Thread: 1998 gtp wont drive in 4th NO SLIPPING THO

I have a 1998 grand prix gtp and im haven some trouble. I think the thing that tell the trans to downshift from drive when you touch the brake is messed up and not letting the car be driven in 4ht gear (drive) lets say im cruzin down the road 55mph and i shift into drive and let off the gas it drops rpms and goes into drive. if i then downshift the rps jump up just like drping a gear and you can feel it. same thing if i was driven 55mph in drive and let off the gas it will upshift into drive but the second i touch the gas it goes right back into 3rd instantly and its even hard to notice at all that it does this. when i bought the car i drove home over 100 miles and never even noticed anything wrong! it dont make any noises dont act at all like a slipping transmission ever! and also i should add that my shift lock is not working and that also works off sensors off the brake peddal. just like the downshift of trans when in 4th gear (drive) and tap the brakes ( it downshifts) and im thinking this MAY have somthing to do with why my car is never given the opertounity to slip or be driven in 4th gear! and if i was right what an awsome post this would be an a huge help to the grand prix comunity as i will post results of anything that helps even if i do end up tearing the trans apart. thanks everyone

If anyone could please get your car going in 4th gear (drive) at a steady 55-70 mph and tap the brakes it should downshift the transmission into 3rd gear thanks everyone

Plus the botton on side of my shifter I think its for performance shifting does nothing. not lights come on and shifting dont change

Id say 3-4 shift solenoid or replacing 4th gear. had the same problem with my trany but 1-2 solenoid was bad and I replaced 4th gear and works perfect. Make sure to buy the hardened 4th gear. I do beleive zzp has them for like 70 bucks but im not completely positive. Give it a shot instead of dishing out all the cash for a new trans.

OK my question is if 4th gear shaft goes out or whatever will the trans slip at all ever? make any weird noises or rpms race ? or does it just not let the car drive in 4th gear if 4th is gone? my car never acts like a slipping trans or a trans that has a gear gone bad. my car never over revs like if a gear was slipping. my cars transission is never giving the oppertunity to slip or act up cuz as soon as it goes to 4th gear and u give it any gas the trans goes back to third. lets say i get cruzin 100mph and let of the gas it will go into 4th then as the car slows 3rd slower 2nd and almost a stop 1st gear. all gears are present its just never giving an oppertunity to be driven in forth LIKE SOMETHING IS PREVENTING FOURTH GEAR TO BE DRIVEN IN. somethinjg is not allowing the 4th gear to be driven in. ill go check the rpms. ill get going 70 mph and let of gas and see what the rpms are at in 3rd at 70mph and what the rpms are at 70 when i put into 4th and post reply in a few min. thanks guys but i dont think anyone here understands my problem. IF 4th gear spline was gone wouldnt the motor rpms race up when it was in 4th??? and it just not move?????

ok at 70mph in third the rpms is 3000 let off the gas and it goes into 4th gear and rpms are at around 1300 and also when it goes into 4th gear and i manualy downshift it goes back to 3rd gear just like it should. IM 100% positvie its going into 4th gear just not able to drive it in 4th NOT becuase of slipping because it downshifts itself into 3rd gear the instant you touch gas peddal. im not trying to be rude it just hard for me to explain whats going on. lol Thank you Everyone who has helped. I love this car even with only 3 gears lol

i tapped brake at 70mph when trans was in 3rd not change in rpm got going 70 let it go into 4th tapped brake no rpm change

the car is very very drivable with only the 3 gears but anything that dont work right drives me FU.... MAD lol also does anyone know what pins to stick my paper clip into to get codes to flash? and im only averging 14 mpg but car only runs about 140 degress could a 180 thermastat bring the mpg up cuz car running so cold tells comp to give more fuel????? with gas prices as they are im thinking of getting my 1971 honda sl125 enduro out lol thanks everyone this is a great site and a real helpfull place with garage prices so high and econamy so bad you all desevere a round of beers

ok so if 4th gear splines are toaste the car wont ever let it drive in 4th ? so if splines are bad you will never have it slip in 4th ?im postive 4th is there becuse if i downshift from drive it drops a gear and puts it in 3rd. so if 4th is gone you will never have a slipping effect? it just tell the trans to never let it be driven in 4th?

Put shifter in "D", get on highway. Get speed up to 70mph and maintain speed/throttle input (all while leaving the shifter alone!). Do not let off the gas, do not tap the brake, just maintain 70. Tell us what the RPMs are.

I'm all for innernets diagnosis but when you hear about as many stripped 4th clutch hubs as some folks here have, its kind of hard to help when what info is requested isn't attained. Help us help you, lol...

Stripped 4th clutch FTW. Welcome to the club