Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 27 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 27, in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PCM FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000.
IN SNOWY WEATHER THE AWD FAILED. THE TRUCK VIBRATES WHEN TURNING IN BOTH DRY AND WET CONDITIONS. *TR
GM HAS A KNOWS ISSUE ON 02,03 AND 04 BRAVADAS, TRAILBLAZERS, ENVOY'S AND RANIERS. THE TRANSMISSION COOLER LINES HAVE A HARD INTERFERENCE WITH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. ONCE IT WEARS THROUGH A STEADY STREAM OF FLUID LEAK ONTO THE CONVERTER. THIS ISSUE IS DOCUMENTED IN SERVICE BULLETIN PI01573. THEY DO NOT FEEL IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE EVEN THOUGH I SEE OTHER VEHICLES HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE SAME THING. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA. WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE SWITCHED FROM TWO WHEEL DRIVE TO FOUR WHEEL DRIVE. THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THIS TYPE OF FAILURE IS CALLED A CROW HOP. THE CONTACT HAD TO ACCELERATE IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO DRIVE AGAIN. WHILE MAKING ANOTHER TURN, THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE LOCKED. EACH TIME THE FAILURE OCCURRED, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY CHANGED THE DIFFERENTIAL FLUID, BUT THAT DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THROUGH A SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED BY THE MANUFACTURER, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE ENCODER SENSOR FROM THE TRANSFER CASE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE TCM SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 40,000.
NO SIGNS OF LOOMING FAILURE. NEEDS NEW TRANSMISSION WITH LESS THAN 70,000. GM REBUILT TRANSMISSION COMES WITH 100,000 MILE WARRANTY? CLEARLY A PROBLEM THAT GM KNOWS ABOUT BUT HAS DONE NOTHING.
A PROBLEM WAS NOTED WHEN MAKING TURNS. IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSFER CASE AS PER TSB 020421008A. THE DEALERSHIP DID THE FIRST RECOMMENDED STEP TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND CHARGED ME $417.35. THEY SAID IT WAS FIXED BUT AFTER PICKING UP THE VEHICLE AND DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES I NOTED THE SAME PROBLEM. THE NEXT STEP WILL COST ME $547! I HAVE FOUND SEVERAL REFERENCES THAT LEAD ME TO BELIEVE THAT TSBS SHOULD BE COVERED FREE OF CHARGE! AFTER MORE RESEARCH I FOUND AT CARSTATS.COM THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS MAKE/MODEL AND MANY OWNERS HAVE REPORTED SERIOUS PROBLEMS! HOW DOES THIS TURN INTO A RECALL?? *JB
I AM THE OWNER OF A 2002 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA AWD. THIS VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH A GENERAL MOTORS 4L60-E AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED WITH 58,000 MILES REGISTERING ON THE ODOMETER. ON SEPTEMBER 21, 2005, MY WIFE WAS TRAVELING TO WORK. SHE MADE A LEFT TURN ONTO A MAJOR U.S. 4 LANE HIGHWAY WHEN THE TRANSMISSION UNEXPECTEDLY FAILED. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO IMMEDIATELY LOOSE ACCELERATION AND FORWARD MOBILITY RESULTING IN HER BEING STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF TWO ONCOMING LANES OF TRAFFIC TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEEDS. WHILE UNEXPECTED MECHANICAL FAILURES CAN HAPPEN TO ANY VEHICLE IN ANY CONDITION, I HAVE LEARNED THIS APPEARS TO BE A FREQUENT FAILURE COMPLAINT TO THIS PARTICULAR GM TRANSMISSION AND IT HAS LEFT MANY CONSUMERS IN THE SAME SITUATION. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE INSPECTED I WAS INFORMED BY A LOCAL TRANSMISSION REPAIR MECHANIC THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE GM 4L60-E TRANSMISSION. SPECIFICALLY THE TRANSMISSION PART KNOWN AS THE 'SUN SHELL SPLEEN'. REPAIR COST TOTALED $1,687. I CONTACTED TWO LOCAL GM DEALERS AND BOTH ADVISED THEIR COST WOULD BE IN EXCESS OF $2,300 FOR THE SAME SERVICE. I THEN BEGAN CONTACTING LOCAL GM DEALERSHIPS IN SURROUNDING COUNTIES - A TOTAL OF NINE. AS I DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM TO THE SERVICE EMPLOYEES OF THESE DEALERSHIPS, ALL IMMEDIATELY MENTIONED THE '...SPLEEN GEAR.' EACH CONFIRMED IT WAS COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE SUN SHELL SPLEEN GEAR. EACH OF THESE SERVICE PERSONNEL ADVISED ME THEIR DEALERSHIPS HAVE REPLACED THESE IN MORE THAN ONE GM 4L60-E TRANSMISSIONS. ON SEVERAL ACCOUNTS I LEARNED OF SAME VEHICLE-MULTIPLE REPLACEMENTS AND COMMON MODEL YEAR PROBLEMS OF 2001 TO CURRENT WITH MOST FAILURES OCCURRING WITH LESS THAN 50,000 MILES. ALL ADVISED ME NOT TO USE OEM PARTS WHEN REPLACING OR REPAIRING THE TRANSMISSION OF MY VEHICLE. IT IS MY REQUEST YOUR AGENCY DIRECT ATTENTION TOWARDS COMPLAINTS INVOLVING THE GM 4L60-E TRANSMISSION. *JB
COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 64500 MILES. *NM
DT: CALLER COMPLAINED ABOUT A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE SHUTTERED, SURGED AND WOULD NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM THEREFORE COULD NOT FIX IT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM. CALLER STATED THE PROBLEM HAPPENS AT ALL SPEEDS, AND EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED. *AK
MY 2002 BRAVADA HAS COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING AT OVER 60 MPH TWICE. THE FIRST TIME WAS AT 4500 MILES, THE 2ND AT 24,000 MILES. BESIDES THE INCONVENIENCE (WE WERE 400 MILES FROM HOME, HAD TO BE TOWED 150 MILES TO A DEALERSHIP, RENT A CAR, DRIVE HOME, THEN RETURN TO PICK UP THE CAR. SECOND TIME WE WERE HEADING OUT OF TOWN ON A VACATION- HAD TO BORROW A CAR), I WAS LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO MANEUVER THE CAR OFF THE HIGHWAY WHEN IT HAPPENED. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN FIXED, SO THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN AT ANY TIME. THE PCM MODULE WAS REPLACED BOTH TIMES. THE SECOND TIME THE DIAGNOSIS SAID THAT THE SPEED SENSOR CAUSED THE FAILURE; HOWEVER IT WAS NOT REPLACED. NEITHER GM NOR THE DEALERSHIP WILL DO ANYTHING FURTHER. THIS IS AN UNSAFE CONDITION THAT NO ONE SEEMS TO CARE ABOUT. I FOUND 28 COMPLAINTS IN YOUR LOG OF THIS EXACT PROBLEM. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO BE KILLED BEFORE GM WILL DO ANYTHING? I AM SURPRISED THAT IT HASN'T HAPPENED YET. A CAR GOING 60 MPH ON A BUSY FREEWAY THAT SUDDENLY LOSES POWER, STEERING AND BRAKES IS DEADLY. THIS CAR SHOULD BE RECALLED. *AK
NOT ONE MONTH AFTER WE BOUGHT OUR BRAVADA, WE STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS. FIRST, WHEN BACKING UP, THE VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE OR SHUDDER. SECOND, WHEN GOING AROUND CORNERS, VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE OR SHUDDER. THIRD, WHEN AT A STOP, I WOULD FEEL A THUMP LIKE SOMEONE TAPPED ME FROM BEHIND. THIS HAPPENS ON FIRST START UP. FOURTH ITEM , & THE MOST ANNOYING, WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE, FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR, YOU CAN FEEL THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS THUMPING . ITS DRIVING ME NUTS! PLUS I DON'T THINK THAT THE MEMORY IN THE SIDE MIRRORS WORK. DEALER SAYS THEY ARE WAITING FOR FIXES FROM GM. HMMM, I WONDER ABOUT THAT. *LA
CONSUMER HAS HAD MULTIPLE, REOCCURING PROBLEMS WITH NEW VEHICLE SINCE FIRST PURCHASED IN OCTOBER 2001. CAR HAS BEEN RETURNED TO DEALER MORE THAN 12 TIMES IN 18 MONTHS AND HAS PLACED SIGNIFICANT BURDEN ON THE OWNER. VEHICLE NOW HAS NEW MAJOR MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH BOTH THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION. ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, THE LARGE NUMBER OF PERSISTENT PROBLEMS CLASSIFIES THIS VEHICLE AS UNRELIABLE AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, UNSAFE. OWNER HAS CONTACTED DEALER REGARDING A REPLACEMENT VEHICLE (LEMON LAW), HOWEVER THE DEALERSHIP HAS DIRECTED THE OWNER TO THE MAKER COMPANY (GM/OLDSMOBILE). THE MAKER HAS RESPONDED BY INSISTING THAT THE WARRANTY WAS DESIGNED FOR SUCH PROBLEMS AND THEY HAVE REFERRED THE OWNER BACK TO THE DEALER FOR CONTINUAL REPAIRS. IN OTHER WORDS, NEITHER THE MAKER NOR THEIR REPRESENTATIVE DEALER IS WILLING TO ASSIST THE OWNER IN RESOLVING THE SITUATION. THE DEALERSHIP HAS SINCE CLOSED DUE TO OWNER RETIREMENT, AS WELL. MORE THAN FIVE COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN ISSUED TO THE MAKER FROM THE OWNER BY EITHER PHONE, ELECTRONICALLY OR MAIL WITHOUT ANY POSITIVE FEEBACK FROM THE MAKER OR ANY ATTEMPT TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION. NOTE: THE INCIDENT DATE LISTED HERE IS SIMPLY THE PURCHASE DATE - ALL INCIDENTS HAVE BEEN CONTINOUS AND ON GOING SINCE DATE OF PURCHASE.*AK 2 WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURES REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY 1ST AT 3,973 MILES 2ND AT 11,660 MILES. *KMB
VEHICLE ENGINE FAILURE. *MR (MANUFACTURER DEFECT/RECALL GEARSHIFT DEFECT #03V075000) *SCC *JB
TRANSMISSION SHIFTS HARD BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND GEAR UNDER LIGHT ACCELERATION. GM SERVICE BULLETIN 03-06-04-018 WAS PERFORMED BY THE DEALER BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER IS AWAITING A SOLUTION FROM OLDSMOBILE. OLDSMOBILE "CUSTOMER SERVICE" ADVICE WAS TO TRY ANOTHER DEALER.*AK
WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE FRONT BUMPER HAD FALLEN OFF. THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE LIGHT WAS INTERMITTENT, THERE WAS A VIBRATION IN THE TRANSMISSION WHEN ACCELERATING-(COULD NOT DUPLICATE), AND THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT SOON HAD COME ON. SCC *JB
FRONT BUMPER DESIGN IS DANGEROUS. GM INDICATED TO ME THAT THE CLEARANCE OF THE TRUCK'S PLASTIC BUMPER IS EIGHT INCHES. BUMPER FELL OFF BACKING OUT OF 6-8" OF SNOW ON DRIVEWAY SURFACE. DANGEROUS DRIVING ON WINTER ROADS WITH LOW FRONT BUMPER CLEARANCE. OTHER: TRANSMISSION VIBRATION. EVIDENT WHEN VEHICLE PUCHASED ON 8/29/02. AWD LIGHT APPEARED ON AND OFF BEGAN DEC. 25, 2002. DEALER SAID AWD LIGHT PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED ON JANUARY 7, 2003.
WHILE DRIVING HEARD A LOUD NOISE, FELT LIKE TRANSMISSION HAD FALLEN FROM UNDERNEATH VEHICLE.WHEN TURNING OR PARKING STEERING WHEEL WILL LOCK UP.DASHBOARD WENT DARK, VEHICLE CUT OFF. CONTACTED DEALER.THEY REPLACED 5 TIMES TRANSFER CASE. *AK
THIS IS AN AWD VEHICLE WHICH IS SLIPPING INTO AWD WHEN IT IS NOT NEEDED (DRY PAVEMENT) AND THEN STAYS THAT WAY. IT IS NECESSARY TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE AS THEY HAVE ADVISED THAT GM IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT HASN'T FOUND A PERMANENT SOLUTION TO IT. MY CONCERNS ARE: DECREASED STEERING CONTROL WHEN TURNING A SHARP CORNER ON DRY PAVEMENT BECAUSE VEHICLE IS IN AWD, THE DECREAED GAS MILEAGE BY DRIVING AROUND IN AWD AND THE POTENTIAL FOR DAMAGE OR EARLY REPLACEMENT REQUIRED FOR THE TIRES WHICH WILL BE WORN PREMATURELY. SINCE GM IS DISCONTINUING ALL OLDSMOBILES, MY CONCERN IS ALSO THAT THEY WILL JUST CONTINUE TO HAVE THE DEALER RESET WHATEVER TO GET THE VEHICLE BACK INTO 2WD WHENEVER IT HAPPENS, INSTEAD OF FIXING THE PROBLEM.*AK
AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR 4 MONTHS A SHUDDER DEVELOPED WHEN MAKING SHARP TURNS. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TRANSFER CASE FLUID 3 TIMES PER TECHNICAL BULLETIN. THE SHUDDER HAS DECREASED BUT NOW ON SHARP TURNS IN REVERSE THE VEHICLE BALKS AND CONSIDERABLE POWER MUST BE APPLIED TO MOVE IT. THE DEALER AND GM STATE THIS IS NORMAL. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION.
WHEN MAKING A TURN, THE VEHICLE MAKES A LOUD NOISE, VIBRATES, AND SLOWS DOWN LIKE IT IS GOING TO STOP. DEALER CONTACTED. CANNOT REMEDY PROBLEM. *AK REFER TO NHTSA ID 01V126000 (SUSPENSION RELATED) NOT READING THE ENCODER, ELECTRICAL FAILURE-WHICH HAS BEEN REPROGRAMMED TWICE AND HAS BEEN TEMPORARILY FIXED. *SCC
WHILE IN MOTION, CONSUMER NOTICED THE ABS FAIL LIGHT COME ON, BRAKE FAILURE WARNING FOLLOWED BY IMMEDIATE ENGINE SHUTDOWN, VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING, BRAKE PEDAL BECAME VERY STIFF,SERVICE TECH COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, THE COMPUTER MEMORY SHOWED NO FAULT OR PROBLEM. DEALER REPLACED POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE. *JG
MEMORY MIRRORS DO NOT RETURN TO THEIR POSITION AFTER COMING FROM REVERSE. CONSUMER MUST ADJUST MIRRORS, WHILE DRIVING, TO GET THE BACK TO THE PROPER POSITION. PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT LOCKS WHILE BRAKING. CONSUMER MUST UNFASTEN THE SEAT BELT - WHILE MOVING - RECOIL AND THEN FASTEN SEATBELT TO RELEASE PRESSURE. TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTS 15-30 SECONDS AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP IN COLD WEATHER. DOWNSHIFTS ARE HARD (FEELING LIKE VEHICLE HAS BEEN HIT FROM BEHIND) AND LONG (TIME BETWEEN GEARS).*AK
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 20 MPH ON A SNOWY ROAD, CONSUMER FELT THAT 4-WHEEL DRIVE WAS NOT WORKING, HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER AND THEY FOUND OUT THAT WHEEL CABLE HAD BEEN DISCONECTED FROM COMPUTER, AND VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED.*AK *SLC
AFTER STARTUP, FAN NOISE WAS VERY LOUD AND REMAINED LOUD WHILE DRIVING. GOT LOUDER WHEN ACCELERATING AND TRANSMISSION SEEMED SLUGGISH. DEALER REPLACED FAN BUT PROBLEM REOCCURRED. *AK
VERY POOR TRACTION AND CONTROL OF VEHICLE IN SNOW,WITH LOSS OF CONTROL ON UP-HILL DRIVE .DEALER AND OLDS AMMITTED POSSIBLE FAULT WITH FACTORY TIRES, ALTHOUGH SINCE TIRES NOT DEFECTIVE ,WOULD NOT REPLACE WITH A TIRE MORE SUITABLE TIRE FOR A SUV. THE PRIMARY REASON FOR PURCHASE OF THIS VEHICLE WAS THE MANUFACTURES CLAIM OF IT'S "SMART-TRAC" ALL WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM, AND THE DEALERS ASSURANCE OF GOOD PERFORMANCE IN POOR WEATHER/ROAD CONDITIONS. OLDSMOBLE WILL NOT OFFER ANY FUTHER ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER, ALTHOUGH WE FEAR USING OUR NEW (AND EXPENSIVE ) ALL WHEEL DRIVE SUV IN THE NEXT SNOWSTORM.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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