Harsh Shifting Tranny
 

Ever since I bought my SSEi i've noticed that it has a harsh shift when shifting from 1-2 and from 2-3. Doesn't always happen but most of the time. Doesn't matter whether its a full throttle shift or part throttle. Kinda acts like a car with a shift kit in the tranny. It always goes into overdrive smooth and it doesn't downshift rough. I've checked the fluid and all the basics. Tranny was serviced about 15K ago. Maybe it's time for a complete flush. Or maybe i'm just not used to this car yet.

If the accumulator assemblies are gummy' you will get a harsh shift, a good flush should cure this.

My 97 will shift from 1st to 2nd rough a lot. I've also noticed if i let off the gas at highway speeds it will sometimes clunk when i hit the gas again.

Similar problem
 

Mine seems to have a very similar problem. Does it also hift hard when you start the car after sitting for a few hours, then shifting into reverse or drive? My car feels like I got rear-ended when I do that first shift. I was thinking that maybe a mount was cracked and the engine jumped around alot. That would explain why it shifts easier at high speeds, maybe the gyroscopics or whatever keep the engine more stable.

Re: Similar problem
 

my 97 with the L67 does this exact same thing. When it's cold outside and the car is just started and I put it into reverse i get a hard THUD both in sound and feel as the car goes into reverse. I try to let the car warm up for a few minutes to avoid the excessivly harsh shift. When it's warm it doesn't do it, but when it's cold that's a whole other story.

I don't have any problems when shifting into gear. Sounds like you guys might have a problem with your mounts or something. My 89 does that when I shift into gear and I know it has a shot mount.

I have another hard shifter. My 96 SSEi shifts hard from 1-2 under normal or hard acelleration but if you ease up on the throttle just for a second as it is about to shift it will go smoothly. All other shifts up and down are smooth. I took it to a tranny guy about 3 years ago to let him drive it and he said it was ok. I have changed the fluid and filter and it has never changed or gotten worse in over 100KM.

I had the same problem I while ago ( haven't driver her for a while so don't know what it is now and also got tranny fluid changed and haven't tested it out ). I notice in WOT.. between gears it free revs up by at least 500 RPM for a second or so before engaging to the next gear... and if i'm very light on the gas and it will do the same when it goes into O/D ( TCC lock up )

i was getting that harsh THUMP when shifting to Reverse from park, after i replaced my CV shafts it almost completely went away...