1998 GMC Sonoma Transmission Problems

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 1998 GMC SONOMA PURCHASED NEW IN FEBRUARY OF 1999. VEHICLE PROPERLY MAINTAINED DRIVEN AS A COMMUTER VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY 7,400 MILES PER YEAR. IT IS EQUIPPED WITH THE 4L60E TRANSMISSION, WHICH IS CLEARLY DEFECTIVE. 59,000 MILES BEGINS TO SURGE AND SLIP. ACCELERATION IS GREATLY REDUCED WITH HARSH SHIFTING. GREATLY COMPROMISING MY SAFETY. ENTIRE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $3100.00 GMC WILL NOT REIMBURSE REPAIRS TO MY VEHICLE. MY CLAIMS WERE "DENIED" BY THE DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10183854

Incident

Feb 10, 2007

Mileage

59,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER HEARD A WINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. WHILE SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION HESITATED, THEN DOWN SHIFTED ON ITS OWN. THE CONSUMER DROVE IT TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

NHTSA ID

10097310

Incident

Oct 20, 2004

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

767369

Incident

Feb 19, 2001

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED, SHUTTING DOWN COMPLETELY WITH NO POWER. DEALERSHIP STATED THAT A PUMP FOR TRANSMISSION WASN'T FUNCTIONING, TRANSMISSION BURNED UP INTERNALLY. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

8018665

TRANSMISSION WAS NOISY AT ANY SPEED, DEALER DETERMINED A BEARING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IN TRANSMISSION. MILEAGE AT REPAIR WAS 30000. AT THIS TIME BEARING NEEED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN.*AK

NHTSA ID

8011776

Incident

Jun 1, 2001

THE COMPLAINT IS ABOUT MY TRANSMISSION IN MY 1998 GMC SONOMA. ENGINE SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON SO I TOOK THE TRUCK IN FOR SERVICE. I WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REBUILT OR REPLACED AS PER THE SERVICE BULLETIN. A $2,200-DOLLAR FIX. THE TRUCK IS NOT QUITE 3 YEARS OLD THOUGH I HAVE 59000 MILES ON IT. I CAN TELL YOU THAT IM THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS DRIVEN THIS TRUCK AND IT HAS HAULED NO MORE THAN GROCERIES I CALLED THE CUSTOMER CARE CENTER AND GM HAS SAID THEY WOULD PAY 40 PERCENT OF THE REPAIR REF CASE NUMBER: C05710638. AT FIRST I THOUGHT THIS WAS BETTER THAN NOTHING. BUT I BELIEVE THERE IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND GENERAL MOTORS SHOULD STAND BEHIND THE PRODUCT DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE FAILURE, WARRANTY OR NOT. THIS IS NOT RIGHT. THIS IS A MAJOR PART OF THE VEHICLE AND SHOULD NOT HAVE GONE BAD THIS QUICKLY. I WILL CONTINUE TO DO ALL THE RESEARCH I CAN TO SHOW THAT THIS FAILURE IS NOT NORMAL. IF A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED THEN I THINK IT WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM, GM HAS ADMITTED THAT THEY HAVE SEEN THIS PROBLEM BEFORE BUT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY THIS IS ALL WILL DO. *AK

NHTSA ID

754591

Incident

Oct 18, 2001

TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR AND DROPS INTO NEUTRAL FOR 1-2 SECONDS, AND THEN GOES BACK INTO GEAR, CAUSING A REVVING IN ENGINE. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER IN JULY 2000, BUT COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE. CURRENTLY, CONSUMER IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION STICKING IN GEAR. SAME DEALER CLAIMS TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *AK CONSUMER STATES STUCK GEAR RESULTED IN AN ENGINE BRAKE CONDITION IN A REDUCED SPEED ZONE WHERE VEHICLE SPEED IS SUDDENLY REDUCED WITH NO BRAKE LIGHTS ON, CONSUMER FOUND TSB 99-07-30-005 REGARDING THIS PROBLEM AND STATED THE RECOMMENDATION WAS TO REPLACE THE VALVE BODY ASSEMBLY, HOWEVER THIS WAS NOT BEEN DONE UNTIL THE VALVE BODY ASSEMBLY FAILED WHICH CAUSED 3RD GEAR TO LOCK ON THE HIGHWAY, CONSUME RWANTS GM TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PROBLEM. *SLC

NHTSA ID

890519

Incident

Jul 3, 2000

TANSMISSION PROBLEM...WHINNING, NOT ABLE TO SHIFT INTO GEAR/ TRANSMISSION REPLACED TWICE/PILOT BEARING BUSHING REPLACED/CRANK SHAFT REPLACED TWICE/ NOW REFUSES TO PERFORM MAINTENANCE ON TRUCK. HAVE PREGNANT DAUGHTER DRIVING VEHICLE CANNOT SHIFT AGAIN. THIS IS THE SEVENTH TIME I HAVE TAKEN IN FOR SAID REPAIRS. WORRIED ABOUT SAFETY OF PREGNANT DAUGHTER.

NHTSA ID

731382

Incident

Nov 2, 1999

VEHICLE SHAKES AS TO BE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. REPAIR CENTER SAYS THAT THE CLUTCH PLATE IS BINDING. EXTENDED WARRENTY DOES NOT COVER AS IT IS A "WEAR" COMPONENT. SEEMS UNREASONABLE TO ME THAT A CLUTCH PLATE WOULD WEAR OUT AFTER ONLY 50,000 MILES.

NHTSA ID

710055

Incident

Aug 13, 1999

TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINES LEAKING.

NHTSA ID

531054

Incident

Feb 16, 1998