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Today at lunch the Engine Service Soon light came on. It seemed draggy pulling away from stops but seemed to shift and sound fine. Stop by my apt, can't get the key out. The ignition won't turn back enough. Take it directly to my auto place, they say it has 4 transmission codes. The key comes out for them.
Call a transmission place to take it in tomorrow.
After work running errands, the light goes off.
The only other thing which shouldn't have any bearing is that I got an oil change at Valvoline yesterday.
The mentioned his Blazer having tranny problems but I don't think voodoo jinxing counts.
1997 Blazer S10, 4WD, 188,000 miles, well maintained
I certainly can't tell much from your description of the situation. None the less, taking a car into a transmission specialist is rather like asking a surgeon whether it would be appropriate to undergo surgery in order to deal with a problem...
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,550 posts, read 81,103,317 times
Reputation: 57750
You'll know more when you are on the way to the shop. Having gotten that many miles on an automatic transmission is pretty good. Transmission codes can be as simple as sensors for $100 but I'd be more inclined to expect a $3,000 rebuild. often the light goes back off but then the real damage starts inside the case, and driving it in you make it worse than it was.
Today at lunch the Engine Service Soon light came on. It seemed draggy pulling away from stops but seemed to shift and sound fine. Stop by my apt, can't get the key out. The ignition won't turn back enough. Take it directly to my auto place, they say it has 4 transmission codes. The key comes out for them.
Call a transmission place to take it in tomorrow.
After work running errands, the light goes off.
The only other thing which shouldn't have any bearing is that I got an oil change at Valvoline yesterday.
The mentioned his Blazer having tranny problems but I don't think voodoo jinxing counts.
1997 Blazer S10, 4WD, 188,000 miles, well maintained
Keep the appt? What to expect?
That 4L60E is a pretty good transmission, unless you've been towing in overdrive. On the other hand, by 190,000 miles, just about anything can happen.
If this is a legit tranny place, they should be more than happy to tell you what the codes are.
Also, do not overlook the possibility that one of the clowns at the oil change place may have monkeyed with something. It wouldn't be the first time.
A follow up as thanks for the info and for others possible knowledge the transmission codes pulled and analyzed by the transmission shop pointed to the ignition switch. They reset the codes and said go back to my regular mechanic. When driving around after picking it up the service engine soon light came back on and I noticed the draggy no power feel pulling away from stops again.
So now Monday I am dropping the car off back at the regular mechanics.
The transmission guys didn't charge me anything.
My regular mechanic place which was independently owned was sold to AAA by the owner who is now the mgr. He was tired of working long hours. I sort ofeel that had he still owned the place maybe he would have saved me a trip to the transmission shop by spending a little more time figuring out the codes himself but since the new AAA guy was the guy that pulled the codes and was calling the shots they sent me on my way. Not sure about that but Idon't think I'm going to ike the new management.
Turns out that when your Check Engine Light goes on and its transmission related, Your transmission goes into "limp" mode and locks the transmission in third gear.
So every time you stop the transmission stays in third gear and it will slip until the car is up to speed for third gear.
So your putting a lot of stress on the transmission and getting horrible mpg.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,550 posts, read 81,103,317 times
Reputation: 57750
If it is in limp mode, I would not drive it except to the shop for repairs. If the transmission doesn't need a rebuild yet it will after too much driving in limp mode.
Thanks for the info! I did do some errands yesterday;( but am staying in today. Tomorrow to the shop.
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