2008 Sierra Transmission Question

teepall · September 24, 2009

Hi from Central Louisiana!

I bought a leftover 2008 Sierra SLE1 single cab. I really like this truck and so far I have had only one problem, and that was with the left door lock actuator. The dealer replaced it under warranty. I have noticed lately that when the truck shifts from 2nd to 3rd there is a groan like sound coming from under the truck. It shifts fine, but this bothers me, I have had it since February and it only has 7800 miles. I have tried researching this online and have heard all kinds of horror stories about the transmissions in these trucks. What are the thoughts out there on what this might be? I have not taken in to the dealer yet, but I would like some feedback all the same.

Thanks,

Thomas.

P.S. I posted this in the new members area yesterday. I am not sure if this was the right area to ask about issues on my vehicle, so I am posting here the same message.

Any ideas on the tranny?

Darkanion · September 24, 2009

I haven't heard many "horror stories" about the new 6-spd transmissions in these trucks. I did have a problem with mine. It was also a 2>3 shift problem, but it never groaned.

My short answer : Take it to the dealer and have them look at it. With so low of mileage, it's definitely still under warranty. Just take it in, get them to give you a loaner, and let them worry about fixing the transmission.

teepall · September 24, 2009

I haven't heard many "horror stories" about the new 6-spd transmissions in these trucks. I did have a problem with mine. It was also a 2>3 shift problem, but it never groaned.

My short answer : Take it to the dealer and have them look at it. With so low of mileage, it's definitely still under warranty. Just take it in, get them to give you a loaner, and let them worry about fixing the transmission.

Thanks for the tip. I am bringing it in Friday. My truck has a 5.3 and 4-spd. I don't mean to be so melodramatic about the whole affair, just too much web surfing before finding out what the problem is, and bad memories of the last GM vehicle I had twenty years ago. That was a Beretta, and the whole service experience was nightmare.This is no Beretta for sure! Thanks for the advice and the reality check.

Thomas.

Darkanion · September 24, 2009

Thanks for the tip. I am bringing it in Friday. My truck has a 5.3 and 4-spd. I don't mean to be so melodramatic about the whole affair, just too much web surfing before finding out what the problem is, and bad memories of the last GM vehicle I had twenty years ago. That was a Beretta, and the whole service experience was nightmare.This is no Beretta for sure! Thanks for the advice and the reality check.

Thomas.

Alright, my bad. For some reason, I thought you had the 6-spd.... Maybe it's because I've never heard of anyone claiming "horror stories" about the 4-spds.

And, for what it's worth, claiming "horror stories about these transmissions," when you're actually comparing it to your experiences with a Bereta... from TWENTY YEARS ago... is... well.... STUPID. I'm sorry, but that's like saying "chocolate sucks, because I picked-up a piece of a dog turd out of the front yard and ate it one time.. and it 'looked' like chocolate!"

Best of luck!

txab · September 24, 2009

Thanks for the tip. I am bringing it in Friday. My truck has a 5.3 and 4-spd. I don't mean to be so melodramatic about the whole affair, just too much web surfing before finding out what the problem is, and bad memories of the last GM vehicle I had twenty years ago. That was a Beretta, and the whole service experience was nightmare.This is no Beretta for sure! Thanks for the advice and the reality check.

Thomas.

Alright, my bad. For some reason, I thought you had the 6-spd.... Maybe it's because I've never heard of anyone claiming "horror stories" about the 4-spds.

And, for what it's worth, claiming "horror stories about these transmissions," when you're actually comparing it to your experiences with a Bereta... from TWENTY YEARS ago... is... well.... STUPID. I'm sorry, but that's like saying "chocolate sucks, because I picked-up a piece of a dog turd out of the front yard and ate it one time.. and it 'looked' like chocolate!"

Best of luck!

teepall · September 25, 2009

Thanks for the tip. I am bringing it in Friday. My truck has a 5.3 and 4-spd. I don't mean to be so melodramatic about the whole affair, just too much web surfing before finding out what the problem is, and bad memories of the last GM vehicle I had twenty years ago. That was a Beretta, and the whole service experience was nightmare.This is no Beretta for sure! Thanks for the advice and the reality check.

Thomas.

Alright, my bad. For some reason, I thought you had the 6-spd.... Maybe it's because I've never heard of anyone claiming "horror stories" about the 4-spds.

And, for what it's worth, claiming "horror stories about these transmissions," when you're actually comparing it to your experiences with a Bereta... from TWENTY YEARS ago... is... well.... STUPID. I'm sorry, but that's like saying "chocolate sucks, because I picked-up a piece of a dog turd out of the front yard and ate it one time.. and it 'looked' like chocolate!"

Best of luck!

I agree that, in your words, you believe my comparison was a "stupid" one, but the experience that comparison was intended to convey was the lack of quality and confidence in a brand that I grew up with, and from a company that my father gave 30 plus years of his life to. My point was a personal one. Maybe I should have kept to myself. However, since you mentioned it, I must say that crap can be wrapped to look like candy. Just go into a chicken yard and see if some of that white stuff on the ground does not look a bit like divinity candy. Just because we are talking about then and now, car or truck, just because it is not the same pile, it is still coming from the same animal.

After twenty years I came back to a company whose quality record has been less the stellar because I am stupid enough to believe that I should give another chance to a company that help raise me, not to mention the economy and my attempt to do something that seems to be out of fashion, supporting my country and buying a vehicle made by Americans. (Maybe that is stupid as well). If having to visit the service department already two times for warranty work makes me a little gun shy, then excuse me! Given my experience, which is not exclusive in any sense of the word to me, why shouldn't I be a little paranoid? I gotta pay for this thing.

When you read comments from other owners in similar forums who have had similar issues, you are bound to get a little concerned. This especially holds true when a person only learns of recalls and issues with their vehicle after it has failed in some area, such as the open circuit problems in the door lock actuators. I learned that there were issues purely by accident, i.e., from a conversation with the sale manager. If he would not have been my friend, then I probably would not have known that were any faulty parts in other trucks, unless he wasn't being honest. That wouldn't be logical would it, a salesman saying something negative about his product for the sake of the customers well being?

Why all the ranting? Simply for this reason: Because I say what is on my mind, I may say something at times that others may not be interested in hearing. Maybe I should be only stating the facts of the matter, but then again, since I was raised to honest in my conversation, I naively believe that other human beings might actually give a damn, or at least have some manners. Then again, the service techs, service manager, dealership and GM, all those years ago, acted as though they were doing me a favor by giving me the time of day, rather treating me as though my business actually mattered. They knew it all, except how to be respectful. They sure couldn't polish that turd into a quality automobile. The only thing that solved that problem was the lady that totaled the little jewel.

The jury is still out regarding the Gmc. Goverment Motors willingness to to stand by their product and me the customer that will justify my buying another. I liked the way the truck looks and rides, like I did the that "Beretta," but that does not mean that this is not another pile of crap disguised.It is not fair to say that this service department's attitude will be the same or different than my past experinces; however, it is unfair to say I 'm the only idiot that has stayed away from GM after similar experiences and are stupid and who reactions are unwarranted. If that were so, then GM wouldn't be filing bankruptcy just in time for their 100th anniversary.

The point being this: I am a paying for a product and service from a company that has become arrogant and out of touch with its customer base, so they need to earn my confidence by giving me the product, service and courtesy that I have payed for. I hope that the new GM is truly a new, because some of us silly sentimental idiots still believe the way that businesses and customer relate is more than the mere exchange of money, but a professional relationship of mutual respect and appreciation.

If my comments insult your intelligence, and come across as being stupid or illogical, then maybe things haven't changed that much in twenty years. I just wanted a little advice from a fellow GM guy.

In the end nobody made me by another GM product or offer my opinion.

Thanks again for the reality check, and for what its worth,(maybe for civility and some decorum), I am sorry too.

gmtech4 · September 29, 2009

holy crap,I only checked in to ask how the service appt went but found out that you would rather rant out on the general ,so now I dont care ,sell your POS if ya dont like it or the general,smile and buy a ford

PS your truck has to be diag'd and the internet is no place to do that,a groan,good luck and it better do it to the tech or it will get punted outside 'till you road test it with the tech (tip)

then sell it ,have fun

Darkanion · September 29, 2009

Thomas.. A lot has changed in 20 yrs with all manufacturers. Yeeears ago, Hondas had (and apparently still have, with a lot of people) a reputation for running 200k miles "easy" with no major problems. I bought an Acura (a division of Honda) in 2004. I drove it for about 2 yrs and a defect in the differential gear inside of the 6-spd transmission came to light. Some of the teeth sheered off while I was driving to work one morning.

Why am I mentioning this? Because there are bad products shipped every day by every manufacturer of.. well.. everything! It could be the Sony surround sound receiver/amplifier or the Samsung HDTV ... or the GMC pickup you bought.

I do wish you the best of luck. But, comparing your new truck to a Beretta you owned 20 yrs ago and the problems you had with it and claiming"horror stories about the transmissions in these trucks" is silly...

I guess "horror stories" means "a LOT of people having problems with them" / "they're doing recalls on these things" ... and not "a few people (percentage-wise) have had some problems and had to have them in for warranty work."

Best of luck!

ColoradoSkiCountry · September 30, 2009

Go visit the forums for the other truck and car makers out there, Foreign or Domestic and you'll see they all have their share of problems. The days of having a 200,000 mile problem free Toyota or Honda are over. Everyone else caught up in build quality and things are alot more complicated now a days with more things added to vehicles then ever before, which leaves more things to go wrong.

rodram · October 2, 2009

to vicar2010 ... sometimes you hit a bad nerve with guys on this forum .... some are pretty protective of the GM brand ....

.. but to the others, the 'trouble stories' that vicar has referred to could never be related to a GM engine needing an intake manifold gasket, or a 4L60E transmission crapping out ... all right on schedule at about 100,000 miles ... or could they...??????? ... try getting those fixed on warranty!

Don't get me wrong, I like my GMT400 truck, (especially now that I have fixed all??? of the expensive designed-in break-down issues), but there are many things about the newer trucks that scare me away from buying one...