1994 ford escort1.9 take car on highway, it will stay in first gear for a while the rpms go really high, then it will kick in. the car is an automatic

saturn was never the best model of car sold! amazed it has lasted this long. sounds like a re-build (not worth it)- possibly a 're-built' replacement. labor would prob. cost more than tranny! prob. need axles & bearings replaced as well. part it out and get a newer compact ford, or toyota product!! good luck!

low fliud pressure in transmission..check levels and change fluid/filter and retry vehicle.

This sounds like a slipping transmission , check the fluid level first and make sure its full, if its full then you have ****** problems and may need to have ****** rebuild done,

Another thing is to make sure the trans passing gear cable is connected at the throttle where the gas cable is.

Check the transmission fluid level. May be low and getting too hot.

Kinda sounds like it works when fluid is thick and not after it warms up. If it has been awhile since trans fluid and filter were changed it is the most simple thing to change. The torque converter is a big pump, it may be going and not providing enough pressure. This could be checked on most transmissions by a shop expert. Sometimes pressure can be adjusted externally.

transmission is bad, fluid low, or strainer is partally stopped up

rpms do increase when you push the pedal to go faster....but then if it is an automatic tranny, it may be slipping thus rpms are fast but speed doesn't match rpms. luck to you

That sounds like a bad clutch

sounds as if it has an internal problem with one of the clutch packs or a valve in the valve body not switching correctly and will need some internal work done