Vehicle is a 2007 Buick Rendezvous with 3.5L and 4T65E.
The crossover has never trailered and generally been driven in an average manner (Ohio temps, no hard acceleration, mix of city/highway miles, etc).
I did the first transmission pan drop and filter change at 50,000 miles. I used a real ACDelco filter and Dexron VI as called for.
With a pan drop, I am swapping 8 quarts at a time, from a total of 12 in the system.
There was a light amount of fine paste in the pan and on the magnet.
Around 65,000 miles, I first detected a slip. It happens when you pull away from a red light or stop sign. It lasts only a split second and then there is a gentle bang and it catches and goes. The weird thing is, there is no rhyme or reason to when it would slip. It could slip when the trans was totally cold, or after a lot of driving and hot. It could slip 3 times in one day, and then not slip once again for months.
My overall plan was to change the fluid at 50k for the first time, then every 25k, so at 75k I did the second pan drop and filter replacement. Pan and filter (I cut it up) and magnet all very clean. Fluid had no burnt smell or appearance.
I'm at 93,000 miles now. So it's been doing this about 30,000 miles now.
A couple months ago I took it to a local independent trans shop that has a good reputation with car guys I know. He connected a scan tool (sorry, not sure which one) and we went for a test drive. It wouldn't slip for him, of course. Subjectively he felt the trans was operating great and the scan tool didn't reveal anything. He looked at the fluid and that seemed good to him as well.
Part of me says to just keep driving it, it's apparently not causing any long term harm.
Part of me wants to pour in some ARX or even Lucas Transmission Fix. If it doesn't help, I'd get it flushed out.
It seems most people on BITOG don't care for Lucas Trans Fix. But there are a few reviews for it on Amazon specifically for the transmission I have, specifically fixing this problem. I thought maybe I'd start with 8 oz of it and work up from there.
I know ARX is loved on here, but this is a trans I've taken great care of, and the slip started at such low mileage. I have trouble believing the slip is a result of it being dirty and needing aggressive cleaning beyond fresh trans fluid's cleaning properties.
But I'm listening to everyone's advice here.
I do want to keep this vehicle for the long haul. Other than this problem, it's probably been my most dependable car purchase ever.
Thanks
Brian
The crossover has never trailered and generally been driven in an average manner (Ohio temps, no hard acceleration, mix of city/highway miles, etc).
I did the first transmission pan drop and filter change at 50,000 miles. I used a real ACDelco filter and Dexron VI as called for.
With a pan drop, I am swapping 8 quarts at a time, from a total of 12 in the system.
There was a light amount of fine paste in the pan and on the magnet.
Around 65,000 miles, I first detected a slip. It happens when you pull away from a red light or stop sign. It lasts only a split second and then there is a gentle bang and it catches and goes. The weird thing is, there is no rhyme or reason to when it would slip. It could slip when the trans was totally cold, or after a lot of driving and hot. It could slip 3 times in one day, and then not slip once again for months.
My overall plan was to change the fluid at 50k for the first time, then every 25k, so at 75k I did the second pan drop and filter replacement. Pan and filter (I cut it up) and magnet all very clean. Fluid had no burnt smell or appearance.
I'm at 93,000 miles now. So it's been doing this about 30,000 miles now.
A couple months ago I took it to a local independent trans shop that has a good reputation with car guys I know. He connected a scan tool (sorry, not sure which one) and we went for a test drive. It wouldn't slip for him, of course. Subjectively he felt the trans was operating great and the scan tool didn't reveal anything. He looked at the fluid and that seemed good to him as well.
Part of me says to just keep driving it, it's apparently not causing any long term harm.
Part of me wants to pour in some ARX or even Lucas Transmission Fix. If it doesn't help, I'd get it flushed out.
It seems most people on BITOG don't care for Lucas Trans Fix. But there are a few reviews for it on Amazon specifically for the transmission I have, specifically fixing this problem. I thought maybe I'd start with 8 oz of it and work up from there.
I know ARX is loved on here, but this is a trans I've taken great care of, and the slip started at such low mileage. I have trouble believing the slip is a result of it being dirty and needing aggressive cleaning beyond fresh trans fluid's cleaning properties.
But I'm listening to everyone's advice here.
I do want to keep this vehicle for the long haul. Other than this problem, it's probably been my most dependable car purchase ever.
Thanks
Brian
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