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Hi,

I recently picked up a second-hand Mitsubishi Galant (1997) and I feel there may be some issues with its automatic gear box.

The gear shifts from 1st to 2nd, and then 2nd to 3rd fine. The car runs smoothly in the lower speed ranges of <70 KMPH. However, there is a slight vibration that comes on towards the end range of the 3rd ( when about to shift to the 4th) and the end range of the 4th gear itself.

To give an idea of what this vibration effect is, it feels a little like how an engine struggles at low speeds and low RPMs at a higher gear (like 3rd) in a manual transmission, which you would address by shifting down a gear or giving more gas.

Sometimes, I release and engage the gas with a couple seconds in between and the vibration stops, but comes back on when the RPM reaches about 2500 when in 3rd or about 2000 RPM in 4th gear.

I also tried something else today: when the car reaches 3rd gear, I switch to trip-tronic and manually shift to the 4th gear when I reach about 2500 RPM; this seems to avoid the vibration effect, but there is nothing that I can do after the 4th gear.

Transmission fluid levels are fine, but the car has not had a fluid flush.

Is this signs of a major gearbox problem? Can a fluid flush help this?

Thanks.

It sounds like a problem with the transmission that we have seen before and I suspect that a transmission flush with the Mitsubishi replacement fluid (from the agents) could sort this problem out. If this doesn't sort this problem out then you need to get this vehicle to an auto transmission specialist to get diagnosed.