Opinion on GM Service

[BADRIDES]

I am a service consultant at our local Chevy dealership and I will tell you how we handle the tranny flush problem. If you are within your 3 year or 36000 mile warranty or within CPO warranty then you get 1 free tranny flush and NO we do NOT change the filter. It is also done with a tranny machine that changes the fluid out to a new Mobil-1 fluid Chevy has us using. I havent had one yet that is doesnt fix. Also says you might not see results until after driving 200 miles. We have done trucks, tahoes, suburbans, colorados and even 2 camaros. Aftermarket warranty companies will not pay for this like ASC.

 

[hcvone]

My local Chevy dealership (Bryner Chevy in Jenkintown Pa) is fantastic, I get better service and treatment than at my porsche, jag or other euro car dealership, not that any of them are poor, but Bryner Chevy really treats me great, and my cars and suv's too

 

[mountie]

Our 2016 Infiniti QX50 suv lease is up in a couple months. Our thought is to pay it off or trade in for a $40,000 2019 Certified pre-owned Q50 or Q70 sedan. Either way $20,000 will be spent. ( Our car is showroom condition & only 15,000 miles). I like the idea of a newer 2019 & still spending the same $$.

The negotiation will be the warranty deals. Hmmmm.....

 

[BG1988]

So chatted with a GM Customer Service rep and they said since the factory warranty has expired then coverage is totally up to the company that I bought the extended warranty through...which they also said GM does not sell any extended warranties which I did not realize. So looks like I’m stuck with the charges...

this Denali has really spoiled my opinion of GM vehicles.. I’ve always been a GM guy since I was a kid..but the issues I’ve had with this Denali (pillar covers coming off, constant shake even after 3 sets of tires and continuous RF balancing, battery crapped out after a year and a half, now this transmission issue)...for a $80K vehicle is less than unacceptable...had a F150 super crew I sold prior to this Denali and did not have one single issue with it and it had 127K miles when I sold it!

try using higher octane fuel it could also be the map sensor my started doing the shuttering when it failed

it would shake violently and stutter at low speeds or moving from between 0 -6mph or NOT want move at all (this included Auto stop not working and random other BS issues) also reverse gear has the same symptom.


so engine issues can cause transmission issues...

you can always check using a OBD2 scanner

it should be 30-32-KPa idle (600ish RPM) and change number under load (pretty much any number between 35-70KPa or so)

100% guarantee that the dealer would have said the transmission was broken..

 

[AZCreeker]

Spend 40 to 80k on a luxury Suv and end up with the service experience as if you had a geo metro.

 

[BMPNUGLS]

Spend 40 to 80k on a luxury Suv and end up with the service experience as if you had a geo metro.

That’s my core point in all this...you would think if you’ve invested this much in a GM vehicle (which is among the higher end GM vehicles) AND shelled out the $ for an extended warranty on top of it you might get a little better treatment. Guess GM isn’t really concerned about keeping a high end SUV buyer as a return buyer...definitely won’t be me!

 

[BMPNUGLS]

try using higher octane fuel it could also be the map sensor my started doing the shuttering when it failed

you can always check using a OBD2 scanner

I’ve never run anything but 91-93 octane fuel through this vehicle. I have been **** about that...wanted to keep the engine as clean and efficient as possible due to the investment. This was an obvious transmission issue.

Also have taken the Denali into the dealer for 100% of its maintenance from day one for the same reason. I historically have done my own maintenance and repairs since I was a teenager...never really liked the thought of someone else working on my vehicles.

I can say that the transmission now feels much better - not sure if it was the fluid or the reprogram but seems ok for now. However, I’ve only put about 65 miles on it so far.

 

[BourbonNcigars]

Spend 40 to 80k on a luxury Suv and end up with the service experience as if you had a geo metro.

That sentiment is very common on a lot of automotive forums. Some dealers are fantastic. Others set the standard for the term "stealership" by overcharging while simultaneously being incompetent.

 

[mountie]

In my experience, I found the dealer is beholden to the District GM Representative and/or GM corporate, with their fiscal demands. ( Southern California was terrible for honesty )

My '88 GMC truck, I found a dealer/ owner "rebel" that took care of my "with-in" warranty period BS from my local dealers.
( He raced off-road trucks out of Parker, Arizona)
A shame I had to go that route.

 

[BG1988]

I’ve never run anything but 91-93 octane fuel through this vehicle. I have been **** about that...wanted to keep the engine as clean and efficient as possible due to the investment. This was an obvious transmission issue.

Also have taken the Denali into the dealer for 100% of its maintenance from day one for the same reason. I historically have done my own maintenance and repairs since I was a teenager...never really liked the thought of someone else working on my vehicles.

I can say that the transmission now feels much better - not sure if it was the fluid or the reprogram but seems ok for now. However, I’ve only put about 65 miles on it so far.

you have VVT-LIVC correct? mine got fouled with gasoline it has that unburned gas smell there was some clean oil (a shop put it on it aka tampered with. Not burning oil or losing oil)on it.. i would check it to see if it's fouled it only takes a few seconds to check it

 

[pwtr02ss]

I hadn’t had the transmission serviced yet...with roughly 65+K of its 78K miles being ‘no load’ highway miles I figured I could hold out til 100K before having it serviced...and the fact that I’ve also heard horror stories of people having issues after changing transmission fluid...pretty sure this flush they did is with higher viscosity fluid to ‘bandaid’ the issue for a while til this fluid thins out as well.

My brother is friends with a transmission guy at the Cadillac dealer that he uses (Very early 2016 escalade). Supposedly, the new transmission flus helps 90% of the time. According to him, these have the trans cooler in the ac condenser and when temps reach 90+, the hot fluid gets condensation build up faster than it can burn it off and causes it to get watered down. The new fluid is designed to get rid of the water or not absorb it like the older stuff. That being said, his has has the convertor changed, fluid flush, and just had "check transmission" light come on that is supposedly remedied with a new wiring harness. All of this has been over the last 125k miles. He purchased used and everything prior to the harness had already been done (under 60K miles). This is all 3rd hand information to me so take it as is, but the guy does 8-10 of these 8 speed transmissions a week (various services/rebuilds/whatever) so I would imagine he's up to date on his info.

All that being said, see how the new fluid does. As others have stated, its fixed 90% of them.

 

[BMPNUGLS]

Well I’ve put a little over 250 miles on it since the transmission fluid flush and reprogram and so far so good. Although I keep thinking I feel a faint shutter here and there but that could be due being a little to critical...I’ll update after I get 500+ on a t.

 

[BMPNUGLS]

My brother is friends with a transmission guy at the Cadillac dealer that he uses (Very early 2016 escalade). Supposedly, the new transmission flus helps 90% of the time. According to him, these have the trans cooler in the ac condenser and when temps reach 90+, the hot fluid gets condensation build up faster than it can burn it off and causes it to get watered down. The new fluid is designed to get rid of the water or not absorb it like the older stuff. That being said, his has has the convertor changed, fluid flush, and just had "check transmission" light come on that is supposedly remedied with a new wiring harness. All of this has been over the last 125k miles. He purchased used and everything prior to the harness had already been done (under 60K miles). This is all 3rd hand information to me so take it as is, but the guy does 8-10 of these 8 speed transmissions a week (various services/rebuilds/whatever) so I would imagine he's up to date on his info.

All that being said, see how the new fluid does. As others have stated, its fixed 90% of them.

All that sounds like good credible information! Thanks! Hopefully I won’t have to keep chasing this issue past the fluid change (torque converter / harness etc)...keeping fingers crossed. I’m sure the guy is well versed on 8 speeds by now!!

 

[Lt Belspur]

I am a service consultant at our local Chevy dealership and I will tell you how we handle the tranny flush problem. If you are within your 3 years or 36000-mile warranty or within CPO warranty then you get 1 free tranny flush and NO we do NOT change the filter. It is also done with a tranny machine that changes the fluid out to a new Mobil-1 fluid Chevy has us using. I haven't had one yet that is doesn't fix. Also says you might not see results until after driving 200 miles. We have done trucks, tahoes, Suburbans, Colorados and even 2 camaros. Aftermarket warranty companies will not pay for this like ASC.

Is this the fluid?
Mobil™ DEXRON-VI ATF

 

[BMPNUGLS]

Is this the fluid?
Mobil™ DEXRON-VI ATF

I know it’s Mobil but not sure if that’s the specific one...I’m traveling this week or I could look at the service ticket and tell..

 

[Lt Belspur]

I know it’s Mobil but not sure if that’s the specific one...I’m traveling this week or I could look at the service ticket and tell..

Thanks, just looking for the OE stock number.

 

[SuperOldSchool]

It’s this:

Mobil 1 Synthetic LV ATF HP

 

[Christoph]

So recently my 2016 Yukon XL Denali has started to exhibit the trans/torque converter shudder...pretty bad actually. However, it does have 79,*** miles (90% have been highway business travel miles). I also have an extended ‘bumper to bumper’ warranty to 120K miles....

Today I take it in for oil change service and for the dealer to ‘diagnose’ the shudder issue. Dealer service tech confirmed the shudder issue. Now, what I was told was that the extended warranty would cover the labor and diagnostic charge but I would be responsible for the $230 trans flush and reprogram.... I mentioned the TSB 16-NA-175 but made no difference. So I’m still on the hook for ~$300 for GMs crappy tranny issues!?? Should I be upset or are they being reasonable?

I'd be ticked off and would be raising you know what. I would start writing bad reviews as well as send emails/call corporate. $70K vehicle should not have transmission problems like this. This crap makes me want to go back to Toyota vehicles.