Please help. 2011 suburban rwd transmission revs for a second then instantly jerks when taking off from a stop sign.

[suburban2011]

My suburban runs fine all the way down the high and shifts through the gears smoothly. Only problem is when I come to a stop and try and take off it acts like it's in neutral for a split second then BOOM catches and goes. Like it's searching for 1st gear for a second. Please help!!!

 

[suburban2011]

Fluid was dirty but changed it and filter. Also 210k miles.

 

[mikeyss]

May need a rebuild, I've read somewhere the low sprag or the l/r clutch could be failing.

 

[suburban2011]

Oh man I hope it don't lol I'm trying so hard to figure it out

 

[suburban2011]

I'm looking for anything someone similar has had

 

[NickTransmissions]

My suburban runs fine all the way down the high and shifts through the gears smoothly. Only problem is when I come to a stop and try and take off it acts like it's in neutral for a split second then BOOM catches and goes. Like it's searching for 1st gear for a second. Please help!!!

Any DTCs?

How long has this been happening?

Delayed engagement in drive/1st gear could be a few different things:

- TEHCM: Intermittent pressure switch fault, or outdated software
- IMS: intermittent fault
- VALVE BODY: 1-2 check ball getting stuck in separator plate or wearing down (when it wedges itself in the plate you will lose all forward movement)
- CASE: 1-2-3-4 piston beginning to crack
- CASE: Low sprag rolling over
- TC: torque converter failure

Put a bi-directional scanner on it and observe what commands are being issued and when and see if the transmission is reasponding. If shifts are being commanded as they should be but trans is not responding as it should then problem is mechanical (valve body, 1-2-3-4 piston, sprag).

At 210k on the clock, it's likely time for an overhaul.

 

[petethepug]

I got 170k miles out of my 09 AWD trans with dirty fluid. It flat out failed before it gave any indication it was going into full blown DOA 3rd gear emergency breakdown mode at 70 on the highway.

With RWD your labor is going to be substantially less to have it replaced when that time comes. Start shopping for a rebuild or reman / exchange now so when it does happen it’s just a bummer vs a full blown catastrophe.

The going rate is $4-$5k for the job. The good news is there are some freebees you can get out of it since you know it’s down the road. Shop rock auto for motor mounts, oil pressure sensor and since they’re so inexpensive, front & rear Poly sway bar bushing kit.

With the truck up and apart those normally pricey labor jobs that are also due (at 100k mi) can be serviced before they expire and bite you just around the corner. The sway bar bushings are mostly to get the unnoticed slop out of your drivetrain.

Once R/A gives you the part # and pricing, you’ll have time to shop Amazon too. I did this when my trans was being rebuilt on our AWD and got about $2.5k savings from self sourcing OEM parts and the free labor. Only use OEM parts! Amazon is full of counterfeit “priced too good to be true” parts. Be careful. Being prepared will immediately reward you in your driving experience, bank account and down the road even more. Talk to a shop about having them rebuild one of their own cores for you after tax refund time. It’ll be a painless plug n play job with a set price.

 

[jhous09]

I am having the same problem coming to a stop in my 2011 tahoe. The transmission just got rebuilt with less than 500 miles on it. So I pulled it and had the guy go through it again. Just reinstalled it and it still seems to be going into neutral at a stop and will rev up a bit and go back into gear and drive fine. I am honestly a bit stumped.

 

[NickTransmissions]

I am having the same problem coming to a stop in my 2011 tahoe. The transmission just got rebuilt with less than 500 miles on it. So I pulled it and had the guy go through it again. Just reinstalled it and it still seems to be going into neutral at a stop and will rev up a bit and go back into gear and drive fine. I am honestly a bit stumped.

Have you had any luck getting this resolved?

Asking as I dont want to pose a bunch of questions or list a bunch of possible causes if it's been fixed already.

 

[jhous09]

Have you had any luck getting this resolved?

Asking as I dont want to pose a bunch of questions or list a bunch of possible causes if it's been fixed already.

No still hasn't been fixed

 

[Tozan]

Mine did that at 205k a few times over the course of 3 months..... Then failed completely.. Left me stranded 80 miles from home...

 

[swathdiver]

...when I come to a stop and try and take off it acts like it's in neutral for a split second then BOOM catches and goes.

No still hasn't been fixed

 

[jhous09]

The transmission has less than 1500 miles on it now. Has been gone through again for my piece of mind. The shop also replaced the tecm while the transmission was apart again. So I'm thinking it isn't the transmission.

 

[TollKeeper]

Being a transmission is a hydraulic device, I would make sure the pressure is right. It could have a clog in one of the cooling lines, the cooler itself, a misaligned o-ring at the connections, or?

Its one of the reasons most dealers will require a radiator replacement when replacing a transmission.

 

[petethepug]

If it’s any consolation my first rebuild in shop took a dump after a month. I was genuinely not concerned and brought it back. Another week later better than new again. It failed because a pump was not installed correctly.

Peace of mind and no stress believe it or not.

 

[NickTransmissions]

The transmission has less than 1500 miles on it now. Has been gone through again for my piece of mind. The shop also replaced the tecm while the transmission was apart again. So I'm thinking it isn't the transmission.

Ask them if they replaced the low sprag and corresponding snap ring (both must be replaced on all overhauls on these transmissions). That was my first thought as well when you had posted but didn't want to waste time unless you were still having the symptoms. The low sprag only holds in 1st gear and since first gear is so deep in these transmissions, you're in and out of it very quickly. So fleeting neutrals in first can def be the sprag either rolling or snap ring popping out, causing the sprag to slip.

Here's my 6L80 Diag Vid that explains how to map symptoms to potential causes in case you're interested and want to know more - skip to 19:22 for sprag discussion.

 

[Geotrash]

Ask them if they replaced the low sprag and corresponding snap ring (both must be replaced on all overhauls on these transmissions). That was my first thought as well when you had posted but didn't want to waste time unless you were still having the symptoms. The low sprag only holds in 1st gear and since first gear is so deep in these transmissions, you're in and out of it very quickly. So fleeting neutrals in first can def be the sprag either rolling or snap ring popping out, causing the sprag to slip.

Here's my 6L80 Diag Vid that explains how to map symptoms to potential causes in case you're interested and want to know more - skip to 19:22 for sprag discussion.

Bless you, sir.

 

[jhous09]

Finally got ahold of the guy that rebuilt it. He said he tested it and it worked. According to him it either works or it doesn't and he doesn't do it because it's a 500 part