Weird Transmission Or Transfer Case Problem

[slasher]

My truck is a 1997 GMC Sierra extended cab Z71 with push-button 4wd. The problem only happens rarely, and I can't figure out what's causing it.

 

Today I was going to back into my yard to unload some lumber. I stopped and put it in reverse and nothing happened. I gave it a little gas and it was like something was binding. Finally, it went in and backed up just fine.

 

Sometimes it does this in drive, too. It acts like the transfer case is hanging it up. I've had it happen and I cycled it to 4wd and back to 2wd and it worked. Today I tried to cycle it to 4wd and it never would engage. The light blinked and I could hear it trying, but it never did.

 

A couple of times when it's done this, the truck felt like it was in 4low.

 

Any ideas?

 

 

Thanks!

[Westlotorn]

My 95 Suburban started doing that right before the tranny went out. 155,000 miles.

My 2001 Yukon Denali did this right before the tranny went out. For about 2 weeks it did this and then failed. 59,000 miles.

 

FYI, in both cases I had the transmission flushed within 5 mos of the failure. The tranny shop claimed the flush done by the Jiffy Lube stirred up all the debree in the oil pan and put it into the small passages in my tranny causing failure.

 

I actully had both of these broken at the same time and had to fork out for two trannys, GM would not back the Denali at 59,000 miles because warranty was up at 36,000. I was not happy.

 

Lesson learned, no more flushes, pull the tranny pan the old way, replace the filter, clean the pan and refill. This has worked for years.

Yes the flush puts all new fluid in everything including the torque converter but I think it caused more damage than it helped.

[Alljackedup408]

wow..sry you had problems with flushes... ive done so many.... even on my truck. But i do alot of work to my truck.. as far as changing fluids very often so... o well. and at work people come in all the time wanting them.. never seen that issue.

[Westlotorn]

wow..sry you had problems with flushes... ive done so many.... even on my truck. But i do alot of work to my truck.. as far as changing fluids very often so... o well. and at work people come in all the time wanting them.. never seen that issue.

 

I guess I am lucky.

 

I will stick with the old method from now on.

 

I bought the Denali with an existing 48,000 miles so I did not know history and the suburban with 75,000 many years before, again I did not know the history. The idea of a flush appealed to me as an improved technique. If I had changed the filters and cleaned the pans first I think I would have been OK.

[zaac]

My truck is a 1997 GMC Sierra extended cab Z71 with push-button 4wd. The problem only happens rarely, and I can't figure out what's causing it.

 

Today I was going to back into my yard to unload some lumber. I stopped and put it in reverse and nothing happened. I gave it a little gas and it was like something was binding. Finally, it went in and backed up just fine.

 

Sometimes it does this in drive, too. It acts like the transfer case is hanging it up. I've had it happen and I cycled it to 4wd and back to 2wd and it worked. Today I tried to cycle it to 4wd and it never would engage. The light blinked and I could hear it trying, but it never did.

 

A couple of times when it's done this, the truck felt like it was in 4low.

 

Any ideas?

 

 

Thanks!

My truck wouldn't shift out of 4wd and I could hear the motor trying to shift. I changed the encoder and that fixed it. Easy to do. Aftermarket was half price the dealership. This might also fix your tranny problem. Kind of sounds like TC was in neutral and when you cycled the 4wd you got it back into the right gear. Or could be a bad tranny.

[zaac]

My truck is a 1997 GMC Sierra extended cab Z71 with push-button 4wd. The problem only happens rarely, and I can't figure out what's causing it.

 

Today I was going to back into my yard to unload some lumber. I stopped and put it in reverse and nothing happened. I gave it a little gas and it was like something was binding. Finally, it went in and backed up just fine.

 

Sometimes it does this in drive, too. It acts like the transfer case is hanging it up. I've had it happen and I cycled it to 4wd and back to 2wd and it worked. Today I tried to cycle it to 4wd and it never would engage. The light blinked and I could hear it trying, but it never did.

 

A couple of times when it's done this, the truck felt like it was in 4low.

 

Any ideas?

 

 

Thanks!

My truck wouldn't shift out of 4wd and I could hear the motor trying to shift. I changed the encoder and that fixed it. Easy to do. Aftermarket was half price the dealership. This might also fix your tranny problem. Kind of sounds like TC was in neutral and when you cycled the 4wd you got it back into the right gear. Or could be a bad tranny.

[zaac]

My truck is a 1997 GMC Sierra extended cab Z71 with push-button 4wd. The problem only happens rarely, and I can't figure out what's causing it.

 

Today I was going to back into my yard to unload some lumber. I stopped and put it in reverse and nothing happened. I gave it a little gas and it was like something was binding. Finally, it went in and backed up just fine.

 

Sometimes it does this in drive, too. It acts like the transfer case is hanging it up. I've had it happen and I cycled it to 4wd and back to 2wd and it worked. Today I tried to cycle it to 4wd and it never would engage. The light blinked and I could hear it trying, but it never did.

 

A couple of times when it's done this, the truck felt like it was in 4low.

 

Any ideas?

 

 

Thanks!

My truck wouldn't shift out of 4wd and I could hear the motor trying to shift. I changed the encoder and that fixed it. Easy to do. Aftermarket was half price the dealership. This might also fix your tranny problem. Kind of sounds like TC was in neutral and when you cycled the 4wd you got it back into the right gear. Or could be a bad tranny.

[zaac]

My truck is a 1997 GMC Sierra extended cab Z71 with push-button 4wd. The problem only happens rarely, and I can't figure out what's causing it.

 

Today I was going to back into my yard to unload some lumber. I stopped and put it in reverse and nothing happened. I gave it a little gas and it was like something was binding. Finally, it went in and backed up just fine.

 

Sometimes it does this in drive, too. It acts like the transfer case is hanging it up. I've had it happen and I cycled it to 4wd and back to 2wd and it worked. Today I tried to cycle it to 4wd and it never would engage. The light blinked and I could hear it trying, but it never did.

 

A couple of times when it's done this, the truck felt like it was in 4low.

 

Any ideas?

 

 

Thanks!

My truck wouldn't shift out of 4wd and I could hear the motor trying to shift. I changed the encoder and that fixed it. Easy to do. Aftermarket was half price the dealership. This might also fix your tranny problem. Kind of sounds like TC was in neutral and when you cycled the 4wd you got it back into the right gear. Or could be a bad tranny.

[zaac]

My truck is a 1997 GMC Sierra extended cab Z71 with push-button 4wd. The problem only happens rarely, and I can't figure out what's causing it.

 

Today I was going to back into my yard to unload some lumber. I stopped and put it in reverse and nothing happened. I gave it a little gas and it was like something was binding. Finally, it went in and backed up just fine.

 

Sometimes it does this in drive, too. It acts like the transfer case is hanging it up. I've had it happen and I cycled it to 4wd and back to 2wd and it worked. Today I tried to cycle it to 4wd and it never would engage. The light blinked and I could hear it trying, but it never did.

 

A couple of times when it's done this, the truck felt like it was in 4low.

 

Any ideas?

 

 

Thanks!

My truck wouldn't shift out of 4wd and I could hear the motor trying to shift. I changed the encoder and that fixed it. Easy to do. Aftermarket was half price the dealership. This might also fix your tranny problem. Kind of sounds like TC was in neutral and when you cycled the 4wd you got it back into the right gear. Or could be a bad tranny.

[zaac]

My truck is a 1997 GMC Sierra extended cab Z71 with push-button 4wd. The problem only happens rarely, and I can't figure out what's causing it.

 

Today I was going to back into my yard to unload some lumber. I stopped and put it in reverse and nothing happened. I gave it a little gas and it was like something was binding. Finally, it went in and backed up just fine.

 

Sometimes it does this in drive, too. It acts like the transfer case is hanging it up. I've had it happen and I cycled it to 4wd and back to 2wd and it worked. Today I tried to cycle it to 4wd and it never would engage. The light blinked and I could hear it trying, but it never did.

 

A couple of times when it's done this, the truck felt like it was in 4low.

 

Any ideas?

 

 

Thanks!

My truck wouldn't shift out of 4wd and I could hear the motor trying to shift. I changed the encoder and that fixed it. Easy to do. Aftermarket was half price the dealership. This might also fix your tranny problem. Kind of sounds like TC was in neutral and when you cycled the 4wd you got it back into the right gear. Or could be a bad tranny.

[zaac]

My truck is a 1997 GMC Sierra extended cab Z71 with push-button 4wd. The problem only happens rarely, and I can't figure out what's causing it.

 

Today I was going to back into my yard to unload some lumber. I stopped and put it in reverse and nothing happened. I gave it a little gas and it was like something was binding. Finally, it went in and backed up just fine.

 

Sometimes it does this in drive, too. It acts like the transfer case is hanging it up. I've had it happen and I cycled it to 4wd and back to 2wd and it worked. Today I tried to cycle it to 4wd and it never would engage. The light blinked and I could hear it trying, but it never did.

 

A couple of times when it's done this, the truck felt like it was in 4low.

 

Any ideas?

 

 

Thanks!

My truck wouldn't shift out of 4wd and I could hear the motor trying to shift. I changed the encoder and that fixed it. Easy to do. Aftermarket was half price the dealership. This might also fix your tranny problem. Kind of sounds like TC was in neutral and when you cycled the 4wd you got it back into the right gear. Or could be a bad tranny.

[zaac]

Holy Christ! I was trying to reply and kept getting an error message. Finally gave up and now that I'm back I see that I was actually replying but didn't know it. Can someone delete these so I don't look like such an idiot?