Description & Operation: Introduction

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2003 Saturn Vue and 2002 Saturn Vue. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

The VT25-E is a fully automatic, continually variable front wheel drive transaxle. It consists primarily of a four-element torque converter, one planetary gear set, a hydraulic pressurization and control system, two variable drive pulleys, two friction clutches and a differential assembly.

The four-element torque converter contains a pump, a turbine, a pressure plate splined to the turbine, and a stator assembly. The torque converter acts as a fluid coupling to smoothly transmit power from the engine to the transaxle. It also hydraulically provides additional torque multiplication when required. The pressure plate, when applied, provides a mechanical (direct drive) coupling of the engine to transaxle.

The planetary gear set provides Reverse. Changing gear ratios is fully automatic and is accomplished through the use of a Transaxle Control Module (TCM). The TCM receives and monitors various electronic sensor inputs and uses this information to control the transaxle ratios at the most optimum time.