It started with the radio. At first, every time we put the car in park, the sound on the radio would go off, even though the radio itself would indicate that it was still on. Then the sound on the radio would go on or off every time we switched gears. It would take careful planning so that I could listen to the radio while driving. Then when my husband was driving, it would slip gears. We took the car to the shop and they ran the car until they finally got the gear slipping results. Then they ran a diagnostic. The fuel pump came up with problems, but nothing with the transmission came up on their computer. They say it will cost $2400 to completely take apart the transmission to find the problem.
Does anyone have any idea what could be wrong with the car? This car has never caused us any problems until this past month. We have kept the car maintained with regular oil and transmission fluid changes at the recommended intervals.
Another problem: All of a sudden, now when we drive through puddles, the car makes a freaky sound and we temporarily lose power steering. We have checked the power steering fluid level and it is fine.
I’d get another opinion about the transmission. The fact that the radio is affected makes me thing it’s an electrical problem, and not something requiring a transmission teardown.
You’re not dealing with AAMCO, or some other transmission chain, are you? Please say, “No.”
The noise/power steering/puddle problem is caused by a worn/loose power steering belt. The noise is the belt slipping when water splashes onto it. The reason the power steering stops working is because the belt slips and stops turning the power steering pump. No pump = no power steering.
It is a local transmission guy that our friend, a lay mechanic, recommended after he could not figure out what the problem was.