Hi all, and I really thank you for any help here, I think i'm going to need it.. We had been looking for a car for my Son for awhile and tried many vehicles, just decided on a 2003 Sx 2.0 A/T. Tes drove and it drove fine on the hwy and we took it on a quite lengthy ride..seemingly no issues.. 135,000 kms..the seller, who is a dodge mechanic, gave me a list of things he's fixed, Rad, sway bar links, etc, Told me it needed a set of wires(which he said up front) and guaranteed me that it was a good car with no issues..I drive it for 75 or so KMS and get to almost home when all of a sudden it shifts and seems to jump into gear quite hard, very noticeably.. Was it common for these things to shift that hard? anything I should look for or do?
Tranny fluid looked good and didn't smell burnt at all..
one note, The engine light was on but the mechanic said it was just a set of wires that caused it.. The guy seemed to know his stuff and appeared legit, doesn't seem to slip or anything.It happaned after deceleartion, going up a hill, I stepped on it and whammo.. The car even shuddered if that's a decent description...Sure hope I didn't just blow a wad of dough here...

 

Have you replaced the plugs and wires yet as you were told needed to be done?

If not, and you were told to, that may very well be the problem --> misfire --> CEL and **** poor performance.

 

Hello, Thanks for the reply.. nope I haven't but will do so today, just take old ones off and reinstall new, anything else I should know or do? pardon me but does CEL mean check engine light?

 

In addition to the wires, I'd buy a new set of Champion plugs, gap them, and install them with the new wires; and yes, CEL means the Check Engine Light.

 

Ok, Done. Mopar wires and champion plugs, gapped and installed. Engine light came off.YAY!. went on the hwy and seems ok, on cruise the tach jumps ever so slightly, revs up and down either way a few hunderds rpms maybe.When driving in the city though, not on cruise, still shifts hard, doesn't seem as hard as before but still hard.. I'm new to Neons, could this be a normal thing??
Man, I really appreciate the help!

 

My wifes '02 Neon has some eratic shift issues as well. I think it's just the nature of the transmission. It's just a rather crude design. I have learned for the most part how to drive it without getting these harsh shifts by adjusting throttle pressure with my right foot. Most people think a transmission that shifts abruptly is not going to last but it is actually better on the internals for a more "pronounced" shift. Less slippage and heat being created. Now on the other hand if the tranny is BANGING into the next gear on up shift or down shift there is likely a problem. The RPM fluctuation you notice at cruise is the air conditioning compressor cycling on and off and you will notice it while running the defrost as well as the air.

 

hello again.. Thanks for the great explanation, no I did not hear a bang as such, just a harsh shift.. I drove the car again after my last post and there ifs a definite improvement since the plugs/wires. Perhaps it's the nature of the beast.. There is no slippage so I think i'll just watch it and drive it . I read somewhere that if I disconnect the battery for awhile and then hook up again that the car will "learn" the new drivers habits, is this true or a pile of bs, Many thanks again!!

 

Yes, the trans will go to learn mode. My wife and I both drive her Neon. Me-aggressively, her-not so. Her tranny is probably in a constant state of confusion!

 

HAHHAHAH, I hear you, So do you recommend me doing this?

 

It won't hurt anything. You'll lose your radio presets though!