Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Transmission Problems

1356730

Comments

  • sfmennasfmenna Member Posts: 2
    2003 Chevrolet 2500 6 liter- Same Problem! Exccept that this truck does it just whenever. Any advice would be helpful!

    Thanks,

    Steven
  • shinychevyshinychevy Member Posts: 4
    Do you have stock size tires? Mine does it when coasting from 70 km/h+, and it's even worse if I brake and slow down quicker. I'm getting it checked out at the Chev dealer on Tuesday, I'll let you know what they find.
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    is to place the truck in neutral as you slow down. If the vibration still exists then it isn't the trans.

    If it starts when you start to brake then it most likely is warped rotors.

    Just something to think about.
  • tdscrinertdscriner Member Posts: 7
    When we bought our 98 sierra it had one 16" & one 15" tire on the back, we was told that may have been why the tranny went out. We r now changing trannies, so that is something to think about. We have Reverse, 1st, & 2nd.
  • shinychevyshinychevy Member Posts: 4
    Just got back from the dealership...turns out it was a seized U-joint in the rear driveshaft. Dealer says U-joints can cause some odd symptoms. Replaced under warranty and all is well again.
  • baserunner21baserunner21 Member Posts: 1
    i am new at this this is my first time on here. i have a 96 chevy silverado 1500 V8/305. i've been having troubles with my automatic transmission. it shifts in 1st and 2nd gear but slips out of gear in 3rd and Drive 4th gear. it's in gear when you first accelerate then when you it about 30 mph it slips and doesn't go back in gear. i checked trans fluid and it's good and full not burnt it's bright red. i need to know if it is the transmission clutch gone bad gears worn out or could it be the electronic shifter?? need advice
  • october2525october2525 Member Posts: 4
    My 2004 GMC Sierra 2500HD 4 x 4 loses power when my transmission temp gets between 180-200 degrees. It only gets hot on the hot summer days or when I tow my boat. There is an unusual noise(higher RPM?) in the transmission when I take off after sitting a controlled intersection. I get my vehicle serviced on a regular basis. I have yet to take it into a dealer..any ideas?
  • tdscrinertdscriner Member Posts: 7
    Did u get any replies b-cause that is similar to what or 1998 Sierra is doing
  • october2525october2525 Member Posts: 4
    No replies as of yet. I was thinking about a tranny cooler. But isn't tha a tranny cooler on the face of my radiator? I would love to tow my boat to Big Bear, but I think I the tranny would fail. Not too sure about the diesel, has no balls
  • jsbrandtjsbrandt Member Posts: 1
    When I first start out in the morning the trans make a clunking sound while shifting from 2nd to 3rd. Most times it makes the sound 1-2 times. After that it shifts hard and jerks from 2-3. Ive had it back at the dealer 3 times already and it only has 2400 miles. The 1st time they replaced a torque solonoid valve- didnt help. Since then they said they can't find a problem. Does anyone have a similar issue or suggestion? That's what I get for leaving Ford.
  • mdsxs4mdsxs4 Member Posts: 9
    I have a 2007 crew cab that the transmission has been out twice in the first 28000 miles. the last problem was that it would shift real hard after it warmed up. The shop said that it was full of metal shavings. If this transmission goes out again then gm will get it back and I will go to Toyota or something else.
  • kylec65kylec65 Member Posts: 2
  • kylec65kylec65 Member Posts: 2
    Has anyone else had any problems with a 2005 silverado transmission?? Mine went out yesterday at 44K miles and just over 2.5 years old. Just my luck that it happens after the 36K warranty has expired. Has anyone had any experience with GM's Goodwill policy \ Secret Warranty program? I'm hoping they will give me some sort of assistance in fixing this as I have owned 3 other silverados, all of which were driven to at least 130K without any major problems aside from routine repairs. Thoughts or recomendations for proceding with GM???
  • skytop1skytop1 Member Posts: 106
    I have the new 6 speed transmission in my new Denali. I specifically stepped up to the GMC from Chevy to get this transmission. I have seriously regretted this choice and purchase.

    This 6 speed has been the WORST example of a half baked, defect laden, miserable shifting, banging, clanking, confused shifting transmission I have ever had the misfortune and mistake of owning. It is actually an adaptive learning transmission that is almost entirely computer controlled. If it were any other company, that would not be a problem. However, GM clearly had not the ability or brains to design working software/firmware for this complex machine. They acknowledged to me they are stumped by it and hope to eventually figure out how to rewrite the software. Lovely. They offered me a hope and a prayer for cold comfort. And what do I do today?

    Any low speed shift is accompanied by a banging in the rear. Hi speed downshift tries many different gears before the computer finally selects one gear to use. What a mess!!!!! Additionally, you never know which gear it will select and how jolting or punishing the shift will be. PLUS....when coming to a stop, the computer gets confused and then speeds up the engine for a moment generating way extra torque which causes the downshift into first gear to shoot your forward as if you were just bumped in the rear by another vehicle. This is NO exaggeration....straight objective fact. GM has NO CLUE or technical ability to correct this major problem. They are hopeless and helpless to produce or service this transmission. Dealers I have gone to are totally stymied and confused by these problems which are all routinely reproduceable.

    This is but one area of problems I am experiencing with this TROUBLE TRUCK. It is worse than a lemon. It is a production GMC truck which has proven to be a miserable excuse for a truck that has caused me nothing but headaches, weeks of lost service and a serious distrust for the treachery and failures of GM in taking proper care of a customer. GM is a promise broken and a commitment never honored.
  • treehuggerjaketreehuggerjake Member Posts: 14
    I am considering a 2007 Sierra 1500 SLE2 Crew (5.3L 8cyl 4A)

    Does anyone have this truck? Does it have transmission problems?

    mlemoine - what other trucks did you consider and why did you make the choice you did?
  • bumperdudebumperdude Member Posts: 19
    i got the tranny fixed in my 07 silverado(warrnty) and it is way different and great. 6.0 w/heavy duty tranny, vortec/max package, LTZ pkg.
  • mdsxs4mdsxs4 Member Posts: 9
    I have a 2007 crew cab with the 5.3 the tranny has been out 2 times in 28000. I will probably not buy anither chevy. i had a 2005 crew cab that the 4x4 system was always showing service 4x4.
  • thereisnospoonthereisnospoon Member Posts: 12
    hey gmctruck - if GM actually REDESIGNED their "redesigned" trucks then maybe they wouldn't have the same problems that they had 5, 10, 15, or 20 years ago. Instead, they are being only further put into the stone age by the developments that Ford and Toyota have made on their trucks, which is making GM the laughingstock of trucks. Although Toyota has a good engine/tranny combo if it wasn't for the camshaft failures, the design of the F150 is still 5 years above every other truck on the road. I wasn't very partial - as a matter of fact, I was a chevy man - until my 2002 Silverado caught fire on the freeway at less than 10,000 miles. My buddy's 1999 Sierra had 120,000 miles on it, but he's easily put $10K into that truck (transmission TWICE, alternator twice, maybe three times, fuel pump). I laugh when I see new Silverados out there that STILL have piston slap!!!! I put 140,000 miles on a 2002 4.2L V6 F150 with no service other than factory scheduled maintenance. I kept denying my grandfather's desire to buy only E350's and F150's and F350's for his construction business. He would buy them, run them to 300,000 miles and trade them in on new ones. Very rarely did he ever have a problem with any of those trucks or vans. Strangely it seems the people who have "long lasting" GM vehicles NOWDAYS are the people who drive them only on the weekends for less than 50 miles each way. I just got through purchasing a Fusion and this car is worlds above the Camry or Accord. See, Ford is using Mazda's marriage to their advantage as well as DEVELOPING their new line of vehicles. I haven't seen anything truly NEW from Chevy in a LONG, LONG time.
  • 1offroader1offroader Member Posts: 208
    bumperdude

    What was the problem with your tranny? I also have the 6.0L w/super duty trans. No problems w/mine, but just in case, what was the problem with your tranny? How did they fix it?

    1offroader
  • 12ozcurls12ozcurls Member Posts: 65
    yeah i don't know what is happening with car companies these days. The new Tundra 6 speeds are having similar problems...
  • 1offroader1offroader Member Posts: 208
    Here's a theory on why the new 6 speeds might be having problems. It's just a theory, so don't flame me. I do have some experience with automobiles, but none at all with electronic transmissions. But I generally know how they work.

    An auto trans is designed to operate over a relatively wide range - from a standing start to cruising speed. That range is segmented into the number of gears that the trans has - 4,5,6, whatever. There is an operating range assigned for each gear. Each of these operating ranges has some overlap into the range above and below it. These ranges can be programmed, esp. on the new electronic transmissions. Other factors that determine the operating range of each gear are the engine vacuum, throttle position, rpm, etc. On top of all that, throw in emission controls.

    If there is too much overlap between these programmed ranges, the trans can "hunt" for the gear it wants, causing erratic shifting, etc. If there is not enough programmed overlap, response can be sluggish because the trans will not downshift when you want it to.

    Does your trans have "tow mode" button? That just re-programs slightly the operating range of each gear for better performance (but worse fuel mileage).

    Now, the more gears that a trans has, the narrower each of the ranges. It's like slicing a pie into more pieces - they become smaller, but the pie, i.e. the overall operating range of the vehicle, remains the same. More gears require better programming to get a good mix of upshifting, downshifting, economy, etc. without the "hunting" for the proper gear. Imagine a 20 speed - what gear should it be in at any particular time? 14th? 15th? 18th? Who knows?

    Clearly, the new 6-speeds have not been programmed yet to get this optimal response. This is a case where less, i.e. fewer gears, is better until GMC and Toyota come up with better programming. Auto makers have been building 4 speeds for just about ever, so they have it figured out. In a few years, they will probably get the 6 speeds corrected. Unfortunately, they will make some unhappy customers in the meantime.

    That's my theory and I'm stickin' to it, until someone has a better explanation.

    1offroader
  • tdscrinertdscriner Member Posts: 7
    Would the electronic throttle positioning sensor cause my transmission not to shift int 3rd & overdrive? I have reverse, 1st, & 2nd but no 3rd & OD. Goes into Neutral when trying to shift into 3rd.
    Thank-you
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    Nope
  • 1offroader1offroader Member Posts: 208
    I had a 1968 Mustang that wouldn't go into 3rd (3 speed trans). Although that trans was nothing like the new electronic transmissions, that problem was due to a faulty vacuum shift module. Your problem could be similar.

    1offroader
  • zante64zante64 Member Posts: 24
    I have a 2000 Silverado 1500 LS 2WD with the 4.8 liter and 5sp manual tranny. It's been incredibly relaible and trouble free until I hit 135,000 miles. (about 30% heavy hauling/towing & 70% freeway commute with almost no "stop&go" traffic.

    Suddenly it pops out of first gear from a stop. This happens at least 50% of the time now. Sometimes it happens quietly, other times it sounds like I hit a boulder!

    Anyone experience this? How difficult is it to put in a upgraded beefier trans?
  • pablo209pablo209 Member Posts: 2
    I JUST DRAINED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID IN MY '96 CHEVY SILVERADO 1500. 5.7 LITER ENGINE. ALL I NEED TO KNOW IS HOW MUCH FLUID EXACTLY DO I NEED TO PUT BACK INTO THE DAMN THING.
  • tdscrinertdscriner Member Posts: 7
    hello pablo209. My husband just put a transmission in our 1998 Sierra 1500 & i went & got him 13 quarts of tranny fluid & he put all of it in. So i would say 13 quarts.
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    Its a matter of trial and error. I'd guess buy 10, start with six probably use 7 or 8, measure as you go cause there is a whole bunch left in the converter. Probably end up with 2 or 3 left over that you can either return or keep.
  • mrplowmrplow Member Posts: 1
    Just wondering if you had any luck in fixing your vehicle as I am having he same problem 135,000km, have changed the filter and fluid 2 times since new. Thanks for any info
  • pablo209pablo209 Member Posts: 2
    i put about 7 quarts of tranny fluid in. im pretty sure that is the right amount after some trial and error. but now my truck wont start at all.. im not sure what the problem is
  • tdscrinertdscriner Member Posts: 7
    hello just thought i'd drop a line to let ya know we put another transmission in our truck. We bought it as is & it lasted 2 weeks. so we had some bad luck. to cure our headache we went and bought a 2005 chevy silverado. Of course this does not help our 1998 GMC but at least we are mobile again. My advice is make sure, if you change the tranny (which u probaly will) you get a good tranny. We are know looking for another tranny. it is a 4L60E. Thanks for the inquiry.
  • lambo5lambo5 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2002 Chevy Silverado which today decided to not get out of 2nd gear and can only get to 3rd by playing w the throttle. Truck has 80K on it. Any thots as to why this suddenly went biserk?
  • bbbtrixiebbbtrixie Member Posts: 3
    When my truck is cold, I have a very hard shift into 2nd gear. Once it warms up, the hard shift is sporadic but mostly goes away. I can also feel a very slight grind just before it shifts into 2nd gear. The truck has 90000 kms.

    ANY ADVICE?
  • KCRamKCRam Member Posts: 3,516
    That's usually a good indication you need a transmission service. New filter, band adjustment, screen cleaning, fresh fluid... should cure that shifting. With the pan dropped, anything else will be spotted.

    kcram - Pickups Host
  • weedless20weedless20 Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2000 chevy silverado with a 4l60e tranny in reverse make the a whining noise and in first gear does the same after that runs fine i was wondering i have a 1996 gmc jimmy with a 4l60e if that tranny would work in my silverado ?????? Trust me this isnt the first gm tranny i had trouble with bout sick of there [non-permissible content removed] [non-permissible content removed] transmissions
  • weedless20weedless20 Member Posts: 2
    i have this same problem was it the sun gear or shell
  • rlc6rlc6 Member Posts: 1
    My Silverado had a howl in 1st and 2nd gear and it felt like the transmission was slipping and I had trouble pulling my boat up a hills. I took it to the dealer and they said the transmission needed to be replaced. They replaced the transmission and I still have the howl in 1st and 2nd gear. I took it back to the shop before leaving the dealership. They told me there is nothing else I can do and that I would have to write a letter to GM or take it to another dealer. I have not tried to pull my boat yet. Has anyone else experiened this problem?
  • maxwell10maxwell10 Member Posts: 29
    I have a 2000 model old style Chevy ¾ ton pickup. It has the 350 cu in engine and 4 speed auto transmission. I believe it is a 4L80.

    From time to time my truck will shift out of OD going up a slight hill, but will not shift back into OD, when this happens, at each stop it will shift hard or jerk as it shifts from 1 to 2 to 3 gear.

    Most times if you turn it off and it sets for a while it will work fine for a few weeks or month.

    I have added one qt. of Lucas transmission oil and it did appear to help, but the problem comes back.
    I was told to have an OBD2 live scan test run on truck, it came back no defects. Apparently this test does not test transmission.
    Question:
    What test do I need to have run on transmission?
    What codes will tell me if the problem is electrical or sticky shift solenoid.
    Thanks,
  • hardwaregirlhardwaregirl Member Posts: 5
    My husband and I just bought a brand new '07 silverado yesterday. He got it home and within an hour noticed that it was leaking trans fluid out of the bell housing. Of course, he was very upset. I took it back to the dealership today, and they say it is a faulty trans pump seal. Anyone have this problem? We are freaked about this truck, and our confidence is shaken. Comtemplating giving it back to them and walking away. The sad part is that my husband has been driving my '92 for the last 15 years. It has 216,000+ plus but still makes it up and down the road 45+ miles a day. It still runs great and has nothing wrong with it. We just thought we would take advantage of the incentives and replace it before we had something major go wrong. Not so have with GM right now but have only ever owned their products and don't like what the competitors are offering.
  • bumperdudebumperdude Member Posts: 19
    my 07 had a new tranny put in at 7,000 miles,then the battery quit holding a charge and the rear sliding window quit working at 11,000 miles. but after all this truck has every bell and whistle and i drive the crap out of it. i'm not ready to toss in the towel yet. i have a fleet of various chevys that are all work trucks. the oldest one is an 2001 with 297,000miles still running a route every day. C
  • bbbtrixiebbbtrixie Member Posts: 3
    Thanks--finally getting it to a tranni guy tomorrow (not GM, an independent guy highly recommended)--it's my bread and butter so going a day without my BIG BLACK [non-permissible content removed] TRIXIE is hard. I'm HOPING that it is going to be that simple--I don't know when or if the fluid/filter was ever changed--I bought it with 84000 KMs and now has 91000 kms. I also read somewhere about some Lubegard (?) stuff that is supposed to work wonders on the shifting valves. I have not been able to find this stuff in PEI (Canada). Either way, I guess I'll just wait to hear what the guy says tomorrow.
  • fgr8frkfgr8frk Member Posts: 3
    I have a 93 2wd 5.7.
    When driving on the interstate at 60 to 70mph, when I hit a bump in the road trans downshifts from OD and most of the time will shift back to OD but not always. And sometimes just keeps going back and forth in and out of OD. Any Thoughts, Thanks
  • gregchp1gregchp1 Member Posts: 1
    2000 model 1500, Has no problems going thru the gears, but when it gets thru Overdrive and between 40-55mph tacking 1500rpm or so it will constantly change rpm by 200 up and down like the torque converter hits the final stage then changes its mind back and forth . Once you get above 55 it doesn't do it and runs fine.
    Does the truck have a locking torque converter? Can you adjust it?
  • 1offroader1offroader Member Posts: 208
    hardwaregirl - It is upsetting when a new vehicle has a problem but consider this...GM sells 800,000 to 1,000,000 trucks a year. Even if only 1% have a problem right away, that's still 8,000-10,000 trucks with an immediate problem. Consider also that the truck has 1,000s of parts. Chevy will fix it under warranty. Hey, $&*# happens. I have a 2007 also, it went back in the first few days with a loose wire inside a rear door, power window wouldn't work. 20 minutes later it was done, I got 11,000 miles on it now and love it, no other problems. You have a 5 year, 100,000 mile warranty. Enjoy your new truck, relax, you and husband are going to love it too. The Silverado is a fine truck.

    1offroader
  • mdsxs4mdsxs4 Member Posts: 9
    You haven't driven enough miles yet. My 07 Silverado lost the transmission for the first time at 17000 miles and for the second time at 28000. and at 36200 the normal steering shaft vibration that they won't fix because that is covered only up to 36000. But they agree that they never actually fixed this problem. They know there are problems with their trucks but they don't fix them. I had a 2005 Silverado that the 4x4 system was always showing service 4wd and putting itself in 4x4 when you start the truck. I kept replacing parts but the problem kept returning. I got rid of it and get a new one and now transmission problems. One more breakdown and I'm going to Toyota.
  • 1offroader1offroader Member Posts: 208
    mdsxs4

    Time will tell, and if that happens to me I'll post. I'm not loyal to any car maker, esp. Toyota after numerous problems, service, & recalls I've had with them.

    The term "lost the transmission" sounds sort of vague. What does that mean? What was the problem?

    BTW, the 07 has been out less than a year and you have in excess of 36K miles??? Do you ever get out of your truck? Sounds suspicious to me.

    Tundra is having trans problems too, in addition to other problems. Read the posts. Out of the frying pan, into the fire...

    1offroader
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    Torque converter locks at 39 mph and no there is no adjustment. Seven years later if it disturbs you drive in "3" until you exceed 45 mph
  • bumperdudebumperdude Member Posts: 19
    When you are refering to your 2007 please let the readers know if it is a 2007 classic or the 2007(new body style).
    My tranny problem was at 7k miles on my 07.
  • 1offroader1offroader Member Posts: 208
    Suggestion - from now on, the 2007 "classic" should be referred to as a 2006-1/2. That way there is no confusion between it and the 2007 NBS.

    1offroader
  • mdsxs4mdsxs4 Member Posts: 9
    It is a 07 classic or 2006 1/2
Sign In or Register to comment.