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

Allison Transmission:Does yours work?

kg11kg11 Member Posts: 530
edited March 2014 in Chevrolet
Alot has been said about Allison being the best A/T for pickups,but my experience tells me otherwise.Mine has been replaced twice and the third one makes noise and I can feel torque in the drive train imediatly on start-up while still in park.Does anybody NOT have "the noise"?Gm is telling me this is as normal as engine knock or oil consumption.
kip
Tagged:

Comments

  • cspauldingcspaulding Member Posts: 159
    Everything is normal to GM.
  • eric2001eric2001 Member Posts: 482
    Mine has not given any problems since day one, and is very quiet compared to the one I test drove back in the truck tour. I haven't pushed it, largest load was around 800 #s and the heaviest tow so far has been around 2200 #s. I have actually been very pleased with the Allison thus far (except mileage - hehe).
    -Eric
  • kg11kg11 Member Posts: 530
    How many miles do you have on it? I didn't start having probs for about 2000 mi.The problems I've had with Allison are annoying ,but it never refused to hual,
    kip even with 1000lb in the bed and 7700 in tow.
  • eric2001eric2001 Member Posts: 482
    I was joking about the fuel economy, would have bought a little Metro if that was what I was looking for.

    I am coming real close on 5000 miles, but the truck is been sitting for a week or so, as I started to gut it for a new speakers & sound deadening.

    So as soon as it warms a little, change out the transmission filter & diff fluid.
    -Eric
  • gmengineman1gmengineman1 Member Posts: 32
    Allison is having a real problem with programming in all of it's automatic transmission lines. The 1000, 2000, 3000 and 4000 series all have experienced an abnormal history. Try sending the vehicle in to a factory authorized Allison Transmission shop in your area and tell the service writer what you are experiencing. That shop should be better equipped to assist you than the Chevy or GMC shop. Not bad technicians, just little or no training OR a lack of proper shop diagnostic and calibration equipment. Give the local Allison authorized shop a try.
  • ruddsterruddster Member Posts: 19
    I've got almost 10k on my Allison, no noise, no problems. I initially had the "bump" feeling on rapid stops, but the tranny eventually "learned" my habits & has shifted fine ever since. I changed the external filter per the Allison manual @5,000 and will change to Transynd @15K per my chevy manual.

    Jeff
  • gmengineman1gmengineman1 Member Posts: 32
    We just experienced our first "real" problem with the new Allison 5 speed 1000 series transmission. It began to shift roughly and seemed to have trouble in first to second shift. We sent it to the Allison factory authorized branch in West Sacramento, CA and it was corrected quickly. I have heard of this same problem developing for others and a trip to the dealer shop only produced hard feelings and some grief. Believe me when I tell you that the technicians in most dealership shops do not have the advantage of the training the technicians have in the Allison authorized specialty shops.
  • urkillingmeurkillingme Member Posts: 22
    Will these Allison authorized centers honor the GM warranty?

    When I test drove an Allison last year I thought it to be very noisy. Was told that was the nature of the HD transmission. On paper the Allison looks to be the best auto trans ever for light duty trucks.
  • page3page3 Member Posts: 54
    I pull a 12,000 lb 1000 gal water trailer uphill twice a week, 100 degree temp some days and found the 8.1 / 4.10 / Allison love's every min. of it. It seems to shift fine in the tow mode or regular setting.
  • mtrammellmtrammell Member Posts: 125
    What kind of temp range are you seeing on the Allisn once it's up to operating temp? Mine runs about 150 when it is cold outside. Now that spring (translated - summer in TX) is here with temps in the 90s, the tranny is running about 190. Is this a normal temp for hot weather?
  • kg11kg11 Member Posts: 530
    Mine runs 150 in cool weather and up to 200 towing in 100+ deg.

    kip
  • v12powerv12power Member Posts: 174
    You CAN NOT have anything more than an oil change done on an Allison ANYWHERE other than a GM dealer. The 1000 series Allison in the GM pick-ups has specific programming hosted by GM. Your dealer is the ONLY source for re-programming and/or service.

    Now, my Allison experience. From day one the truck would not hold fifth with a full load per GMs rating. I complained loudly and finally a tech was dispatched directly from Allison for diagnosis. We spent a whole day tugging around 15k pounds hooked to a laptop recording data. About a month later Allison had forced a computer program update through the GM red tape division. My truck now functions perfectly. I have 55,000 miles on the truck now. It works pretty hard, I pull those 10-15k lb loads daily with it. I certainly have not had a failure. I also applaud Allisons willingness to come and address my one truck. Chevy just played dumb, which I believe they are, throughout the whole thing.

    I do know from this tech that, in any other application, Allison would alter your transmissions programming to match your application. GM will not allow this. Hence you MUST go through the dealer. Once the update was in the GM system I went to the dealer and had it installed.
  • jaijayjaijay Member Posts: 162
    You are back and sound satisfied! How do you like the Duramax/Allison package for pulling? I know you have posted on several boards indicating your dissatisfaction and the folks on the "dp" site would certainly like to know. So how is it?
  • v12powerv12power Member Posts: 174
    The Allison program update did do a world of good. The upshift and downshift thresholds were altered to help it get to top gear with a big load , and stay there. It works especially well with cruise engaged, you have to hold it to the floor to get the downshift at highway speed. So the engine transmission combo has finally, after 50k miles, lived up to its billing.

    The rest of the truck still troubles me. To make this thing a decent hauler you still must replace the worthless side mirrors, little kid tires, and put some decent shocks on it. Then I have had more dumb little problems that I care to list, the most recent was a faulty 4wd switch. Then the radio is a pathetic excuse for tunes in a 40k truck. Rest assured, GM is making big money off of us, because they sure don't put the money into the truck. If I had to do it all over again I would still buy another Ford. It is just a better truck.
This discussion has been closed.

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles