What are the symptoms of a transmission solenoid valve failure?
2 Answers
Failure to move in reverse gear, dashboard warning light illumination, solenoid valve fault indication, occasional failure to move in forward gear, jerky shifting in forward gear, excessively high transmission fluid temperature, and display of transmission overheating on the vehicle computer during driving are all symptoms of a transmission solenoid valve failure. There are four common types of automotive automatic transmissions: hydraulic automatic transmission, mechanical continuously variable automatic transmission, electronically controlled mechanical automatic transmission, and dual-clutch automatic transmission. The characteristic of a mechanical continuously variable automatic transmission is that the gear ratio is not a discrete point but a series of continuous values, which better coordinates the vehicle's external driving conditions with the engine load, fully utilizing the engine's potential and improving the vehicle's fuel economy. The role of the transmission solenoid valve: The solenoid valve is controlled by the transmission control module (TCU). The pressure in neutral and in gear is basically a constant value, but the opening of the solenoid valve is adjusted during gear shifting to improve shift smoothness. Different solenoid valves control different clutches or brakes, functioning in different gears. The solenoid valves mainly refer to two pressure-regulating solenoid valves: one regulates the main oil pressure, and the other regulates the lock-up oil pressure of the torque converter. These two oil pressures also control the operation of the shift valve body in the oil circuit plate. If either one malfunctions, it can cause shift shock, and over time, it can wear out the clutch plates and brake bands inside the transmission, leading to more severe faults.
Last time my car had a solenoid valve issue, it drove like a rollercoaster with jerky movements. The most noticeable symptom was violent shaking during low-speed gear shifts - accelerating at 20 mph felt like being dragged. The dashboard warning lights lit up like a Christmas tree, especially that little gear-shaped indicator. Cold starts were the worst, with 5-6 second delays before reverse would engage. I also noticed fuel consumption suddenly increased by 2 points, accompanied by clicking noises during gear changes. These symptoms all resulted from solenoid valve sticking causing oil pressure loss, directly affecting shift smoothness. Ended up costing nearly two thousand to fix - could've saved money with earlier detection.
