Automatic transmission issue
 

Just had my first major problem with my 06 LT 2.4 Auto trans. 145k miles

Yesterday, when going around a corner, the transmission just stopped and the engine revved up. No forward progress at all. Reverse works fine.

I have flushed the fluid every 40,000 and flushed and changed the filter at 120k.

Car never slipped a shift or shifted abruptly. Always shifted perfectly.

Any ideas? Also, is there anyone out there who knows how difficult it is to replace the tranny with another one?

Hmmm, lost all forward gears at once, that could be the Transmission Control Module failing, or the shift solenoids(but to lose all four speeds is unusual), or a catastrophic internal failure.

The first step I guess would be to have it hauled to a reputable transmission shop or your dealer for a diagnostic check before condemning the unit. It might be something simple, cheap, and easy to fix. If its not the case, get a price on a used or reman transmission installed.

While you can replace the trans yourself, if you've never done the job, especially on a front drive vehicle....it can be a major hassle.

Thanks 843de. I spoke with a few reputable shops. Wow, what a variety of opinions. Here they are:
1. Total internal failure
2. Possible TCM or shift solenoids
3. Since reverse works and they work off the same cluster, might be a solenoid to the #1 gear.
4. Since I have always kept the tranny in the best shape, and there were no other problems at all, one reputable shop has seen this in other HHR's and Cobalts. A tube in the pan area can, and has come loose in other models, causing the car to go into neutral mode, except for reverse . Simply pull the pan and reinstall the tube. Another reputable shop said the same thing. I will be trying this tomorrow.

Thanks for the advice and let me know if this sounds like a real solution.

if it was catastrophic, you would see metal shavings of some sort on the dipstick....but now that i just thought of that, i think the HHR doesnt have a tranny dipstick

Hope it's the TCM since those are a piece of cake to replace and can be had for under 70 bucks brand new via amazon!

Since it happened while turning, I was thinking the TCM may have rattled around and a connection came loose? So much for the trans fluid flushing arguments, maybe that really is a bad idea?

I'm split between #2 and #4, but since you have more than one shop saying the same thing based on their experience, I think when they drop the pan you might just have a bad day turn good.

We'll be waiting to hear what they found.

Crap, my new TCM wasn't needed. So, if yours is a TCM I have a GM part number 24252114, brand new, for 70 bucks including shipping! My wiring to the TCM wasn't fully seated, so I removed the plug and then fully seated it, and now all is well.

Did you by any chance think to put electrical grease on the connector? Maybe prevent future probs.

Yep, I did.