[chriswheels]

Hello, I am trying to understand what exactly is wrong with my automatic transmission on my Astra K (2016 model, 1.6 CDTi)

Error codes:
P2723 (solenoid E performance/stuck OFF) and then a P0777 (solenoid B stuck ON). The codes come on and off.

Symptoms:

• Trouble shifting at low gears (1st-2nd), especially when cold. I need to hold it reving around 2000rpm to force a shift. Absolutely fine at higher gears on the motorway at >30MPH
• Problem is made much worse at inclines, even small ones
• When switching from Reverse to Drive, the engine revs for the first 3-4s before moving. When switching from Drive to Reverse though, there is no issue.
• I have been driving it like this for weeks, at some point it improved to almost normal but now it is back to being weird.

I am just trying to understand what the issue might be that connects all these symptoms. Obviously it is something that eventually affects transmission fluid pressure/solenoid function, but what is the route issue? From my reading I see it could be anything from low/dirty transmission fluid, to faulty wires/valves/solenoids or PCM or something breaking down.

Specific questions:

1) I took it to a transmission specialist garage, they said they have to take the gearbox out to diagnose (which is obviously costly). Is that really unavoidable or should I insist they check other things first such as transmission oil level? Do any of the above symptoms point towards a specific cause?

2) I should also add that back in November same guys changed the torque converter. Could the two issues be related in any way?

3) I only bought the car 6 months ago. The seller paid to fix the previous issue (torque converter) under Consumer Acts but now says they wont cover this one because it's a new issue that wasn't present when I bought it. Is this true?

I'd be grateful for advice on any of the above - thank you.

[harsharea]

The error codes suggest that the solenoids may not be functioning properly, which could be causing problems with shifting gears, especially at low speeds and on inclines. One thing to check is the transmission fluid level and condition, as low or dirty fluid could be affecting the performance of the solenoids and the overall transmission function. Make sure to ask the garage to check this before they start tearing apart the gearbox, as it could save you some money.

[Marc]

Welcome to the community @chriswheels
Thanks for posting
According to this RAC guide the best bet is, alas, the costly one, of getting it sorted by a specialist garage.

[taradean]

I have the same issue..

[chriswheels]

Just to give an update on this issue: I have been driving the car since, it hasn't got worse. and it definitely hasn't got better. A couple of weeks ago I had another transmission specialist look at it. He took it for a drive, and very quickly said the issue was that the casing (housing?) was broken and that this is a common fault in this generation of Astra K. I asked him if it could be in anyway connected to the previous issue/replacement of torque converter, he said it was not related.


He explained me all the technical details, most of which went over my head, and said it will get worse up to the point it wont move forward anymore. He quoted a price of 3K + VAT to fix it, which is a lot more than I hoped for - I bought the car for around 10K so not sure if it's worth it. Any opinion/advice would be helpful..!