2000 Chevrolet Suburban Powertrain & Transmission Problems

WHILE MAKING A LOW SPEED SHARP LEFT TURN, MY POWER STEERING SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING. I WAS ABLE TO AVOID HITTING ANYTHING. DIAGNOSIS AT THE DEALER WAS THAT THE SHAFT ON THE POWER STEERING PUMP HAD SNAPPED. WHILE LOOKING AROUND ON THE INTERNET TO SEE IF OTHERS HAD THIS PROBLEM, I DISCOVERED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID 05V005000 ISSUED IN JANUARY 2005 WHICH APPEARS TO DESCRIBE MY EXACT PROBLEM. I HAD BEEN INFORMED OF SEVERAL RECALLS BY CHEVROLET FOR OTHER PROBLEMS BUT HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY NOTICE OF THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE AND WAS UNAWARE OF THE POTENTIAL DANGER. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE VIN NUMBER OF MY SUBURBAN WAS NOT ON THE LIST OF AFFECTED VEHICLES. I CONTACTED GENERAL MOTORS CUSTOMER CARE (CASE #71-523372221) AND THEY VERIFIED THAT MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT PART OF THE POPULATION OF SUBURBAN COVERED BY THIS ACTION. THIS IS A DANGEROUS MATTER. IF MY WIFE HAD BEEN DRIVING OR IF I HAD BEEN TRYING TO AVOID SOMETHING IN THE ROAD AT HIGH SPEED, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT. I DO NOT KNOW IF I JUST HAPPENED TO RECEIVE AN ISOLATED DEFECTIVE PUMP OR IF THE POPULATION OF DEFECTIVE SUBURBAN IS LARGER THAN CHEVROLET CURRENTLY ACKNOWLEDGES. THE PUMP WAS REPLACED. *TR

CONSUMER PLACED THE VEHICLE INTO THE GARAGE AND TRANSMISSION FELT AS IF IT SLIPPED. THE NEXT DAY THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO OVER 40 MPH. TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST TO THE CONSUMER. THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE DRIVESHAFT RECALL 05V005000. *AK *TC

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD DOWN SHIFT WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 60MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE WENT FROM 60MPH TO 30MPH ALL OF A SUDDEN. ONCE I WAS OFF THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T DRIVE OVER 30MPH. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL DEALER WHO INFORMED ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE IS MAINTAINED PROPERLY AND THE TRANSMISSION FLUID ISN'T SCHEDULED FOR CHANGING UNTIL 100,000 MILES. HOWEVER, I CHECK IT WHEN GASING UP. THE FLUID IS NEVER LOW OR BURNED. SO THE TRANSMISSION SUFFERED MAJOR MECHANICAL FAILURE BEFORE THE FLUID WAS EVEN SCHEDULED TO BE CHANGED. THE VEHICLE HAS 77,000 MILES ON IT AND THE MANUFACTURE STATED THEY WOULDN'T REPLACE IT. I DON'T PULL TRAILERS OR BOATS WITH MY VEHICLE. SO I BELEIVE THERE WAS A FLAW WITH THE TRANSMISSION WHEN IT WAS PURCHASED. WHEN I SPOKE WITH OTHER SURBURBAN OWNERS WITH THE SAME MODEL AND YEAR THEY STATED THAT THEY ALSO HAD CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR TRANSMISSIONS. HOWEVER, THEY HADN'T YET EXPERIENCED FULL SYSTEM FAILURE AS I HAVE. LUCKILY, WHEN I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME. HAD THEY BEEN THAT INDIVIDUAL OR MYSELF COULD HAVE BEEN INJURED OR KILLED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WENT FROM 60 TO 30 ALL OF A SUDDEN. I'VE TALKED WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE REPS AND MANAGERS AT GM WHO DIDN'T CARE ABOUT THE POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD ON THESE VEHICLES EVEN WHEN PROPERLY MAINTAINED OR THE FACT THAT THAY HAD A CUSTOMER WHO SPENT 48'000 DOLLARS ON A VEHICLE THAT WOULD NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION AFTER 3 YEARS.*AK

TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT, CONSUMER STATES THAT THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT HAVE AN EXTERNAL COOLANT WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN REQUESTED AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE, THE TRANSMISSION BURNED ITSELF UP. *SLC

VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN PARK, HOWEVER WHILE CONSUMER WAS STEPPING OUT, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO MOVE DOWN THE GRADE, DAMAGING ONE VEHICLE AND THEN COMING TO A STOP AGAINST A SECOND VEHICLE, GENERAL MOTORS SENT OUT AN ENGINEER TO EXAMINE VEHICLE AND CONCLUDED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND THAT THEY WERE NOT AT FAULT. *SLC

VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN PARK ON A SLIGHT UPGRADE, AS CONSUMER WAS STEPPING OUT OF VEHICLE AND REMOVED THE KEYS, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO MOVE DOWN THE GRADE DAMAGING ANOTHER VEHICLE BEFORE COMING TO A STOP AGAINST ANOTHER VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE WAS STILL IN PARK WHEN IT FINALLY STOPPED, CONSUMER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER AND AFTER THE INSPECTION CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY MANUFACTURER THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND NO FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE WOULD BE GIVEN.*JB

TRANSMISSION CAUSING NOISE, VIBRATING AND A SKIPPING FEELING TO THE TIRES WHEN TURNING, THIS CONDITION IS ESPECIALLY NOTICEABLE WHILE TURNING THE WHEEL IN REVERSE,THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY WHEN VEHICLE IS PLACED IN 2 WHEEL OR 4 WHEEL DRIVE.