GTA in the sig... stock other than no emissions. The car has done perfect for the two or so years that I've driven it. No problems, no codes.. nothing wrong. I drove it to Tallahassee from Pensacola (~200 miles @75mph). The car had never been on a trip that long, but Ive taken it on many many 60+ mile interstate trips.... I got into town and it was fine. The next day I get up and it winds up a little more to shift into 2nd than normal... odd. Well I get up to speed and it doesnt want to shift into OD. If I let off the gas enough it will go, and light gas it has a decent chance of staying in OD. I dont want to get on it, b/c I cannot have the car break on me right now.

That night I go with some friends that are on their way to Tampa to get a car (89 GT for $2k, good shape/deal)... I leave it reversed into a spot that is on a pretty steep slope. Ebrake is off.. just put it in park. When we got back many hours later (4am) I drive the car home in 3rd gear to prevent it from trying to go into OD and maybe messing something up....I reverse into my spot at the apartment as I have done since I got here....

The next day I drive up to the car wash place at the apt complex and try to put it in reverse.... no dice. Shifter wont go any fartehr up than neutral. .... also preventing my igintion key from coming out. So I had to force it up, and somehow it popped up..... park is neutral, reverse is OD, neutral is 3rd, OD is 2nd, D is 1st. Everything just shifted up two sets of gears. But now I can put the shifter in park (actually neutral) so the ignition key will come out now....

Now.. I can drive it like this as long as I'm in a pull through spot and I dont have to reverse... I have a very limited tool set... and I would really like to fix this without driving 50mph (3.27 + no OD) for 200+ miles

-Bud

 

Sounds like a messed-up shifter cable. Had a similar experience this spring. New from dealer was something less than $60, if memory serves.

Install isn't too bad, standard hand tools (with Torx bits, perhaps). Need to have the car off the ground, and take the top of the console off.

 

If the cable is messed up, could that have been causing OD not to be "in" all the way and maybe cause it to not engage when it should... maybe popping in and out? I havent taken it on the interstate yet or really driven it when it popped into overdrive. It could be fine I just dont want to die.

My 2.8 Camaro... 3/4 went out and the transmission was acting much much different than the GTA is acting right now. I could press the gas at all in the Camaro and it would just wrap up and not go anywhere. I've had to pull out into traffic a few times and it accelerated as it always has and didnt slip... not WOT or anything, but a good bit more throttle than it took with the Camaro when the trasmission went....

I dunno.... might just be hopeful thoughts...

-Bud