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Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Transmission Problems

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    gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    El hoppy,

    I’m sorry that you’re frustrated. Can we follow up with you? Please email us your name, VIN, and/or past Service Request numbers and we look into things to see how we can further assist you.

    Best,
    Sarah
    GM Customer Service
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    lstriplstrip Member Posts: 42
    We are not looking for "revenge"
    We expect what we paid for...
    a quality truck
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    ceb66ceb66 Member Posts: 70
    edited November 2011
    Hey Guys,

    Like you, I'm a bit confused by some of the unsolicited responses asking why we're on a "Transmission Problem" forum discussing transmission problems. So I ignore those responses.

    I trust Edmunds. They've been around for a long time. Long before the World Wide Web! That's why I'm here. I used Edmunds when they printed their "Car Buyer's" book. That's why I checked here; to see if others were having the same issues and we could discuss them in the "Edmunds Forum".

    Hence the title I guess:

    "Discussion Title" "Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Transmission Problems"

    I haven't said anything derogatory about GM. I'm not going to. Just facts. I won’t stop asking why I paid good money for a new General Motors car that has mechanical issues. One of which, a slipping transmission GM thought a torque converter replacement would rectify at approximately 400 miles on the odometer. Less than two weeks after purchase!

    Guess we shouldn’t be in a “Transmission Problem” forum “discussing” transmission problems!

    If we continue to let GM know these trucks have issues, they may respond.

    I know one thing; if we don't tell General Motors we're disappointed, they'll never respond. At the very least, the “next guy” will read this and not end up in this forum looking for answers to “ Transmission Problems ” and comments like; “ it has to adjust to your driving habits !”

    If you are the "next guy" that's looking at a new gmc or chevrolet 5.3 liter 6 speed and do happen to stumble upon this Forum, make sure you test drive your next possible purchase. A long test drive. Drive for a while between 40 and 50 mph. Determine for yourself how "seamless" the Active Fuel Mangement is. Especially from 4 to 8 cylinders. Listen for an occasional intermittant bang from the transmission around the universal. Severe slop or slap in the rear end. A drift to the right.

    I'm not saying they ALL do these things, however, my truck does. And I'm told by the General Motors District Specialist "it's operating as designed."


    Stay on top of it. Don’t get “too” frustrated with the choreographed/orchestrated responses.
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    gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Ceb66,

    Have you worked with Customer Assistance before? I’m sorry to hear that your experience with the dealership didn’t go well and that your concern wasn’t addressed (if I am understanding your post correctly). If you are interested in us working with you towards resolving your transmission concern, please contact us via email with your information.

    Best,
    Sarah
    GM Customer Service
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    lstriplstrip Member Posts: 42
    Sarah,
    How do the rest of us get our
    transmission issues resolved?
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    gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Lstrip,

    I hadn’t meant to overlook anybody, as all are welcome to contact us via email. I didn’t want to spam the board, and I apologize for coming off as selective.

    Please, if you would like to work with Customer Assistance towards resolving your transmission concern with a dealership, or for us to look into warranty/recall information on your vehicle, email us with your name and username, VIN, and name of your involved dealership.

    Best,
    Sarah
    GM Customer Service
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    ceb66ceb66 Member Posts: 70
    edited November 2011
    "Sarah",

    I appreciate the response.

    I'm very "interested" in resolving my problemS. GM is not.

    Your quote: "I’m sorry to hear that your experience with the dealership didn’t go well" is odd considering I didn't mention "my" dealership in my last "post". The post you reference.

    And contrary to your question of "Have you worked with Customer Assistance before?", if you read the next to last sentence of my "post", I reference speaking with the "District Specialist." In fact, after more than six trips to GM Dealers in as many months (since new) and numerous phone calls, E-mails and face to face conversations with different Dealers and different Customer Service (DS) staff members, I'm open for suggestions to "how I should "work" with Customer Assistance to "resolve" this/these problems with a new General Motors car."

    You're using a "gmail" E-mail account?

    The other GM Customer Service folks on this site and other sites use a "gm" E-mail account.

    This doesn't solve the slip, bang, clunk, pull, A/C on and off, AFM lag growl ...
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    farmboss53farmboss53 Member Posts: 4
    Istrip, I am not saying anything negative about Chuck's reply to your post, what I am saying is if you think you have a legitimate complaint with the mechanical operation of your truck, use your brain instead of your vocal chords. Take it to a couple ASE certified shops and get them to spell out on the estimate, that they will gladly write for you, EXACTLY what they find to be the problem. Then you have something other than your own evaluation to back you up at the dealership.
    As for the reason I am here is I have a 2010 Silverado, and I noticed a little transmission fluid seeping out around the dust cap on the bottom of the bell housing when I changed the oil 2 weeks ago. Last night my other half called me saying she felt like the truck had a square tire on it. I asked her the usual questions, and found out she was running 55 on cruise on a flea stretch of road. After deciphering her description, I am convinced that one of three things are happening. First and in my opinion from the years I spent under vehicles working on transmissions, I am going to find a combination of front pump bushing is wearing excessively due to to the torque converter becoming out of balance caused by part of the "lock out mechanism" inside breaking, or the pump itself being made up of a pair of inter-meshed gears made of very hard steel riding in an aluminum alloy housing, could have a single microscopic burr on one of the pump gears, which would wear away the softer alloy and once it gets to a certain point you have a major muck up.
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    el_hoppyel_hoppy Member Posts: 43
    EXACTLY!
    I do not have an issue with my dealer, its GM that denies there is a problem.

    Sarah, after 6 visits for repair, emails and more phone calls then I can remember, GM customer service told me there is no problem with my truck and will no longer diagnose my hard shift problem.

    so Sarah, tell me, right here and right now, what more can you do?

    ANOTHER UNHAPPY CUSTOMER!
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    farmboss53farmboss53 Member Posts: 4
    I am new to this Site, so to get a feel for how things work I jumped back about 6 pages and started reading what people had to say about their trucks' problems. I have been reading for what seems a lifetime, and what I am going to say may alienate some of you as well as amuse others.
    I guess I have an advantage over a lot of the people posting here, but I am not trying to act superior. I have close to 15 years experience in the automotive transmission repair field, and over half that time I was working directly with our customers, listening to their complaints and test driving their vehicles so I could tell our mechanics ( as they were called back then) what needed to be repaired. The hardest part of being a Service Writer is being able to decipher what a customer says, and give the Technician ( as they are called today) a starting point to find the problem and make the repair, OH WAIT, THEY DO NOT REPAIR ANY MORE, THEY REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PARTS.
    I have said all that, now that I have your attention, to say this. If you give the Service Writer an accurate description of the following, What your vehicle is doing,When your vehicle is doing the unexpected or incorrect thing, and (here is the most wonderful part of computerized machinery) The approximate time and mileage reading, then they can pull the history off your vehicles' computer to verify the incorrect actions. I am not saying that every dealer knows how to do that, but the newest computers have that capability built into them, just like the lady eluded to "GO PRO" I think is what she called it. But if you do not know he time and mileage GM does not know where to look, and believe me they will not search the records unless they that information.
    You all have a blessed day, and give what I have said some thought.
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    bikeforlifebikeforlife Member Posts: 1
    Hello to all, I'm new to this site. I blew 3rd gear in my truck last Monday. I've complaned to the dealer back in 09 a year after buying the truck used from them with 32 thousand k on it. They told me the tech couldn't find anything wrong with it. When I went to the dealer to get some personal things out of it there was a 09 GM with the same problem as mine in the shop . Does anyone know of similar problems or is it a coincedence.
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    gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Bikeforlife,

    I’m sorry to hear about the transmission concerns you’re having with your GMC. As Customer Service representatives, we can follow up with your dealership on this issue, if you like. Please email us with your name/username, contact information, the last 8 digits of your VIN, and the name of your involved dealership.

    Looking forward to assisting,
    Sarah
    GM Customer Service
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    el_hoppyel_hoppy Member Posts: 43
    I figured I would not get a response. typical GM NO service.

    you suck GM.
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    49chevy49chevy Member Posts: 5
    Have you resolved this? I just got a 2011 Sierra and have had it to the dealer twice for hesitation issues. When I first start off or want to accelerate it feels like it wants to bog down. The same feeling in older cars with a cold engine and wide open choke. Not sure this is a transmission problem or if I have two issues. Dealer first said "that is the way all 6 speeds operate". Not satisfied with that. Today I went to pass a vehicle and was going about 40 when I floored it; engine reved to almost 5000 RPM and truck did not move, I let off the accelerator and tried it a little slower, engine still reved but transmission downshifted and let me pass. Hesitation issue is driving me nuts. Have been in touch with GMC Customer Service but no escalation yet, waiting to hear back from them.
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    49chevy49chevy Member Posts: 5
    Having a problem with my 2011 Sierra hesitating when I start off or when moving and want to accelerate. Engine bogs down and then accelerates. Local mechanic has seen issue and said it is known as "Lean Stumble". The air fuel mixture is set so low to improve MPG that it is too lean and causes this response issue. Local dealer says that is the way all 6 speeds work and truck has all updates to software. GMC Customer Service is involved but have not been of any help so far, waiting for another call from them. Have posted same issue one the transmission hesitation threat to see if I have multiple issues. :mad:
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    chuck1chuck1 Member Posts: 1,405
    One of the ways to resolve issues like this is through a "custom tune" by a third party. Such as-
    http://www.blackbearperformance.com/

    Of course, there are warranty issues to consider, and you would have to pay for it yourself. However, if you do a "google" some guys are very happy with this custom tune and others.
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    farmboss53farmboss53 Member Posts: 4
    I will have to admit that these 6 speed transmissions take some getting used to. If you are cruising and want to accelerate, it is like the computer has to wake up before it can process the command to go. Now that I have gotten used to it, I just plan ahead farther. We all know that any time they add something new to a vehicle, it is several years before they get all the kinks ironed out. You sound like you are old school, so you have seen it before just like I have.
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    chuck1chuck1 Member Posts: 1,405
    Your right. The whole powertrain is set up in such a way that any time you give it a little gas at all the tranny will downshift. I suspect all this is due to the govn't mandating fuel miles per gallon and emissions.
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    23konmysierra23konmysierra Member Posts: 1
    I have 24K on my "new" 2011 Sierra, already been in the shop once, wasnt fixed now its back in there. Same problem as u 49chevy, the ppl at GM basically told us to F Off and cut our losses since we had already paid off.
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    el_hoppyel_hoppy Member Posts: 43
    so what chuck1 is saying GM and all their engineers are incapable of fixing the problem they created and need someone else to "bail them out"

    still an unhappy customer.
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    chuck1chuck1 Member Posts: 1,405
    Yep, you can be unhappy for another year. OR, spend the money for a tune.
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    el_hoppyel_hoppy Member Posts: 43
    OR GM could stand behind their product and repair our trucks.

    is it really conceivable for a customer to pay out of pocket an outside agency for a repair that should be covered under GM's warranty?
    my truck was one week old when I reported the problem.
    yes, one week old.
    I called the dealer ONE WEEK after I bought the truck. a truck I bought with 7 miles on the odometer. one YEAR later and GM still denies there IS a problem.

    you suck GM.
    STILL UNSATISFIED, ANGRY, AND DISAPPOINTED.
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    ceb66ceb66 Member Posts: 70
    Hi 49chevy,

    I read your quote: "engine reved to almost 5000 RPM and truck did not move."

    I had the same issue the first week I took delivery of my "unit", a 2011 GMC Sierra 5.3 liter 6 speed truck. Pulled onto a highway from a turn, stepped on the gas, Tach went to 4000RPM and nothin'! That's a wonderful feeling ain't it?

    Torque Converter was replaced less than two weeks after I took ownership in an attempt to rectify the problem. "Unit" still has transmission problems.

    I guess it's still adjusting to my driving habits. I do have that odd "habit" of accelerating when entering a highway!

    Guess it's not supposed to accelerate like my previous eight cars over the past 29 years of driving!

    In reference to that issue and others involving my GM 6 speed transmission, I (originally) recieved a similar response to your Dealer's response of "that is the way all 6 speeds operate."

    Wait til' you get the response of "it has to adjust to your driving habits" and/or "operating as intended designed."

    Don't stop questioning GM. I'm not.
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    chuck1chuck1 Member Posts: 1,405
    "Unit" still has transmission problems. "

    SO-was the original problem of vehicle not moving when you press the gas fixed?
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    gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    49chevy,
    I'm glad to hear that you're already in contact with us on this concern. Looking forward to hearing the results!

    Best,
    Sarah
    GM Customer Service
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    49chevy49chevy Member Posts: 5
    After the second trip to the dealer, the GM Customer Service Rep passed me to a Regional Rep. He called the dealer and they told him that they could not duplicate the issue and that is the way they come from the factory, but what the dealer told me was they had seen the issue before, could not change anything unless it came from Corporate and my truck had all of it's updated software. I am changing dealers! The Regional Rep said he could not do anything based on what the dealer said and closed my issue. I will pursue this with whatever avenues I can find, including this forum. I am not a satisfied customer, and don't appreciate the dealer telling me one thing and another to the Regional Rep. The Customer Service Rep I talked to said she had been in touch with the dealer and they had not elevated it to a Corporate Service Specialist which they should have done. Thought that was the Regional guy, but he said he was not technical.
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    jjvforddudejjvforddude Member Posts: 2
    Hey guys,
    That is exactly why I am knly a Ford guy. GMC makes nothing but trash. There interiors stink and I absoulutely hate them with my guts. Ford makes nothin' but gold.
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    el_hoppyel_hoppy Member Posts: 43
    yep, buying a Ford next time. I am just angry GM continues to lie to me.
    just fix the problem, is that so hard?

    YOU SUCK GM.

    STILL UNSATISFIED AND STILL NOT HAPPY WITH MY TRUCK OR GM, OR GM CUSTOMER SERVICE.
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    chuck1chuck1 Member Posts: 1,405
    Yea, that's why they sold 50,000 plus units the last two months in a row. Outsold the Ford pickup Chevy/GMC combined in September.
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    chuck1chuck1 Member Posts: 1,405
    This is what happens when you ask a question on this board...silence.
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    el_hoppyel_hoppy Member Posts: 43
    so its OK to screw a few if you sell a lot?

    YOU SUCK GM.

    STILL AN UNSATISFIED CUSTOMER.
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    el_hoppyel_hoppy Member Posts: 43
    NO WORD FROM CUSTOMER SERVICE, TRANSMISSION STILL NOT WORKING RIGHT.

    STILL NOT HAPPY
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    2011gmcjunk2011gmcjunk Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2011 GMC Serria. In and out of the shop since I purchased and get the same story. dealer can not get it to duplicate in the thirty min drives they take it on. They claim that they belive that I am hearing something but cant fix it until it breaks down or I can get it to duplicate the clunk that happens only a few time every 500 to 1000 miles or 2 to 3 time a week. I feel like they know they have design problems, but just have no idea as to what they are. AFM is very noticalbe and makes the truck seem to drag along at 40 + hwy speeds.
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    el_hoppyel_hoppy Member Posts: 43
    it stinks to know GM does not care about us.

    here is yet another unhappy customer.

    YOU STINK GM

    NOT A HAPPY CUSTOMER.
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    ceb66ceb66 Member Posts: 70
    edited November 2011
    2011gmcjunk,

    Try to get to a "regional" GM rep (or higher). Not a District Specialist (DS). The DS will just run you around. They're trained to run you between them and multiple Dealers until you wear out.

    There is a GM contact address in the back of the owner's manual. I use that for formal "hard copy" letters. Everyone including the selling Dealership owner, the BBB, the state Attorney General, the plant manager in Fort Wayne and any engineer I can reach is receiving letters (polite/professional) regarding the multiple problems I have with this new 2011 GMC Sierra 5.3 liter 6 speed truck (unit):

    - Clunks

    - Bangs

    - transmission slips

    - Active Fuel Management AFM growls, lags, lunges

    - steering pulls right after two alignments and tire rotation/balance at my expense

    - A/C-defrost cycles on and off

    I have a friend that had serious problems with a new 2010 HD "unit". After months of pleading, GM relented. They finally admitted the frame was bent. Blamed it on the transport company. Replaced the truck with one he didn't want but had to settle for. It took him numerous attempts to contact someone beyond Customer Service. The process took forever. And his FRAME WAS BENT!

    You're right; the Dealers do know there are "design" issues. Their hands are tied (to certain extent) by GM.

    Stay on it.
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    gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    2011gmcjunk,
    Have you been in contact with Customer Assistance? Do you have any open SRs that we can look into for you? Or, if you like, we can start one. Please email us more information (including your name/username, contact information, the last 8 of your VIN, and your involved dealership).

    Best,
    Sarah
    GM Customer Service
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    chuck1chuck1 Member Posts: 1,405
    edited November 2011
    -Clunks

    - Bangs

    Doesn't affect anything - it won't be fixed.

    It only happens once in a while.
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    chuck1chuck1 Member Posts: 1,405
    What does the frame issues have to do with the slack in the power train? I know you guys are unhappy owners...feel for you. But to call the vehicle you drive everyday "junk" is an untruth. Is the power train not as refined as we like? Perhaps.

    But calling them "junk" is disingenuous. Both El Hoppy and Ceb66 are driving these trucks EVERYDAY. They are hardly junk.
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    beachedgmbeachedgm Member Posts: 3
    I drive my 2010 everyday to work and hope like hell i make it to work. My chevy is junk. Perhaps you either work for gm or own stock in them chuck, so get lost!
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    chuck1chuck1 Member Posts: 1,405
    edited November 2011
    Nope - don't work for GM. I own a 2011 Silverado Crew Cab w/5.3. While the drive train "at times" can be clunky, overall it's a great vehicle.

    There some really upset people on this forum (about 14 at last count -that's all) who are very vocal and don't mind telling half-truths.

    They say one moment the torque converter was replaced by GM then the next sentence is about how there is a problem inherent with the vehicle accelerating. BUT-you ask if the vehicle was fixed by this repair and there is no answer.

    Others say how it's junk but they drive it everyday and put a number of miles on it.

    This board is home of the half-truths.
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    farmboss53farmboss53 Member Posts: 4
    I have already put this out once, but I guess it did not cause anybodies blood pressure to go up. I am going to put it out here again.
    Anybody over the age of 30 should remember when G M first introduced the 700R4 overdrive transmission. If we had blogs back then, people would have blown the world wide web into space. Personally I loved it, because their were so many of those things blowing up the dealers were furnishing the parts and paying local reputable transmission shops to help them satisfy customers. It took about 5 years to get all the kinks ironed out, or rolling the clock back further when they took the powerglide 2 speed out and replaced it with the TH350 3 speed. Same thing then.
    My point to all this is that every time you make a drastic change, IT TAKES TIME TO FIND AND CORRECT ALL THE GLITCHES. Now we have a new transmission AND it is totally computer controlled, which means twice the headaches.
    MY ADVISE IS TO BE PATIENT UNTIL THEY GET A FIX WORKED OUT, OR GO BUY SOMETHING ELSE.
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    el_hoppyel_hoppy Member Posts: 43
    still an unhappy customer.
    GM customer service is STILL no help.
    truck still shifts like crap and there is no fix in sight.
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    chuck1chuck1 Member Posts: 1,405
    Your right Farmboss. The point is they are not great...but they do work and NOT IN A WAY people expect them to. Ford is having the EXACT same problem with the new transmissions in their Focus.

    Instead of being unhappy...trade them in on a Tundra (has bed bounce) or a Ford (First year redesign) or a Dodge Hemi (Sucks the gas).

    Yea, there are a lot better pickups out there? Right?
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    el_hoppyel_hoppy Member Posts: 43
    OR GM could just fix their problem, is that too much to ask?

    YOU SUCK GM

    STILL UNSATISFIED, NOT A HAPPY CUSTOMER.
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    ceb66ceb66 Member Posts: 70
    edited November 2011
    "Edmund's Discussion Title:

    Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Transmission Problems #1081"

    One-thousand-Eighty-One messages in this one Discussion Title area?

    Nothin' else even comes close to that number in the last five years.

    GMs' gotta' know they've got widespread issues with a number like that in the "GM Truck Transmission Problem" forum of a very reputable website right?

    Who would think to check a "car problem" forum when buying new?

    I should have kept the old Ford. There isn't a "Ford F-150 Transmission Problem" discussion title in the F-150 area. Let alone, One-Thousand-Eighty-One messages referencing transmission problems.
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    chuck1chuck1 Member Posts: 1,405
    edited November 2011
    Yea, and check the substance of the messages by the same 12-14 people.

    It's either YOU SUCK GM or someone stating they took their car in to the dealer and there are no codes and nothing appears to be out of spec - and GM AND the dealer sucks for returning the truck back to the same 12-14 guys on this board.
    THAT IS THE BULK of these messages.

    I know, I have read every one of them.

    GM has sold in excess of 50,000 trucks each month for the past few months and there are 12-14 guys yelling on this site.

    Reputation is very abstract term on this board.
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    el_hoppyel_hoppy Member Posts: 43
    what chuck means is GM does not care about the few unhappy customers. GM decided that we are suckers and we can pound sand.
    thanks for clearing that up.

    no matter how you spin it chuckie, there are A LOT of unhappy customers here.

    YOU SUCK GM!

    STILL AN UNHAPPY UNSATISFIED FRUSTRATED AND DISAPPOINTED CUSTOMER.
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    minismomminismom Member Posts: 4
    saturday I was hauling a load of hay & my transmisison started slipping - I can drive it in the space between D & 2 - there is no drive or overdrive - so what is the problem - can this be fixed or do I have to put in a new transmission - I was just reading the forum quickly and seems like this is a GM thing - other than that the truck runs ok & has no body rot on it -

    thanks & can someone help me out
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    lstriplstrip Member Posts: 42
    Chuck1 or chuck1919:
    GM employees paid to surf truck forums
    and silence any negative post.
    Yes there is frustrastion on this forum
    Caused by gM's refusal to fix these issues.
    Service mgr acknowledges problems but
    says his hands are tied.
    Chuck(s) if you have positive input to resolve
    Our issue, please let us know.
    Otherwise your praise of GM is noted
    and you can move on.
    The rest of us would like to continue to
    Share our efforts to have our trucks fixed.
    As your colleague posted earlier, there is
    an aftermarket software update that
    improves the performance of the six speed
    transmission.
    We should not have to pay for this.
    Surely even you two Chucks don't
    believe these trucks are "operating as designed".
    Yes i would buy another brand if i knew
    but, i prefer to have this truck fixed and
    Move forward.
    If my wifes 04 yukon would have operated
    Like my 2010 Sierra, i would be driving a
    Ford or Dodge. I am still hoping GM will
    Fix my truck and
    restore my confidence in the brand.
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    KCRamKCRam Member Posts: 3,516
    If this is all you have left to say, then you are not contributing anything to the forums and you should consider not posting until you have something to add.

    kcram - Pickups/Wagons/Vans+Minivans Host
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