Buick - Lesabre :: 1997 - Transmission Slipping While Shifting Into Overdrive?
Oct 7, 2016
, My 1997 Buick Lesabre transmission slips at random when I shift into overdrive. I have my mechanics look at the transmission and have them drive the car to recreate the problem and what do you know the car doesn't do it. I made a post about this problem a while back and it wasn't the A/C that was the problem. I do not drive fast in the car and I checked the Transmission dipstick and the fluid is still red and at the full mark. I brought my car to Auto zone to check the codes but all i get is a loose gas cap.
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After I start my Lesabre when cold, after about 15 minutes or so it starts idling high, usually about 1500 , but sometimes it's as high as 2300 while stopped at a light. And a few times it has been 3-4000 rpm after putting it into PARK. After it starts idling high it starts shifting late. If you shut the engine off and immediately restart it, it usually starts idling fine again temporarily. Engine has normal power and runs smooth and idles smooth. It has also randomly died a couple times while driving at 30-40mph but then immediately restarted as if there was no problem.
It has a P0121 code which is "throttle position sensor switch A circuit range/performance problem". It also has a P0420, "Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold (Bank 1) ", which I'm not sure is related to the issue because the check engine light had been on a long time before the idling/shifting issue started happening. Like in the neighborhood of a year and a half before the current issue, but it ran fine the entire time and got 30+mpg on the highway.
First thing I did to troubleshoot was to test the TPS and it seemed ok. Voltmeter readings were .4v with throttle closed and seemed to advance smoothly up to 4.4v at WOT. But, I tested it before the engine was hot and I don't have a Oscope. I then used some carb cleaner and shot it around the injectors and a few vacuum inlets to check for vacuum leaks, to no effect. Engine runs quiet and I don't really hear any vac leaks.
Next, I cleaned the idle air control valve which was pretty dang dirty, but that didn't seem to resolve the issue, although it may have had a slight effect because the issue seems to come and go some while driving now, but I'm not totally sure. I also tested the connector at the IAC and had voltage on all 4 pins between .4v - 11.4v approximately.
Lastly, I got the engine to reproduce the problem and then pulled and then reconnected these sensors one at a time while the engine was idling high:
MAF Sensor
TPS
IAC
Intake Air Temp Sensor
This didn't have the slightest effect on the engine... I'm thinking it might actually be the TPS or IAC but I don't want to just start replacing stuff without knowing damn near certain it's going to resolve the issue. Could a vehicle speed sensor cause this? How I should proceed from here? :?
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Our 2004 LeSabre has the following symptoms - there's a clicking that occurs whenever the car is in motion, the car occasionally hesitates/bucks when shifting between gears (but not always), the radio sometimes does not go off when the keys are taken out of the ignition, we're losing about a quart of oil about every 2500 miles but there is no sign of a leak on the ground, we also seem to have reduced mileage (using more gas).
In this corner, Mechanic 1 (high price) - replace front lower control arms, sway bar, and bushing, front end alignment, throttle body gasket and EGR tube, oil pan gasket replacement, ignition switch replacement, brake fluid and coolant flush. $1900
In the other corner, Mechanic 2 (low price) thinks it's just the spark plugs and wires that need to be replaced, the wires, replace air and fuel filter, and PCV valve - $450
We had the oil changed about 2500 miles ago, replaced the air filter then. The oil change place suggested a coolant and brake fluid flush. I've used mechanic 1 in the past and they have replaced my head gaskets a couple of times and I suspect they are ripping me off.
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My car recently started running overtemp not much, but enough to bother me. I flushed the system with no change. after about a week with continued symptoms, my trans started shifting hard between 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd, and running rough in general, sputtering lightly in high gear. I assumed it was running over temp with the rest of the car, so I replaced the radiator and the radiator cap, yet still am having the same problem. Is it still related to the cooling system? if I replace the water pump will i solve my problems, or is it really a hidden trans problem? I'm fairly certain the trans has never been serviced, and I'm reluctant to do so given the high milage, 174,000. The fluid is full, but its very thin, and no longer red, its sort of a pale yellow.
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I have an unmodified 2000 Excursion 7.3. with 239000 miles on it. My transmission started to slip in overdrive. I could turn off the OD and it would run fine. I was in upper Wisconsin headed home to Georgia and figured the cold had something to do with it. Drove sixty mile with OD off turned it back on shifted fine and drove 750 mile to Paducah, KY stopped to eat and it started down the road and it slipped again.
Drove 45 miles stopped added 8 oz of tranny fluid and it drove fine back to a friends house and after I dropped him off and headed home it started again. The tranny is serviced every year, new filter, drained torque converter. I use Amsoil Synthetic ATF. I have used the truck to tow a 10000lbs trailer over 65000 miles. I was not towing when this occurred. What is going on? I guess what I am asking is my tranny about to become toast or am I looking at something that can be fixed easily.
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Just bought a 97 buick ltd and no matter what setting you put it on no air of any kind will blow from the vent.
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The car (97 Buick Le Sabre with 3800) ran fine and started fine until one day last week it did not turn over. After about 10 minutes it was tried again and this time it did start. It was used regularly with no issues for the next few days. Then one morning it didn't start (or turn over) and hasn't really been successfully started since. The battery is good and cable connections too. So my mechanic figured it was probably the starter. Since I had this weekend free, me and my friend replaced the starter. But it still did not start. We then turned the ignition to run and crossed the solenoid terminals with a metal tool and then the engine turned over and ran for a brief period (around 5 to 10 seconds) but then killed.
This procedure was duplicated a few times. So we figure it wasn't the starter, the battery, or most of the larger cable connections. The tension wheel had failed on it in the recent past so we wonder if when the belt blew out if it had hit and weakened a wire somewhere that has now failed but difficult to locate. We also wonder if the car's security system maybe failed and it thinks the car has been stolen. This might explain why it won't start or stay running when ignition is circumvented. Note: the panic button on the key fob works properly. All of the fuses were checked and none were found to be blown out. What the root cause of this problem might be and how to repair it?
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What are possible causes for"check engine light" being on continuously. 1997 Buick
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Having a problem with my 1997 Buick Lesabre. It's a v6, automatic 4 door, and I live in good ole HOT Florida.
Anyway for about two weeks ago I went to start up the vehicle and it would turn over, run for about 2 seconds, and then turn off and did that about 5 or 6 times. Knowing very little about cars I had a friend try to jump me, and nothing, still wouldn't turn on. So I left the car there, came back five days later. It started and ran, and I drove straight to the mechanic. I had noticed my belt whistling a little so he put on a new built, fix a power steering pump fluid leak, and put on a new belt tensioner.
Anyway, I pick it up a week ago and it starts up no problem. Today the problem has started again. Some times now though it will start up, run for a little while and then just shut off. Doesn't seem to make a difference whether I am idling or not. Sometimes now though it will turn over, but not actually fire up and start.
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I have a 2000 Buick Century with 212k miles on it. I would like to sell it. The problem is the transmission overdrive solenoid keeps getting stuck open. It's not a big deal once I get going 55mph or so. It's just that it's kinda "jerky" before getting up to that speed. Is this something that can be fixed by having the transmission system flushed or is it a problem of having to replace the transmission? How do I sell this car (even for dirt cheap) if I have to tell the interested persons that the transmission is going out???? Can I get a thousand bucks for it simply for the fact that it does run? I have been driving it until yesterday, fairly regularly.
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Pulling into work this morning I noticed my check engine light was flashing. The car (1997 Buick LeSabre, aka The Rolling Couch) was still running and everything seemed normal. I turned off the car and then went back out 3 hours later and tried to start it. It would not start, and the symptom is not one I've had any luck Googling. When I turn the key, it makes a sound, but it's not a click. It's the normal sound when ignition starts, but the engine does not crank at all or turn over. It just makes a single ignition sound and then nothing. Could this be a belt? The starter? I have not taken it anywhere or pulled the error code yet.
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I ran over a 18 wheeler tire , it knocked my exhaust a loose & a few days later my transmission started shifting into overdrive at 30 mph.
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Transmission not shifting into overdrive, running high on RPM's, BUT not all the time. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. Could it be an electrical Module that is causing the transmission not to shift into high gear? Had the transmission checked out several times without going inside it and they say it is fine???
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Lately I have been noticing a very small drip of coolant on the driveway under the water pump. Most would assume this to be coming from the water pump, right? Problem I have, is I can drive the car say 10-15 miles, return the car to it's parking area on the drive (previous spot cleaned and dried) and monitor thru out the day, some 10-12 hours, NO DRIP! I can forget about it, return the following morning only to see it has dripped overnight! I have visually inspected the coolant elbows at the tensioner and dry as a bone. I see no damp areas near the water pump pulley area. You might ask if the upper and LIM work has ever been done and the answer is yes, the local Buick dealership did that a few years back.
The coolant levels rise and lower normally depending on engine temp and it's hard to see any loss of coolant when looking at the reservoir when cold. I have read there is a small weep hole near the output shaft of the water pump which allows a release of coolant to protect the bearings of the water pump. Could this be where the coolant is coming from? I wouldn't mind replacing the water pump and even the coolant elbows while I have every thing apart, but I would hate to do that only to find it was something else, maybe an easier fix!
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My sons 97 LeSabre runs and drives like a top most of the time. Twice now though over the last three months it has died on him. Both times the car stalling out has been preceded by a high pitch whining noise that seems to be coming from the fuel pump. The first time, it would restart and run for a few minutes with the whining sound then die again. We towed it and let it sit a couple days and found that cleaning the MAF sensor may fix it. We did this and it worked.However, yesterday afternoon he and a couple friends ran into town, about a 20-mile drive, to run a couple errands. Drove around in town for about 30 minutes and it started the high pitch whine from the tank again and made it a couple miles across town before it died again. Pushed it around the corner to a gas station and parked it. A few hours later, my wife and I went to go get it, didn't know if I would have to push it or tow it, but I turned the key and it started immediately with no whining noise, so I drive it the 20 miles home without incident. The outside temperature yesterday was in the mid 90's and humid, and thinking back to the first time the car did this, the weather and circumstances were almost identical? When used to go to work out, or to work, or just little drives around there seems to be no problem. The car has even run this 45-50 mile round trip without incident numerous times, but at different times of day with cooler temps, and some lengthy waits between driving times.Does this sound like a fuel pump or sensor that could be failing? And why would it only act up under high temp situations? Almost like it was vapor locked, it had plenty of fuel, and didn't make a difference earlier in the heat even opening the gas cap to relieve any pressure? Completely stumped here?
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I have a 97 Buick Lesabre, when I use the turn signals (Doesn't matter right or left) the arrows on the dash stay illuminated. The turn signals aren't turning on, on the outside of the vehicle either. The hazards work just fine though (Blinking on the dash and outside of the car). I replaced all four flasher bulbs (2 in the back 2 in the front), nothing. I replaced the dual filament tail lights, still nothing. I replaced the flasher unit under the dash, still nothing. Where's the next place to look?
Other interesting information : This happened a day after I took the car through a drive through car wash.-Since I've had the car, the turn signals have never self canceled (As in after executing a turn the blinkers stay on)....
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1997 buick lesabre, 4 door, v6. It was having problem stalling out. This weekend a friend and I lifted the car and replaced the fuel filter and fuel pump. Drove great Saturday and Sunday. Today I get in the car, starts up without a hitch. I start heading down my street and realize I am having to push my brake pedal in ALL THE WAY to get it to stop and even then it's slow to stop. So I back up, pull the hood and check the brake fluid. Sure enough, it's low, so I run to Advance, grab some fluid and fill it up the max line and think i'm ok. Start the car up, pump the brakes a few time and notice nothing new. I get out and realize I have a very steady leak in front of the right rear wheel of fluid. It's a steady drip in two places. Is there something I could have done to have caused this. The only line we messed with on Saturday was the emergency brake line and it's clearly working (I tested it).
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My 1994 Ranger keeps shifting in and out of overdrive. It will go into OD easily, but it keeps downshifting, then shifting back up constantly. If I go up hill, if will downshift and stay in drive, but on a flat stretch, it wont stay in OD. It works fine when its cold, but after it warms up, then the shift problem begins. What do I do?
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I have an 04 MDX it has over 100k on it, and about the time it was approaching that milestone, the transmission started "hesitating" when shifting into overdrive.... then it began to try to shift into overdrive way to early driving in town.... and it felt like we were riding across rumble strips every time it would do this.....We have found out.... that if we do not move the transmission selector lever into the overdrive position, but leave it in D4 [thus manually avoiding the overdrive] it does just fine....
We just suffer in the gas mileage dept., but it does not feel like the transmission is going to fall out while riding in town....My question is; is there a way to disconnect or disable the overdrive so that no matter what gear someone puts it in, it will not try to shift into overdrive by itself.When I am driving it; it is not an issue, I remember to not use overdrive every time; but when the wife or the children drive, they sometimes forget, and I am afraid it is going to do real damage beyond low gas mileage......
I have heard that this is a common problem with this vehicle, and that replacing the transmission is a very short-lived solution, as the problem is design related and will eventually happen again.
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2005 Escape CD4E gone...157,000 miles. Previous owner said it was slipping when shifting to 3rd. During test drive the vehicle would hardly move. Only code was for the output shaft. There were metal shavings on the sensor magnet as well as the magnetic drain plug. The drivetrain is now out of the vehicle.
Questions:
1. After a bit of research it seems like there are a lot of tweaks that should be done during a rebuild to make this tranny live longer. Is there any point to having a local trans shop try to rebuild it?
2. Given the reputation of this trans I assume it makes no sense to look at used ones, correct?
3. Any other options?
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2007 Chevy Impala3.5L 6-cyl Flex Fuel engine w/ 4 speed auto trans52,800 miles
Extreme driving conditions maintenance schedule kept.Transmission standard service done @ 32,800 miles which was 20k ago.
PROBLEM:
1) Twice in past three days, when shifting from reverse to drive the transmission has slipped, revving hard with rpms spiked above 3,000 for about 2 seconds before engaging the forward drive gear.
Normally I come to a complete stop of all reverse motion with foot fully on the brake pedal before shifting. Admittedly, I got sloppy the first time noted and still had very slight reverse motion when I shifted.
2) Several times late today, while driving uphill at approx 35 - 45 mph, when the car downshifted there was an extremely brief moment of transmission slippage with spiked rpms. It was so brief each time that at first I thought I'd imagined it until it happened again. Then it did it once on a level surface in a parking lot when having shifted from reverse to drive without problem and was gently accelerating the transmission again slipped for just the briefest moment when the normal automatic shift point was reached. So far, all incidences while driving have been so extremely brief that it was the merest hint of a hiccup.
3) When bringing the car to a complete stop, such as at a stoplight or when parking, as the transmission automatically shifts for the braking of speed, sometimes there is a minor but noticeable thunk sound seeming to come from underneath the car, I'd judge to be somewhere about under the level of the dashboard or slightly forward of that. Could that be from a worn or broken transmission mount? And, if so, could that be somehow causing the slippage problem?
4) This transmission has always, even since new, allowed more roll after being shifted into park, the engine shut off and my foot taken off the brake than any other car I have ever driven. If I forget to engage the parking brake quite tightly, the car will roll forward quite a few inches before the parking pawl holds it, even on the level. I've been told both by the dealership shop and the independent mechanic shop that there is no problem and that this particular engine/transmission combination tends to do this although my particular car seems to do so somewhat worse than average.
ACTIONS TAKEN SO FAR:
1) Have made an appointment to take the car into the mechanic.
2) Will check the transmission fluid level per instructions in the owner's manual tomorrow when I have daylight to see what the fluid level and color on the stick looks like.
NOTE:
1) I periodically check the transmission fluid level and it has never been low or discolored. The shop checked it for me, along with making sure everything else was road trip worthy, for an emergency 1,000 round trip in late November, just three months ago. No problems then.
2) No evidence on the garage floor of any leakage. Garage floor is dry.
QUESTIONS:
1) I presume the first step is for the mechanic to check the fluid level and examine for any leaks?
2) If the mechanic cannot duplicate the problem in a test drive, then what?
3) If the problem cannot be duplicated and no apparent cause found, I presume that the prudent course of action is to go ahead and have standard transmission maintenance done (i.e. drop the pan, check for debris, drain and replace with fresh fluid) then see if that halts the slippages?
4) Given that this car has already had failures of the power steering pump, water pump, and part of the wiring harness, and has a fuel pump starting to get noisy, despite aggressively maintaining all standard/preventive maintenance, that perhaps it is time to think of replacing this car, especially if there proves to be any truly major transmission problem found?
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