GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Have an 03 Vibe with automatic transmission. Never had any experience with this, it appears the transmission is slipping. It is very noticeable going up hills ... the RPM goes up to over 4K, the speed barely increases. Seems if I let up on the gas, the transmission will then shift.

I checked the fluid and it was right at the bottom notch of the full mark so I wouldn't say the fluid was low. I did a drain and refill with toyota T-IV transmission fluid and made sure it was at the high notch of the full mark but still has the same slipping symptoms

Don't have any CEL's. Is there anything else I can check? Should I put in some non-slip additive?

If it is slipping, the damage is already done. It is to late for maintenance at that point and you will need to replace the transmission. That is probably why there have been no replies to your question. There is really nothing to do that is going to save a slipping automatic transmission other then replacing it or rebuilding it. A used transmission would be your lowest cost option.

Well dang it. Was hoping there was something I could try but yeah, when no one answered I figured as much. Thanks, i'll break the news to my daughter.

Anyone have luck replacing with a used transmission? I did a quick look but it seems they only ship a tranny to commercial addresses? So probably time to give up on this car.

just because you are experiencing slipping does not mean it is finished by any stretch. Mechanics fix shifting problems all the time due to non compatible fluids being used or removing fluids which are no longer providing protection. I am curious as to why you did the drain and fill rather than have a full fluid transplant with a BG machine? Fluids break down due to heat over time. It is possible the fluids are not lubricating any longer and will cause slipping. Exactly how much did you drain and replace?

I drained and replaced 3 qts. Think that is pretty close to the capacity? Isn't capacity for that transmission 3.2 qts?

I believe you are right. Certainly some of the old fluid continued to hide atop the torque converter. I would drive it for a week if possible to see if there is any change in behavior and then I'd do another drain and fill to ensure you have gotten out as much of the dirt as possible and have the most fresh fluid circulating around. If nothing after two tries, you indeed may be doomed.

That's the normal sump capacity, but the transmission actually holds closer to 8 quarts, mainly in the torque converter. Thus the recommendation for the flush. Some say a flush can do harm, but I have no experience with or opinion on that. If your fluid has at least a hint of red in it and doesn't smell bad, it's probably okay.

I would probably try a hydraulic additive, since it's unlikely you'll do any more harm (other than to your wallet). I don't think those products will harm the radiator, but that's something I'd look at more before I used them. I used an additive on a noisy, slipping AWD transfer case once, as directed by a transmission shop, and it worked.

What you have described is not an over run from a shifting issue, which is what an additive may correct.

If you are going to try an additive, which is not going to hurt anything at this point, I would try K&W Trans-X in the blue bottle.

https://www.amazon.com/402033X6-Trans-X ... B000M8NZA2

You can do a search for this product and read reviews, YouTube, ect. When you drained the fluid, how did it look and smell? Did you change the transmission filter? Slipping in a transmission is generally caused by burnt clutch packs or bands in the transmission. These go bad over time with lack of maintenance. Internal seals start to leak so the pressure to apply the clutches and bands drops, which causes slippage and the facing on these parts burn up. If the car has not been driven very long with this condition then the above additive may help the seals and get the pressure back up so the clutches and bands have the pressure they need. Drain the fluid again, pull the pan off, check the bottom of the pan and magnets in the pan for debris. Replace transmission filter. The reason for this is that the filter can get restricted and also cause pressure loss and increased wear on internal transmission parts.. The filter should be changed as a regular maintenance item. Put in additive and top off with transmission fluid. Cross your fingers and give it a try. If fluid smelled burnt, damage is done.

Wanted to let you all know what I found out on this. I was really thinking this was a slipping transmission and my daughter was just going to have to junk it due to the cost of replacing the transmission. Before we junked it though, I decided to take it to mechanic for a diagnostic just to make sure. What they found out was that the catalytic converter was plugged which was causing severe lack of power. Never ever thought the problem would be due to exhaust system. Replacing the catalytic convertor wasn't cheap but it was much more affordable than transmission It is now running much quieter and accelerating much better.

Thanks for finishing out the thread.

I would think with that much back pressure some sensor would be reporting in but don't know (I later see you had said no codes showing).

I wonder if the condition was caused by a failing or weak O2 sensor (which would have been allowing a rich mixture and contributing to the cat plugging up)? I've read that one person recommends replacing the O2 sensor by 250k miles in order to avoid the damage to the cat since it is less expense vs. the catalytic convertor - how many miles were on the Vibe?