Transmission Shot!!!!

MGraber · June 5, 2006

I have a 2000 2wd SB silverado and I think my transmission is about to go craps. I have 95k miles on it right now. This weekend it started to shift in and out of overdrive and then yesterday evening it would not even shift into OD. So far it will still shift from 1 to 2 to 3 okay but that is it. I took it in to the local transmission shop and they say something is shot so I am going to have it rebuilt.

Just curious if there are any TSB or similar problems.

I know I have a lot of miles but it is kind of frustrating to have a major component go out like this.

Mark

snoman · June 5, 2006

I have a 2000 2wd SB silverado and I think my transmission is about to go craps. I have 95k miles on it right now. This weekend it started to shift in and out of overdrive and then yesterday evening it would not even shift into OD. So far it will still shift from 1 to 2 to 3 okay but that is it. I took it in to the local transmission shop and they say something is shot so I am going to have it rebuilt.

Just curious if there are any TSB or similar problems.

I know I have a lot of miles but it is kind of frustrating to have a major component go out like this.

Mark

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Realistically 95K miles is not that bad though you should be able to get more. The biggest enemy of a automatic tranny is heat more than mileage abd why it is always a wise idea to have a aux tranny cooler on a SUV or Truck. How does the fluid lot and smell and have you ever changed the fluid and filter in it?

MGraber · June 5, 2006

I have not ever changed the fluid or filter. I was actually going to do that at 100k. I agree, I thought the tranny should still have alot of life left in it. I have never towed anything with it, it does not even have a hitch. I have made the occassional trips to Lowes or Home Depot and hauled some basic DIY material but that is nothing major.

This is my second GM product to have something major go out with less than 100k on the clock. I am a diehard GM person, I get the employee discount, I have a 69 camaro in the garage but I am starting to rethink my next purchase. Unfortunately I know all vehicles have their problems, even the foreign jobs.

I guess it just helps to vent

Mark

I have a 2000 2wd SB silverado and I think my transmission is about to go craps. I have 95k miles on it right now. This weekend it started to shift in and out of overdrive and then yesterday evening it would not even shift into OD. So far it will still shift from 1 to 2 to 3 okay but that is it. I took it in to the local transmission shop and they say something is shot so I am going to have it rebuilt.

Just curious if there are any TSB or similar problems.

I know I have a lot of miles but it is kind of frustrating to have a major component go out like this.

Mark

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Realistically 95K miles is not that bad though you should be able to get more. The biggest enemy of a automatic tranny is heat more than mileage abd why it is always a wise idea to have a aux tranny cooler on a SUV or Truck. How does the fluid lot and smell and have you ever changed the fluid and filter in it?

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2kwolfgang · June 5, 2006

I have a 2000 2wd SB silverado and I think my transmission is about to go craps. I have 95k miles on it right now. This weekend it started to shift in and out of overdrive and then yesterday evening it would not even shift into OD. So far it will still shift from 1 to 2 to 3 okay but that is it. I took it in to the local transmission shop and they say something is shot so I am going to have it rebuilt.

Just curious if there are any TSB or similar problems.

I know I have a lot of miles but it is kind of frustrating to have a major component go out like this.

Mark

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95k seems like very low mileage to have something like this go out. I have seen MANY mid 90's to current GM 1/2 tons go over 200k before any tranny issues arise. Two times in the past couple years my 99 would not shift into overdrive right away, when this happend I punched the gas to kick it down into second, when I let off it shifted into OD. It's very dumb IMO that GM doesn't do a 100k powertrain warranty. They might lose some money on it but I bet they would gain some truck sales.

Nice rig · June 5, 2006

Changing the fluid and filter would be the first step I would think.

01 Suburban LS · June 7, 2006

95,000 miles and you've never changed the fluid or filter! WOW. I change my fluid and filter every other oil change. It may seem kinda anal, but heat and dirty fluid are enemies to transmissions. I'd rather spend a few bucks every few months than have to pay to have a tranny rebuilt.

snoman · June 7, 2006

95,000 miles and you've never changed the fluid or filter! WOW. I change my fluid and filter every other oil change. It may seem kinda anal, but heat and dirty fluid are enemies to transmissions. I'd rather spend a few bucks every few months than have to pay to have a tranny rebuilt.

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I change my tranny fluid and filter about every 30K miles or so or every two years (which ever comes first) More often would not hurt anything either.

ken1mod · June 7, 2006

Every other oil change is probably excessive unless you change oil every 12500 miles. But more than 50k and you are begging for trouble. I am a 25 k guy myself and never have trans problems. GM builds a good gearbox.

Ken

01 Suburban LS · June 7, 2006

I change my tranny fluid and filter about every 30K miles or so or every two years (which ever comes first) More often would not hurt anything either.

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I think it even mentions in the FSM's that the accumulator valve should be replaced at 45K.

Dans Denali · June 8, 2006

I would never go more than 30K on my trucks and 50K on my cars without a fluid change. My 97 Mercedes SL had lifetime tranny fluid that I just changed anyway.

I think if you read your owners manual it called for a tranny fluid change long ago, expecially if you tow anything.

Dan

mechanic1980 · June 8, 2006

Hell, my 01 Sierra 5.3L Z71 got a new Transmission @ 68000 miles. One day it just started to slip on the 1-2 shift, and of course I had no time to look for someone to fix it between school and work. Needless to say, I took it to the stealership, and 2600 later I had a GM reman trans with a 50k warranty

mechanic1980 · June 8, 2006

I forgot to add that I changed the fluid at 40k!

phire · June 8, 2006

I have to agree... If you're waiting 100,000 miles to do any maintenence on your trannies, you're just asking for trouble. The fluid and filter are still usually in good shape at 25,000 but that's why we change it early so as to keep the fluid and filter in optimal shape. I'd reccomend a partial fluid change (pan drop) and filter change. And don't forget to clean off the magnet! You'll probably get 4-6 quarts of tranny fluid out with a pan drop... Your tranny is probably all gummed up with all sorts of gunk and a complete fluid change might dislodge all of it at once and overwhelm your filter and then you'd really have a problem so I'd do a few pan drops and filter changes every couple thousand miles and see if it starts helping any before you shell out the $ to have your tranny rebuilt.

Rolandd · June 9, 2006

Two schools of thought are generally accepted for auto tranny maintenance:

For hard working trannies, change the fluid regularly as the heat will kill it and the need to make sure that all the dirt and guck is out of the system is critical.

For normal service trannies (driven empty most of the time, for a car lightly loaded), never change the fluid. As the clutches wear and the fluid looses its lubricating capabilities the tranny will remain tight as most of the asbestos from the clutches is in suspension in the fluid. BMW follows this rule to an extreme: the tranny is sealed with no dipstick or service filler--fluid is added while the unit is on the bench

When I used to work in a tranny shop (1983) we used to get customers who had just purchased a high milage car and wanted the tranny serviced. We would discourage a fluid change, offering to reuse the fluid and just change the filter and adjust the bands, etc. For anyone who insisted, we would promise to see them within a month. We had a 95%+ hit rate on rebuilding after high milage service.

However, where you are having issues, you have no choice but to have the tranny checked and adjusted as needed. If you go that route and have the fluid and filter changed, be easy on the tranny after because the clutches will be worn and the oil new. After 5-10,k miles you can assume that all is well. I don't know what a tranny service costs these days, but it might be worth the risk unless they open the unit up and tell you it is done.

Good luck!

farmride · June 9, 2006

Hell, my 01 Sierra 5.3L Z71 got a new Transmission @ 68000 miles. One day it just started to slip on the 1-2 shift, and of course I had no time to look for someone to fix it between school and work. Needless to say, I took it to the stealership, and 2600 later I had a GM reman trans with a 50k warranty

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i would have a fit if that happened to me. good thing you had the money and probably a good job to pay for all that. 68000 and a new tranny is something that should not be happening with the price of vehicles today, where is the value of excellent parts today? Our driving habits differ but i got out of my '04 F250 lariat super crew. fx4 with the 6.0 diesel. Besides going through the injector nitemare of having 5 replaced, i had to have new rotors put in at only 28,000 miles and it was nearly all hwy miles.