01 Suburban transmission issue? Please Help!

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

01Burb713

TYF Newbie
Joined
Apr 10, 2021
Posts
20
Reaction score
24
Hey guys so I have a 2001 Chevy suburban with 264k it’s my wife’s daily. Typically we have no issues with it other than a little oil burn off between oil changes. Today on her way to work which is about a 12-15 min drive with a mix of highway and normal roads she experienced an issue with the truck. She said after getting off the highway and going about a mile or two up the road the truck suddenly had limited power. It wouldn’t go over 25-30 mph and the rpm’s were high. She pulled over right away. She was less than a mile from her job decided to try to make it there and did. After her shift she stared the truck and tried to drive to see if it would still do it, obviously it did and she pulled over about a half mile from her job. She just got home via Uber. Anyone know what is going on or have had this happen to them? Any insight would be helpful. Tanks in advanced.
 

swathdiver

Full Access Member
Joined
May 18, 2017
Posts
19,100
Reaction score
25,031
Location
Treasure Coast, Florida
Hey guys so I have a 2001 Chevy suburban with 264k it’s my wife’s daily. Typically we have no issues with it other than a little oil burn off between oil changes. Today on her way to work which is about a 12-15 min drive with a mix of highway and normal roads she experienced an issue with the truck. She said after getting off the highway and going about a mile or two up the road the truck suddenly had limited power. It wouldn’t go over 25-30 mph and the rpm’s were high. She pulled over right away. She was less than a mile from her job decided to try to make it there and did. After her shift she stared the truck and tried to drive to see if it would still do it, obviously it did and she pulled over about a half mile from her job. She just got home via Uber. Anyone know what is going on or have had this happen to them? Any insight would be helpful. Tanks in advanced.
Give this a bump in the morning so more people will see it. When you get to the truck, see if there any codes. Could be throttle body or a sensor like the MAP, MAF, IAC, etc.
 
OP
OP
01Burb713

01Burb713

TYF Newbie
Joined
Apr 10, 2021
Posts
20
Reaction score
24
Give this a bump in the morning so more people will see it. When you get to the truck, see if there any codes. Could be throttle body or a sensor like the MAP, MAF, IAC, etc.
Ok will do thank you! Not sure if this helps but I went through all the service records I have on the vehicle. I’ve owed it since 2017 with 225k the previous owner had records dating back to 2009 with 137k and the transfer case was replaced in 2015 with 217k.
 

rockola1971

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2016
Posts
2,376
Reaction score
2,972
Location
Indiana (formerly IL)
Sounds like 2-4 band is burnt up. High RPM's and only getting to 25-30 means it isnt getting into 2nd gear and the 2-4 band is required fort 2nd and 4th gear. Could also be the 2-4band servo is stuck or seals damaged but likely too late if that is the case to just do that repair. Pull tranny dipstick and see if fluid is pink or is it brown/orangish and smells burnt. Time for a rebuild if fluid is not pink. 264k is doing good on original tranny, especially with the heavy surburban weight on that tranny.
 
OP
OP
01Burb713

01Burb713

TYF Newbie
Joined
Apr 10, 2021
Posts
20
Reaction score
24
Sounds like 2-4 band is burnt up. High RPM's and only getting to 25-30 means it isnt getting into 2nd gear and the 2-4 band is required fort 2nd and 4th gear. Could also be the 2-4band servo is stuck or seals damaged but likely too late if that is the case to just do that repair. Pull tranny dipstick and see if fluid is pink or is it brown/orangish and smells burnt. Time for a rebuild if fluid is not pink. 264k is doing good on original tranny, especially with the heavy surburban weight on that tranny.
I’m going to head over to the truck shortly I will check the trans dip. Wouldn’t the trans show signs of failure first? This came out of no where it wasn’t acting up or shifting hard prior to this.
 
OP
OP
01Burb713

01Burb713

TYF Newbie
Joined
Apr 10, 2021
Posts
20
Reaction score
24
Ok so I went and checked on the truck it had very limited trans fluid in it, I added trans fluid and tried it afterwards still doing similar to what my wife described. However I feel like I can feel it shift from 1st to 2nd but once I hit 25 mph it won’t go faster and the rpm’s go up. Could it be in some kind of limp mode? I tried taking the positive battery cable off in hopes to reset any kind of limp mode but with no luck.
 

ScottyBoy

Full Access Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2010
Posts
2,565
Reaction score
1,723
Location
Shreveport, La
Sadly, this sounds like a transmission failure. And with that many miles, it's to be expected. My transmission went out in a similar fashion. I had to drop the shifter down to "2" just to limp it home. The shop who rebuilt it said that all my clutch bands were well worn and the Sunshell was shattered. He was surprised it drove at ALL with that shattered sunshell. He gave me a 2yr 24k mile warranty on it, and even though I trans issues again a few years later, he took care of it. I was well out of warranty at that time (40k miles on the transmission) but he only charged me for the parts and did all the labor for free. Cost me $160 in parts, and pulled the transmission, tore it apart and replaced some "bearing" that failed, and then put it all back together. Now THATS customer service!
For anyone wondering, this was at "Stonewall Transmission" in Stonewall Louisiana.
 

swathdiver

Full Access Member
Joined
May 18, 2017
Posts
19,100
Reaction score
25,031
Location
Treasure Coast, Florida
Ok so I went and checked on the truck it had very limited trans fluid in it, I added trans fluid and tried it afterwards still doing similar to what my wife described. However I feel like I can feel it shift from 1st to 2nd but once I hit 25 mph it won’t go faster and the rpm’s go up. Could it be in some kind of limp mode? I tried taking the positive battery cable off in hopes to reset any kind of limp mode but with no luck.
Who do you know with a Tech-2 or other bi-directional scan tool? They'll be able to see what's going on inside but like the other fellas have said, it's time to head on over to Precision Transmissions in Amarillo, Texas for an overhaul! The can rebuild GM transmissions blindfolded!

 

rockola1971

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2016
Posts
2,376
Reaction score
2,972
Location
Indiana (formerly IL)
If the fluid was indeed as low as the OP says it was then its done. A 4L60E will not tolerate being that low on fluid. It will burn itself up. This was a common problem on the older brother of the 4L60E/65E, the 700r4. When a fluid change is done on these trannys, the time to add fluid is NOT when you have fired it up 3qts. low and waiting on the fluid to get to temp to show a proper reading on the dipstick. It is better to overfill it than to underfill it.
 
Top