Auto transmission acting weird

[bham_gt]

Yesterday, I was on my way home from work and my auto transmission started acting really weird. I was going around 35-40 and the car was in 3rd gear. That's right around the time it usually shifts into OD. The transmission started shuddering really bad. I pressed the gas so that it would downshift to 2nd, and it stopped the shuddering. Now it still seems to be doing this on the 3rd-OD shift. Also, if I'm cruising in OD at lower RPM's (say between 40-55mph) and I accelerate enough to downshift to 3rd, the downshift is very rough. It's like something is clunking together in there. The car is a 2003 with 31k miles. I know it's time for a fluid change, but could this be more of a problem than just that? Any ideas?

 

[mustangman9812]

I have a 98 GT and when it get around 25,000 miles or so it will start shuddering and stuff. I will change the fluid and filter. Mine wont do it again untill another 25,000 miles or so

 

[bham_gt]

Is a complete flush and filter change something I could do myself, or would I need to take it in for that? Does anyone have any links to some write-ups for that?

 

[MaxedGT]

If it's under warranty I'd take it to the dealer.

 

[Stangdriver1119]

If it's under warranty I'd take it to the dealer.

I agree

 

[Mustangl3]

The dealer wil try and talk you out of doing a flush and replacing the filter. They say just the flush willl clean every out, but I'd tell them to drop the pan and replace the filter as well.

 

[lover]

Yeah, try the flushing and cable first. If that's not it then, there maybe something wrong with that gear in the transmission. Unfortunately they don't replace one gear, but all of them when doing a tranny rebuild, which I hope isn't the problem. If it is internal, you are riding on borrowed time. It's going to get worse.
What you could do is put the gear in drive when accelerating, when you get the RPMs up a little bit, more than when the car would automatically shift, left off the gas and bump it up into OD. This could bypass that bad spot that the car has trouble with on its own.
I had a problem with my transmission going into OD. It would bog and make a noise, but I think my problem was worse than yours. But I would put it in D when I take off and get the car up and running past the 3-OD shift point a little bit, and then let off the gas and shift it into OD....

 

[bham_gt]

Well, the car is still under warranty, so I went ahead and took it in yesterday. They are going to check it out first thing this morning. I'll let everyone know what I find out.

 

[Dark Knight GT]

If it was shuddering when shifting from 3rd to OD, it's probably the torque converter. Remember, the torque converter is designed to lock up during 2-3 and 3-OD shifts. What exactly is causing the torque converter clutch to slip in your case, I'm not sure. If it's under warranty, then taking it back to the dealer was probably a good thing before you go messing with it yourself. Hopefully, it just needs flushed with a filter change. As said above by lover, if its something internal, its only a question of time before it goes.

I see you don't have a transmission cooler in your list of mods. I highly recommend one though. Heat is the number 1 killer of automatic transmissions, and if the dealership you have is worth a piss, they'll tell you the same thing. A transmission cooler will not void the warranty, and will help in the long run, so I recommend getting one.

 

[bham_gt]

I see you don't have a transmission cooler in your list of mods. I highly recommend one though. Heat is the number 1 killer of automatic transmissions, and if the dealership you have is worth a piss, they'll tell you the same thing. A transmission cooler will not void the warranty, and will help in the long run, so I recommend getting one.

Yeah, I've been considering getting one. I guess I should just go ahead and get it. Do you think I would have to have the dealer install it for it not to void the warranty?

 

[Dark Knight GT]

Yeah, I've been considering getting one. I guess I should just go ahead and get it. Do you think I would have to have the dealer install it for it not to void the warranty?

No, but if the dealer does do the install, they would be more willing to fix it for free if you had any problems with it, since they back their own work and all. I had that problem happen to me once. The dealership installed a transmission cooler for me, the line broke because it was a weak line, and the dealership fixed it for free, since it was their own work.

 

[bham_gt]

Well, just heard back from the dealer. They said they did a flush and filter change and that fixed the problem. Going to pick it up this afternoon, so we'll see if it's really fixed.