Questions and Answers

Mazda Doesn't Like To Shift Cold

Q. I have a trouble shooting question... My auto/trans in a 1988 Mazda 626 wants to cut out at acceleration speeds when cold at 30 to 40 mph for just a couple of minutes... then its fine from then on. I do know it's not the engine, it is the tranny. Can you help me to figure out my problem and solution??

Thank you for your help.

A. Before I go to deep into the transmission, I would suggest you get a transmission fluid and filter change first. Many cold shifting problems are caused by a partially clogged transmission filter. A restricted filter will usually show up at a higher engine RPM because the filter cannot pass as much fluid as the pump is trying to draw.

If that does not resolve the problem, there is little you can do in diagnosing the problem yourself. You need a transmission pressure gauge to correctly diagnose a transmission problem. Your best bet would be to have a transmission shop look at it and determine the problem.

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