# Olds Alero Transmission Mystery **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** alero, oldsmobile\ **Created:** [December 14, 2009, 12:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/olds-alero-transmission-mystery/40740 "2009-12-14T00:18:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![theatre28](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@theatre28](https://community.cartalk.com/u/theatre28)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 12:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/olds-alero-transmission-mystery/40740/1 "2009-12-14T00:18:32Z")
I have an automatic transmission 2000 Olds Alero (V6 engine) and for the past couple of years, whenever I take a long trip (longer than 3 hours), or the car has been sitting in the hot sun for a while (I live in the south), the shift from 1st to 2nd gear is more like an abrupt jolt than a smooth shift. Since I don’t take many long trips, this is rarely an issue, and it shifts fine around town and on shorter trips. I thought it might have something to do with the fluid getting hot? I am taking a long trip in the next few days and am wondering if I should be concerned? ---
**Author:** ![euryale1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@euryale1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/euryale1)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 12:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/olds-alero-transmission-mystery/40740/2 "2009-12-14T00:30:50Z")
Have you had the AT serviced, filter and oil? It might have more to do with a driving pattern, harder accel vs just puttering around town. If you are due then get the AT serviced. It could also be a vaccum leak but that depends on your driving style. ---
**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:** [December 14, 2009, 12:32am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/olds-alero-transmission-mystery/40740/3 "2009-12-14T00:32:07Z")
When was the last time the transmission fluid was serviced? Tester ---
**Author:** ![theatre28](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@theatre28](https://community.cartalk.com/u/theatre28)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 12:56am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/olds-alero-transmission-mystery/40740/4 "2009-12-14T00:56:37Z")
I had it serviced in Aug. of 2007 after a cross country trip where I was hauling a trailer (and we babied the engine the whole way!), and it was after this trip/service that it first started doing this on long trips. I’ve put about 20,000 miles on it since then. My mechanic wants to do a fluid changeout, but my manual tells me it should NEVER have to be serviced, because, obviously, GM products are supposed to be so good. (I have a right to be sarcastic, I have had the intake manifold gasket replaced twice because of their Dexcool antifreeze). Anyway, if servicing it again would help. . .my mechanic did say that the fluid looked dirty, but it only being 2 years from the last service, I don’t know what to believe. ---
**Author:** ![Roadrunner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@Roadrunner](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Roadrunner)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 2:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/olds-alero-transmission-mystery/40740/5 "2009-12-14T02:30:27Z")
The harsh shift MAY be from a worn or dirty pressure control valve in the tranny. You can try a tranny fluid drain and filer/screen replacement. NOT A FLUSH! I had this problem with a 2000 Silhouette I had and it worked. Tranny fluid should be changed every 30-40k miles, less when towing a trailer. I used to have mine serviced at 25k miles. What is the mileage on your Alero? ---
**Author:** ![theatre28](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@theatre28](https://community.cartalk.com/u/theatre28)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 2:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/olds-alero-transmission-mystery/40740/6 "2009-12-14T02:57:38Z")
It has a little over 85,000 miles on it. ---
**Author:** ![Roadrunner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@Roadrunner](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Roadrunner)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 3:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/olds-alero-transmission-mystery/40740/7 "2009-12-14T03:16:40Z")
Ok, I just read another post (Not here) where the OP had similar problems and it turned out to be a faulty MAF sensor. It’s worth a look. ---
**Author:** ![theatre28](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@theatre28](https://community.cartalk.com/u/theatre28)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 3:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/olds-alero-transmission-mystery/40740/8 "2009-12-14T03:22:06Z")
Thanks! ---
**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:** [December 14, 2009, 5:20am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/olds-alero-transmission-mystery/40740/9 "2009-12-14T05:20:55Z")
I would start by having the computer scanned for current and history codes. This could be just something that the computer is doing because it is finding a problem. transman