I have never had any transmission problems on any car I have owned but that is probably because in the past I would trade up every 5 yrs or so. Just recently my car has started doing something strange and it is mostly from 2nd to 3rd gear and what it does it like it makes the tires chirp. The RPMs don't rev up and it doesn't feel like it is going into neutral before shifting like
some of the posts that I searched said. It is almost like the tires are spinning before they grip and it is a split second. If it was doing it in every gear I might think tires but my tires are relatively new. There are no loud bumps or clanks when shifting either. Anyone have this with their Max and can give me any suggestions? Oh and no codes or OD light blinks either.

The car just hit 130,000 miles and the transmission had never been serviced when I got the car so it was recommended to leave it alone. The fluid does not smell burnt or look glittery like it has a lot of metal in it but is is darker than I would like to see.

Thanks!

 

I don't think its slipping. This is really weird never heard anything like it before. Does it do it even when going really slow? Also, does it jerk when it shifts and makes the tires spin?

 

I notice it more when I first start driving the car and it is cold. It doesn't do it quite as much once I get up to operating temp. The car does seem to jerk a little when it happens but it feels more like the tires slipping than jerking. I compare it to when the road is wet and the tires slip before gripping and taking off but without the spinning if that makes sense. And yes it will do it slow or at WOT but not so much if I am accelerating and then let off the gas a little when I know the car is about to shift from 2 to 3. I don't know how else to explain it and since I don't really know what a tranny going out feels like I am concerned that is what this might be. I did read something about the tranny mount. If it were that would it act up in all gears?

 

If you hear your engine creeping up in rpm but the car is barely moving, that would be slipping. I know for a fact because I go through that. I just downshift to engage the transmission with the engine. As for the tire spinning before they grip doesn't seem like a transmission slipping. Never heard of that either. I could be wrong. That's my 2 cents for you.

 

Thanks Metallica. The rpms do not creep up while the car is not or barely moving. It seems to shift at the right rpms it is just making the tires slip and bark and so far only from 2nd to 3rd. It shifts fine into all other gears as well as reverse. I mean I can literally hear them making a chirping noise! With no codes to go by I am just at a loss and I don't want to ignore the problem and have it escalate into a much more expensive fix. If I take it to a tranny shop how are they going to diagnose anything without codes?

 

uhhh change the fluid??? lol

 

so what your describing sounds like it lags when trying to go into 3rd (doesn't accelerate for a split second) then it hits hard. yeah that's the tranny, its not dead the belts are worn shes getting tired. letting off like you have been is good, it makes it feel like normal because you are making it work less (less torque) all you can do is treat the car right from now on.

i would flush but that's just me and i just opened a **** storm of posts

^ dropping the return line method.

 

I was told that changing the fluid now would probably cause more problems since it had not been serviced when I got the car. Basically since it was high mileage and not having problems to follow the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" mantra. Now that it may be slipping in one gear wouldn't changing the fluid through a drain and fill or flush cause more problems?

When you say the belts are worn what does that mean? I wasn't aware of any belts in the tranny but then maybe I am confused to the lingo?

 

TCM

 

Isn't this located under the center console? If it is the TCM shouldn't it be throwing a code?

 

It might be throwing a code, is your OD light flashing when you turn the car on?

 

No. Nothing weird with OD light or any SES codes.