Q: AT light and Check engine light on stuck in third gear.

asked by on August 26, 2016

My car randomly gets stuck in third gear and the AT light appears as well as the check engine light. Any idea?

My car has 262000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

Check Engine Light is on Inspection $94.99 - $114.99 Get a Quote
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A logical place to start is with a Check Engine Light inspection to see what codes might be set. Usually with something of this nature, codes will be present, and there will be a flow chart that should be used to diagnose what the issue is.

The reports I am reading suggest your Mazda is sensitive to dirty transmission fluid with this issue. Check your transmission fluid. It should be clean and bright red. If it is brown, black, or burnt-looking, you will definitely want to get it flushed.

Each gear has a solenoid that can fail. This is what is likely wrong, but a thorough flush should be done before any repairs are performed. The code you find will determine what is done next.

Good luck!

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