Here's what I found:

1) Place the car on a lift as level as possible. Chock the wheels if a track lift is being used.
2) Apply the handbrake, engage P and start the engine. Raise the car and check the fluid level. If necessary, top up with fluid to dipstick level "cold". Lower the car.

, so yes, it sounds like it does need to be running, which will be a pain.

How does the fluid look? If it's brown and gunky, a first step might be to change it. The official spec is 60K, I think, but if it's scorched or worn out, a change can't hurt.

Also, FYI, I believe that 2003's and some early 2004's had an issue with seals for the transmission cooling system that allowed antifreeze into the trans, which would be obviously bad. A forum search will turn up the relevant posts.

 

The wife's 04 Arc will sometimes act like the clutches are slipping when you give it gas. The motor revs a bit and then it kicks in and will be fine. It will do it at different times, meaning not just hitting the gas to pass a car on the highway. It has done it around town making slow turns and just applying normal pedal pressure too. It happens only once every few days and the car has 53,000 miles all driven by my wife who does not drive hard.

As with most cars, I know that when checking the tranny fluid level, you are to check it while its running. Is it the same with this car? The reason I ask is that the tiny little dipstick is so short and hard to get to. When off, the level is ok. Let me know if you have heard of this problem with this car and also do I check the tranny level with the motor running or not. Thanks John

Desgin flaw in the tranny. Mine does it too. Happens when you take a jaunt on the highway and come off. When accelerating after the highway run it will slip from 2nd to 3rd. Mines been doing it for years. The tranny is fine.

 

Everyone on this board knows I'm crazy about my car, a little too crazy.
I refuse to live with things that I never encountered on any car weve owned.

So, I set out to find a cure. Ill save you the long hours searching...

THE CURE:

Replace your throttle body (03, 04) with an (05, 06) throttle body.
There is a design flaw with the TB in 03 and some 04. The only remedy is to replace it with a working 05 or 06.
I got one off ebay for 51CAD shipped. They are cheap but RARE on the aftermarket. MAKE SURE ITS OFF 05-06. =)

 

Desgin flaw in the tranny. Mine does it too.

Replace your throttle body (03, 04) with an (05, 06) throttle body.

Interesting - is this restricted to early cars? My 04 has never done anything like this.

 

How does changing the TB affect the 2-3 shift? If this does work I will order one today. It is very annoying to have this happen while driving.

 

honestly I would replace the fluid in the trans. and go from there. and if it is still doing ask the dealer if there is a software update for your trans.

 

I have an 04 ARC, it does the same thing every now and then. Took it to the dealer and they made an adjustment to the throttle body it helped for a while but the slipage came back. No worries.

 

how is it "no worries" if your tranny is slipping?:nono; if it is slipping then there is something wrong with it. if you don't care and have tons of money to fix it I guess that would not be a worry. get your fluid changed and see if it changes anything.

 

I had that happen on my 03 and it was fixed by replacing the throttle body. Saab dealer replaced it under warranty and I never had that problem since.

 

how is it "no worries" if your tranny is slipping?:nono;

I agree completely. There is something wrong! When I had my throttle body replaced it made a huge difference. Then when the dealer replaced my tranny and radiator it was like a whole different car.

 

Just ment it is not the tranny (no worries), It is the throttle body.

 

Desgin flaw in the tranny. Mine does it too. Happens when you take a jaunt on the highway and come off. When accelerating after the highway run it will slip from 2nd to 3rd. Mines been doing it for years. The tranny is fine.

speaking of coming off the highway, the other day i came off the ramp after running 80-85mph for 30 miles and slowed to about 20mph to merge into city traffic. i floored it and the engine revs increased but tranny didn;t respond. after maybe a 2 second delay the tranny engaged with a horrible bang and i took off, no problems since. Anyone had this before with 2.0T auto (89k miles)??

 

that is your tanny slipping. so do you get the fluid changed in it yet before it really gets damaged? hopefully you save it with a fluid change.

 

that is your tanny slipping. so do you get the fluid changed in it yet before it really gets damaged? hopefully you save it with a fluid change.

i changed and flushed fluid at 60k miles, fluid looked like used motor oil. I now change 4qts of fluid evry 10k miles, last change fluid was red. The bang happened shortly after my first change. I'm using toyota tIV fluid btw.

 

sorry to hear that. it might be a bad shifter body on your trans. I would try some GM tranny shops and see if they could get a new shifter modulator for it.