2005 Chevrolet Suburban Powertrain & Transmission Problems

FIRST THE TRANSMISSION FAILED RIGHT AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE 2 YEARS AGO. I HAD TO BUY A NEW TRANSMISSION THAT WASN'T CHEAP AROUND $3,500. THEN THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS STARTED WITH THE RIGHT SIDE LAST YEAR JUST HAD A TON OF PLAY IN IT MY MECHANIC FOUND IT WHEN LIFTING UP MY TRUCK FOR A TIRE ROTATION. THEN THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL BEARING JUST STARTED MAKING A LOAD ROARING NOISE BUT HAD NO PLAY IN IT AT ALL THAT I COULD FEEL WHEN CHECKING IT OUT. BOTH COST AROUND $250 A WHEEL TO REPLACE. NOW MY 5.3 LITER ENGINE IS HAVING A KNOCKING SOUND WHEN AT A STOP AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 30 MINUTES OR WHEN THE ENGINE IS HOT. ALSO I AM HEARING A SLIGHT TICKING SOUND FROM THE ENGINE COLD OR HOT. I HAVE 4 SMALL KIDS SO I NEED A VERY RELIABLE LARGE VEHICLE AND THIS IS SUBURBAN IS DRIVING ME AND MY WIFE CRAZY HAVING TO POOR MONEY IN THIS VEHICLE EVERY YEAR. I AM THE SOIL PROVIDER FOR MY FAMILY I CANT AFFORD PUTTING ALL MY MONEY INTO A VEHICLE LIKE THIS.

Gear status indicator does not display selected gear.

TRUCK DOOR IS NOT OPENING, FUEL GAS DEFECTIVE, REAR LIGHT SYSTEM HAS ELECTRICAL PROBLEM ALL THE TIMES, A/C SYSTEM ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.

IN MOTION ON CITY AND HIGHWAY

BEGAN HEARING A "WHINING" NOISE UNDER THE VEHICLE. NOISE WAS PROGRESSIVELY LOUDER AT ACCELERATED SPEEDS. LEFT VEHICLE AT LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER (CA) WHO DID AN INSPECTION AND DIAGNOSED A MECHANICAL ISSUE POSSIBLY WITH THE DIFFERENTIAL [REF. CLAIM CHECK 175]. SERVICE WRITER STATED ESTIMATED REPAIR COST FOR AN OVERHAUL WAS $3,000 VS. HIGHER COSTS TO REPLACE WITH USED OR NEW DIFFERENTIAL. SERVICE WRITER FURTHER INDICATED CONTINUED DRIVING COULD CAUSE FURTHER DAMAGE AND ADDED COST IF AXLE WAS ALSO AFFECTED. DECIDED TO TAKE VEHICLE TO A RECOGNIZED POWERTRAIN REPAIR FACILITY WHO DETERMINED (ALSO WITH A DRIVE TEST) THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL WAS THE PROBLEM AND GAVE INITIAL $1,200 ESTIMATE. AUTHORIZED REPAIR. FINAL COST WAS $813 AND INCLUDES 1 YEAR FULL WARRANTY. NOW RUNS SMOOTH / QUIET WHEN DRIVING. TECHNICIAN INDICATED THAT ALTHOUGH FLUID LEVEL WAS GOOD (SEALED AT FACTORY), A RING INSIDE THE DIFFERENTIAL WAS BAD (HAD BECOME PITTED AND COULD HAVE CAUSED FURTHER ISSUES IF UNCHECKED. CHANGED OUT RING AND BEARINGS BUT ALL OTHER COMPONENTS INCLUDING CASING WERE FINE. TECHNICIAN STATED SUCH WEAR IS UNCOMMON FOR A VEHICLE WITH ONLY 126K MILES AND WITH NO TOWING ON FACTORY TOW PACKAGE. IS THIS AN ANNOMILY OR ARE THERE OTHER CASES OF BAD PARTS IN DIFFERENTIAL FOR THIS MAKE / MODEL? WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS FURTHER WITH GM ZONE REP. BUT NO RESPONSE!!!

UNDER ANY CONDITIONS, THE SHIFT LEVER POSITION INDICATOR LOCATED IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DOES NOT ILLUMINATE. WHICH DOES NOT ALLOW THE DRIVER TO KNOW WHICH GEAR THE VEHICLE IS IN. WHICH INCREASES THE DRIVERS CHANCES OF CRASHING. *TR

THE AUTO TRANSMISSION 3 AND 4TH GEAR CLUTCH FAILED IN THIS UNIT WHICH RESEARCH SHOWS IS A COMMON FAILURE. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WAS OPENED FOR THE REPAIR THERE WERE TWO PARTS THAT SHOWED A LOT OF RUST WHICH INDICATED AN EXPOSURE TO WATER. I WOULD NOT BE WRITING THIS IF THE TRANSMISSION SHOP HAD NOT SHOWN ME A CHEVY AVALANCHE TRANSMISSION THEY HAD JUST CAME IN WITH THE SAME PARTS SHOWING THE RUST PATTERN. BOTH TRANSMISSIONS WERE MADE IN THE RAMOS, MEXICO GM FACTORY IN WITHIN A SHORT TIME FRAME. THIS IS MAJOR CONCERN IF THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED ON AN INTERSTATE AND THE LOSS OF SPEED COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC LIKE AN ACCIDENT LOCALLY IN LOWNDES COUNTY, MS WHERE A CROWN VICTORIA WAS HIT FROM BEHIND WHEN SOMETHING FAILED IN THAT CAR AND SLOWED DOWN. TWO PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIFE. *TR

I WAS DRIVING WITH MY TWO YOUNG CHILDREN IN THE CAR AND MY CAR MADE A CLICKING SOUND AND THEN BEGIN TO SHAKE AND VIBRATE. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT MADE A REALLY LOUD NOISE THAT SOUNDED LIKE THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR FELL ONTO THE ROAD AND WAS BEING DRAGGED ALONG AND THE IT WOULD NOT GO ANYMORE. I TRIED PUTTING IT IN PARK AND IT WOULD NOT STOP, IT ROLLED BACKWARDS UNTIL I PUT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON AND TURNED IT OFF. I HAD IT TOWED TO MECHANIC WHO INFORMED ME THE DRIVE SHAFT BROKE IN TWO. IT WAS A VERY SCARY INCIDENT WITH MY TWO SMALL CHILDREN IN THE CAR. THEY WERE CRYING INCONSOLABLY AND SCARED. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY THIS HAPPENED AND IF THERE IS SOME KIND OF DEFECT IN THE 2005 CHEVY SUBURBAN THAT CAUSED THIS. *TR

MY 2005 SUBURBAN CHEV. HAS 46,000 AND THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH GEAR. THE DEALER SAID THIS IS FAIRLY NORMAL TO HAPPEN. IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY. THE COST TO REPAIR IS $3000.00 TO $4000.00. THE CAR STARTED MAKING AN AWFUL NOISE, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL SAID TRANSMISSION HOT. WHEN I PUSHED ON THE ACCELERATOR THE CAR WOULD NOT GO IT JUST MADE AN AWFUL NOISE. THANK GOD I WAS ON A ROAD I COULD PULL OVER ON. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED IN TO THE DEALER.I HAVE A $50,000 CAR THAT CAN'T BE DRIVEN. IS THIS A COMMON PROBLEM TO 2005 SUBURBAN? *TR

MY 2005 SUBURBAN THE DRIVE SHAFT WAS BROKEN AT ONLY ABOUT 40 MPH. IF IT HAPPENED ON HIGHWAY, PROBALLY WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE I HAS LOST THE CONTROL TOTALLY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE GEAR SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL INDEPENDENTLY. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE RESUMED IN THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE MODE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TWICE WHERE THE SHIFT GEAR ACTUATOR WAS REPLACED. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE PUSH BUTTON GEAR SELECTOR WAS ALSO REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000.

TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WITH A REBUILT TRANSMISSION @ 51,100 MILES. CHILDREN AND OTHER PASSENGERS WERE STRANDED IN PA @ 12:00 AM. *TR

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. AS I BEGAN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, IN ORDER TO MAKE A LEFT TURN ACROSS OPPOSING TRAFFIC LANES, I HAD A COMPLETE FAILURE OF FORWARD MOMENTUM. THE VEHICLE BEHIND ME NARROWLY MISSED A REAR END ACCIDENT AND OPPOSING TRAFFIC WAS FORCED TO QUICKLY STOP AS I WAS LEFT BLOCKING THEIR TRAFFIC LANE. VEHICLE STILL UNDER WARRANTY WITH 25,122 MILES. DEALER REPAIRED TRANSMISSION AND IDENTIFIED "SPRAG GEAR FOUND DAMAGED ... CLUTCHES ALSO BURNT REPLACED AS NEEDED...". POSSIBLE TSBS 08-07-30-027. *TR

THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN SLIPPING; THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR; THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT OR REPLACED ON 2/06/2008, WE HAD IT REBUILT. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD 69710 MILES. WE WERE IN A RURAL AREA AT THE TIME RATHER THAN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. THANK GOODNESS. *TR

I HAVE A 2005 CHEVY SUBURBAN 4X4 AND WITHIN THE FIRST 14,000 MILES IT HAS STARTED TO ENGAGE INTO 4W LO WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, IN REVERSE, GOING 25 MPH IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD(THIS IS A GEAR THAT YOU CANNOT DRIVE OVER 15MPH IN). NEEDLESS TO SAY THAT SHELLWORTH CHEVROLET LOCATED IN VACAVILLE, CA HAS BEEN TRYING TO FIX THE PROBLEM FOR OVER 25,000 MILES AND OVER 6 TIMES IN THE SHOP. THEY HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL WITH THE LAST TIME IT WAS IN THE SHOP UNWILLING TO DO ANYTHING FOR ME. IT HAS EVEN BEEN TOWED INTO THEIR SHOP ON ONE OCCASION. THEY NO LONGER WANT TO PROVIDE ME WITH SERVICE, TOLD ME TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH GM FOR A BUYBACK PURCHASE AND SHOED ME OFF. GM SAYS IT IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE BUYBACK PROGRAM PROBABLY BECAUSE OF ALL THE FALSE AND INACCURATE INFORMATION THE SERVICE WRITERS HAVE DOCUMENTED ON THE WORK ORDERS. I HAVE ASKED TO SPEAK TO GM DISTRICT MANAGER WHO HAS MADE THIS DECISION AND HE HAS DECLINED TO SPEAK TO ME, AS WELL AS THE SERVICE MANAGER AT SHELLWORTH HAS NOT RETURNED MY LAST 2 PHONE CALLS. THE LAW STATES THAT THEY EITHER FIX MY VEHICLE TO A WORKING ORDER OR GIVE ME A REPLACEMENT VEHICLE. THEY ARE NOT DOING EITHER. ON OCT. 31 AFTER ARGUING WITH THEM BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT TO HANDLE THE ISSUE THAT TIME EITHER THEY DECIDED TO GO LOOK AT A DIFFERENT BULLETIN AND FOUND SOMETHING, SO THEY REPLACED SOME PARTS AND RELEASED THE VEHICLE TO ME. SINCE THEN THE LIGHT HAS CAME ON 2 TIMES WHICH IS THE START OF THE PROCESS IN WHICH IT THEN ENGAGES TO 4W LO ALL BY ITSELF. *TR

TRANSMISSION HOT LIGHT CAME ON AS TRAVELING THE INTERSTATE. PULLED OVER UNTIL LIGHT WENT OUT. LEFT THE INTERSTATE, LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. AS TRYING TO PULL OFF ROAD, TRUCK STOPPED (ENGINE ON, BUT WOULD NOT ADVANCE FORWARD). HAD TO REPLACE WITH ANOTHER TRANSMISSION. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS BUILT WITH WATER INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION. THE SERVICE DEALER DETERMINED IT WAS RAIN WATER. THE TRANSMISSION WAS CLEANED AND COMPLETELY RESEALED. A COWL WATER DEFLECTOR WAS ADDED TO SOLVE THIS ISSUE IN THE FUTURE. UPDATED 9/18/2006 - *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE BEING ON AN INCLINE AND WITH THE GEAR SHIFTER IN DRIVE THE VEHICLE ROLLS BACK IF THE BRAKES ARE NOT APPLIED. UPON INSPECTION THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THIS IS THE WAY THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED. UPDATED 4/14/2006 - *NM

WHILE DRIVING INTO WORK THE REAR END HOUSING EXPLODED AND THE DRIVE SHAFT DROPPED TO PIECES BOTH FLEW ALL OVER THE HIGHWAY SOME COMING OUT RED HOT. *JB

FAULTY TRANSMISSION AND PRESSURE PUMP. *NM