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[Olly]

Hi all,

Yet another problem to seek advice on  :-/

Just recently I've been having some real problems with the automatic gearbox on the car. Issues are as follows:

1. Very strangely timed gear changes. For example, having slowed down for a corner, rounabout etc and then accelerating from about 20mph there will be little response and then suddenly gearbox will kick down a gear giving you whiplash in the process. The accelerator would have been nowhere near fully depressed. Other times it seems to randomly switch from short changing every gear to holding each of them to near the rev limit.

2. Intermittently (although more frequently) seems to get stuck in 3rd gear when put into the Drive position. Can be overridden by manually selecting 1st, 2nd and 3rd but defaeats the point of having an automatic !!

3. (and linked to above) The selection light on the gearbox is not always working. this happens for the Parked, Neutral and Drive positions. When this happens the Sport button doesn't work and, as an aside, the snow button seems to have stopped working altogether.

I'm hoping this isn't going to be expensive but get a gut feeling its going to require a trip to a gearbox specialist. That is, of course, unless someone can provide any other suggestions of what to check.

Thanks

Olly

[Jimbob]

1 thing you can check, is the fluid level, not very easy though with no dipstick, guide in maint guides.

the other is to get it on a good code reader, and see if the box is reporting any errors.


Sounds more than just the fluid wants changing, maybe a dodgy solenoid as well.

[tunnie]

have you taken the selector switch off and given it a damn good clean?

[Varche]

When you have cleaned the selector switch refit it following the guide in Haynes. You use a 2mm(from memory) drill bit to position it correctly. Easy enough job once you have the car safely high enough.

[Olly]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Haven't done anything with the fluid just yet but may get my local garage to do this as it looks a bit fiddly and they give me a nice big discount !!

I haven't been able to find a Haynes manual for my car, are there any other guides for removing/cleaning/replacing the selector switch

[Varche]

I don't think they did a manual for cars after 1999 T reg.

However a lot of the stuff on the facelifts is similar to the older model and so the manual (blue cover 3510 haynes) is helpful. The gearbox is the same for example.

[Olly]

Thanks, will see if I can get one off Ebay.

The other possible cause I've read about is the throttle position sensor, could that cause problems with the gearbox or would I have noticed other issues ??