'01 Silverado Trans Issues

[Todd]

My '01 Silverado 5.3 ext cab 4x2, has seemed to have had tranny issues since it left the dealership new. It has shuddered and shaken between gears, especially 1 to 2 shift. There has always been a hard lash and shudder between gears, and always when engaged into reverse it seems to bang into gear as well. I have been to 2 different dealers for this issue 3 times now, for them to always tell me that there are no codes stored, the software in the computer is correct, so there must be nothing wrong, and it drives within tolerance for us. Within the past week the issue has gotten progressively worse, and now I consistently get hard shuddering between 1 to 2, and very hard shifts. In stop and go freeway traffic, I have been temporarily stranded, by the trans somehow falling out of gear and then coming back in once the rpm's rise to about 2500. I understand the dealer saying that these transmissions are heavily electronically controlled, but there is also a lot of mechanical parts inside the trans also tht could fail, and probably not send a code out. The dealer says they will not even be able to look at the tranny unless a code comes up. Does anybody know of anybody who has had trans problems, that were mechanical, and not electronic?

 

I have driven a friends '01 Silverado, and an '02 Yukon, both of which amazed me of how well they performed (transmission wise) compared to mine, so I can speak confidently that mine is not correct.

[THE BIGPUNN]

i have not had these problems with my truck, knock on wood!. but if i were you id stop by a tranny shop other than the dealer. a shop that is reputable and only does trannies. maybe they know whats up. other than that, depending on your level of discomfort, try the consumer complaint stuff and maybe the lemon law thing.

[Todd]

Good idea, I will see if I can find a trans. shop that knows these trucks.  I also posted on fullsize forums, and a lot of the replies look like the lemon law might be the avenue to pursue here, as chevy seems to think everyone who complains about their driveline issues, is wrong and don't know what they are talking about.

[Shaners]

Todd, one of the Avalanche guys in here (I don't remember which one) just had his truck to the dealer for hard shifts 1-2.  I don't remember the reply from the dealer.

 

My HD was just reprgrammed when the Transfer case was replaced.  They did this to help with the "parking lot stumble" I was experiancing.  Now I have other problems besides my 4wd.  At least once a day the truck acts like it is trying to start in 2nd gear and then as soon as it rolls a few feet and the revs come up it slams into first.  I'm taking it back to the dealer today to let the service mgr go for a ride with me to hear the wonderful noises and to feel the rough engagement of my "new" transfer case.  I will definatly mention the 2nd gear start-up issue to him.

[GreenRado]

Not to "switch gears" here, Shaners several people have had the same issue w/ what feels like 2nd gear take-offs, including myself.

 

Mine is intermittent, only occurring before the engine is warm yet, and usually not necessarily when I first pull out of the driveway.   ???

 

Hope this adds more fodder for you @ the dealer.  I am sure we'd all like to know what it is.  My dealer, of course said they can't investigate it until they can reproduce it.  In this case, I think they're right.

[Shaners]

GreenRado mine does it at the top of the drive almost everyday when I pull out on the street.  It also usually does it before the truck is fully warm.

 

This morning it was 35* outside and the truck did it again coming oout of the driveway.  I then drove 4 blocks to the touchless carwash and sat through a 6 minute wash with the engine running.  Engine temp was about 180* by then.

 

The truck pulled out of the carwash fine and I stopped in the parking lot to pull my mirrors back into place.  I dropped the truck in gear and swung out onto the narrow side street where I had to back up once to make the "swing".  When I put the truck back in "D", and stepped on the gas, nothing happened.  The truck never rolled like it usually does.  It revved up to 2500 RPM's and "bang" it took off in first gear!!!!

 

I don't think that is a good thing!!!!   When I was young and niave I would rev up my dads car and drop it into drive (that was the only way I could spin the tires)...  When he saw me doing that he wasn't very happy      

[bscottb]

I have had the occasional 2nd gear start, maybe 6 times since new. I just had to have the transmission rebuilt because a carrier bearing went bad. I think 31,000 miles is way to soon for trans trouble.

[ClipperSkipper]

Jees I would think that this would be a warranty issue.

If you have already taken the truck to the Dealer, take

a Master Tech along for the ride and demonstrate the

transmissions' faults. Don't forget, warranty work sucks for

for GM Dealerships since most of the labor is .5 or .6 per

regular hour, and parts are parts which is why most service

Managers "don't hear anything". Let us know how you make

out please.

[GreenRado]

Shaners:

 

Agree, that's not good.  Mine has never done it going from reverse to drive, etc however.

 

You know, I did the same thing with my Dad's car when I was in my teens, and he got pretty mad too - gee wonder why!!  ;)

 

At least if yours is acting up regularly, they ought to be able to sort out what's up.  Who knows, maybe you'll get a new tranny in addition to the new t-case?  Please keep us posted.

[carguru]

My '01 Silverado 5.3 ext cab 4x2, has seemed to have had tranny issues since it left the dealership new. It has shuddered and shaken between gears, especially 1 to 2 shift. There has always been a hard lash and shudder between gears, and always when engaged into reverse it seems to bang into gear as well. I have been to 2 different dealers for this issue 3 times now, for them to always tell me that there are no codes stored, the software in the computer is correct, so there must be nothing wrong, and it drives within tolerance for us. Within the past week the issue has gotten progressively worse, and now I consistently get hard shuddering between 1 to 2, and very hard shifts. In stop and go freeway traffic, I have been temporarily stranded, by the trans somehow falling out of gear and then coming back in once the rpm's rise to about 2500. I understand the dealer saying that these transmissions are heavily electronically controlled, but there is also a lot of mechanical parts inside the trans also tht could fail, and probably not send a code out. The dealer says they will not even be able to look at the tranny unless a code comes up. Does anybody know of anybody who has had trans problems, that were mechanical, and not electronic?

 

I have driven a friends '01 Silverado, and an '02 Yukon, both of which amazed me of how well they performed (transmission wise) compared to mine, so I can speak confidently that mine is not correct.

This situation sounds very familiar.  The '99 4x2 I traded for my '02 did this very same thing.  I believe it is the same situation that is happening.  I believe that it is 2 different things happening.  Tell me if these sound familiar.  Occasionally when you take off from a red light, the transmission seems to be in the wrong gear (seems like it starts in second gear..engine revs up but seems like no power) then clunks into the right gear.  Occasionally it does this in reverse.  The second condition is that it feels as if the transmission does not want to shift out of first gear into second or second to third (especially pronounced when engine cold).  When it revs up to 2500 rpm or so before shifting into second or third gear, release the gas and the revs drop to 1000 or 1500, but it revs back to 2500 before it seems to get any power.  Do any of these sound familiar?  After several tries, my dealer was able to take care of the these two conditions (I guess) by rebuilding the valve body in the transmission, flushing the fluids, and reprogramming the transmission (clearing the memory).  This took care of the hard shifts.  Since the clunk situations occured infrequently, I'm not sure if it took care of them.  I traded shortly after the last time I had it in service where they reprogrammed the tranny.  The first time the clunk occured was around 250 miles on the odo.  The shift harshness started around 15000-17000 miles.  I had the valve body swapped at 18000 miles.  This  took care of the shift harshness (1-2, 2-3rd shift) problems.  What they found was that the valve body had scores on them (No explaination on how they occurred).  However the clunk situation still occurred.  I got rid of the truck with only 20500 miles.  The dealer told me that they were not able to reproduce the failure and since they could not reproduce it, they were not able to completely remedy the problem.  I had the truck in the dealer 6 times before I finally got tired of the problems that plauged the '99.

[Shaners]

carguru, your diagnosis is correct.  I have no problem with the truck hanging in gear and revving high before the 2-3 shift when temps are very cold.  It says in the manual that it is programmed to do this in order to warm the engine and tranny faster in severe weather.  It also keeps the truck from locking up in OD until certain operating temps are reached.  Basically this problem is just annoying.

 

As far as the second gear starts, I think there is a problem here.  The truck will rev and start to roll and then it drops down into 1st gear.  I can manually duplicate this problem by selecting "2" on the shift indicator and once the truck starts moving pull it into "1".  GM auto trannies have a second gear start programmed into them for low traction situations where you can actually force the tranny to start in 2nd by selecting "2" with the shifter.

[carguru]

Shaners, you are right that it was an annoying problem.  A couple of the times I had the truck in the dealership, the same mechanic told me it was low tranny fluid and two weeks later on a second visit, he tells me it is because of too much tranny fluid.  Finally he rebuilt the valve body.  The shift hang up would still occur during the summer months (temp here usually in the 80's and 90's) and not only when the engine is cold.  The second gear start problem would explain why it would jump gears in the forward gear.  The '99 I had (and sounds like Todd's also) would occasionally do this in reverse.  This is what had the dealer puzzled.  Have you ever had your do this in reverse?

[Shaners]

I haven't noticed a problem in reverse yet, although maybe now that I think of it, sometimes it doesn't feel very strong...  Hmmm

[lakerunner]

Todd :

 

Stick to your guns and force the dealer to repair or replace the transmission! If you can find out who the factory rep is for your area it may help.

 

In another post I said that this 2500HD was my first juicer. I forgot about (the mind blocks painful memories you know) the 95 chevy 3/4 4x4 350 x-cab with automatic trans. When i bought it the dealer only had the one 3/4 on the lot. At the time I was traveling alot for work and had a 24' camper that I used on these trips plus a gang box in the bed that held a couple of hundred pounds of tools. The dealer said the truck would have no trouble with the load and made me a deal  on the truck. The first trans let go just west of Dallas TX the next one in north MS the 3rd and last time about 10 miles from the house. They Rebuilt the trans twice the last time they said that I was over loading the truck and it wasn't covered under warrent. This all happened in less than a year. After alot of $%#@@^ and fighting they replaced the trans and I sold the truck at a loss to a person who pulled no trailer and hauled only passengers.

 

I sure hope GM has worked the bugs out for 2002 Because I just purchased a 2500HD with an automatic trans (I said that I would never own another! Dealer didn't have any manuals on the lot and said this truck could pull haul anything out there and not look back. we'll see.). I'm going to break-in this truck  by the book 500 miles no trailer 500 trailer less than 50 miles per hour an see what happens.

 

I think a law should be passed no trucks sold with juicers.

[carguru]

I haven't noticed a problem in reverse yet, although maybe now that I think of it, sometimes it doesn't feel very strong...  Hmmm

From the times it has happened to me, if it were doing that in reverse, you would definitely know it.  The truck would start to shudder as if it didn't have enough power, but the engine revs, then feels like it kicks right into gear.  Usually it is fine for a while after that.  I just hope that this doesn't happen with the '02 I have now. ???