[snowlover]

All of a sudden the shifting on my '06 automatic has become extremely hard. Just happened this morning on the way to work. In auto mode it is holding shifts longer than usual and then very harshly upshifting. In manual mode it is downshifting extremely hard and upshifts are not all that smooth either. The shifting is so harsh I am afraid to speed up or slow down for traffic or stop and go at traffic signals. As a matter of fact, it is so harsh I am nervous about even driving it. I don't know if I can drive it to a repair shop or better to have it towed.

I have not used any repair shops in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area since buying the car from an out of state dealer in the fall of 2010. Any recommendations in the Twin Cities?

Any thoughts as to what this may be on a '06 6 speed automatic?

 

[iLLEST-R]

Are there any leaks?

 

[snowlover]

I didn't notice any but will take a better look when I go to lunch and advise.

 

[iLLEST-R]

IIRC 06's were prone to valve body damage... But this would probably be the worst case scenario. It could be a software issue or your fluid may need to be flushed out. My 04 did the same thing but it didn't happen out of the blue like that, it was more gradual and went on for about a month until I realized it wasn't normal.

 

[GiRaff3]

Has your car had ALL of the necessary automatic transmission software updates?

 

[MagoonR]

IIRC 06's were prone to valve body damage.

TNN43-53-2006-12-21 Title: Auto Trans - TF80-SC Diagnostic Information Summary - Valve Body Replacement.
This document summarizes customer complaints related to the 6 speed Automatic Transmission (TF80-SC) and should be used together with the information in VIDA.

The Valve Body should be replaced to address the following symptoms:
1. Customer complaints about 2-3 upshift quality. The shift may be described as harsh, or as a shudder. The symptom is usually more apparent during the first few minutes of driving after a cold start.
2. Customer complaints of shudder when slowing down, just before coming to a stop. The symptom may also be described as a harsh downshift just before coming to a stop.
3. Neutral condition in 4th, 5th & 6th gear; normal behavior in 1st, 2nd, 3rd & Reverse. One or more of the following DTCs (Diagnostic Trouble Codes) may be present: P073400, P073500, P072900, P089600.
4. Neutral condition in all gears except 5th & Reverse, usually with DTC P273300 set. DTCs for gear ratio(s) may also be set such as P073000, P073100, P073200, or P073400.
Note: Transmissions starting with serial number 06J and later already have the latest valve body which is designed to prevent these symptoms.

http://forums.swedespeed.com/showthread.php?72251

 

[snowlover]

After I posted this new thread I did find a previous post with similar symptoms where issues could be trans fluid, dirty MAC, bad valve body or software.

I am going to call the dealer where I bought it. They sold the car new and exclusively did all the service so I will see what they say regarding trans service history, software updates and possible diagnosis.

In the meantime, I don't understand how this came on all of a sudden. Shifting has been extremely smooth in both modes until today.

 

[snowlover]

I called the dealer and they said I need to go to a dealer and have it scanned. All they would tell me was that would indicate if it has the latest software and if it were a trans issue or something else. They did go on to say if it is the trans and not software then the trans would need to be replaced.

I purposely went out to lunch, crossed my fingers, and was pleasantly surprised it shifted fine, completely normal. I did get a line on a local independent shop and will probably take it there to have it checked. I am hoping it is software related since it is shifting fine again now.

 

[usgiorgi]

Was it cold outside when you drove it in the morning? Maybe a change in the temperature between going to work til lunch had something to do with it

 

[snowlover]

It was about 35 degrees and the car was not up to full operating temp when it started occuring. But, it has been that way and even much colder all winter. Once it started it acted up the remaining 8 miles to work so I am kind of baffled. It shifted normal when I ran an errand at lunch and also on my 10 mile commute home. Go figure.

 

[CandyChrome]

Hello!...did you guys find out what the end result was? Im experiencing the same exact issue with my 07 S60R..like i was driving fine on the road, cuising around 50MPH (car was already warm) and then all of a sudden when shifting, the whole car jolted and i freaked out! Then i started to slow down and it downshift very rough as well...like was scared of driving it as well...Then i turned the car off and let it sit for a minute and then turned it back on and drove it and it was shifting fine again. I have a CHeck Engine Light and "Engine System Service Required" sign which im soon about to check...im hoping its a software issue. What do you guys think?

 

[EngTech]

Sounds Weird - like the Older software has a Virus Bug etc. / Usually on the V40 it was Fluid Cleaning , and on the V50's It could be an Update , but the Transmission doesn't Freak Out !

It just shifts a little Hard during a slow 1-2 shift , I Know a lot have changed their Lifetime Fluid and have had good results .

Posters - should always come back to up date !

 

[CandyChrome]

Ok...so i had the codes checked out...i have two of the same P0101 Air Mass Flow errors...But yet again, could it relate to why the tranny was shifting so violently? But to me it might make sense, cuz i just did the Snabb cold air intake install from Viva, and i remember tampering with the AMF sensor...could have that have tiggered the whole thing, even the tranny thing?
And now that im researching about the AMF, it had a plastic honey comb mesh, which i so stupidly cut out...and came to find out that the mesh infront of it, is to reduce incoming air turbulence from with in the sensor! im such an idiot!!

I cleared the codes, did a hard reset of the ECU, and then started driving slowly again so that the tranny can learn how to shift...it seems to shift fine so far, so now i guess im waiting to replicate the issue with the AMF...and if it does show up...then im doomed to buy an expensive AMF!!!