1997 GMC Jimmy

THE TRANSMISSION INTERMITTENTLY SLIPS INTO, BUT NOT FULLY, 4WD WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PUT IN REVERSE. THERE IS A VERY NOTICABLE NOISE THAT SOUNDS LIKE THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT FULLY ENGAGED. THE ONLY WAY TO ELIMINATE THE NOISE IS TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO 4WD AND THEN BACK INTO 2WD. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN BROUGHT BACK TO THE DEALER ON AT LEAST 4 OCCASIONS WITH THIS COMPLAINT. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND THEREFORE HAVE NOT DONE ANY RESEARCH. ON DECEMBER 19TH, 2000 THE SYMPTOM REAPPEARED AFTER BACKING MY CAR OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER. THE SERVICE MANAGER THEN TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND NOTED THAT THE PROBLEM I DESCRIBED PREVIOUSLY DOES EXIST AND SCHEDULED ME TO BRING IN THE TRUCK ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2000. WHEN I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN THE MANAGER WHO HAD TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE JUST ONE WEEK AGO DID NOT SEEM TO RECALL THE CONDITION AND SAID THEY WOULD CHECK IT OUT. I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE WAY THE WHOLE THING IS BEING HANDLED. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT MY VEHICLE IS THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS THIS PROBLEM IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY. I WOULD THINK THAT GMC SHOULD HAVE SOME INFORMATION REGARDING THIS IN THEIR DATABASE. AT THIS POINT I AM NOT CONVINCED THAT THE PROPER DIAGNOSTIC METHODS ARE BEING TAKEN TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM AND REMEDY IT. I DON'T KNOW WHERE ELSE TO TURN AND I AM LOOKING TO YOU FOR ANY GUIDANCE THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE. *AK

THE MILEAGE REPORTED FOR EACH INCIDENT IS APPROXIMATE, THE FAILED COMPONENTS COULD HAVE EXISTED AT TIME OF VEHICLE PURCHASE, THE VEHICLE HAD 33310 MILES. THAT'S WELL UNDER THE MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY COVERAGE, HOWEVER THE PROBLEMS WEREN'T DISCOVERED UNTIL THE VEHICLE PASSED THE WARRANTY MILEAGE. THE OPINION OF THE MECHANIC WHO REPAIRED THE ITEMS STATED THE REAR AXLE SEAL USUALLY LASTS FOR THE LIFE OF A VEHICLE HOWEVER, HE SAID GMC JIMMY'S ARE KNOWN TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THE REAR AXLE SEAL BROKE WHICH CAUSED AXLE OIL TO LEAK ON THE REAR BRAKES WHICH CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO HAVE INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE OR APPEAR AS THOUGH IT WAS NOT GOING TO STOP, DEPENDING ON THE TRAVELING SPEED WHEN TRYING TO STOP THE VEHICLE TENDED TO PULL TO ONE SIDE BEFORE THE PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED. THE PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION DIP STICK WAS IDENTIFIED WHEN I TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO GET THE OIL CHANGED AT EXPRESS OIL CHANGE IN MARIETTA GA. WHEN THE MECHANIC PUT IN THE VIN # A SERVICE BULLETIN APPEARED INDICATING THE PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION DIP STICK. THE MECHANIC INSPECTED MY TRANSMISSION DIP STICK AND IT WAS RUSTED JUST AS THE SERVICE BULLETIN INDICATED COULD HAPPEN. I CALLED A GMC DEALER ABOUT THE SERVICE BULLETIN AND WAS INFORMED THAT I COULD REPLACE THE PART AT MY EXPENSE APPROXIMATELY $375 - $ 500 PARTS & LABOR. THEN I WAS TOLD I COULD CALL THE GMC CUSTOMER SATISFACTION LINE FOR FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE INDIVIDUAL AT THE GMC CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE ALSO STATED THAT SINCE I HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED, AND I HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY, OTHER THAN THE GMC EXTENDED WARRANTY PLAN THAT GMC WOULD NOT REPAIR THE FAULTY DIP STICK. HOWEVER, THE INDIVIDUAL INDICATED THAT IF I DIDN'T HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY GMC WOULD INSPECT AND POSSIBLY REPAIR THE FAULTY PART FREE. MY COMPLAINT THE PART HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS FAULTY, WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY FOR REPAIRS? WHEN THE TSB WAS RELEASED THE VEHICLE WAS WITHIN THE MILEAGE.*AK

TRANSFER WILL NOT ENGAGE/DISENGAGE ALL OF THE TIME. TWO GM DEALERSHIPS HAVE LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE AND NEITHER CAN FIND THE CAUSE, SUGGESTED THAT I START REPLACING PARTS AND HOPE I GET THE RIGHT ONE. THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURED ON SNOW SLICKENED ROADS, THE TRANSFER CASE WOULD NOT ENGAGE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE RENDERING THE VEHICLE RWD ONLY . SECOND INCIDENT OCCURED WHILE DRIVING DOWN A STEEP MOUNTAIN ROAD IN LOW RANGE WHEN I GOT TO HARD PAVED ROAD THE TRANSFER CASE WOULD NOT DISENGAGE.