Figured since we have a lot of racers and transmission, engine builders on here would ask on here. 2011 Chevy HHR 2.4L auto-161,000 miles. Transmission acts kinda sluggish at times and rpm jumps up. Shifts are hard into 3rd-4th but not all the time. Changed fluid and filter few months ago and vehicle has sat with the once a week start up. So no metal pieces of course or shaving in the fluid. It’s been away since a flush. Just got it back from a shop a guy I know uses and he said when he drove it the computer showed no electrical issues going on and thinks it’s something mechanical and he doesn’t work on transmissions. I don’t know enough about them either and engine cradle has to come off to get transmission off of this vehicle. The shop is calling around for prices but figured $1500-$1800 plus labor etc for rebuild. $3500 for refurbished with labor probably. Anyone have any ideas as to what could be causes the issues in the tranny?

 

"its been away since a flush" I assume you meant its been this way since a flush.

If you flushed it with a machine thats probably your issue

 

Meaning it was like this and figured might as well changed fluid and filter to see if I see anything wrong. But didn’t.

 

Let me guess... the ATF and Filter has never been changed?

If that is the situation at hand, then purchase a re-manufactured unit, or have the unit rebuilt.

Most of the Auto. Trans. Flush-Systems will move the ATF backwards through the system... Avoid these.

For the future; maintaining a new/ healthy unit with a flush in the normal flow direction is fine with a filter change.
Or just drain and fill with a filter change more regularly.

 

This is the first time I have changed it as bought it used with 11,000 miles on it. Mainly highway miles and no pulling anything just normal easy use.

 

Yeah...
At 161,000 miles; the ATF and filter should have been changed a minimum of 3 times.

Not doing so... will often condemn the transmission to being damaged at this point.

Like I said... install a reman.unit, or rebuild your unit.
There is no point to doing a repair at this mileage (with no service ever done)... something else will fail soon, if so.

 

GM does say for this transmission no fluid or filter change is really needed unless it’s a mail truck, taxi, high traffic stop and go or pulling stuff. But they give recommendations for mileage changes. Just talked to a guy that has 200,000 miles on his 2008 transmission and only owner. He just now had to replace a shift solenoid and said fluid still looked good. Replaced it and filter because already there why not. Not saying to do this with transmissions on every car but just like the fuel filter on the HHR it’s good for the life of the engine as it’s built in. Just in case you wanted to know haha.

 

What state do you live in?

I was a Corporate Engineer for GM... I have copies of owners manuals and service intervals for all GM vehicles sold in North America from 1980 to current.

 

More than likely (with out knowing what state the car was sold in)...

Your manual prescribes an ATF (or ATF and Filter) change:
-every 100,000 miles (if reached in 5 years, usually expressway driven mostly).
__________OR__________
-every 50,000 miles for vehicles that make more short trips more often. including states with heavy snow, long winter temps, or long high heat summers.

For any of you that purchase a New GM vehicle (or any vehicle with life time fluids)... do NOT follow the owner's manual service intervals.
They have been written so that your new vehicle should intentionally start experiencing multiple system failures (one after another)...
shortly after the 100,000 to 120,000 mile mark.

If you plan to try and keep a vehicle past this mileage...
Then you MUST CHANGE THE FLUIDS!!!

 

Regarding my last post...
This reflects the average driver.

Should you drive like the stereotypical "Old Lady/ Grandma" then reaching a higher mileage is likely.
However...
Should you drive like you think your driver's license is a "NHRA Competition License" then reaching an even lower mileage is likely.