Ok... so here's what happened and no, I don't think it's the "transmission needs a full rebuild" as the local shop says....

One day the Service Engine light went on. No biggie. The next day while driving around, I came to a stop waiting to get on the freeway. When I stopped, I noticed the normal highish RPM seemed lower and when it was time to move forward, the car didn't take off when I took my foot off the brake like it usually did. So I gave it some gas and BAM! It slammed into first gear from what seemed 3rd gear. This happened every time I came to a stop waiting to get on the freeway.

Got on the freeway - No problem. Get off the freeway (AC was going this entire time) and come to a stop. RPM's drop again, I can tell I'm not in 1st anymore but this time the A/C motor is surging and the temp gauge is dead. I believe the battery is dead and the alt is fried as that's what it seems like - I give it gas to see if the A/C will not surge up and down like it's doing and it doesn't - just surges more. I move forward with a BAM from the trans going from 3rd or so into 1st and get home.

Ok.. next day... I bring it to the local shop. No problem driving it there. It was cold so I'm thinking vaporlock? That overheating solenoid thingy? I tell the shop about the weird electrical issues, the Service light and they say: "These Saturn's sensors are all linked - if something goes wrong, it could effect EVERYTHING from battery to transmission to etc..."... The next day however he tells me the Transmission is not holding pressure for some "unknown reason" and that they recommend $2600 to replace it. I pick it up saying no way and mention dumping it - he says he'll give me $500 for it. I leave.

The next day I drive it a little and notice that Service Engine light is off. I experience 0 problems. Hmmmmm...

Ok, next day - I drive to school again - NO PROBLEMS!
I drive home - PROBLEM only when I get off the fwy. The transmission is doing that weird thing again like getting stuck in 3rd and slamming into 1st when you finally start moving forward. I park. Turn off the car. It's now dead. Clickies when I try and start yet the lights are not dimming.

Sooooooo... sound familiar? The battery seems fine (3 year AAA battery put in 12/07) but would an ELECTRICAL malfunction like this cause the Transmission to act this way? The repair guy says yes - Hmmmmm???

Ok - so the car is currently resting in a parking lot and I suspect when I start it tonight when it cools down, it will fire right up and perhaps it's just the solenoid? I doubt it's the connections of the main wires from the battery to the starter, etc, but ???

Oh, the radio (cassette P.O.C.) says LOC all the time now.

Mystery described! Thoughts??

Thanks!

Peter

 

Jumped the car as it wouldn't start several hours later... soooo... not solenoid but battery? Sure seems like it -

So the question now is: Would a dead battery like this cause the transmission to wig out like it is? Repair guy said yes due to electronics in transmission failing causing loss in pressure and hence, the shifting issue - but I would love to hear confirmation from another source.

 

replace battery

then we'll talk

 

Haha - I actually just replaced the battery -

I had driven the car home and gave it the test... started it an hour later - no problem. Started it with the lights on, no problem. Turned off car, left lights on, came back in 15 mins, lights still on but car dead. Battery!

Walmart 24 hours = Battery!

Replaced battery.

Um... Oh... so for the past six months the headlamps were supposed to be WHITE not bright orange? Oh, Ok...

So I'll once again take it out tomorrow for another run. But the question remains... would a dead / low voltage battery cause the transmission to wig out?

On another note - I've never noticed a pulsing in the lights (dim/bright) signifying the alternator's voltage regulator got fried as the battery that was in there was a AAA 36 month battery that was only like 18 months old. AAA won't honor their replacement as I didn't buy the battery from them which I think sucks as it's still their battery and it still failed... at least I hope.. as in a month, if this happens again, then the alternator is not charging anymore and the prior battery just kept dying and recharging on it's own accord since it was so new... or at least getting back a charge enough to start the car...

 

yes it is possible -- many odd things are possible once the supplied juice is below what the car is designed to operate with.

As for alternator -- pull it and get it bench tested and replace as necessary -- no need to subject a brand new battery to unnecessary torture...

 

I'll get the alternator tested but I don't remember seeing any of the spiking associated with a bad alternator but won't be going back to the last guy I went to.

One interesting thing - on my drive this morning, my RPM @ Idle which used to hover around 1700 since the day I got the car with the new battery hovers at around 900 and seems right. At first I thought it was doing that thing again but the trans never slipped out and now at idle it acts like a normal car....

Could a dead / very low voltage battery really cause this much mayhem in a Saturn? Mechanics opinions? So far it seems so but the real test will be the drive home where it religiously has shown the problem when I get off the freeway.

Offshoot of all of this: Radio is LOC'ed ... lol

I can get the code, I'll just beg a Saturn dealer to look up the unlock code for me - I live 100 miles away from a "real" saturn dealer

 

Drive home was flawless. Think I've discovered what that mechanic didn't want to tell me? Part of me can't believe in this day and age someone would hear a complaint (I specifically said electrical is wonky), and still claim the transmission is toast, then offer $500 for the car..... I've yet to hear from a Saturn repair person on here but its looking like poor voltage can cause the trans to fail like this... hmmm... we'll see over the next few weeks.

Maybe someone else can benefit from this thread.

 

Did I miss something? Looks like I already said that....

Did you not believe me simply because I don't work for Saturn as a tech?

(Or do I?)

 

Hey derf,

Oh, I took what you said seriously, but this is the internet and I'm sure you understand the perils of not double and even triple checking info gained from said internet ;-)

Also, you used the word "possible" - that implies needs further confirmation that's all.

That said, I can now say that you're in tune with the Saturn tech's words so yes, I believe you a lot more now than before with just a one liner with the word "possible" in it ;-)

Thanks man!

 

"The internet is full of information -- some of which is actually true."

---Derf