Auto trans prob on 1996 VS Senator

[FIX8TD]

Hi all, Im new to the forum and 2 weeks ago brought a 1996 Senator.

It was running sweetas until I noticed that it wouldnt changed down gears when accelerating to go faster.
Even with power on, the only way was to manually do it with the gearstick.

I then noticed that after warming it up in the mornings it would take ages to change from 1st to 2nd gear, and when it did it was a hard jolt.
Then it wouldnt changed to 3rd unless the revs were high.

Other times it would drive fine.

I knew it was gonna play up if i started it up and when putting into reverse or drive it jolted hard.

Drove it yesterday for a little bit and it was going perfect.
Parked it up and left it overnight.
Went to drive it this morning and there was heaps of trans fluid running down the drive.

Could it be a gasket? Or maybe something more major?

Im not sure weather to top up the fluid and drive it somewhere to get looked at.

Also thinking about ringing the dealer as i dont think i should have to use my mechanical warrenty already.

Any help appreciated.

[The1]

well id be not driving it anywhere, poping the bonnet and checking hoses for leaks, the trans fluid will be a bright red type colour.

[ephect]

ring the dealer, and tell em everything thats been happening with the car. take photos of the leak if you can find it. tell them you want it looked at and fix asap!

if u can find an auto specialist close to you to get a diagnosis, and what is best solution to fix it, so u have a second opinion, as some dealers are wham bam thankyou ma'm, and dont wanna know about you after selling a car.

[FIX8TD]

I had a good look and found it was leaking from one corner of the sump by the exhaust.
Went and got new gasket, filter and fluid.
Changed it all and test drove for bout an hour..
Changing was still a bit rough but got better the more i drove.
Fluid levels were fine.
Parked her up for about an hour or so, went back and there is another huge puddle leaking from the same damn place.

All the bolts are tight.... i dont know why else it would keep leaking from there.....any ideas?

[ephect]

any damage to the sump or where the sump mounts up? unfortunately means u gotta rip it off again wasting more fuild but

[FIX8TD]

Na no damage that i can see at all.
Weird thing is, i have just moved it into the garage and its not leaking.
The other two times it leaked was when its parked on the drive which isnt completly flat.
It's on a bit of an angle so the right side of the car slops down a bit.
But we had parked it there since we brought it and it didnt leak till now.
Getting frustrated.

[ephect]

its ok whilst flat but the ground/road/driveway isnt always flat, and i wouldnt want to be driving it low on fluid, personnally i'd take it to a pro

[FIX8TD]

Yeah i think im gonna have to do that, hopefully somewhere is open tomorrow......fingers crossed or no work for me on Monday LOL

[ephect]

sorry i coulnt be too much help, but with autos u have to take care of them properly

[The1]

maybe your pan itself is a bit warped, even though it's done up tight with bolts that can still be a gap if it isn't straight.

[FIX8TD]

maybe your pan itself is a bit warped, even though it's done up tight with bolts that can still be a gap if it isn't straight.

Thats what im thinking it maybe too.

We decided to try again and put another new gasket on.

Parked it up on an angle and it leaked outta the same right rear corner of the pan.

Doesnt looked damaged at all but maybe it is slightly enough to still leak.

One thing we did find out thou is even topped up with fluid, it still doesnt shift good at all.

If we turn the car off and on again, and it goes into gear softly then we know its gonna drive good, it it clunks into gear, either reverse or drive, we know it will drive ****ty!!
Weird

Took it back to the dealer today and let his mechanic drive it.
Luckily it didnt shift good as it seems to only play up now and then and it wouldve been just my luck that when he drove it it went fine

Cant wait to hear back what they found out.

Im missing it already

[FIX8TD]

After the dealer having it for a week, they fixed the leak and drove it to find nothing wrong with the gear changing.

Took it to a transmission place just to have it checked and they couldnt find anything wrong with the trans as it only happens now and then.

Got it back off the dealer, started it up the next morning to find the same problem with the gear changing.

Decided to do some research on the forum and someone had said in another post that the tps can cause the trans to not work properly.

Took it back to the dealer today while the car was running like shit and told him it may be the tps, he sent me to an auto electrician who pluged into computer and tps fault came up straight away.

WOOHOO thank god the problem is now fixed!!!!

Was hoping i didnt need a new trans.

[The1]

yeh i had a problem like that before, only i could change gear at all, it was the tps as well.

[FIX8TD]

UPDATE - Turns out the car STILL wasnt running right.
Revving and going no where, check engine light coming on. Not knowing what gear it wants to be in.
After them trying to repair it i finally had enough and on sat just gone, i took it back and said i dont want it any more.
Said they either give my trade in back, the money for my trade in, or find me another car.
They tried to ask for another week to try repair it and i said hell no.
Dont trust that car even if it was fixed.

So, have swapped it for a 1995 Senator.


Wonder if they will ever find the problem with the other car!!
What a lemon!!!!