Hi Scotty, I'm not knowledgeable by any means on vehicles but I own a 2005 automatic Chevy Cavalier and fixing it myself is the only option I have. Mileage is hard to tell you because it's had a motor dropped in before I bought it but mileage on the odometer reads around 255,xxx. I woke up the other morning and on my way in to work the car wouldn't come out of first gear, it just revved and jerked a little. My more mechanically-inclined friends and family have suggested a few things which I've done watching YouTube videos. These include replacing the throttle position sensor and spark plugs which I've done. The TPS didn't affect it but replacing spark plugs seems to have helped. It goes out of first now and doesn't shift jerk-y until I hit about 60MPH. It's also worth mentioning that originally my check engine light and traction off lights lit up but after disconnecting the negative on the battery to replace the TPS (I know, rookie mistake here) the lights have shut off and will not come back on after driving it a few times to try and get it to. If you have any thoughts on what it could be or any way to get my check engine lights back on so I can scan it or ANY help at all I would greatly appreciate it. I'm replacing the MAF sensor tomorrow after work (another suggestion from family) and praying it does something. Many thanks for reading this book I just wrote and hopefully assisting me in driving worry-free again!
Throwing parts at the problem based on random suggestions is the wrong way to go about troubleshooting the problem. Loading up the parts cannon rarely produces good results. (Did you even test those parts before replacing them?)
At that age and mileage it's more than likely that the transmission is just wearing out. Has the trans been properly serviced over the last 21 years and quarter of a million miles?
Really the best procedure would be diagnosis using a professional-grade scan tool capable of reading transmission codes and data. If you're very lucky it might be something repairable like a bad solenoid. For what it's worth you can find that car's repair manual in the link below which includes a section on the transmission with diagnostic procedures:
https://charm.li/Chevrolet/2005/Cavalier%20L4-2.2L%20VIN%20F/Repair%20and%20Diagnosis/
@chucktobias Thanks Chuck! I'll check the manual out and see if I can't get some idea of what the hell I'm doing🤣. I'm guessing the only place I'll find a scanner of that magnitude would be an actual mechanic?
@ronnie0728 My response seems to have disappeared here even though it's showing up in the "Recent Posts" lists. Bugs, bugs, bugs...
In any event, what I was saying is your best bet would be a good local transmission expert or at least a mechanic familiar with diagnosing and repairing transmissions. (Not all of them are.)
Avoid dealers and chain shops such as Pep Boys, Midas, AAMCO, etc.