wrote
Yes, we do know. Linkage is mechanical.

I can't say either way for sure as I do not have the shop manual yet (no
need for at least another 2 years).


Just as I thought. I don't know why some people want to rush to
judgement without having all the facts. Obvioulsy there are a LOT of
different cars out there and without factual data, no one here knows
what exactly is or isn't in any of them.

But you don't know what I know or what cars may be sitting in my driveway.






When the shifter is put in "M"
manual while the transmission is in any gear other than 1st the
transmission drops down a gear. If the car speeds up or down the
transmission will continue to shift albeit a little more aggressively (a
more sportier feel). If the shifter is put into "M" while the
transmission is in 1st or stopped the car will not shift until you
manually shift it with a toggle switch on the side of the shifter (sort
of a clutch-less manual mode - where all 6 gears are available). It is
this mode that makes me wonder as this has to be a by wire shift mode as
there is no movement of linkage only the pressing (rocking up or down)
of a toggle switch).

Excellent example that things may not always be as simple as some
people would have us believe. Clearly from what you describe, there
is at least some kind of electrical control over the transmission.



I know the computer plays a roll in the shifting because the shift
patterns can be changed by reprogramming the computer. I believe there
was a service bulletin for the 4 cylinder model that fixed a shift
pattern problem on the smaller engine. The solution was uploading a
patch to the computer.

Another excellent point.



From what I have read in a Saturn news group I believe the shifting is
by wire from the shifter but can not say if it goes to the computer
before the transmission or if the computer only monitors the
transmission and has the ability to make adjustments to performance?