hard shift on downshift ...HELP!!!

[tenro1]

I was on my way to work this morning, in usual stop and go traffic in Atlanta...doing 5-10 mph. All of a sudden, I experienced a very hard downshift from either 3rd to 2nd or 2nd to 1st...not sure which...strong enough to feel like I hit a pothole. Truck is a 2001 t4r 2wd automatic v6.

I experienced 2 more of these during the course of the drive....both on downshift, both after moving off accelerator to brake...

What is causing this? I checked my vitals after parking at work - trans temp was at 173....coolant at 203. Checked the trans fluid - it looked good. Checked the coolant in the reservoir, it looked good as well.

One thing I did notice is that when the truck is in drive - the green light behind the D seems to be dimmed...not bright like before...and not bright like any of the other trans positions on the shifter...is this an indication of a problem?

Need some insight on this ASAP..Gotta drive this thing 30 miles back home this afternoon.

Thanks!

 

[tenro1]

Bump...hoping someone can comment on this this morning.....seriously dreading making the run home (30 miles) in stop and go this afternoon with this issue....Anyone?

 

[tenro1]

nobody? anybody?

 

[tenro1]

Bumping again....nobody has any idea on this?

I will update one thing: The dimmed D indicator on the dash was dimmed because I had the lights on.

Other than that - the issue occurred on the way home, multiple times, but this time during acceleration (slow -moderate accel) with no foot on the brakes, jerk occurred between 3-4th gears.

Please someone - help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[nor_cal51501]

Your looking at trans problems, plain and simple. You could have anything from a bent shift fork to a gummed up valve body to toasted clutch plates…Without a CEL theres not much to diagnose externally. You are most certainly going to be looking at a trans diagnose at a local shop and/or probably a rebuild. Sorry for the blunt delivery, its just that these transmissions don't often have problems..but when they do, its rarely something as simple as a solenoid(unless the CEL is triggered with a p0700 code). What year is your T4R? The 96-2000's aren't that expensive of a trans to find used, the 2001-2002…an entirely different story. (Ask me how I know)

 

[tenro1]

yep - pretty much figured this would be the case. Thanks

 

[tenro1]

Update: Took the truck to my service guy this morning, he test drove it and was able to replicate the problem.

Definetly the transmission...he said we could try a trans flush, it might work, it might not...otherwise, replace the transmission.

Being that this is a 2001 with 240k on the vehicle...2wd....what do you think? $225 for the trans flush, vs $3700 for the trans replacement....I am torn, and dont know that I want to put that kind of money into this.....

need some input....

Thanks,
Michael