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Transmission Not Wanting To Shift (Auto Trans)


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Over the last few months we've started to get cold temperatures below freezing here in Indiana. In the morning I start my Spark and allow it to run about 5 minutes before I leave to let it warm up. There were two mornings where I had transmission issues. I'd pull out of my drive way and my Spark would shift fine from 1st, into 2nd, into 3rd and then once I got up to 40mph (where it normally shifts to 4th) it wouldn't shift. I had to drive my Spark at 50mph turning 3500 RPM (I don't turn that many RPM's doing 75mph). I stopped at a gas station, shut the car off, waited 10 seconds, and started it back up. I pull out of the gas station and the Spark shifts through all 4 gears like normal. I have had this happen twice, one of the times I was getting on the interstate where the speed limit is 70mph but was stuck doing 50mph. Shutting the car off fixed the issue. I assumed it was weather related since I've only had issues in the morning when it's very cold. Anyone have any issues like this? Next time I go to the dealer I will bring it up. I have around 23,000 miles on my car.

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This is one of the many problems I have been having with my Spark. When I've brought it in, I am always told they can't reproduce the problem, and that the transmission is shifting fine, but it is the reason I am only averaging 29 mpg when so many others are in the high 30's and even 40's.

Edited by Gossamer
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I haven't had crazy drops in MPG's. I should have added: when it did it both times I had a check engine light and a traction control light come on for about 3 seconds and then go back off. We just had some of the coldest temperatures in history here in Indy about a week ago and even then it shifted fine so it's hard to isolate it to cold temps outside. It hasn't done it in about 3 weeks so that's good but you still want to know why a car that's almost a year old has that kind of issue. I've had pretty much the norm it seems, warm A/C, bad idle, trans issues. I've been reading this forum for months, so I finally joined so I could share thoughts and get feedback. My issues haven't been horrible, just things you'd never expect out of a newer vehicle...

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This is one of the many problems I have been having with my Spark. When I've brought it in, I am always told they can't reproduce the problem, and that the transmission is shifting fine, but it is the reason I am only averaging 29 mpg when so many others are in the high 30's and even 40's.

My transmission is shifting fine, and I can't get above 29-30 mpg average. In my case that is just heavy city traffic.

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It's normal and working proper. The transmission will hold a gear higher to warm up faster. wear, mpg, emission thing. If you watch your instant mpg when driven when very cold you will see it stay very low then all at once over about 15 sec jump up to normal...this is the motor working on getting to temp as fast as it can for emissions. heck, even my 99 super-duty had this feature, also would not lock up till a certain temp was reached. transmission was fine, it was the programming.....I miss my truck so much! Just need to keep telling my self getting 42 not 9...gas hog

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It's normal and working proper. The transmission will hold a gear higher to warm up faster. wear, mpg, emission thing. If you watch your instant mpg when driven when very cold you will see it stay very low then all at once over about 15 sec jump up to normal...this is the motor working on getting to temp as fast as it can for emissions. heck, even my 99 super-duty had this feature, also would not lock up till a certain temp was reached. transmission was fine, it was the programming.....I miss my truck so much! Just need to keep telling my self getting 42 not 9...gas hog

I hear that from many people, which is why I didn't run and take it to the dealer. I've heard that the computer is programed to not let the transmission shift up if it's not at proper temperature to prevent damage. With the Spark I always get a second opinion just in case. I've kinda been on my own island the year I've owned it so it's nice to talk with others who have a Spark and get thoughts. Thanks.

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Yesterday, my Stabilitrac light burned steady, and the engine light flashed after starting the car. They both went out after after about 15 seconds. However, the car would not shift out of 1st. I shut the car off, and it must have reset the ECU. The car shifted fine without issue. It is at the dealership now. The fact that the engine light flashed should mean that the ECU should have thrown a code.

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