bflow4400

Has anybody else had this problem? At least once a day during my commute to work, my car will hesitate while I'm driving down the freeway. I'm always in auto mode, usually in fifth gear, between 65 and 70 mph. It's never when it's shifting, it's when it's in the final gear cruising. It's kind of hard to describe - I can literally feel my body go forward as if the car were getting ready to change gear or something, then it goes back. Sometimes happens two to three times in the fifteen minute drive.

Transmission? Something else? Help!

Ruski

some call this a hickup

some say it is the torque converter locking up.

Mine does this every morning while I am cruising at 45-50mph on local roads before I hit the highway.

It is super annoying.

Even if I put the tranny selector in D4, it still happens.

Osofastferu

What the hell? So is that normal or is there a problem with the tranny? OR is there GOING to be a problem with the tranny? Do all TLS owners experience this problem? I wouldn't know cause I haven't driven my that fast yet

Xorg

If this happens when you're driving straight, you may have a problem. If this happens when you're on a twisting side road or cornering heading downhill, it's probably the steering assist guessing incorrectly that you're about to fly off the road, and it brakes the car to compensate.

bflow4400

Nope, this is on a straight freeway with very minor turns. Torque convertor locking up? Is that normal? Could it get worse? Should I contact my dealer? The car only has 10k miles on it...

thephantom

I have seen this is a lot of auto cars. It's nothing to worry about, just something you trade off for the "luxury" of an auto trans.

hgiljr

I get this too. I was curious as to what it was! Glad to know.

yahtzee

That is pure BS....How do you call that a trade off? It shouldnt be there, period. Mine does it, dealer has no idea what it is.

503TL-S

Mine does it a little as well. it is normally cruising at about 40-50mph not too much after the car shifts to 4th or 5th. It's a little discouraging especially since my car is a '03 with 2600 miles. But after seeing the tranny as the weak link I guess that's what factory warranty is for!

503TL-S

JasonT

My CL-S does the same thing as Ruski's. I think it might be related to the AC kicking on/off at certin RPM's when the torque converter locked up, or about to lock up. Something like that. I know it doesn't happen with my AC off.

garylee55

My car did this for a few months...then one day it did it like 6 or seven times in a row...the tranny is actually slipping out of 5th...that's when my tranny went...

T Ho

It could be any number of things. You haven't provided enough info:

1. Are you going up and down slopes when this happens? If so, the trans could be downshifting per the Grade Logic feature (RPM goes up).
2. Are you completely lifting your foot off the pedal? If so, the torque converter could be unlocking (RPM drops).
--If the torque converter stays locked, the ECU can put the engine into an "Ultra Lean" mode, and this gives an engine braking feel.
--BTW, Torque converter lockup in 5th occurs just above 45 under light throttle. You can tell when the converter locks, since the RPMs will track directly with speed. In some cases, I've seen/felt the converter lock up in 2nd gear at much lower speeds. It's subtle, but detectable. All about fuel efficiency.
3. Do you have climate control on? If so, the AC could be kicking on (listen for the "click" of the compressor).

In any case, I HIGHLY doubt there is anything wrong with your (or anyone's here, from the descriptions) car. This is the way virtually all automatic transmissions work today (My Z28, My Vette, my father-in-law's 4Runner, my Dad's Cherokee). Fuel economy and reliability standards demand it.

And, I like it (since I know why it's present).

Todd

Kramer

Mine has done something similar a few times recently. It usually happens when the car has been sitting for a while and I drive it like an old lady. The last time it did it I looked at the tach and it jumped from about 1200 RPM to 2000 RPM and back down. Not sure what it is but it is not normal, my 01 never did this.

T Ho

If you were going about 45 at the time, that is Grade Logic, downshifting from 5th to 4th, and then back. It uses speed vs. acceleration vs. throttle position to decide what to do. Sometimes, you can "confuse" the system with certain moves on the throttle.

Ruski

I described it a bunch of times on this board

- it happens when I cruise at 45-55mph
- light throttle
- road is flat and straight
- it feels like a hickup. As if the engine lost power for a second or as if someone quickly stabbed the brakes. It is strong enough to push me forward in my seat
- it may be similar to the wobble sensation when the car is stopped and A/C kicks in. JasonT may be onto something when he thinks that his has to do with A/C

- recently I have been noticing that it always happens to me at the same spot on the road after I leave the house in the morning. As if it is measuring time or distance

And I don't think it is normal with other automatic cars.

I have had 89 Ford Probe, 96 Buick Riviera, 98 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP, 99 Chrysler 300M, 2001 Lexus RX300. None of these automatic cars had this "feature"

Ruski

also my original tranny did this when new and all the way until it failed. And the replacement tranny has been doing it since I picked up the car.

BJSTLS

I have the same thing. I drive 100 miles a day for my commute. I'll be doing 65-70mph staight on a level road and fell the same thing. It scared me the first time, now I'm just used to it.

As far as it being a trade off of an auto trans- I've had 5 other cars with auto tranmissions and have never felt this before!

T Ho

This is not what I was referring to when speaking of "normal."
I don't notice anything like this with mine. I feel the ABS motor test shortly after takeoff, and I can tell the difference between torque converter lockup and AC clutch engagement.
I could identify it if I was there.

JasonT

I'll say it's normal with the CL-TL cars. The same things might happen in other cars, but you don't feel it. I never felt that in my 300M, my 96 Impala, or any other auto car I have driven.

Ruski

My 300M had a slowdown hump when stopping, but that was at 5mph. And it was not as annoying as this 45-55mph hickup in the TL-S


And I don't think it is ABS testing anything. It happens 10 minutes after I leave home. Why would it be testing anything then? It should do a quick test as soon as I hit the road if anything.

Kramer

Ditto all of what you said, except the previous car list of course.

Ruski

driving home today, cruising at 80mph, with steady gas pedal pressure, there were two strong hickups. about 2-3 minutes apart. It felt like someone waws tugging on the car and rocking it fore and aft.

Not a nice deja vue. Last time this happened, I had two weeks left before the tranny broke.

Ruski

and it was the last thing I wanted to deal with driving on a desolate highway in rain with semis everywhere whipping up wet dust.

juniel

Ruski,
How about the possibility of water in your gas tank.
Finish up all your gas or drain the tank and refill with another brand of gas ...chevron, unocal76 or mobil gas station OTHER than your usual gas station.
This is trial and error of course.
juniel

jungsup81

my 02 tls did the same thing... eventually got worse (real bad that i couldn't drive it around). within 2-3 weeks, got tranny replaced

Ruski

jungsup81, just like mine.

juniel, interesting thought. I often go all the way to empty and fill up at different stations. But maybe the other day it was a result of filling at this one particular station.

bflow4400

I don't think I've filled up at the same station twice since I've had the car, and it still happens quite a bit. At least a half dozen times or so per tank. I always fill up with premium, too. Guess I'll just have to wait and see what my tranny does...hope my delearship gives me a decent loner, at least...

FRESHV6

i just had a problem recently with hesitation, but usually off the line. after accelerating, the car would hesitate, kind of the same tugging sensation you are feeling. my check engine light came up and the dealer ran a diagnostic. the problem was the fuel injectors, it was running too lean. i had all my fuel injectors replaced at a cost over over $800. extended warranty covered it at a cost of $50 to me.

you might look into your injectors, my car doesnt have that problem anymore.

hope that helps.

superballs

mine does this too, but mine you can see the rpms jump, its usualyl when im going slower and steady.. its never happened like when im getting on it.. you can see and feel my rpms go from like 2 to 1 and a quarter up to 2 sometimes to like 750 rpms....... its very strange, and then sometimes i catch it and try to give it gas to snap it out of it, and it still hesitates for a second, then it goes. my friends all make fun of my because they say its from the nitrous kit, but the car did it like 2 before i put the kit on.... also, while im complaining, when my stero is off and my ac is on, the ac is very loud??? anyone else?