome? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Br4RzBIAXo) :p

[hxdiaz]

I'm having this bucking thing going on too. I'm hating it. I'm trying not do drive it so much right now for fear of doing permanent damage to something, like the transmission I guess. It's gotten worse over the last year.

From 1st gear to 2nd gear, over 50% of the time, not always, my transmission will buck, buck, buck, buck, like a fast and hard chugging feeling, the whole car shakes, then shifting gets back to normal. Also, on occasion, when coming out of a right turn and giving it gas the engine will rev up, but not engage for some reason. Gotta be related, no?

After searching and searching this website for a probable cause -- I ordered a mode selector switch and will try to replace it this week. Folks make it sound easy, and it looks it, only one screw -- but it looks tight under there too. The transmission lights on my dashboard are not randomly blinking, as others have mentioned with similar troubles.

By the way, about a year ago, the best transmission shop in town advised me to not change my transmission fluid, not even one quart. The fluid was too old and new fluid may cause my transmission to give out, not go. Something about my transmission now needing the sludge to engage the gears, he said. He went on to say that GM transmissions usually give out at about 125,000 miles -- to drive it until it dies and then bring it in for a rebuild job.

I have over 130,000 miles. Over the years I never changed the transmission fluid as often as I should have -- but don't think that's what causing this bucking thing.

I'll let you know if a new mode selector switch helps. For less than $150 it's worth a shot. If it doesn't help, I'm going to take it in and have it looked at.

H. Diaz / Austin, TX

[hxdiaz]

HELP, my gear shifter is stuck in "Park". After swapping out my mode selector switch with a new one, the button on the gear shifter will not depress. I can't move the shifter. The front end is up in the air about 1 foot using ramps I have. I can't get it down.

Anyone have an idea what might have happened and how to fix this?

Thanks in advance, H. Diaz

[MSHardeman]

Try reading through this thread: http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?threadid=17994

There is a solenoid that releases when you press the brake pedal that allows you to shift out of park. Yours may be boogered up, or maybe wasn't reconnected when you replaced the mode selector switch.

[mrtew]

Mine isn't bucking but it does slip once in a while when shifting, usually from first to second I think. Someone told me that thing about not changing the fluid too because it will make the tranny more likely to go out than to fix it! I'm wondering if I should keep trying to ignore it or take it to the dealer or what! I love my VX and want it to stay perfect forever!

[WILLY]

Mine isn't bucking but it does slip once in a while when shifting, usually from first to second I think. Someone told me that thing about not changing the fluid too because it will make the tranny more likely to go out than to fix it! I'm wondering if I should keep trying to ignore it or take it to the dealer or what! I love my VX and want it to stay perfect forever!


CHANGE UR FLUID AND FILTER,not changing the trans fluid is the craziest thing i have ever heard,I guess if the engine oil gits old n gummy we should just leave it alone and drive it till it dies too huh.lol

[hxdiaz]

....update.... my transmission was 3 quarts low. I took it to a local transmission shop for a 2nd opinion. See story below. They topped it off with out charging me. Nice. For now, it's shifting normal again. Thank goodness.

This was causing the symptoms I described above, bucking from 1 to 2, engine revving but not engaging and typical slipping.

Hopefully no serious damage was done with 3 quarts low. This is the same shop who last year warned me about replacing old burnt fluid with new fluid. It could cause problems. Well now I have 3 new quarts so we'll see.

So, where did my 3 quarts go? I don't think it's leaking. I have no spots on my driveway.

Get this, a couple of weeks earlier I went to an authorized dealership in San Antonio, TX for diagnosis. They said I needed a new transmission and quoted me $7,000. A day later they lowered it to $6,000. And a day after that they had a used transmission for $3000 with about 130,000 miles on it, similar to the miles on mine. I paid $90 diagnosis fee and brought her home. For $90 the dealership didn't even bother to check my transmission fluid. Was this an attempt to rip me off? Maybe they think Vehicross owners will do anything to keep their beloved car rolling. A**holes.

[Ldub]

Get this, a couple of weeks earlier I went to an authorized dealership in San Antonio, TX for diagnosis. They said I needed a new transmission and quoted me $7,000. A day later they lowered it to $6,000. And a day after that they had a used transmission for $3000 with about 130,000 miles on it, similar to the miles on mine. I paid $90 diagnosis fee and brought her home. For $90 the dealership didn't even bother to check my transmission fluid. Was this an attempt to rip me off? Maybe they think Vehicross owners will do anything to keep their beloved car rolling. A**holes.

OR...they drained 3 qts, knowing symptoms would worsen, & your tranny would eventually fail...:(

[VXorado]

Get this, a couple of weeks earlier I went to an authorized dealership in San Antonio, TX for diagnosis. They said I needed a new transmission and quoted me $7,000. A day later they lowered it to $6,000. And a day after that they had a used transmission for $3000 with about 130,000 miles on it, similar to the miles on mine. I paid $90 diagnosis fee and brought her home. For $90 the dealership didn't even bother to check my transmission fluid. Was this an attempt to rip me off? Maybe they think Vehicross owners will do anything to keep their beloved car rolling. A**holes.

:eek: WTF

I'm checking my ATF level this week and possibly bringing the VX in for service. I have a slight whine (sounds hydraulic) and its not the PS pump so i'm thinking it may be the trans fluid pump due to a low ATF level. Hopefully nothing serious because I don't want to replace the trans yet.

[hxdiaz]

Ldub, I was thinking the same thing. Did they drain my tranny of 3 quarts? Was I sabotaged?

This local tranny shop advertises free diagnosis. Sounds great, right. I took it in just over a year ago and wanted new tranny fluid and filter. They said don't do it. My fluid was old and burnt. New fluid, even a single quart, could cause problems. They've seen it happen to others, they said.

Here's a clue for sabotage, the shop manager suggested I drive it until the tranny completely fails, could be a week, a month, a year or more, who knows. Come back and we'll rebuild it, he said. When I asked, he quoted about $3,500.

A few months later my tranny started acting kooky, bucking between gears 1 and 2 was the first symptom.

It's hard to believe they would do this, drain 3 quarts, waiting for me to return for a rebuild. How would they know I would even go back to them. There are dozens of other tranny shops around. I did my online research/due diligence and this seemed to be the best tranny shop in town. Everyone loves them.

Well if they did do it, just over a year later I went back to them for a 2nd opinion to the dealership who wanted to sell me a new tranny, they put the 3 quarts back and didn't even charge me for it. Now my tranny is shifting normal again. It doesn't make sense.

[hxdiaz]

ColoradoVX, let us know if your tranny was just low on fluid after all and your tranny now shifts normal again. I'm curios to know, as this was my solution to the similar tranny problem we were both having.

[Ldub]

Ldub, I was thinking the same thing. Did they drain my tranny of 3 quarts? Was I sabotaged?

It's hard to believe they would do this, drain 3 quarts, waiting for me to return for a rebuild. How would they know I would even go back to them. There are dozens of other tranny shops around. I did my online research/due diligence and this seemed to be the best tranny shop in town. Everyone loves them.

Well if they did do it, just over a year later I went back to them for a 2nd opinion to the dealership who wanted to sell me a new tranny, they put the 3 quarts back and didn't even charge me for it. Now my tranny is shifting normal again. It doesn't make sense.

I dunno...:_thinking

Were they , like...really nice when you spoke with them?

Did they make you feel...almost like they were doing you a favor, by bumping you up the list?

Ok...I don't wanna be the bearer of bad tidings, but...

If they put the 3 qts back in...it's just a matter of time, after it's been run low for that long, that they know you'll think of your " tranny buds" who topped up your red fluids for "free", when it's time for a rebuild.

I'm just giving vague examples of what I've had tried on me...:upsetgray

Bad experience all around.

Hopefully, your guys are on the up & up.

[hxdiaz]

Yeah, this could all be a big conspiracy, I'm thinking. These guys are pros.

By the way, the shop said if there was any damage done due to running low on tranny fluid for so long and/or introducing new fluid, it would show between 200 to 500 miles. We'll see. I'll feel better after 1,000 miles.

If my tranny does eventually fail, I'm looking for a new shop. F*** them.

And yes, they were extra nice to me.

[hxdiaz]

One last thing, I reminded the manager I was here a year earlier and they made no mention of low tranny fluid. If it was, they would have topped me off right? I should have been fine.

He said I must have a leak. I said I have no leak marks on my driveway. He said maybe while I'm driving it leaks and blows away. 3 quarts leaked out, I said. I shook my head. He said tranny fluid doesn't burn up or disappear like engine oil. It can only leak. This all sounds very suspicious.

[rsteinmetz70112]

Transmission Fluid that leaks out and blows away would leave a trace/stain somewhere under the car.

[Cris]

Put new tires on it. happened to me about the same millage. just replace your woreout tires

[mrtew]

Well my slipping got worse suddenly and wouldn't even really hardly go in 2nd gear and wouldn't go at all if I let it go up to third gear. Had to get it rebuilt to the tune of $2800 Canadian dollars but it seems like a really good shop that let me come in and see it apart and showed me in detail what failed and what they were replacing etc. The only problem is now that Check Engine light and the Check Transmission light are on and they weren't before!?!?!?!? Geez.