Car trouble

[StefanM]

My car seems to be having transmission issues (which is about time for a 16 year old car), but I have to have a car to continue to work.

I may be able to borrow a car for now, but I know I can't do that forever. I just can't afford to replace the car at this time.

Please pray that this works out.

 

[Bible Thumpin n Gun Totin]

I'll add you to my prayer list Brother.

Just a thought, if it's an automatic transmission, and if it's only 16 years old (fairly modern), it may have something called a "Throttle Position Sensor" (TPS) which tells the transmission when to shift gears. If your transmission is punching into gear hard it could be a bad (TPS) which is cheap, or it could be bad accumulator parts inside the tranny, which would require a tranny rebuild.

If your transmission is slipping when in gear, then you'll need a rebuild due to chewed up gear teeth, or just junk the car.

You could check the tranny fluid to see how bad it is. It's just a dipstick just like oil, all you do is pull the dipstick out, look at the color and put it back in.
Bright red = good
dark red = not good
brown = Uh oh

I drive a 22 year old Chevy K1500 truck that I try to keep running by myself, so I know your feelings

Just some thoughts to help your peace of mind . God Bless Brother!

 

[annsni]

Do you have any friends who work on cars who can help you look to see what the trouble is? Unfortunately, sometimes we need to spend money to save money and while a transmission is expensive, it is still cheaper than getting a new car unless you can find a good reliable older vehicle to replace it with.

 

[StefanM]

I'll add you to my prayer list Brother.

Just a thought, if it's an automatic transmission, and if it's only 16 years old (fairly modern), it may have something called a "Throttle Position Sensor" (TPS) which tells the transmission when to shift gears. If your transmission is punching into gear hard it could be a bad (TPS) which is cheap, or it could be bad accumulator parts inside the tranny, which would require a tranny rebuild.

If your transmission is slipping when in gear, then you'll need a rebuild due to chewed up gear teeth, or just junk the car.

You could check the tranny fluid to see how bad it is. It's just a dipstick just like oil, all you do is pull the dipstick out, look at the color and put it back in.
Bright red = good
dark red = not good
brown = Uh oh

I drive a 22 year old Chevy K1500 truck that I try to keep running by myself, so I know your feelings

Just some thoughts to help your peace of mind . God Bless Brother!

I checked the fluid, and it was pretty red.

What happens is that when I'm driving it in the morning, as I come to a stop it sometimes (not always) seems to slip into neutral. If I shift into neutral then back into drive, I can move again. I don't have any problems at higher speeds.

The car isn't worth replacing the transmission, so if I can somehow make it till tax season, I might be able to find something newer. I have no way of paying for any transmission work at this time.

 

[Bro. James]

Transmissions are amazing mechanisms. They still require periodic maintenance which most folk tend to ignore until there is a problem. Many times a fluid and filter change will fix the problem. A worse problem may also be evident at the inside bottom of the pan.

There is also a test which can be done with the dipstick. This may be highly subjective, but an odor of burned fluid is an indicator of problems a filter and fluid change may not fix.

Find a reputable mechanic and have the pan dropped and checked --proceed accordingly.

There are a lot of shady transmission folks out there--other parts too. The same reputable mechanic can probably replace the transmission for less than $3,000. Prices vary according to front wheel drive and rear wheel drive, also vehicle manufacturer.

Be aware: a worn out transmission can be just the beginning of sorrows, if other drive assemblies are about worn out too.

Sometimes, Youtube has some pointers. Give your vehicle particulars and get several opinions. Some of them may be bad advice.

Bro. James

 

[Revmitchell]

I checked the fluid, and it was pretty red.

What happens is that when I'm driving it in the morning, as I come to a stop it sometimes (not always) seems to slip into neutral. If I shift into neutral then back into drive, I can move again. I don't have any problems at higher speeds.

The car isn't worth replacing the transmission, so if I can somehow make it till tax season, I might be able to find something newer. I have no way of paying for any transmission work at this time.

If reparing the car keeps you going and out of debt then it is always worth it. Cars are not investments monitarily. The resale value of a car really has no bearing on its value to the owner.

I agree with James that a simple tranny service might clear this up for you. Honestly while it could be it doesn't sound serious.

 

[StefanM]

I understand the advice, but seriously do not have enough money right now to get anything done for it. Plus, it has other chronic issues that won't go away. I'm mostly just praying it lasts long enough. If not, I can borrow a car from my mother-in-law.

 

[Bro. James]

Temporary fixes are exactly that--they can work whilst we are making positive, lasting, corrections to our budget. The Lord promised to take care of our needs.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

Bro. James