I have a 2004 chevrolet cavalier and when i shift from park it slams into gear and sometimes when i am driving i try to give it more gas and it will start dying down and the rpm meter will go back and forth, whats wrong with it?

chang trann fuild and filter

Sounds like your shifter linkage is the problem. Do you park on a flat surface or on an incline? If you park on an incline, try parking on a flat surface. Sometimes shift linkage is cable driven, sometimes they are all steel bar linkages. As far as being sluggish while driving, I would try shifting manually 1st to 2nd, to drive. Shift the gears at the normal RPM's and see if it shifts better. The linkage may be catching in between gears. The only other possibility is that the transmission is vacumn assisted, and has a leak in the vacume lines. While car is running, listen for air hissing, if you hear it, pin point it, also listen under the car for the same.I don't think this is the case, but worth the troubleshoot. If this was the case, the light on the indicator sould not be slow to react , but I may be wrong there

The neutral safety switch will not let you crank the engine in anything but park and neutral. If something happens to the shift cable the trans may still be in drive.

For gear shift issues and gear stuck issues,the help links are provided below. Click the link below to go through troubleshooting procedure:---- ---- Car will not move when in gear?

http://repairhelpcenter.blogspot.in/2012/02/car-will-not-move-when-in-gear.html ---- transmission sticks in first gear? http://technoanswers.blogspot.com/2012/01/mercedes-benz-transmission-sticks-in.html ----- Transmission not engaging in first gear? http://technoanswers.blogspot.com/2012/01/mercedes-benz-not-engaging-in-first.html ----- Vehicle only goes in First gear?

http://howtobyme.blogspot.com/2011/11/chrysler-pt-cruiser-only-goes-in-first.html

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Car is stuck in park and the shift will not move?

http://howtobyme.blogspot.com/2011/08/car-is-stuck-in-park-and-shift-will-not.html

---- Engine will not go out of park mode? http://technoanswers.blogspot.in/2012/02/2002-nissan-sentra-will-not-go-out-of.html ---- Car stuck in park? http://technoanswers.blogspot.in/2012/02/nissan-sentra-stuck-in-park.html ----- Car will not come out of Park?

http://howtobyme.blogspot.com/2011/11/car-will-not-come-out-of-park.html

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Automatic transmission will not go into high gear?

http://howtobyme.blogspot.com/2011/11/automatic-transmission-will-not-go-into.html
--- Car wont downshift sometimes?

http://schematicsdiagram.blogspot.com/2011/12/car-wont-downshift-sometimes.html
---- Transmission will shift into drive?

http://schematicsdiagram.blogspot.com/2011/12/buick-park-avenuetransmission-will.html
----- Auto wont shift from park? http://schematicsdiagram.blogspot.com/2011/12/ford-taurus-wont-shift-from-park.html ---- Car Transmission will not go into Park mode?

http://schematicsdiagram.blogspot.com/2011/12/car-transmission-will-no-go-into-park.html
----- Shift indicator directly goes to 2nd when key is turned ON?

http://schematicsdiagram.blogspot.com/2011/12/shift-indicator-directly-goes-to-2nd.html
---- Third gear missing and engine losing power?

http://schematicsdiagram.blogspot.com/2012/01/third-gear-missing-and-engine-losing.html
------- Vehicle has whining sound in gear?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.com/2012/01/chevrolet-silverado-has-whining-sound.html
----- Hard to shift gears on Manual transmission?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.com/2012/01/hard-to-shift-gears-on-manual.html
------ Car hard shift at slow speeds?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.com/2012/01/car-hard-shift-at-slow-speeds.html
--- Automatic transmission shift lever hard to move on cold mornings?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.com/2012/01/automatic-transmission-shift-lever-hard.html
------ Gear shifts hard?

http://schematicsdiagram.blogspot.in/2012/02/2000-nissan-maxima-shifts-hard.html
------- Vehicle noticed sluggish delayed shifts while driving?

http://schematicsdiagram.blogspot.in/2012/03/vehicle-noticed-sluggish-delayed-shifts.html

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This will help.

Thanks.

its not reading the speedo signal properly, does you speedo wave about sometimes ?

sounds like it might be a little low on trans fluid,and if i remember correctly these vehicles dont have a trans dipstick to check fluid level,but i could be wrong..if it does check it with the car running on a level surface and in park,hope this helps

I had this problem in my 89 beretta, the clutch plate messed up and it would not go into 3rd. you might as well just replace the whole clutch, there was a recall on the plates and other components for that year. hope this helped

You need to take it to the shop to be repaired this is not going to be an easy fix. It is probably going to have something with shift solenoids or fluid pressure. Have the tranny serviced by replacing the filter and flushing out the system.

check your engine and trans mounts sounds like you have a bad mount allowing motor to shift up pop hood and look at engine while someone puts in gear see if engine comes up or kicks back it should only move slightly

Check idel speed, if it is runnign too fast it will cause this clunk.