2004 GMC Sierra Powertrain & Transmission Problems

POWER TRAIN PCM DEFECTIVE WITH TRANSFER CASE WITH BAD DESIGNING WITH SHOE PUMP, AND BRAKE LINE CORRODED AND LEAK. BRAKE SYSTEM WILL NOT PREVENT VEHICLE TO STOP WHEN BRAKE LINES ARE LEAK. FOR MY 2004 I WAS LUCKY DRIVING ON SLOW SPEED ON CITY ROAD, AND I WAS ABLE TO USE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP MY TRUCK.

I WAS LEAVING A PARKING LOT, AND AS I HIT MY BRAKES, THERE WERE NO BRAKES. I LIMPED HOME, USING THE E-BRAKE AND TRANSMISSION TO KEEP THE TRUCK UNDER CONTROL. UPON INSPECTION I FOUND THE FRONT BRAKE LINE RUSTED AND LEAKING. *TR

WILL NOT GO INTO PARK. *TR

I WAS DRIVING DOWN ROUTE 24 IN LEWES, DELAWARE APPROACHING A YELLOW LIGHT WHEN THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED. I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THEY COMPLETELY FAILED DESPITE PUTTING THE PEDDLE ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. I WAS FORCED TO VEER ONTO THE SHOULDER THEN INTO A FARMERS FIELD IN ORDER TO SLOW THE TRUCK DOWN ENOUGH TO FORCE IT INTO PARK. APPARENTLY THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE LINES ON THESE TRUCKS ARE COMPLETELY EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS AND HAVE A HISTORY OF FAILING. ONCE THAT HAPPENS, THE REAR CALIPERS LOCK UP AND THERE ARE NO BRAKES AT ALL SWITCH CAN CAUSE A CRASH. THERE IS NO WARNING GIVEN UNTIL THE HYDRAULIC LINE SNAPS AND THE FLUID IS RELEASED. MY TRUCK HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND HAS LOW MILEAGE FOR ITS AGE. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AND IS NOT A WORK TRUCK BUT MERELY A PERSONAL VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, I AM ON MY THIRD TRANSMISSION DO TO THE POOR SELECTION GM MADE OF PUTTING THE S-10 PICK UP TRANSMISSION IN A SUBSTANTIALLY HEAVIER TRUCK. *TR

THE MANUAL SHIFT ON THE FLY SYSTEM (MSOF) WITH NEW VENTURE GEARS AUTOMATIC TRANSFER CASE IS DEFECTIVELY DESIGNED. A METAL ANTI-RATTLE CLIP WORKS IT WAY THROUGH THE CASE HOUSING, CAUSING ALL FLUID TO LEAK OUT OF THE TRANSFER CASE. THE CLUTCHES THEN BURN OUT RENDERING THE TRANSFER CASE USELESS. THE RESULT IS NO 4 WHEEL DRIVE (NO POWER TO FRONT WHEELS) WHEN SHIFT ON THE FLY IS PRESSED, LEAVING DRIVER SLIDING ON SNOW OR ICE--WHICH HAPPENED TO ME IN A NEAR WRECK. I RECOVERED FROM THE SLIDE AND GOT THE VEHICLE HOME AND THEN TO A REPAIR SHOP (ONCE THE SNOW MELTED) FOR A NEW TRANSFER CASE (REPAIR ONGOING). DRIVERS MAY RELY ON THE 4WD IN INCLEMENT WEATHER TO CERTAIN CONDITIONS AND BE INJURED WHEN THE 4WD DOES NOT ENGAGE DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE TRANSFER CASE. THIS CONDITION IS SO COMMON IN THE GMC SIERRA/CHEVY SILVERADO THAT THERE ARE NOW PARTS TO PREVENT THE CLIP FROM EATING THROUGH THE HOUSING: THE MERCHANT AUTOMOTIVE UPGRADE PROVIDES THE SOLUTION THAT SHOULD BE DONE TO ALL 4WD MODELS WITH THE DEFECTIVE TRANSFER CASES: HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=NJ5ZS8WOMNK&FEATURE=RELATED THE CONDITION WOULD NOT IMPACT 2WD MODELS, HOWEVER. IT SHOULD BE REMEDIED BY GENERAL MOTORS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC SIERRA. THE CONTACT WAS TOWING A BOAT AND DISCOVERED THERE WAS TRANSFER CASE OIL SPLATTERED ALL OVER THE BOAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR FACILITY WHERE HE WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE TRANSFER CASE. A NEW TRANSFER CASE AND PUMP HOUSING WERE INSTALLED AT THE INDEPENDENT REPAIR FACILITY. THE FAILURE DID NOT RECUR. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 82,000.

TRANSFER CASE NV 246 INTERNAL OIL PUMP WEARS HOLE IN MAGNESIUM CASE AND LEAKS OIL COMPLETELY OUT OF TRANSFER CASE. OIL COATS UNDERSIDE OF VEHICLE INCLUDING HOT EXHAUST SYSTEM. SMOKE APPEARED FROM VEHICLE. TRANSFER CASE MADE ABNORMAL GRINDING NOISE AND THEN OVERHEATED DAMAGING INTERNAL COMPONENTS. TRANSFER CASE REQUIRES REPLACEMENT. VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DISABLED BECAUSE OF FAILURE. FIRE WAS AVERTED. VEHICLE MAINTAINED AT DEALER EXCLUSIVELY EXCEPT FOR OIL CHANGES. DEALER NEVER PROVIDED ANY INFO REGARDING POTENTIAL MAJOR DESIGN FLAW. REPAIR QUOTE FROM DEALER $2200. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC SIERRA . THE COLUMN SHIFTER COULD CHANGE GEARS WITHOUT BRAKE APPLICATION. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALERSHIP. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 114743.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC SIERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE JERKED VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000....UPDATED 10/19/12 *BF UPDATED 10/25/12

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC SIERRA 2500 HD. THE CONTACT PERFORMED ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ON THE VEHICLE AND OBSERVED THAT THE TRANSFER CASE (4 -WHEEL DRIVE) CONTAINED PINHOLES, WHICH LED TO AN INTERNAL FLUID LEAK. THE TRANSFER CASE FLUID LEVEL WAS COMPLETELY EMPTY. THE LOCKING CLIP FAILED, WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SHOP AND THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE LOCKING CLIP. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 126,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC SIERRA 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY AND IT WOULD INDICATE A FASTER SPEED THAN HE WAS ACTUALLY DRIVING. THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE ALSO MALFUNCTIONED. THE CONTACT PREVIOUSLY REPLACED BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE CARRIER BEARINGS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO ELEVATE THE VEHICLE AND MOVE THE WHEEL ABOUT A HALF INCH IN BOTH DIRECTIONS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER BUT WAS OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS A 2005 MODEL PRODUCED IN 2004; HOWEVER, THE VIN DISPLAYED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS A 2004. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 150,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000.

2004 GMC SIERRA SLE W/TRAILER TOWING PACKAGE, 2-WHEEL DRIVE. 2ND OWNER. NEVER USED TO TOW WHATSOEVER. EXTREMELY WELL CARED FOR. 59,665 MILES. STARTED MAKING "ROARING" NOISE FROM READ END. CALLED GM TO ASCERTAIN IF HELP FOR PROBLEM AVAILABLE. THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO LAWRENCE-HALL, ABILENE, TEXAS FOR EVALUATION. LAWRENCE HALL SAYS BEARING IN DIFFERENTIAL HAS FAILED. GM REFUSES TO HELP IN ANY WAY WHATSOEVER WITH THE REPAIR, AND EVEN SAYS THAT I AM LIABLE FOR THE COST OF THE EVALUATION, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE THE ONES WHO TOLD ME TO TAKE IT THERE, AND EVEN THOUGH THEY NEVER SAID THAT THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR IT. WHEN THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT THERE, THEY IMPLIED THAT THEY WOULD PAY FOR THE EVALUATION. I CONTEND THAT AT 59,000 THAT BEARING SHOULD NEVER HAVE FAILED; THAT MILLIONS OF VEHICLES GO 2, 3 AND 4 TIMES THAT DISTANCE AND NEVER HAVE THAT PROBLEM, AND THAT HAD THIS LOCKED UP, IT COULD HAVE CAUSED DEATH AND INJURY TO DRIVER, PASSENGER AND OTHERS. ALSO CONTEND THAT GM SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME THAT IF THEY DECLINED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR, THAT I WOULD BE LIABLE FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC CHARGE. WHEN I DROPPED THE VEHICLE OFF, THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME 3 TIMES THAT "THE COURTESY VEHICLE IS OUT THERE WAITING FOR YOU," IMPLYING FOR ME TO HURRY UP AND GET OUT THERE, BUT THEN, AS I WAS ON MY WAY OUT THE DOOR, BROUGHT ME A CLIPBOARD AND TOLD ME TO FILL IN MY CONTACT INFO "SO WE CAN GET A HOLD OF YOU." I HANDED IT BACK TO HIM, AND HE SAID I NEEDED TO SIGN IT TO GIVE THEM PERMISSION TO WORK ON IT. BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN RUSHING ME, I SIGNED IT AND WALKED OUT. NOW IT APPEARS THAT THEY THINK THAT SINCE I SIGNED THAT FORM THAT I ACKNOWLEDGE TO THEM THAT I AM LIABLE FOR THE COST OF THE REPAIR. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC SIERRA 2500. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PLACE THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE, THE GEAR AUTOMATICALLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO COAST BACKWARDS. TWO DAYS LATER, WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY DISENGAGED OUT OF TWO WHEEL DRIVE AND SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE SO THE CONTACT SAFELY PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND WAITED TWO MINUTES. HE THEN PRESSED THE BUTTON ON THE TRANSFER CASE TO RE-ENGAGE THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE. HE TOOK HIS VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE TRANSFER CASE CONTROL MODULE AND MOTOR. THERE HAD BEEN NO FURTHER OCCURRENCES. THE CONTACT FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,268.

REFERENCE A GMC 2004 SIERRA 3500 4 WHEEL DRIVE PICK UP TRUCK, 6.6L DIESEL ENGINE WITH 6 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. THE MOLDED RUBBER AROUND THE DRIVELINE CENTER SUPPORT CARRIER BEARING (PART # 12472424) DRY ROTTED CAUSING DRIVELINE VIBRATION THAT, IN TURN CAUSED THE TRANSFER CASE TO FAIL. THE VIBRATION WAS SLIGHT AND NOT CONSTANT, NOT INDICATING A MAJOR PROBLEM. THE PART IN QUESTION IS A NON-SERVICEABLE PART, PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE DID NOT AND WOULD NOT PREVENT THIS FAILURE. THE TRANSFER CASE WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED AND WAS ON THE VERGE OF TOTAL LOCK UP WHICH WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE REAR WHEELS TO LOCK UP UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE COST TO FIX THIS PROBLEM IS OVER $3000 DOLLARS TO HAVE THE DEALER DO THE REPAIRS. SINCE I AM A COMPETENT MECHANIC, I INSPECTED AND FOUND THIS PROBLEM WHEN I FIRST NOTICED A SLIGHT VIBRATION, MOST VEHICLE OWNERS WOULD HAVE DRIVEN THE TRUCK UNTIL THE WHEELS LOCKED UP POSSIBLY CAUSING A LIFE THREATENING CRASH. THE PART IN QUESTION IS WITHOUT A DOUBT A DEFECTIVE PART. IT IS MADE IN CHINA. WHILE MANY PARTS COMING FROM CHINA TODAY ARE OF SUFFICIENT QUALITY, CHINESE RUBBER IS SUBSTANDARD AND DRY ROTS IN ABOUT TWO YEARS UNDER MOST CIRCUMSTANCES. IT IS UNCONSCIONABLE FOR GM TO USE SUBSTANDARD PARTS IN SUCH CRITICAL AREAS OF THEIR VEHICLES. *TR INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

FLY WHEEL AND SPEEDOMETER. *TR

2004 GMC 2500 HD. PURCHASED MY TRUCK IN FALL OF 2003. MY SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING PROPERLY. TRUCK ONLY HAS 45K MILES. DEALERSHIP ADVISED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PANEL WAS BAD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. NEW PART IS @ $210.00 PLUS LABOR. THE SEAL ON MY RIGHT FRONT AXLE IS ALSO STARTING TO LEAK. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON A HILL WITH THE PARKING BRAKE ENGAGED, THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS INSIDE THE VEHICLE, AND MANAGED TO AVOID A CRASH BY APPLYING BRAKE PRESSURE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER, WHO DETERMINED A LARGE AMOUNT OF GREASE WAS PRESENT ON THE PARKING BRAKE SHOE FROM A LEAKING RIGHT REAR AXLE SEAL. THE RIGHT REAR AXLE SEAL WAS REPLACED, BUT AFTERWARDS THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, AND DETERMINED THE LEFT REAR AXLE SEAL WAS LEAKING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. *AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 20 MPH THE TRANSMISSION MADE A NOISE WHILE IT WAS CHANGING GEARS. AT FIRST THE NOISE WAS A LIGHT PING BUT NOW THE NOISE HAD BECOME REGRESSIVELY WORSE. THE SOUND GRADUATED TO A CLUNK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ALERTED THAT A LETTER FROM THE MANUFACTURER INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE FIXED. THE NOISE WAS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE WAY THE VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED. UPDATED 9/28/2006 - *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING IN NORMAL CONDITIONS, THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION; HOWEVER, THE NEW TRANSMISSION HAS THE SAME PROBLEM.

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WOULD INTERMITTENTLY HESITATE BEFORE CATCHING IN GEAR WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER ON TWO SEPARATED OCCASIONS AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED THAT THIS VEHICLE MAYBE REAR ENDED. *AK THE TRUCK WAS ON AN INCLINE IN OVERDRIVE WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, LET OFF THE BRAKE AND GAVE IT GAS TO MERGE INTO TRAFFICS AND THE TRUCK WOULDN'T ACCELERATE. IT HESITATED UNTIL FELT LIKE A GEAR CAUGHT AND THEN INTO TRAFFIC INSTEAD OF GOING WHEN IT NEEDED TO GO. THE SECOND TIME WAS ALMOST THE SAME WAY. *BF