1999 Chevy Tahoe transmission gone
Question:
Hi, I have a ‘99 Tahoe with 37,700 miles on it and the tranny just went out (can shift it manually, but won’t shift automatically). We are discussing with GM to see if we can get it covered under warranty, since it’s so close. They are considering it, but I doubt if they will. Has anyone else experienced transmission problems this early in ownership? I am rather miffed as it has never been abused, we go off road very occasionally and keep up the maintenance regularly; according to manufacturer’s specs. We’re talking $1,500 in repairs. Any advice/experience/opinion is very welcome. Thank you all in advance for your help. Kathy
Response:
Kathy, You have the 4L60E transmission. It has been nothing but trouble since it was first introduced. There is a whole litany of problems with it. Do your best to get GM to pay for it. Your relationship with your dealer has a lot to do with the outcome. If you are a "dedicated customer" (i.e. you let them charge you 4 times what maintenance is worth), they will often intercede with GM on your behalf. When you get it back, have an independent transmission mechanic (NOT a chain!) install a large dedicated AT cooler and bypass the factory "in radiator" cooler. Use Mobil 1 ATF and change the filter every 15k miles; use the OEM replacement filter. Doing these things is no guarantee it will not grenade on you again buy it’s really all you can do. Dean – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Hi, > I have a ‘99 Tahoe with 37,700 miles on it and the tranny just went out (can > shift it manually, but won’t shift automatically). We are discussing with > GM to see if we can get it covered under warranty, since it’s so close. > They are considering it, but I doubt if they will. > Has anyone else experienced transmission problems this early in ownership? > I am rather miffed as it has never been abused, we go off road very > occasionally and keep up the maintenance regularly; according to > manufacturer’s specs. We’re talking $1,500 in repairs. > Any advice/experience/opinion is very welcome. > Thank you all in advance for your help. > Kathy
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Kathy, > You have the 4L60E transmission. It has been nothing but trouble since > it was first introduced. There is a whole litany of problems with it. > Do your best to get GM to pay for it. Your relationship with your dealer > has a lot to do with the outcome. If you are a "dedicated customer" > (i.e. you let them charge you 4 times what maintenance is worth), they > will often intercede with GM on your behalf. > When you get it back, have an independent transmission mechanic (NOT a > chain!) install a large dedicated AT cooler and bypass the factory "in > radiator" cooler. Use Mobil 1 ATF and change the filter every 15k miles; > use the OEM replacement filter. Doing these things is no guarantee it > will not grenade on you again buy it’s really all you can do. > Dean
Dean, Is it possible that you are exaggerating on the reliability of the 4l60E. My father-in law buys a new 1500 Suburban every 2 years and puts about 100k on them in that time. He lives in the mountains of NC and the vehicles spend their time constanly going up and down these steep mountain roads. He has been doing this for at least 10 years and, to my knowledge, has never had a transmission problem or does he do any transmission maintenance. (Brakes are another story). — Rob Munach, PE Excel Engineering Carrboro, NC
Response:
Rob, Glad for your father-in-law but if you go a google groups search on "4L60E" you will see what I mean. Or ask your AT mechanic. Or look up the TSBs on www.nhtsa.com. Most AT mechanics see 4L60Es nearly every day. When a 4L80E comes in everyone goes over to look at it; they are mighty rare in a tranny shop. Granted, there are far fewer 4L80Es running around but the ones that are are nearly bulletproof. Dean – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Kathy, >You have the 4L60E transmission. It has been nothing but trouble since >it was first introduced. There is a whole litany of problems with it. >Do your best to get GM to pay for it. Your relationship with your dealer >has a lot to do with the outcome. If you are a "dedicated customer" >(i.e. you let them charge you 4 times what maintenance is worth), they >will often intercede with GM on your behalf. >When you get it back, have an independent transmission mechanic (NOT a >chain!) install a large dedicated AT cooler and bypass the factory "in >radiator" cooler. Use Mobil 1 ATF and change the filter every 15k miles; >use the OEM replacement filter. Doing these things is no guarantee it >will not grenade on you again buy it’s really all you can do. >Dean > Dean, Is it possible that you are exaggerating on the reliability of the > 4l60E. My father-in law buys a new 1500 Suburban every 2 years and puts > about 100k on them in that time. He lives in the mountains of NC and the > vehicles spend their time constanly going up and down these steep > mountain roads. He has been doing this for at least 10 years and, to my > knowledge, has never had a transmission problem or does he do any > transmission maintenance. (Brakes are another story).
Response:
if you can ’shift it manually’ the transmission itself is not bad you have probably lost power to the shift solenoids my advice is to take it to an independent transmission shop that does a lot of GM trucks, and let them troubleshoot it; especially the feed from IGN switch to the transmission ‘E’ terminal hope this helps
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hi, > I have a ‘99 Tahoe with 37,700 miles on it and the tranny just went out (can > shift it manually, but won’t shift automatically). We are discussing with > GM to see if we can get it covered under warranty, since it’s so close. > They are considering it, but I doubt if they will. > Has anyone else experienced transmission problems this early in ownership? > I am rather miffed as it has never been abused, we go off road very > occasionally and keep up the maintenance regularly; according to > manufacturer’s specs. We’re talking $1,500 in repairs. > Any advice/experience/opinion is very welcome. > Thank you all in advance for your help. > Kathy
Response:
"Rob Munach" wrote > Dean, Is it possible that you are exaggerating on
"everything and anything in general" Rob, you win my personal award for the understatement of the year. Ian
Response:
Dean and everyone, Thank you for the advice on the transmission. We have a pretty good relationship with our dealer and the service writer went to bat for us with GM. They have agreed to repair it at no cost to us….of course, we are letting the dealership do the brakes instead of taking it to our preferred brake shop, but I feel it’s a small price to pay ($450 for front and rear) as opposed to the $1,500 "estimate" I got to do the transmission. It happened to be the forward drive doo hickey that went and I understand from talking to a few people around here, that it was nothing we did, it just happens. I guess it could have been worse. If what you say is true, Dean, I will be turning this one in at the end of the lease period….we had thought about keeping it, but I don’t want a vehicle that will go through transmissions like that. We have to use it for our business and need it to be reliable. I will take the recommendations for the cooler under advisement and may do what you suggest sometime in the near future. We will definitely be more diligent in changing the ATF. Thanks again! Kathy
Response:
Kathy; With all due respect to you, the dealer is giving you a line of bull I repeat: IF YOU CAN SHIFT THRU THE GEARS MANUALLY, THERE IS NO INTERNAL MECHANICAL PROBLEM
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Dean and everyone, > Thank you for the advice on the transmission. We have a pretty good > relationship with our dealer and the service writer went to bat for us with > GM. They have agreed to repair it at no cost to us….of course, we are > letting the dealership do the brakes instead of taking it to our preferred > brake shop, but I feel it’s a small price to pay ($450 for front and rear) > as opposed to the $1,500 "estimate" I got to do the transmission. It > happened to be the forward drive doo hickey that went and I understand from > talking to a few people around here, that it was nothing we did, it just > happens. I guess it could have been worse. > If what you say is true, Dean, I will be turning this one in at the end of > the lease period….we had thought about keeping it, but I don’t want a > vehicle that will go through transmissions like that. We have to use it for > our business and need it to be reliable. > I will take the recommendations for the cooler under advisement and may do > what you suggest sometime in the near future. We will definitely be more > diligent in changing the ATF. > Thanks again! > Kathy
Response:
Gary, Thanks for your concern. They tore it apart and told me the problem. I may have been unclear when I described the problem to the NG. Gears 1, 2 & 3 can be shifted manually, but Drive doesn’t work at all. You shift into Drive and nothing happens…the engine just revvs. It happened when we were shifting from R to D, moving slightly. We heard a noise then and the engine just revved in D. I assumed that something broke. Regardless of the problem, I don’t have to pay for it and that is my main concern. If I had to pay for it, you can bet I would get a 2nd opinion! I’ve been taken a couple of times by mechanics and dealers and don’t intend to have it happen again. Again, I appreciate your advice very much. Kathy; – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> With all due respect to you, the dealer is giving you a line of bull > I repeat: IF YOU CAN SHIFT THRU THE GEARS MANUALLY, THERE IS NO INTERNAL > MECHANICAL PROBLEM > Dean and everyone, > Thank you for the advice on the transmission. We have a pretty good > relationship with our dealer and the service writer went to bat for us > with > GM. They have agreed to repair it at no cost to us….of course, we are > letting the dealership do the brakes instead of taking it to our preferred > brake shop, but I feel it’s a small price to pay ($450 for front and rear) > as opposed to the $1,500 "estimate" I got to do the transmission. It > happened to be the forward drive doo hickey that went and I understand > from > talking to a few people around here, that it was nothing we did, it just > happens. I guess it could have been worse. > If what you say is true, Dean, I will be turning this one in at the end of > the lease period….we had thought about keeping it, but I don’t want a > vehicle that will go through transmissions like that. We have to use it > for > our business and need it to be reliable. > I will take the recommendations for the cooler under advisement and may do > what you suggest sometime in the near future. We will definitely be more > diligent in changing the ATF. > Thanks again! > Kathy
Response:
Carp, Those of us who actually repair ATs call the 4L60E the new 401K. It’s a more dependable revenue stream than any 401K. You, who moves kitty litter around with a broom at Jiffy Lube (that’s where you work, right?) would not know that. Or did you get fired from JL and you’re now at Wal-Mart? Got a thing for sub-minimum wage jobs, don’t ya! Dean <snip>
Response:
"Dean Dardwin" wrote > Those of us who actually repair ATs call the 4L60E the new 401K. It’s a > more dependable revenue stream than any 401K.
I don’t know how you can call doing trans services "repairing AT’s". That is all you actually do on these isn’t it? For the most part, it’s all I’ve done on auto transmissions, but then I’m quite willing to admit that auto transmissions are not my specialty. > You, who moves kitty litter around with a broom at Jiffy Lube (that’s > where you work, right?) would not know that. Or did you get fired from > JL and you’re now at Wal-Mart? Got a thing for sub-minimum wage jobs, > don’t ya!
Hey no fair….the Wal-Mart shot was originated by Checkmate. Stop stealing his insults and pretending they are yours. You have a couple of original’s….Carp, and kitty litter mechanic….I rather like those two…heh heh. Ian
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > "Dean Dardwin" wrote >Those of us who actually repair ATs call the 4L60E the new 401K. It’s a >more dependable revenue stream than any 401K. > I don’t know how you can call doing trans services > "repairing AT’s". That is all you actually do on these > isn’t it? > For the most part, it’s all I’ve done on auto transmissions, > but then I’m quite willing to admit that auto transmissions > are not my specialty.
Then quit running your mouth about something you obviously know nothing about. >You, who moves kitty litter around with a broom at Jiffy Lube (that’s >where you work, right?) would not know that. Or did you get fired from >JL and you’re now at Wal-Mart? Got a thing for sub-minimum wage jobs, >don’t ya! > Hey no fair….the Wal-Mart shot was originated by Checkmate. > Stop stealing his insults and pretending they are yours. You have > a couple of original’s….Carp, and kitty litter mechanic….I rather > like those two…heh heh.
I forgot. Even Wal-Mart has minimum standards their "mechanics" must meet. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Ian
Response:
Dean! Have I got this 4L60E tranny in my ‘99 GMC 1500 Sierra 4×4 (5.3L)? How do I tell for sure…? I think it does funny stuff sometimes……! Got 34,000 miles right now….might want it to FAIL by 36,000 huh?? Thanks, JW
