Saturn Pressure Control Solenoid

I own a L200 Saturn. It is a 2003. I bought it used in October of 2008 after my own 2001 Saturn was run over in a parking lot. The car cost 8999.00 and had just about 62,000 miles on it.



This summer it started bucking sometimes when I first started it up and put it into drive. And then would buck everytime it changed gears (it is an automatic). I took it to my Saturn Dealer. They told me it was bad motor mounts. So, I had those replaced. Within two hours of the replacement the same bucking happened. I drove it back to Saturn but when the service manager started it it did not repeat the bucking action. It is now doing it from every other day to once every two weeks…but now there is a very high pitched whining sound coming from behind the dash on the driver’s side and sometimes a very grindy static sound as well. Someone told me I probably needed to replace the Pressure Control Solenoid. I called Saturn and was told it would probably run around $2000.00. I am taking it in to AAMCO tomorrow for a free diagnosis. Anyone else have any advice?

An AAMCO free diagnosis may or may not do you any good. It will only do harm if you listen to a word they say and let them do anything to the car.

If you’re already scheduled for it and planning to go ask them to give you whatever computer codes it is throwing. Post those here. If they won’t do that as part of a “free” diagnostic take what they say and run out the door.

Ideally you would have it evaluated at a local independent transmission shop that has a decent reputation. I can already tell you what AAMCO wants to do - they want to pull your trans and rebuild it - whether it needs it or not. (All Automatics Must Come Out).

I agree with Cigroller on this one. My recommendation would be to find a reputable independently owned and operated shop, tell them everything, and let them diagnose it from scratch.

Ditto!

AAMCO has earned as bad a reputation as it is possible to get in the field of automotive repair. Please don’t succumb to their advertising.

Take the car to an independent transmission repair shop that has been in business for at least 3 years, and ask them to diagnose it. Even if their diagnosis results in a fee, that would be preferable to allowing the charlatans at AAMCO (or Lee Myles, or Cottman, or Mr. Transmission, or any other chain transmission operation) to get their hands on it.

Bear in mind that your car’s problem might be a driveability problem related to the engine, rather than the transmission. An honest shop can tell you what is needed to fix the problem. AAMCO will tell you that you need a rebuilt transmission whether you really do or not.

Okay…you’ve got me scared of AAmco now. Going to someone else on Monday, but he’s charging me $74.00 for the diagnosis. Thank you guys for your input.