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Chevy TrailBlazer Transmission Problems

499 messages,  Last post on May 30, 2013 at 7:17 AM

You are in the Chevrolet TrailBlazer Forum.

What is this discussion about? Chevrolet TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy, Oldsmobile Bravada, SUV

Messages Page 4 of 50

#30 of 499 2002 trailblazer transmission by skmaher

May 18, 2005 (5:22 pm)

I own a 2002 TB w/82,000 mi. My transmission just went out. I do realize it has a lot of miles, but I have owned several Chevy/GM vehicles all had 150k - 200k miles when I got rid of them and none ever had transmission problems.
 
Actually, I have spent money on this vehicle ever since I bought it. My gear shift assembly fell apart 10mo. after I got it. I had to replace my head lights and tail lights, the circuit board that controls them (before the recall came out), I had fuel injection problems ($300), my batter literally split down the side after 2 yrs., I replaced the #4 coil due to misfiring. I just replaced the water pump. The only thing warranty paid for was the gear shift, headlights, tail lights.....I was told warranty did not cover the rest - not even my extended warranty (which I just found out was not a GM warranty).
 
I talked with GM Customer Assistance and got no help. I have now filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. I have a letter that is being sent to Mr. Richard Wagoner, CEO of General Motors Corp. Depending on what the BBB complaint brings about, I may be airing my complaint about this hunk of junk on my local TV station which airs a segment on the news called 7On Your Side. I have also retained an attorney incase I need to file a law suit. I was told that everyone that has had problems (covered by warranty or not) needs to get together and file a Class Action Suit against GM regarding the transmission problems.
 
Let me know what you did about your problems and how it turned out. Thanks!

#31 of 499 Re: 2002 trailblazer transmission [skmaher] by gmfan

May 18, 2005 (6:59 pm)

Replying to: skmaher (May 18, 2005 5:22 pm)
Hopefully someone on the posts can get back to you with their experience. I have a 02 TB with 67K miles and the tranny works fine, but I have been noticing the vehicle seems to be working a little harder and differently while climbing some hills. When you drive the same route home in the evenings you get pretty used to when the tranny is going to downshift etc. Did you have any symptoms or did it go all of a sudden? The owners manual states we do not need to service the transmission on the TB until 100K miles. I was thinking I would do my brakes and tranny service at 75K.
 
I realize this is a tranny discussion, but would you mind telling at what mileage did the water pump go out?

#32 of 499 Re: 2002 trailblazer transmission [gmfan] by skmaher

May 19, 2005 (4:34 pm)

Replying to: gmfan (May 18, 2005 6:59 pm)
The water pump went out at 79k miles. I had no signs until it happened. I heard a funny noise, then it was like I put the truck in neutral and was reving the engine. I parked right then and it sat for 5 days until I had it towed to the dealership.
 
I hope others speak up and tell me about their experiences.
 
Thanks for your input.

#33 of 499 Water Pump? by burdawg

May 20, 2005 (10:31 am)

Was coolant leaking out on the ground?

#34 of 499 GM knows their tranmissions are faulty!!! by cdiddy

May 20, 2005 (4:18 pm)

Replying to: kmdl (Jun 10, 2003 11:46 am)
We have a 2002 Trailblazer LT. At 43,000 miles, my wife was driving some clients around (she's a realtor) when the transmissions started making a very loud whining/spinning sound and the car would not go anymore. Reverse had completely gone out. We had to have the car towed 22 miles. I then went to talk to the service manager at a local dealer and told him about the symptoms... he immediately said "Yep... that's the Sun Gear going out... happens all of the time in those things!" The lady right in front of me had the same issue at 20,000 miles, and then again at 38,000 miles!! Well, the dealership said it would be about $3,200 to replace the transmission. I asked if they could just fix the "Sun Gear" but they said that if they did that, without replacing the rest of the tranny, they could not warranty the work. You see, they'll do only the Sun Gear if you are still under warranty, hoping that your car will limp along until the warranty expires. But, since I had gone last the 36,000 miles, they wouldn't just fix that part. They said that the tranny alone was about $2,100 and that the labor was an 8.75 hours "book charge" (that's what they always charge, regardless of how long it takes). So, I know a friend in automotive repair and he said he could order the tranny using his business account. That was a good thing, because he got it for me for just over $1,400 (see how much they mark it up?). He did the work for $370, because it took him UNDER 6 hours (and he doesn't have all of the fancy schmancy equipment that they have, like a CAR lift for one!). So, my total here was about $1,800, saved about $1,400. So then I went back down to the dealership to sort of "complain"... after reading this forum it seems very apparent that this is a known issue with the 4L60-E Chevy transmission in 2002, but they do nothing about it. He suggested that I call "customer care" to see if I can get some "goodwill reimbursement". I tried that, and guess why they wouldn't reimburse me any money? You guessed it... this is because I didn't go to the overpriced dealership to have the work done. Even if I had, they said the best that might have happened would have been 25% return. At least my new tranny has a 3 year warranty. I don't think I'll keep the car that long due to these ridiculous events. This was/is a KNOWN and CHRONIC issue, and yet it's up to us, the consumer, to eat the cost. I'm going back to Toyota. This was my first, and last GM purchase.

#35 of 499 Re: 03 GMC Envoy Major Tranny probs!!! [dieselone] by holmes2

May 21, 2005 (11:06 pm)

Replying to: dieselone (Apr 19, 2005 5:12 am)
I had slipping problems on my 2003 Envoy XL. It started at about 12000 miles, but took a couple of return trips and dragging the transmission guy out at about 18,000 for a drive before it got addressed.
 
Under load, uphill 2nd to 3rd gear slips badly, sometimes all the way to 6000 RPM. There was never any warning lights or diagnostic messages on the test box that was plugged in during the demo.
 
The fix involved some valve/s rebuilt, which did make it totally fine......for a while!
 
At about 34,000 miles, the exact thing started all over again, after two trips back to the dealer who was "unable to reproduce the fault" I started to feel totally uneasy with the warranty getting close to the end. As I had loads of other issues during it's short two year life, I dumped it into the used market. (But not without getting a $3,500 loyalty certificate from the local GM rep.
 
So note, if you have problems, complain big time, offer a letter from your attorney.
 

#36 of 499 03 TrailBlazer Transmission Replaced by bpurvis

May 23, 2005 (3:53 pm)

Just had the transmission replaced on my 03 Trail Blazer Ext. No warnings just went out on trip out of town. Of course my mileage is just over the warranty limit (40,770). I drove it in 2nd gear (1st and 2nd only gears that worked) to the nearest Chevy dealership. The service manager was not at all surprised and said up front that he could probably get GM to cover parts. I had to cover the labor of about $750. Can't believe there hasn't been a recall on these transmissions yet.

#37 of 499 Re: 03 GMC Envoy Major Tranny probs!!! [kctahoe] by thecrusers

May 23, 2005 (7:04 pm)

Replying to: kctahoe (Apr 15, 2005 9:50 am)
Check your upper coolant line. Our transmission was doing the same thing . We took it to the dealer and the told us transmission is shot. They put the coolant line next to the cataylic converter and all the fluid leaked out with no warning causing to transmission to lock up.

#38 of 499 Re: 03 TrailBlazer Transmission Replaced [bpurvis] by thecrusers

May 23, 2005 (7:09 pm)

Replying to: bpurvis (May 23, 2005 3:53 pm)
Let me know how he was able to get gm to cover the parts. Gm refused to pay for mine.

#39 of 499 Re: Water Pump? [burdawg] by skmaher

May 24, 2005 (10:49 am)

Replying to: burdawg (May 20, 2005 10:31 am)
Not at first. I heard a noise under the hood. So, when I pulled into my carport, I raised the hood and started checking things. I found that the fan was very loose and oil was leaking from behind the fan. After it sat in my carport a little while, I looked under it, and oil and water/coolant both had leaked out. My husband took it that following Monday to a mechanic (not the dealer cause he is FED UP with GM) and they told us it was the water pump.

Messages Page 4 of 50

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