I'm a broke college student and just got the check engine soon light on my 2003 Blazer Xtreme. I took it to Autozone and the guy gave me the error code of P1810B and said it has to do with the 'transmission fluid pressure position switch', but there was nothing they could do there.. That I'd have to take it to a dedicated transmission mechanic. I called around and all the tranny mechanics are quoting me $100 for the diagnostic alone and will not give me any insight as to potential repair costs.

Like I said, I'm a broke college student and the semester just started. Literally every penny counts. I can't throw $100 down the tubes just to find out that I need to drop $1k in further repairs. If it's a hefty repair cost, I will need to sell the Blazer and pick up whatever I can with whatever I can get for it as-is.

Can anyone here lend some insight as to what kind of problems/repair costs I could potentially be looking at? Or are these mechanics correct in saying that there is absolutely no way of knowing without a full tranny diagnostic? The original mechanic that gave me the error code said that I should not drive it at all, as to not potentially turn a small problem into a huge problem.. So I'm also stuck bumming rides from people to & from school and work til I figure out what to do Is this correct that I should not drive it at all given the error code?

Thanks in advance

PS - I just saw the thread about diagnostic code P1810, but I don't know ANYTHING about cars and I might as well have been reading Chinese

 

Is your truck acting funny?

A diagnostic is pretty much required. There are a few different things that can cause this and the diagnosis will narrow it down. If you don't know much about cars, a modern automatic transmission is not something you want to cut your teeth on.

With that said, there is one thing that you can check to easily from under the hood. With the engine running and up to operating temperature, pull the transmission dipstick and check the level. If low, fill up to the appropriate level without overfilling. Ideally the transmission should be up to operating temperature as well, but this may not be possible. If the transmission is cold when you check it, do not fill to the top line, fill to midway between the low and high marks to allow for the fluid to expand.

As for other causes, a corroded or broken electrical connection into the transmission can cause a bad signals to the PCM. Another cause for this code is a shorted out TFP sensor. The sensor can short out from metallic particles that wear off of the bands/clutches and collects on the switches. GM revised the TFP switch including membranes over the switch contacts to protect against this problem. But if that is the cause, the bands/clutches in your transmission are likely pretty worn and a rebuild is inevitable.

One last thing that may correct the problem is a transmission flush. This may clean any conductive material off of the switch contacts and reset the code, but it will not do anything for the wear that has occurred on the bands/clutches.

 

Hey swartlkk. Thank you very much for your response. Yes, it is acting funny. The RPM gauge will jump up & down a little bit... ie - not fluid & smooth. When I took it in to get the error code, the transmission fluid was indeed low.. But even after he filled it, the check engine light still came on.

With these things now in mind, does this eliminate and/or make anything else more likely? Any way to estimate a general ballpark of repair costs given my cars symptoms? Or are we just taking total shots in the dark without a diagnostic?

Unfortunately, if I can't get some sort of idea of what kind of repair costs I'll be looking at, I'll pry just have to sell the car as-is and buy whatever else I can. As you can imagine, I really don't want to do that when the repair may just be a couple hundred bucks or less. But I can't risk dropping the $100 on a diagnostic just to find out its a $1k repair.

Thanks again for your help.

 

hey bud,

You would best be off selling it.

However...how many miles does it have?

 

Ughhh.... It's got 123k miles.

Any insight as to why you think I'd be best off selling it? Is it sounding like the tranny is going to have to be rebuilt or..??

So depressed right now

 

considering your in college, dont have money or time for a rebuild or other problems. Unless you have mechanic friends and do alot of scrap yard shopping you could maybe fix it.

Otherwise you will just be taking blind shots at what the problem could be, but if the gears are hard, and the everythings ruff or slipping.

Your outta luck

try and sell it if you can, In my opinion it will just get worse.

 

Question, Does it act like the Transmission is slipping? Not sure? does it have reverse? Does it move foward ? Is it shifting hard ? I no the Valve body(internal) on the 4L60E have been known to cause this problem and give this CRAZY code 1810.

I have seen Valve bodies on ebay and other place that fix this problem for around $100.00 bucks + Shipping Reworked,,, But this repair to replace the Valve Body is not for the guy who is just starting out to perform as the Fourm have Stated. Also this may not be the problem ? Any friends with SKILLS on Transmissions ? But Hey do not get Depressed, Hang in there, "The Sky is not Falling" IS It ? Just trying to cheer you up,, did it ? Good luck and tell The Fourm a little more about the Transmission .This is the BEST Place for HELP, Not a Better bunch of People on NET. T.J.

 

Hey man thanks for those words of encouragement. The car does drive, reverse, shift fine, and overall function normally with the exception of the RPM gauge jumping up and down every now and then. I only really drove it for about 10 miles since the light came on.

Some other good news is that my mom said she knows a mechanic who may do the work for me just for the price of parts. With everything I've explained about my car, does anyone have a ballpark idea of how much I could be looking at for parts alone? The soonest he can look at my car is 2 weeks. I really cannot afford to not have a car for that long, but if there's a strong possibility the repair cost might not be that bad after all being that I am just paying for parts.. I will make due for 2 weeks. If the likelihood is strong that the repair costs will be HIGH, then I might as well cut my losses now and just sell it.

:\

 

After your update, I would do as (swartlkk) said Flush, change trans filter and a good Quality Trans fluid, Take it back to AutoZone , tell them what you have done,,, IE repairs, Ask to do a code reset on your Blazer.

Have your MOM's Mechanic do the repairs, He also may,,, can reset the code?

Cost Hummmmmm $40-70 dollars parts. No Labor friends right? Good Luck.T.J.
Also give us an update when completed.

 

SCRATCH THE BELOW INFO - I just remembered when I took it to Autozone that the guy said the problem was FOR SURE inside the transmission and not a quick fix, otherwise they would do it there for me. Could this be accurate or is there no way to know without performing said quick fixes, turning the error code off, and seeing if it reappears?

Ok. I talked to another friend last night who is not a mechanic, but works on his cars in his spare time and here is what he suggested we do this weekend:

"We'll get the blazer up in the air and change the tranny fluid, oil, all of the filters & gaskets"

That should cover the repairs you and swartlkk suggested, correct? Then I will take it to AutoZone and have them reset the code for me.

Also, can I drive the car short distances in the mean time (10-15 miles at a time at most)? I missed a class last night because I couldn't get a ride.. So in order for me to do this trial & error with trying to fix my car I will need to be able to use it.. Otherwise I'll pry just have to throw in the towel because I can't afford to miss another class and I surely cannot afford to miss a shift at work.

Thanks again for your help!