geo_08

My wife's element intermittently hard shifts from first to second, and frequently won't shift at all. The motor just revs up as if you were to push the clutch in on a manual. I did the fluid drain and fill, and the fluid looks good and clean. There wasn't an excessive build up of metal on the drain plug.

I tested the double barreled solenoid assembly (transmission solenoid b/c?) that I have heard is the issue. I tested the brown pin to pin and got 6 ohms. I tested the black pin to pin and got 6 ohms as well. I tested the solenoid assembly next to the dipstick (solenoid a?) and that read 6 ohms from pin to pin as well.

Fluid is at appropriate level. The vehicle isn't showing any codes. The problem has happened at higher gears as well according to my wife.

Any suggestions?

psdoff123

When did you last change the AT filter behind the radiator? Hard shifts from 1st to 2nd under gentle acceleration are a sign of worn AT fluid or a AT restricted fllter.

I also have a 2008 Element (previously owned) and experienced intermittent hard shifting from first to second as I neared 100,000 miles.
It took 1 ATF dump and refills to fix he erratic hifting and another to restore the transmission to like new operation - a condition I'd forgotten over 16 years of low degradation.

I couldn't find a filter when I did this on a holiday weekend this past summer, so I've planned another dump and refill plus a filter change scheduled for next spring. That should get me through the next 30000 miles.