Anyone know anything about cars?
#266386 - 05/30/06 11:22 AM
|
|
|
|
Snorkie
Reged: 02/15/05
Posts: 1999
Loc: Northern Illinois, USA
|
|
|
I've noticed my car is acting funny the last few days. It starts up fine, but when I put it into reverse, it barely wants to move and it will remain sluggish for a bit (a minute or less) after it's in drive. Once it gets going, everything seems to run fine.
I'm past the date for an oil change, but not past the milage. I just have the feeling it's something more serious than needing an oil change. Could it be the transmission?
The car is a '97 Sunfire with 120,000 miles on it, so from what little I know, it's plausible it is the transmission. Any ideas? 
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
well I don't know a ton about cars, but the same thing happened to mine.
It could be the transmission.. generally the first thing to go with a tranny is the ability to reverse. I hope its something much simpler, but it might be worth taking to a transmission specialist for a diagnostic check. Aamco has free transmission checks if you go on their website and print out the coupon.
--------------------
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Thanks for the coupon tip! FREE is always good.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Before you take it in to anyone, drive it around the block to warm the transmission up, and then check your transmission fluid level while the vehicle is idling. Does it smell burnt or smells hot, or kind of smells like burnt popcorn? Just changing the fluid and tranny filters might do the trick. 120,000 miles is a lot of miles on a Sunfire. How is the engine and body? It might not be worth the money to have someone rebuild or replace the tranny. Look at www.kbb.com and www.edmunds.com to find the value of your vehicle.
--------------------
 Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow”. Mary Anne Radmacher
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Thank you for the input. I will drive it around the block before I take it anywhere tomorrow.
Soon after I posted I decided to move my car so my husband would be able to get his car out of the garage later. I got half way out of the drive way and the car wouldn't go. It wouldn't go in drive or in reverse. So I got my husband out of bed to see if he could get it to go or at least push it out to the curb.
The engine died on him at first, but he was able to keep it going if he revved it. So know it's out at the curb. Mich knows only slightly more about cars than I do, but he didn't hear any clunking, so he doesn't think it's the transmission.
I also called Dad (font of all knowledge...anyway, knows more about cars than my husband and me). Dad thinks maybe it's the carburator or low fluid pressure or low fluids.
The body's in decent shape. The engine...remains to be seen. We're going to take it to the dealer in the morning. Man, I hope it can make it. Dealer's on the other side of town.
This is just frustrating. I already put $700 in that car in January...brakes, a new horn, and transmission flush.
Major car problems weren't supposed to happen until AFTER I had a different job. But then, these things rarely happen when they're "supposed to."
We'll see. Thanks for the input guys..and for "listening" to me vent!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
When I lived and went to school in Portland, Oregon I had a car but almost allways used the public bus service. No such thing out here in Wyoming, but do you have good bus service there? It was easier then driving when I lived in Portland. But ... at that time I didn't have ibs to worry about.
--------------------
Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow”. Mary Anne Radmacher
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
So now the dealership says they can't duplicate the problem.
This is good for my pocketbook.
At the same time, it's still frustrating because I KNOW it was being goofy yesterday. This car's done that a few other times with other stuff - acted up on me but not for the mechanic.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
Posts
