SandyBeach

In mid-October I took a 500 mile trip. Just as I exited the interstate, the engine started to bog down. I looked at the shifter and found it was in LOW. I had been running at 75 mph until I pulled down the exit ramp. I just thought maybe I had hit it accidentally.

Today, while driving home from work, it happened again. I drove about 2 miles then stopped at a red light. When I started up again, it bogged down. Again, I found it had moved into LOW gear. I'm seldome leave my hand on the shifter because it's not a comfortable position. I also didn't grab any items that could have hit the shifter.

Can someone tell me how this can happen? You have to depress the button on the shifter to go into LOW. Has this happened to you?

cvrogershhr

Hey Sandy, not knowing if you have a problem or not, but a possible scenario. The shifter cable may not be adjusted right. When you put it in gear maybe it is in between and when you stop, the weight shift has caused it to shift on into low. I would think you would notice the engine noise at 75 mph as being very annoying, and noticable. I have noticed it seems I have pulled my shifter into Low, even though it needs to have the button pushed to go on down, it still feels funny, but when I check it, it is in drive. One time I did shift it into Low, but I could tell when driving it was there and just shifted it back into drive. Try shifting a few times while sitting in the drive, lightly shifting into drive, low and reverse neutral and back a few times, get the feel of it, see if it seems to go into each postion with authority. If it doesn't, take it in for an adjustment, may be all there is to it.
Let us know.....

SandyBeach

Now that I recall, both times it happened when I slowing down so it may have moved into low on it's own. Don't you consider this a real problem. Driving in low at a high speed can mess your transmission, right? I've try to move it into low while driving and had to depress the button for it to happen. It should never happen when you bumb the shifter.

I'm going to take it to the dealer for the first oil change. I'll have them look into it and the two times the check engine light came on.

Z-Man

Theresa
Let me know what the Dealership tell you and if they fine anything wrong. I have had that happen to me twice but just blew it off, It has not happen for a very long time. Keep us posted on this matter.

Z

cvrogershhr

Hey, Sorry, yea, if the transmission is shifting into a lower gear, that is a problem. I was wondering if maybe it is just an adjustment thing. The shifters in these cars are cable operated, and sometimes they are either out of adjustment, or just plain loose. You say the transmission goes into LOW. I was thinking maybe it was going into Intermediate, the next gear down. This is really drive gear, as the D is Overdive in cars today. At any rate, downshifting itself is a problem, and having worked on automatic transmissions, it can be several things that may have to be looked at. Yea, take it to the dealer, have them go over it, and maybe pay special attention to the adjustment, again, like I say, it really needs to be checked to make sure the shifter and the shift valve in the transmission are aligned the same. And again, let us know how this works out, and if they find anything, or better yet, fix something. Used to have these problems with shifters in Camaros in the late 70's and early 80's, slightest out of adjustment, caused all kinds of problems. These cars today have the shifter cable going in on the top of the transmission, and therefore it rocks forward and backwards when accelerating or decelerating, so being out of alignment can cause several situations. Again, regardless, it needs to be looked at.

SandyBeach

I have an appointment at the dealer on Dec 8th. I'll let you know what they find!

SandyBeach

The official word is "can't replicate the problem". How many times have we all heard that? It did shift into Intermediate instead of Low which I read is also a driving gear. But the owner's manual also states not to shift from one to the other while driving.

I guess every time it happens, I'll just keep taking it back.