okay so i have a 2001 neon with the 2.0 and auto trans.... a couple days ago it started acting up on me. we were heading to a nearby town, and travelling on the 2 lane highway (at about 60mph) and there is a stop sign with a T intersection where we had to turn, from there it acted like the transmission wasnt shifting (WE could only get to about 30mph and if u stepped into the gas to try and speed up u can feel it shift but then immediately shifting back thus leaving the car feeling like its redlining and such)

Now we pulled over shut the car off and restarted it and it worked great again until we got out of town and had to slow down from above 45mph, once again shut off and it worked fine again until we crossed this scenario again.

I've been trying to avoid driving it out of town and was wondering if anyone new any ideas that could be my issue... im new to automatic transmissions..... and i've heard things as transmission is shot, its a shift solenoid, its the trans computer, i've even heard its my engine causing it...so i figured i'd ask here... thanks for the help guys, its greatly appreciated.

 

Have you checked for codes?

 

yes, doing the key dance im only coming up with a p0303 and that one for the battery disconnected....

 

No, that is not a battery disconnect code. Not sure how you came up with that...
P0300 is a general misfire code, P0303 being a misfire in cylinder 3. Whoever said your engine is correct and knew what they were talking about.

Check your plugs and wires to begin with. How old are they? They should be replaced at 30K/60K, respectively. From there, you'd look at the fuel injector.

 

yes, i am aware that a p0303 is a cylinder 3 misfire... i have that AND the battery disconnect code... i just forgot what it is off the top of my head...plugs wires injectors are all new as of 4k miles or so ago...

i have had the misfire for a while ( well b4 this issue) and its due to lower compression which i havent had the time to trace down yet (it comes periodically if i clear the codes it doesnt come back up right away can take until 2-3k miles later), the car has been driving and running fine with it other than a slight rough idle and unable to use the air as it will hardly idle.... the misfire has been around

my concern atm is why the transmission seems to be screwing up... and this is a recent issue

but today i did have to pull the battery to change it, and it seemed to work fine mostly... a couple times going to pass a car on the highway, it seemed like it didnt wanna kick into the passing gear...

how is it i tell which auto trans i have...i have read there is a 3 speed fully hydraulic, and a 4 speed with the lovely electronics?

 

I read it as "...and that's the one for the battery disconnect code." My misunderstanding.

You have the 3 speed hydraulic (30 or 31TH, can't remember which exactly). Electronic transmissions started in2002. I don't know that the hydraulic transmissions have a computer (I'm not sure what they'd have them for; they aren't electric). Is there any way you can get a real code scanner? The cluster doesn't show transmission codes. NGC cars will show the P0700 general fault code, but no other "real" codes. If there truly are no transmission codes, you'll need to get a manual and go through diagnostics to find the problem IMO. It's too hard to say it's part _____ for sure IMO. You can guess a more major part that could be the problem, but...

 

Im trying to get the cash to get it scanned but its like 75 dollars just for the scanning. And the only real code scanner i can use is the cheap code scout that they loan out at the local oreillys, but it never seems to work anyway so i kinda gave up trying with them.

but being its a fully hydraulic trans actually helps me alot, beings i know its not an electronic reasoning...

 

No Autozone around?

 

HA! i wish.... id much rather get parts through them than oreillys.... but im my little town, thats all i have without a 40 minute or more drive... and idk if i wanna risk that with the car as it sits

 

Yeah, I've got the same "small town" situation and I too hate the O'Reilly's. I get the right part 1 out of 100 times. Luckily, I've got a smaller, local store and a NAPA.

They have code scanners online for $75 and under. Better off spending the money you'd be charged and just buy the scanner to have for any of your cars. That's how I ended up with mine.