I have a 2000 monte Carlo, A while back the my check engine light came on with a "P0742" code. Trans started shifting hard, then it would shudder real bad while accelerating. I took to a transmission shop they told me the trans was shot. So they rebuilt it. $$$$ . got it back and guess what? same problem. took it back and about a month later and a new valve body $$$ they said it was fixed. So i picked went and picked it up. The next day i drove it and guess what. Check Engine "P0742" again! This car has been in the shop for atleast 2 months and spent why to much money to have the same problem. Any ideas what it could be?

 

P0742 = torque converter clutch system stuck on. The trans wasn't shot, I don't believe. It might have needed a new TCC solenoid. Maybe some Seafoam or similar could break it loose. I'm guessing the tranny shop did a half a_s job on the rebuild, if they did one at all. Bet they didn't replace the solenoids. Did you SEE the tranny out of the car and apart, and did they SHOW you what the problem was? Or did they show you a tranny apart. It wasn't an Aamco shop, was it?

Transmission repair in my opinion is THE #1 auto repair fraud out there. The second time in they charged you to fix it? Didn't they have a warranty?

Here are some links from other forums on the same problem:

P0742 TCC Solenoid sticking

 

as far as I have been told they replaced the internal electrical harness, soleniods, torque converter, valve body.

 

Did you SEE it apart? Solenoids do go bad, also. I had a brand new one go bad, from a reputable shop, on my '01 SS. From what I can find, the TCC solenoid was bad, and that's it.

 

No, I did not see it apart, The shop I took it to was recommened to me by a few people so I ASSumed it was a reputable shop and was trying to give them the benifit of dout. butthe car has been the too many times and the parts bill keeps growning. I spent to much money to have the exsact same problem.I am going totake it back to the shop monday. If they do not fix it this time, what can i do? The tranny shop also said it could posibly be the computure doing this, could thatbe the case, or are they just throwing stones, trying tomake it sound like the problem is some where else so they dont look as bad.

 

Check out the threads on the Dogpile link above and YOU make ajudgement. It's YOUR car. Every service facility I deal with guarantees their work. They should, too. Should've been in writing, 12 mo or 12,000 miles, like ANY reputable trans shop thats been around 40-50 years.

Dogpile link to P0742 solutions