# 05 Malibu Shifts Hard Sometimes **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [April 28, 2019, 7:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/05-malibu-shifts-hard-sometimes/139431 "2019-04-28T19:23:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bradley\_Street](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee59a6/32.png) [@Bradley\_Street](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Bradley_Street)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2019, 7:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/05-malibu-shifts-hard-sometimes/139431/1 "2019-04-28T19:23:40Z")
So this car sometimes shifts hard into drive and you can feel the transmission shifting hard when driving normally down the road. Here’s the thing, I can park it and kill it for a few minutes and turn it back on and the problem is completely gone. It’s done this twice in the past month. The car has about 250k on it. So far as I know it has never had a transmission fluid change on it. I hope this is what the problem could be, but I’m open to any suggestions as to what the problem might be. Transmissions are important and I don’t want to neglect this and just kill the car every time it happens and then one day it becomes a bigger problem. Thanks for any and all suggestions. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2019, 7:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/05-malibu-shifts-hard-sometimes/139431/2 "2019-04-28T19:24:57Z")
Is the Check Engine light on? Tester ---
**Author:** ![Bradley\_Street](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee59a6/32.png) [@Bradley\_Street](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Bradley_Street)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2019, 7:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/05-malibu-shifts-hard-sometimes/139431/3 "2019-04-28T19:29:24Z")
No it is not. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2019, 7:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/05-malibu-shifts-hard-sometimes/139431/4 "2019-04-28T19:35:04Z")
The transmission may be going into the limp mode. If the computer detects any problem with the transmission where the transmission is going to slip, the computer raises the line pressures within the transmission to prevent that from happening. This prevents damage to the transmission, but causes hard shifts. What color is the transmission fluid? Tester ---
**Author:** ![Bradley\_Street](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee59a6/32.png) [@Bradley\_Street](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Bradley_Street)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2019, 7:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/05-malibu-shifts-hard-sometimes/139431/5 "2019-04-28T19:59:32Z")
I just left oreilly and I did get a code on transmission. Just had transmission checked a little over a month ago at the dealership. They said all was well. I’ll check again tomorrow at dealership. P1811 ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2019, 8:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/05-malibu-shifts-hard-sometimes/139431/6 "2019-04-28T20:01:44Z")
[https://www.transmissionrepaircostguide.com/p1811/](https://www.transmissionrepaircostguide.com/p1811/) Tester ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2019, 8:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/05-malibu-shifts-hard-sometimes/139431/7 "2019-04-28T20:02:32Z")
> [@Bradley\_Street](#): > > I’ll check again tomorrow at dealership. Take a 14 year old vehicle to the dealership , why. Find an independent transmission shop chances are it will be less costly. ---
**Author:** ![Bradley\_Street](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee59a6/32.png) [@Bradley\_Street](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Bradley_Street)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2019, 8:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/05-malibu-shifts-hard-sometimes/139431/8 "2019-04-28T20:34:53Z")
They’re the only ones around here who will check my transmission fluid level. I’ll definitely have a look around at some local transmission shops to see what they can do. Ty for the advice. ---
**Author:** ![Bradley\_Street](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee59a6/32.png) [@Bradley\_Street](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Bradley_Street)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2019, 2:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/05-malibu-shifts-hard-sometimes/139431/9 "2019-04-29T14:18:27Z")
Update. I went to a local transmission shop. They said I was two quarts low and added more for 30 bucks. I hope this was my problem.