All right let's see who can help me here. A friend has a '96 Contour with an auto transmission. we were leaving a parking lot and she got on the gas a bit hard. This is where the problems begin. Later that evening we tried to go to the movies and the car started fine. Then it got to 2nd gear and when it should have shifted to 3rd it just wound out the engine and never shifted. so we turned around (Still fairly close to home thankfully) and stop at wal mart to get some oil (Rear main is shot too). We finished at Wal Mart and put the oil in the car and start heading out. Now the car doesn't want to hit second until after a little while then it still won't shift into 3rd. Then when we have to come to a stop it again refuses to start moving again then once it does start rolling it won't shift into 2nd anymore. Take it to park sit for a sec then shift back into drive and again it takes a bit to get into 1st then goes into 2nd but not 3rd then slows down back into first. Also when taking it to Drive it doesnt do the normal little kick you feel telling you the car is in Drive. Anyone have ANY idea what the problem could be?

 

could be that the snychros are history....the cd4e or whatever the code isn't the most reliable atx

 

Previously, my contour did that...until I cracked the aluminum bellhousing. It wouldn't engage a forward gear for a second or so after you shifted. You definitely can't be the least bit rough with these cheap transaxles. Take it to a transmission repair facility and tell them the problem EXACTLY, and they could probably give you better opinions than here.