# 2003 buick la sabre cooling/trans problem

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-buick-la-sabre-cooling-trans-problem/70949>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** lesabre, buick\
**Created:** [February 15, 2012, 12:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-buick-la-sabre-cooling-trans-problem/70949 "2012-02-15T00:46:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![transman618](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/transman618/32/24_2.png) [@transman618](https://community.cartalk.com/u/transman618)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 6:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-buick-la-sabre-cooling-trans-problem/70949/21 "2012-02-16T18:47:13Z")

</div>

MAKE SURE you have a transmission guy check the current fluid to see if there are any traces of engine coolant in it. This will determine whether you should waste the money on a flush and filter change or not because I’m telling you with 100% certainty that if the current fluid is contaminated with engine coolant, it is a goner. You can put that $150-$200 towards a rebuilt or used trans.

Also, DONT consult with a general mechanic about transmission issues unless he is trained in transmissions. He will sell you a flush and service and get his money but when your trans fails, he’ll shrug his shoulders and boast about how he is not a transmission guy.

transman

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bradddooo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/46a35a/32.png) [@bradddooo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bradddooo)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 10:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-buick-la-sabre-cooling-trans-problem/70949/22 "2012-02-18T10:22:01Z")

</div>

don’t worry man, this guys not trying to rob me, his mechanic shop is right next store to my dads body shop. there’s a free exchange of service, advise, and tool borrowing. anyway… so i had the flush done, the guy said there was only traces of coolant…next to nothing… so I’m good to go right? well, I get it on the road today, and its ok for a half hour then after some highway driving i get off the ramp and all of a sudden its horribly shifting between all gears and the service engine light is now on finally… but oddly enough it calms down after sitting for a few minutes literally like 2 minutes. I baby it back home and find that the air intake has popped off, which explains the horrible operation, but the code reader says po 742 stuck open torque solenoid. I tightened the intake and replaced the air filter, the engine light has been cleared and has not returned, but still lightly slapping gears after warm-up.

thoughts?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bradddooo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/46a35a/32.png) [@bradddooo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bradddooo)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 10:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-buick-la-sabre-cooling-trans-problem/70949/23 "2012-02-18T10:57:01Z")

</div>

he did say maybe even no fluids mixed. he didn’t test the fluid, but there really wasnt any "strawberry milk shake.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 3:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-buick-la-sabre-cooling-trans-problem/70949/24 "2012-02-18T15:00:38Z")

</div>

transman618 is the most knowledgeable transmission guy on this site. He was trying to save you time,effort and money. I can’t figure out why people ask for advise if they don’t want to take it.

[Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-buick-la-sabre-cooling-trans-problem/70949.md?page=1)