[mikehrz]

2001 limited auto, 56k miles

at low speed, for instance when coming to a stop sign/stoplight, and when accelerating hard from low speed, my pt will suddenly feel as if someone has stomped hard on the brakes for just a fraction of a second, resulting in a strong lurch. it varies in intensity, but does happen more frequently now than it used to. my guess is that the transmission is downshifting into first gear when this happens. when accelerating away from stop signs/lights and crusing at highway speed, there is no abnormality. the dealer (in ontario, california) said that they would need to open up the trans to look at it and determine the exact problem; if it needed overhauling, $2500, if i need a totally new trans, $3300. considering the car's only worth maybe $8500, i'm hoping the true solution will be a lot cheaper. any idea as to what the cause may be and how it can be repaired? i'm also wondering how long i have before the trans stops functioning completely and i'm left with the world's largest pt cruiser-shaped paperweight. help?