Hello.

I am a new member and need advise surrounding my transmission.

My check engine light came on so I took the car in. The shop told me I needed a new transmission kickdown cable so I had them replace it. BTW - the transmission was shifting very nicely before and during driving with the check engine light.

Ever since I got the car back the transmission is shifting terrible. The shift points are all off (it is holding gears until 3-4k rpm). To make matters worst when you go between D'drive' and R 'reverse' it engages HARD. Never did that before.

I have taken the car back to the shop and they adjusted the kickdown cable a bit, but within several short drives the issue is back.

Please advise with any suggestions or ideas on how to get me car back to the way it was (driving perfectly). If I would have known this I would have just continued to drive with the light on and done nothing.

 

it has nothing to do with the transmission.

bring a baseball bat and go back to that mechanic.

tell them to put the adjustment back in order. they must have mess the modulating pressure.

 

Thanks for the reply.

Is there anything specific I should address with the mechanic? You mentioned the modulating pressure - can you explain that a bit more and maybe how this kickdown cable works? I want to have a good sense of understanding when I bring it back in.

 

kickdown means it will shift down your trans to lower gear for overtaking, etc.

it pushes the control valve inside the trans valve body to shift to lower gear using bypass gallery.

there is an alignment guide in adjusting the kickdown cable. you can see it visually.

too tight, will shift early and you will notice lack of power... and vice versa.

tell them to adjust it the proper way.

ask them check the modulating pressure. tell me how many bar...tell me also your VIN or trans model.

after all adjustments are done in factory settings, tell me the sysptoms. we work it out from there.

tell them to make sure THAT THE VACUUM IN MODULATING PRESSURE VALVE IS ATTACHED, and that there is vacuum on it. no vacuum means very high pressure and therefore you feel that hars engagement.

on testing the pressure, the vacuum of course is detached.

Chris, you need an experienced mechanic to diagnose your problem. somebody who can analyze and got enough info for such repair.

no trial and error there. you trans is very easy to fix. if they mess... you'll get headache. maybe heartache too.

 

yes the trans kick down cable can turn on your engine light. also known as the boden cable . there is a vacuum element on the side of this cable that alowes the trans to hold in 1 and second gear for longer so that it heats your cat converter. if this element is leaking you can adjust it all you want and you will still have a problem. if it is leaking replace the bowden cable.