Shift Solenoid
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: 02-01-2006
Posts: 1,470
From: lockport,ny
I know this is an old thread but I have a few questions. First, were you able to change all the shift solenoids with just dropping the pan and getting the side panel off just enough to change them or did you have to take cradle off? Second, is the shift solenoids going out a common problem with HHR’s? I ask because mines only got 140k miles on it and I’ve not seen this issue with any of my other cars that have way more miles on them. I’ve got code p0700 for the TCM (which I had about 2 years ago and was able to correct with just a fuse) and the p0977 2-3 shift solenoid high.
I dropped the cradle just enough to clear the bottom of the side cover (where the solenoids are). Then I lowered the engine/transmission until the side cover could be pulled straight off.
It might be possible to avoid dropping the cradle or the engine/trans, but I never tried it.
The problem is that the cover has to be slid sideways enough to clear the items protruding from the transmission under the cover. You can see how deep the side cover is. I was afraid that trying to manipulate the cover over the internals sticking out might cause me to damage something while trying to remove or reinstall the cover.
As to whether the solenoids are a problem, I have owned about a dozen HHRs since 2006 and this is the only time I ever had a solenoid fail.
Steve
Senior Member
Joined: 10-19-2013
Posts: 413
From: Dallas Texas
Looks like the shift solenoid (2-3) has failed on one of my HHRs.
There should be 19-31 ohms resistance between the +12V line and the control line to the solenoid, but there is only about 3 ohms (which is probably the wiring resistance in the harness). This was checked at the connector to the TCM.
When I disconnect the harness at the transmission, the resistance at the TCM connector jumps to infinity. Which indicates that there is no short in the harness, the problem is inside the tranny.
The part is cheap ($20) but requires a lot of labor (around 7 hours) because the side cover won't come off without dropping the cradle and tranny. I am going to do it myself because it would cost too much to have it done and its not difficult, just time-consuming.
There is actually a video on youtube where a guy doesn't drop the cradle, but just pulls the cover off the trans enough to get at the solenoid. Don't know if I want to try this first.
My question is: Should I replace the 1-2 shift solenoid and the TCC solenoid while it is apart? anything else I should replace?
Thanks
Steve
There should be 19-31 ohms resistance between the +12V line and the control line to the solenoid, but there is only about 3 ohms (which is probably the wiring resistance in the harness). This was checked at the connector to the TCM.
When I disconnect the harness at the transmission, the resistance at the TCM connector jumps to infinity. Which indicates that there is no short in the harness, the problem is inside the tranny.
The part is cheap ($20) but requires a lot of labor (around 7 hours) because the side cover won't come off without dropping the cradle and tranny. I am going to do it myself because it would cost too much to have it done and its not difficult, just time-consuming.
There is actually a video on youtube where a guy doesn't drop the cradle, but just pulls the cover off the trans enough to get at the solenoid. Don't know if I want to try this first.
My question is: Should I replace the 1-2 shift solenoid and the TCC solenoid while it is apart? anything else I should replace?
Thanks
Steve
Are you calling +12v Line pin 31?
Is solenoid control lines pin 2 (1-2 shift solenoid ) and pin 20 (2-4 shift solenoid?
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