# 2001 Saturn with automatic shift problem

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-saturn-with-automatic-shift-problem/8351>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** transmissions\
**Created:** [December 15, 2007, 7:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-saturn-with-automatic-shift-problem/8351 "2007-12-15T19:12:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Russnichols](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Russnichols](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Russnichols)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2007, 7:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-saturn-with-automatic-shift-problem/8351/1 "2007-12-15T19:12:00Z")

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I was in heavy traffic in L.A. for a couple of hours last night - start and stop at 2 miles an hour – and when I finally got into light traffic on a level stretch near home the automatic shift wouldn’t drop out of first into 2nd or 3rd or whatever. It just revved up to about 5000 or 6000 RPM until I tapped the accelerator and it finally responded with a higher gear.  
  
  
  
 This morning I took it to a shop, and it seemed ok and the repair guy drove it for a half hour and couldn’t get it to repeat last night’s performance. He checked the transmission fluid, and it was ok. I drove it home and it behaved well.  
  
  
  
 What’s this about? Heavy traffic a strain on the transmission? My imagination? Is this likely to happen again? Am I nuts? Do I have part time gremlins?

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**Author:** ![Roadrunner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@Roadrunner](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Roadrunner)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2007, 7:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-saturn-with-automatic-shift-problem/8351/2 "2007-12-15T19:47:42Z")

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I may well be wrong, but this sounds like a dirty shift solenoid or a faulty VSS (Vehicle Speed Sensor).

When was the last tranny fluid and filter change?