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Chevy Tahoe Transmission Problems

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Comments

  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    I was suggesting to check the one holding the rear driveshaft.
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    Hard to check the u-joints w/o taking apart, but have you greased them recently?
  • d1extreemd1extreem Member Posts: 9
    Well, I sincerely hope it's as simple as that. I could not grease those joints, the fittings were impossible to reach, however, there is no play anywhere down the drive-line.
    It sounded like near the firewall, kinda like a fast ratchet sound, not a whine and, not a distinct click... more like one of them noise-makers on New Year's Eve! It's almost like something was slipping, yet I found no pull or performance loss and, no rpm increase.
    That little U-Haul pulled like it was heavy as a tank, though, even empty... aerodynamics of a brick! I normally get 19 mpg (Cnd) on long hauls, this thing brought me down to as low as 13,5.
    Keep the ideas coming! Thanks!
  • fletch56fletch56 Member Posts: 1
    This just started happening while my wife has been driving the car this winter. After warming the car up, she has noticed that the car slips from Auto to 4 wheel drive and on at least one occassion began lurching and stalled after driving it around town. This hasn't happened on the fly yet - Thank God - only at parking lot speeds. I haven't witnessed the issue yet but even after a warm start the 4HI will keep flashing indicating that the car hasn't switched into or out of gear. She always keeps it on AUTO and hasn't had to use 4wd since we have had the car. Is this a transmission problem or the computer? Any thoughts out there?
  • tharsingtharsing Member Posts: 1
    Hello all, I need help! I have a 1999 Tahoe 4X4 LT with a automatic transmission. a few months ago, I was driving it and the transmission started slipping. I parked it and thought i needed to replace the transmission since it has 180,000 mile on it. Then after talkign with a friend who had a 1996 tahoe he had he had same problem as I did and after replacing two transmissions he leared there was a relay or someting on the outside you need to replace. My problem is I can go outside start the tahoe drive it around the block and it shifts and drives fine. After the engine warms up it starts to slilp and rev. Reverse works fine. If I let it sit and drive it the next day all is fine until it gets warm again. I smelled the fluid and it doesn't smell burnt and there are no leaks under the vehicle. Does anyone have a idea. Please point me in the right directions.

    Thanks,
    tharsing@sbcglobal.net
  • keracterkeracter Member Posts: 2
    ie had 3 different transmissions
    installed in my 2001 taHOE!! .. and praying im not working on the 4th!!
    during recent snow storm,my tahoe got stuck.husband instructed me hop in driver seat and to "rock" it back and forth as he pushed. he Pushes,,hollering PUT IT n DRIVE! SHIFT IN REVERSE! rock it...DRIVE,..REVERSE! ii asked him if this would burn up the tranny!!! his reply?? ....ROCK!....DRIVE..etc.
    needless 2 say ...we quickly got unstuck, .and got 'er home.. now ,!!!!!, THE *#*!! transmission WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF SECOND GEAR !!
    HAS GM recalled these transmissions? . Any suggestions? ... ...
    thank you ,
  • d1extreemd1extreem Member Posts: 9
    Sorry to hear...
    The "proper" way to "rock" a vehicle is, Forward, very lightly, don't spin!... then hit the brake, stop, and put it in Reverse: WAIT, then release the brake and reverse, VERY LIGHTLY, then brake again. You may gain maybe just an inch but, with your foot still on the brake, engage it back into reverse, and WAIT for it to engage again before accelerating a tad, again. Repeat the procedure, you should be gaining ground every time, if not, might time to shovel! But the trick is, not to spin.
    There's way too much slack, and delay time between gears, on a 4 wheel drive, cuz of the transfer case, to "rock" a vehicle, like we used to do in the old days (when we were kids and didn't know better), with a regular vehicle.
    As for the tranny being gone... wish I could help, but it don't sound good. And ya, seems the Tahoe's have sensitive trannys, from what I've been reading... sorry... don't expect help from GM, they have enough trouble as it is...
    but that's just my take on it... I have a '96, that is new to me, and I plan on babying it... I just LOVE it! I got stuck, in 2 feet of snow, last week, and the above got me out, no problems...
  • bfrogierbfrogier Member Posts: 1
    can I put a 200R4 tranny in a 2000 tahoe?
  • keracterkeracter Member Posts: 2
    thanks for the reply. ill be thinking of you next time im stuck, when hubby starts a hollerin', REVERSE, DRIVE!..REVERSE..etc . Ill tell him i recently completed D1EXTREEM 's online course..hOW tO pROPERLY 'ROCK' a vehicle.
    (smile). then im going to give him a little schooling!
    ya, forgot bout GM going under. I still havent brought Tahoe 2 shop but, someone told me to take it down the road drive it as fast as it will go, then throw it in park While DRIVING,, then ill hear a click, click,click, ....then im supposed to quickly throw it back in DrIvE. .. think its worth a try?
  • anniedelanieanniedelanie Member Posts: 1
    Hello: my first post. I just read all I could about the trans going out on all those 2007 Tahoes!! That is crazy!. I have a 2003 4x4 Tahoe. Bought it used in 2005 with 34,000 miles on it. It ALWAYS clunked here and there while driving and the dealership said it was normal. That was early 06. Now it's got over 110,000 and not wanting to go into 3rd or 4th gear. The engine just revs..kinda sounds like it is neutral. (?) It's parked. It is our only vehicle. I stay home taking care of my husband who is on social security disability. Needless to say, I can't take it to anyone right now. Am trying to figure this out on my own. A few months ago, I ran out of gas (just dumb) and heard the fuel pump (I am assuming) humming. It seems to hum when we get pretty low on gas, so I try to keep it up past half a tank now. Any suggestions on either problem? Thanks in advance.
  • johnformanjohnforman Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2001 Tahoe 4X4.The trans works fine in 1st and 2nd. In 3rd it acts like it is neutral. In Drive it acts the same. It shifts from 1st to 2nd OK. When it shifts out of 2nd the trans disconnects and the engine revs. Does anyone have any experience or knowledge about this problem? Cost to fix? Do I need a new Trans? Thanks for your help.
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    edited February 2010
    Don't drive it anymore, or you run the risk of further damaging from metal pieces moving around and potentially wrecking good hears..

    Had a problem couple years ago with my '97, lost (I think) reverse and 2nd or reverse and third. Local Aamco shop had free towing, so had them come get it. Turns out had a metal piece break. It broke, and a small metal piece messed up one or two other gears. The guy showed me the damage, ordered the pieces that he needed for replacement and put it all back together.

    I don't remember the specifics, but was somewhere like 1600 - 1700 dollars. A specialized transmission shops work on these all day long. When I had first called and described my symptoms, he was able to say.....I bet it's the blankety-blank (and should cost x). When he opened it up, it was exactly what he had suspected, and cost x.

    Not necessaryily endorsing aamco, just happened to be who I picked out of the phone book, and the local guy was great. YMMV. I'm sure there are many shops who would be as good.
  • doco1975doco1975 Member Posts: 1
    edited April 2010
    I have a 96 tahoe and when first driving it everything is fine, after about 10 miles check engine light comes on and when i make my first stop and try to accelerate the tranny shifts hard from 1st to 2nd and same from 2nd to 3rd all shifting after this is ok. If i pull over and shut vehicle off and wait about 60 seconds and restart vehicle there is no slipping but check engine light is on. Eventually the check engine light goes out after driving in town for long periods of time. Second problem is after engine light is on if i try to accelerate the rpm go up but tahoe will not move if i let off gas to a certain point it will speed up, i can only give it gas to a certain point any further accelleration it seems to bog down. Anyone with some advice please let me know also tranny has been replaced and old tranny did the same thing. someone pleace help. email ( autoshop1975@yahoo.com)
  • britainrbritainr Member Posts: 1
    I have a 96 tahoe. Everything works great except that if you put it in reverse and give it gas it makes a loud grinding noise. I was told by a mechanic friend that it is the TCM. I have done extensive research on the TCM and have found nothing for a 96 tahoe. As in where it is and how much to replace. Any help is appreciated.
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    it makes a loud grinding noise. I was told by a mechanic friend that it is the TCM.

    Well personally, I would go get another professional opinion before putting money into a TCM replacement. The TCM is the electronic computer control for the transmission. Loud grinding noise sounds more like a mechanical problem, to me. Try a shop that specializes in transmissions, like AAMCO or equivalent.

    ....and oh by the way, I wouldn't be driving around with this problem before getting it repaired. You could get stuck somewhere and then have to incur tow charges, or if there are metal shavings or bits in your transmission pan, they could cause other damage to currently good parts if they get in the gearing or bearings.
  • brettstahoebrettstahoe Member Posts: 1
    edited April 2010
    ok baseball tournament went to drive away and got noise like clicking tahoe wont move forward much. stopped waited about 20 seconds then put into reverse same loud clicking noise. Just had the transmission flush done pan was good no metal shaving on the magnet. Vehicle won't drive in 2hi in drive or 3rd will move with rattling noise in 2nd or 1st. Will work just fine and able to get me home in auto 4WD.sounds like a gear isnt engaged i don't know anyone have a good idea first trouble have 204000 miles well taken care off 2001 chevy tahoe.
  • king_of_tigking_of_tig Member Posts: 1
    edited May 2010
    I have a 1995 Chevy Tahoe (it's a 5.7L, 4x4) with about 156K on her. My issue is a loss of power when the truck is accelerating in drive; it feels, sounds, and drives like it's a transmission issue. The problem started when I was accelerating up a fairly steep hill, the truck shifted down into 3rd to maintain 60mph and when I crested the hill the truck no longer would shift into 4th gear. There was no; bang, knock, pitch, grind, ect., nor does the truck any abnormal sounds now with said problem. Gear one only works if you downshift into D2 or D1. Gear two feels like the starting gear in drive. Gear three works without a problem. Gear 4 is missing, henceforth I can't get the truck into 5th gear. Currently I have the truck at a mechanic, though I've had a variety of people tell an even larger variety of issues. If someone could please give a general idea of the problem that would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
  • wyatt0077wyatt0077 Member Posts: 1
    i have a 96 tahoe two door thats breaking trannys.just put in a rebuilt one few months ago after cracking the first one.its breaking 360 degrees around rite before the transfer case.does anyone know what would be causing this to happen in the same spot
  • docjr1039docjr1039 Member Posts: 1
    Need Help. Transmission wont work but when I shut down the engine and restart it will run in "3" only. Is this possibly computer related?
  • elburrito99elburrito99 Member Posts: 2
    I had the same exact thing happen as to mgoodfellow (post #152) just before we were about to go on a long road trip.

    Our 2007 Tahoe LTZ blew its transmission with only 36k miles. Unbelievable. I'm a Ford guy and will likely not buy another Chevy again after this. Even with normal wear and tear, a transmission should easily get to 100k miles without catastrophic failure.

    I will say that Martin Chevrolet (in Los Angeles) took care of the issue right away and made sure we had a rental Tahoe to cover us while the truck was getting fixed. Tellingly, the dealer said their transmission repair guy was booked solid for several days when we brought our Tahoe in...
  • ahammondahammond Member Posts: 1
    Transmission works in ok in park,neutral,Drive,3 and 4 wheel. Can feel transmission engage in all but Reverse. Vehicle will move Forward in Drive,3and 4 wheel. Can hear slight click when placed in Reverse,not as pronounced as in the other gears. Will not move in Reverse, will not move with gas or manually pushing backwards. As a novice mechanic, tried and inspected everything repair manual said. NEED HELP BADDDD. Thanks
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    edited July 2010
    Gotta call AAMCO (or some local transmission shop)

    Had similar symptoms in my 97 couple years ago. There is a splined cage that is known to break. Pieces broke off, and floated around, causing two other gears to need replacing.

    Don't drive it anymore (risking further damage), have it towed to a transmission shop. Get out checkbook. I saw my broken parts when they took it apart. If your problem was anything like mine, it's not something you are going to fix yourself. Good news is, transmission shops give you a warranty.
  • shanrichshanrich Member Posts: 1
    I bought a new Tahoe LT in 2005 and about a year after, I started having problems. It started to make a clunking sound in between gears, and sometimes while driving. I would feel a vibration, but not very strong. It was periodic, and every time I took it into the dealership, I was told that they couldn't duplicate the sound. I have had friends in my car and was told by them that it sounded like transmission issues (which I told the dealership). Last week, the sound and vibration became considerably worse. Yesterday, it was so bad that I thought I was going to break down, so I drove it to the nearest dealership. They are telling me it is a transmission problem (torque converter and a few other issues that go with it). I was told I have to fork up $1800 since it is just passed my warranty....yet I have complaining for years....
  • bex505bex505 Member Posts: 1
    Did you get this problem solved and if so...what was the solution?
    My boyfriend is having the same problems and we are in Colorado and he has to ge to Utah. I decided to look in a Forum to see if there was anything other than shelling out 5G for aa new tranny to fix the problem. THANKS
  • wreckem04wreckem04 Member Posts: 1
    got one for you guys,

    I have a 2003 Z71 Tahoe, 146,00 miles. all of a sudden now it wont engage into 4 gear nor come out of 3rd once its gets there so 50mph is my max speed.. I've replaced the solenoids, ignition switch and checked all the fuses and still got the problem!!! ANY IDEA'S??? the guys at the Transmission shop dont want to touch it b/c they said it was an electrical issue and there was nothing wrong with the transmission.... any ideas would be helpful.
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    The vehicle has 155K miles on it, shouldn't be complaining about reliability.
  • wmdgmcwmdgmc Member Posts: 3
    The motor is outstandingin my tahoe, but I was about to track down the first owner to only find out he had put 2 tranny repairs on it. First was a rebuild. He had flushed it before he finally gave up and traded it in.
    Ugh
  • alexismalexism Member Posts: 2
    I had my tranny rebuilt about 2 years ago, and recently it was hard shifting into second gear, and there was no power at all, I took it to Eagle Auto when it was rebuilt, and it turns out they put in a spring backwards, so when we had the check up done they found that in about 7 pieces just clanking around my truck, thank god me and my kids are safe. Then when I started it, it almost died, but it didn't so turns out we needed a new fuel pump, and filters. Now that thats done my truck is back and better than ever. it has power again. Now I just need to get the passenger window to go a little faster when it rolls up and down, and some of the lights on my radio are out. Maybe I need to change something to fix those???? ;)
  • fedupwgmfedupwgm Member Posts: 2
    edited September 2010
    My tahoe Z71 was bought new and well maintained. After fighting the speedo cluster issues w/ my dealer, I'm just fed up with them. The tahoe has 98k miles on it. It seems to be missing 2nd and 4th. I can very tenderly rev to about 1800-2200rpm's let off accelerator and then allow it to shift w/ slow acceleration to what is probably 3rd gear and then same routing to get into 5th.

    My local tranny expert who comes highly recommended seems to think emphatically that it is the band which will require a costly rebuild. I'm just wondering if anyone has experienced this and found it to be electronic or possibly just needed a flush and new filter as it is due at 100k.

    Ironically, but not at all funny, about 2 months prior to this issue, the truck started burning excessive oil - as in up to 4qrts or more in 1000miles and 3 in 500. I don't typically drive this vehicle so hoped that perhaps it was tied into higher rpms w/ the xmssn. Reminder - the oil problem started 1st though. I drove and babied the truck for the last 500 miles and it is down to just the hash mark on the dip stick which I'm thinking is close to 3 qrts.

    Has anyone experienced either of thes and come to any successful resolutions?

    After reading all of the problems on the transmission I cannot believe GM has not recalled them.

    Thanks in advance
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    edited September 2010
    +1 ;local tranny expert

    A transmission guy who works on trannies all day long, can pretty well nail the problem just by the symptoms.

    You don't want to be driving the vehicle in the condition it's in, you can cause more damage to other gears with the gear pieces loose and broken off in the pan.
  • griffin23griffin23 Member Posts: 1
    My transmission seems to be slipping on my2005 tahoe? Is this a common problem?
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    Slipping, no. Breaking, yes.
  • wmdgmcwmdgmc Member Posts: 3
    I had same prob and my trans man told me that GM had a problem with the torque converters glazing over. A torque converter is only 150 , but it's the labor that kills you.
    But anyway , my tranny man told me a way to fix this and it worked instantly. He told me to buy a tube of SHUTTER ELIMINATOR for $7 and it worked. NO MORE SHAKING AT 50-55 or hard clunk shifting. I didn't even have to drain any tranny fluid :)
  • wmdgmcwmdgmc Member Posts: 3
    edited October 2010
    It's the torque converter!!!!Buy a tube of SHUTTER ELIMINATOR ($7.00)at you local automotive store. Works instantly.
    The torque converter gets glazed over making it hard for the clutch inside to work properly.
    I learned this after many visits to many different shops. I found the right shop in a small farm town that knew what it was.
    Richards Tranmission in Urich,Mo. That guy saved me about$150 on new torque converter plus labor of about $450 in most shops (not his)
    This is only if you have the shaking-jerking at a cruising speed or driving on highway.
  • joconleyjoconley Member Posts: 5
    Got a 95 Tahoe 4X4 with 238K on the original transmission/transfer. Every time the weather gets a hair below 55 degrees it begins shifting funny after startup and feels like it's slipping a little for the first 10 miles or so. Always let it run for about a minute before driving and it almost never does this when it's warm outside. I'm thinking of disconnecting the battery to let the computer reset to see if the behavior continues tomorrow. Any thoughts on what this could be?
  • daveregandaveregan Member Posts: 4
    i also have a 1995 tahoe and am experiencing the same problems. only when it is cold and when i first drive it. feels like it is jumping gears and slipping. also has trouble deciding between gears!!! Did you get any answers yet? i am going to talk to a tranny shop tomorrow. 126k on truck
  • joconleyjoconley Member Posts: 5
    Nothing conclusive but the diagnosis is identical. As far as I know the only remedy is to warm it up for a few minutes before driving but even then it only slightly reduces the amount of funkiness. Idle can be really high if you jump in and start driving. Truth be told it's fine after it gets warm and has a few miles on it. At 229K on the original transmission I am not surprised to see some irregularities but it feels like it might be electrical. Unhooked the battery for a bit and it improved the situation but all in all, nothing outside a little more prep before driving seems to work.
  • daveregandaveregan Member Posts: 4
    sorry i havent replied back but it has been not good with the truck. tranny went completely. had one built, wrong body (they switched to a full bell housing half way through the year, mine has a dust cover not a full bell housing). had mine taken out and rebuilt, planetary gears were destroyed. put it back in, same problem. waiting for another unit to be rebuilt from front to back. Appparently driving it with the shifting issues caused metal shavings to get into the valves and mess them up, hence the continuing problem after the tranny was rebuilt. should be putting in the other tranny on sunday. hope it works.
  • ray918ray918 Member Posts: 1
    ive got a 98' 5.7liter 4x4...my reverse is out and the other gears take a little longer than normal to shift...Is the transmission gonna need to be rebuilt or is this possibly an easier fix? Now if the transmission needs to be replaced/rebuilt, im thinking about using a transmission from a Z71. Is there even any difference between the reg tahoe trany and the Z71 trany and will the z71 trany fit? Ne advice would help thanx.
  • joconleyjoconley Member Posts: 5
    After some research the 1st/2nd gear shifting irregularity appears to be the valve body and is related to the TCC. Here's a link to another discussion on the topic - http://www.tahoeforum.com/showthread.php?p=36499

    A quick Google search found that a new valve body is around $400 and installation will probably add another $250. That's more than half the total value of the vehicle so I'm probably just going to stick with warming it up for 5-6 minutes before driving, that seems to do the trick.
  • daveregandaveregan Member Posts: 4
    after replacing the tranny twice with no results i decided to take matters into my own hands. after doing some research and talking to several transmission people i decided to check the electrical associated with the transmission. after checking all the wires i changed the speed sensor located on the rear top of the transfer case. PROBLEM SOLVED. $52.00 part which should have been replaced when the tranny was changed.
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    Was your speedometer acting erratic, that would have been another symptom to observe? Cruise control dropping out of engagement, etc?
  • joconleyjoconley Member Posts: 5
    The speedometer has been normal from what I can tell, but I'll try to replicate it today or tomorrow to see if it's behaving properly. The RPMs however will occasionally run higher than normal based on the speed/gear - Not sure if that's a slip though.
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    Hmm, okay. If the speed sensor was bad, I would have expected to see the speedometer either not working, or sporadically jumping around.

    Guess we'll see how it goes, and whether the problem is gone for good.
  • anthony2819anthony2819 Member Posts: 1
    MY 2007 TAHOE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AT 40,000 MILES THAT WAS KIND OF UPSETTING FOR A 40K+ SUV.TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY OBVIOUSLY KNEW ABOUT THE PROBLEM IN THESE 2007 TAHOE DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY DIDN'T EVEN TRY TO ARGUE WITH ME. TOOK IT RITE IN AND GOT A NEW TRANSMISSION TRUCK RUNS GOOD NOW.
  • dusty17dusty17 Member Posts: 3
    wow i had no idea how many people have had so much trouble with this vhicle. i own a 2007 sub ltz, not only has my tranny been replaced, my engine was rebuilt twice due to constant oil loss, the problem continued, they then replaced the engine, this all happened before 20k on it. they also replaced 2 computers, 2 batteries, and countless other problems, i now have 38k on it and the low oil light is on again, and my differential is very noisy, im the original owner of this gm nightmare, and yesterday i got a recall on my windshield washer pump, it states it may short out and catch fire, the dealer has had this truck more than i have, it now sits in my garage as my wife is scared to death of this chevy time bomb, they keep telling me to bring it back, but i am so tired of it, i dont mean to carry on and on, but please steer clear of the 2007 suburban and tahoe, GM COULD CARE LESS ABOUT US NOW I SEE WHY THEY FAILED, I HOPE YOU ALL DO TOO.
  • dusty17dusty17 Member Posts: 3
    one last comment on this, if anyone can assist me or point me in some direction,at this point and time because im really just worn out and totally disgusted with chevy, i keep my dealership and there mechanics busy with warranty work, now wonder they wont fix it right, they get paid from gm, why should they? thanks for nothing.
  • daveregandaveregan Member Posts: 4
    my speedometer was acting up. i think you are getting responses from another person with a similar problem. MY speedometer would either not work at all or jump all over. I explained this to the tranny shop before they rebuilt the second tranny. you would think they would have known to change the sensor/.:)
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    Dusty17,
    Can you please email me your contact information including mailing address and a good number to reach you, VIN, current mileage, involved dealer, and Edmunds user name? I would like to look into this for you. I look forward to your response.
    Christina
    GM Customer Service
  • chevypersonchevyperson Member Posts: 1
    Dear Dusty 17,
    I feel your pain. I am having a serious tranny problem with my 2008 Tahoe and I am hoping that someone can help me with it.
    For 6 months the tranny intermittently will not shift from 2nd to 3rd at low speeds- it goes to neutral. Also the speedometer goes immediately to zero and the RPMs are high. Once I turn the motor off and restart it, everything is back to normal as if nothing happened.
    I have taken it to the dealer severla times- he has done little as he cannot reproduce the problem and "the computer doens't tell him what to do."
    The only thing that he has done is replace the transmission connector terminals as they had an electrical short.
    The problem continues, less frequently.
    Please, any ideas?
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