Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting my car jerks after driving on highways

after seeing everyone have positive input for everyones problems I decided to register for your help. go me. i have a 98 countour se sport 90k miles 2.5 v6 and after driving on the freeway, everytime i accelerate (after stop signs lights) my car jerks when shifting gears. sometimes it is severe, it jerks and it even makes the tires squeal on the road...I'm thinking that its probably my trans going. Any ideas??? CEL also keeps coming on and off i dont know if that has anything to do with it. Another problem my gas mileage is terrible. I checked all the basic stuff( tire PSI, filters all ok) when i start it up strong gasoline smell coming form exhaust. please help me! I'm on my last nerve with this car!!!! :shocked:

This may not be helpful but here goes: I assume it has an ATX. I had a rental car (Contour) that did this. Driving on the freeway, it dropped out of overdrive and would not go back in. Once I got off the freeway, it would take forever to get going and then SLAM into second gear. Being a rental car, I didn't try to diagnose the problem, I just called for another. I'm pretty sure what happened, first gear burnt out or the torque converter. I'm not sure about the CD4E (Contour ATX), but alot of overdive ATXs use the clutches for first and reverse for overdrive. So, when these clutches burn out, you loose overdrive and first will either slip like a MoFo or just not happen. Also, it may be the torque converter not unlocking. This is usually associated with very harsh stumbling and dying in lower gears. The car will shake like an earthquake.

Like I said, I don't know this ATX that well. My experience has bee been with GM ATXs with V8s mated to them. But I am pretty sure it is your tranny.

Good luck! Anyone else have some insight?

First step is to find out WHY the CEL is on. It may identify the cause of your drivability issues.

In many areas, AutoZone and Advanced Auto Parts will read your codes for FREE!. WRITE DOWN THE CODE NUMBERS! Post them back here for discussion.


BTW, have you checked the transmission fluid level yet?


Steve

This is a common problem, the CPU learns the shifting/timing from the or maybe it forgets since out on the open road not much shifting is taking place.
It's actually doing a 1-3 upshift, if you take off fairly quick and then let-off it jumping into 3rd. Wham!!! At least my was, it only took me 2 1/2 years to convince the closed mined service manager it had a problem. It would never do it for them.
Then I found TSB 98-15-3, software timing change and a re-calibrated Servo. (no tear down the servo is the one you can see on the bottm of the ATX case).
Funny the dealer then had 5-6 cars to do.
It still gets confused but not that heavy slam.
Paul
98 Mystique LS (07/97)
DMD

I have the exact same problem with my 98.5 se and It's been doing it for over a year so I doubt that your tanny is on the way out. There is however a good chance that the problem is with your torque converter lockup which would explain your bad milage. Another possibility is that you could have a valve body problem, that would be the easier of the two to fix because that can be replaced whith the tranny in the car. If I were you though I would go get the codes checked from your computer, If its like mine you will get a 1744 I think. One possible thing to try is to install a shift kit in the valve body. I havent tried that yet but it is alot cheaper then a torque converter. On the plus side it your problem is the torque converter its a good excuse to put a level 10 in with a higer stall speed. hope this helps

hey f11df, can you explain more what you had done? your post describes what is going on to a "T"!!

Visit the dealer/service manager and have them look up the TSB.
The mechanic swaps out the sevo with a different one and does the software change. Took him just over an hour but that was his first one.
Paul
Not sure about cost, but mine was still under the warranty at the time.

TSB 98-15-3? AllData says that's something to do with frequent fuel nozzle shut off, not a tranny.

I did find TSB 02-2-4 though, which sounds like a problem that I have, and what you're talking about:

02-2-4 A/T - CD4E Harsh and Delayed Upshifts/DTC's Stored