I replaced my transmission on my 97 SSE with one just like it.My problem is the transmission want go down in 1st or 2nd gear. It starts out in 3rd. I can't get it to gear down. Can any body help?

wow, how does it even move? check the computer for codes?

One of the definative ways to tell what transmission you put in versus the one you took out, could be determined by the tag on the transmission itself.

I matched the numbers on the transmission.

Double check the electrical connections for any bent pins or bad contacts.

I would think you need to have a shop look at it on a scan tool to see if it'* reading properly and getting the signals from the pcm.

My '95 SLE had this problem when I bought it. It would not downshift to 1. But I could manually shift it into 1, then run it up manually through the gears. It was diagnosed by a trans shop as a broken sprag assembly. I replaced the trans with with a junkyard tranny that was more functional, but that still has TC hot lockup issues.

Even my cheapo junkyard trans came with a 6-month warranty. If it had pooped out before then, I suppose they would have given me another worn out transmission! Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to have the $$$ to do it right.