Young04

my 2002 auto (about 20K miles) bobs back and forth like it's a manual during normal driving (shifts between 2500 and 3200 rpm). it doesn't do it when i get on the gas or during parking lot driving. it's not a rough shift like many cars do on cold starts, but it just seems to take a long time for the car to change gears...does it need new tranny fluid already? any advice?

2001SE

thats how the tranny works....when you press very little gas, it shifts it very slow and smooth(luxerious). When you step on it, it "switches" to sport mode and shifts very quickly.

Young04

that's not exactly what i meant. during normal driving, the tranny seems to hang...it'll hold the RPM for too long - enough to rock the car back and forth a little before it upshifts. never did this when new.

MaximaPolak

iTrader: (9)

What's your driving style? Do you take care of your tranny or shift it yourself?
This can cause something like that.

AcidReflex

Is it more obvious in colder weather? I took mine in for the same problem and the tech even felt it but couldn't find anything wrong.

bk2kmax

I think this has more to do with the electronic throttle moreso than the tranny. There have been many here who has complained of the way the throttle acts when they step on the gas, most were sticks and a few were autos.

I could be wrong though.

My 2k3 auto was acting funny like that and threw a SES light and I ended up having to have my VTC replaced, of course I was under warranty, otherwise it would've been $230.00 bones out of pocket.

Get it checked even though you're not getting an SES light like I did.

irish44j

iTrader: (38)

[QUOTE=Young04]my 2002 auto (about 20K miles) bobs back and forth like it's a manual during normal driving [QUOTE]

that's a funny thing to say...funny because my manual is smooth as butter shifting in "normal driving." Oh wait, maybe it's because I know how to utilize the clutch, accellerator, and shifter correctly. If you are in a manual and it's bobbing back and forth during normal driving, then the driver doesn't know how to drive stick worth a ****....

Your auto bobs back and forth like....(gasp!)....a crappy auto, not a manual.

Sorry I can't be of help to you, but comparing bumpy auto shifting to a manual is ridiculous.....

silversurfersg

i had an auto mustang that had a few problems like that. it would refuse to downshift unless i let off the gas completely sometimes. replace the trans fluid... its cheap. also if u feel the need, unhook ur battery for a half hour to reset ur ecu. changes come calibrations that my exist from ur style of driving.

ajahearn

iTrader: (3)

Your description sounds more like your auto is shigting in and out of overdrive. Try locking out overdrive and see if the problem goes away. You may be able to fix this with a fluid and filter change. Sometimes the answer is a new Auto. Hope I'm wrong.

skandalouz

iTrader: (2)

[QUOTE=irish44j][QUOTE=Young04]my 2002 auto (about 20K miles) bobs back and forth like it's a manual during normal driving damn... no need to take so much offense in what he said.....

irish44j

iTrader: (38)

naw, not taking offense....it's hard to show sarcasm when typing. I guess it did come off kind of mean-sounding, but didn't mean it that way...

But I have buddies that have stick shifts and the cars jerking all aroudn every time they accellerate...really ****es me off. So I know what he was saying, just givin him a hard time - the org has been kind of slow recently i guess...

NewLoveI30

I always thought that the shifts sould be quicker the harder I step on the pedal, but mine seems to shift pretty slow at WOT. I already had the tranny solenoids replaced so I dont think its that.

I do know what you are talking about "shifting like a stick". I recently had my tranny checked out at the dealer and they found nothing I dont know how much I beleive that, but I guess it is normal.