Impala Transmission's
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Joined: Apr 2014
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just want to reply to this thread.
GF bought a new 2014 impala in October of 2013, I had only taken a few rides in it but was very impressed with the comfort and ride, and really impressed with the console with the nav, audio and big screen for these features.
2 weeks ago we decided to take a trip from New York to Florida to visit and relax for a week.
On the way down after the car got thoroughly warmed up I noticed that sometimes while accelerating the tranny would hesitate and then try to downshift and then slam into gear causing a really hard bang to the drivetrain. This is with a car with 3500 miles on it.
If I would really press hard on the gas to pass someone the trans would shift smoothly and have no problems.
This banging happened more and more as the trip progressed. Once we arrived in Florida we didn't use the car much and forgot about the problems we were having but as soon as we started home the banging started happening again and again.
The second day of the ride home the transmission was so bad we called our local dealer that we bought the car from to inform them of the problem and schedule an appointment to have them look at the car.
The service person that took our call told us that if we didn't take the car to the nearest dealer on our way home and have it looked at we would void our warranty and possibly have to pay out of pocket for the work that would be needed.
After voicing our concerns about having to get home to go to work the next day and not being able to find a dealer and possibly being stuck at a dealer for a few days she relented and told us to stop at the nearest garage and check the transmission fluid level and add if necessary.
OMG here is a chevy rep telling us to check the transmission fluid level on a sealed transmission with no dipstick.
After arriving home we dropped the car off the next day at our dealer and after a day of checking codes ( I guess that's what they were doing) was told they could not find a problem with the car.
We knew this would happen because the car never showed any idiot lights or check engine lights. And if there are now lights there is nothing wrong with the car right?
We go down to the dealer that night and after a long time explaining to them that I had just driven the car over 3000 miles I should know if the transmission is having a problem, and giving them a detailed explanation of what was happening, holy cow the next day the transmission guy finally had the banging happen to him as he was driving the car.
Hallelujah, with out codes or idiot lights these chevy techs finally detected a problem with the transmission. They don't know what is wrong but they are removing the trans from the car and are trying to diagnose the problem.
I can say that after they felt the problem the situation has changed from "customer doesn't know what they are talking about to maybe they did feel something wrong" they gave us a loaner car (as they should have) and are taking the matter seriously
Hopefully I will post a follow up with the results of chevy's handling of our problem
GF bought a new 2014 impala in October of 2013, I had only taken a few rides in it but was very impressed with the comfort and ride, and really impressed with the console with the nav, audio and big screen for these features.
2 weeks ago we decided to take a trip from New York to Florida to visit and relax for a week.
On the way down after the car got thoroughly warmed up I noticed that sometimes while accelerating the tranny would hesitate and then try to downshift and then slam into gear causing a really hard bang to the drivetrain. This is with a car with 3500 miles on it.
If I would really press hard on the gas to pass someone the trans would shift smoothly and have no problems.
This banging happened more and more as the trip progressed. Once we arrived in Florida we didn't use the car much and forgot about the problems we were having but as soon as we started home the banging started happening again and again.
The second day of the ride home the transmission was so bad we called our local dealer that we bought the car from to inform them of the problem and schedule an appointment to have them look at the car.
The service person that took our call told us that if we didn't take the car to the nearest dealer on our way home and have it looked at we would void our warranty and possibly have to pay out of pocket for the work that would be needed.
After voicing our concerns about having to get home to go to work the next day and not being able to find a dealer and possibly being stuck at a dealer for a few days she relented and told us to stop at the nearest garage and check the transmission fluid level and add if necessary.
OMG here is a chevy rep telling us to check the transmission fluid level on a sealed transmission with no dipstick.
After arriving home we dropped the car off the next day at our dealer and after a day of checking codes ( I guess that's what they were doing) was told they could not find a problem with the car.
We knew this would happen because the car never showed any idiot lights or check engine lights. And if there are now lights there is nothing wrong with the car right?
We go down to the dealer that night and after a long time explaining to them that I had just driven the car over 3000 miles I should know if the transmission is having a problem, and giving them a detailed explanation of what was happening, holy cow the next day the transmission guy finally had the banging happen to him as he was driving the car.
Hallelujah, with out codes or idiot lights these chevy techs finally detected a problem with the transmission. They don't know what is wrong but they are removing the trans from the car and are trying to diagnose the problem.
I can say that after they felt the problem the situation has changed from "customer doesn't know what they are talking about to maybe they did feel something wrong" they gave us a loaner car (as they should have) and are taking the matter seriously
Hopefully I will post a follow up with the results of chevy's handling of our problem
The Service Advisor advised me that there would be a $95 diagnostic fee on top of the $194 transmission Flush and $68 Oil Change. Are you freaking kidding me?!?!? A local Service shop would charge me $144 for a Dexron 6 Transmission Service and $49.99 for a Mobile One full synthetic oil change. I have been a Chevy owner most of my life, the latest before the Impala is a 2005 Tahoe.
This is freaking ridiculous. $95 for a test drive and a hook up on a problem that it is back in for a second time. I told my Advisor to cancel my appointment and guess I will wait for the damn thing to completely Fail. Funny thing, is I'm in the market for a new 4x4 and was going to get the Silverado LTZ. After talking with my friends that own Fords, and thier experience with service, I may now become a Ford owner after a being a lifetime Chevy and GM owner. This Impala maybe the last Chevy I own.
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Joined: Jul 2014
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I started having this problem about 10,000 miles ago, but not all the time, rarely infact...did some minor bandaids, and just changed the tranny fluid and filter this weekend. It's now just done the stuttering 4 times in 60 miles, everytime I had to stop at a light or sign. Of course, my warranty is gone, and I'm hoping I don't have to replace the transmission. If that's the case the car is going back to the bank 
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Joined: Apr 2010
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Yes we did get it fixed
We took it to the dealership and after the first diagnosis I went to pick up the car and was told the trans is showing no codes and after a test drive they don't believe there is anything wrong with it.
After initially getting very angry at wasting my time I called the service mgr over and told him to get in the car. After about 5 mins of highway driving and feeling the trans slamming into gear after downshifting he agreed there was a problem.
2 days later they told us they replaced a valve body and we have been trouble free since
We took it to the dealership and after the first diagnosis I went to pick up the car and was told the trans is showing no codes and after a test drive they don't believe there is anything wrong with it.
After initially getting very angry at wasting my time I called the service mgr over and told him to get in the car. After about 5 mins of highway driving and feeling the trans slamming into gear after downshifting he agreed there was a problem.
2 days later they told us they replaced a valve body and we have been trouble free since
Official GM Rep
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 4,163
Likes: 27
From: Global Headquarters in Detroit, MI
I started having this problem about 10,000 miles ago, but not all the time, rarely infact...did some minor bandaids, and just changed the tranny fluid and filter this weekend. It's now just done the stuttering 4 times in 60 miles, everytime I had to stop at a light or sign. Of course, my warranty is gone, and I'm hoping I don't have to replace the transmission. If that's the case the car is going back to the bank
Amber N.
Chevrolet Customer Care
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Joined: Aug 2014
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same transmission problem 2006 & 2011 Impala
I had a 2006 Impala that was having intermittent automatic transmission problems that I traded in at 85,000 miles for a used 2011 Impala with 22,000 miles in 2011. I can't believe I am having transmission problems similar to the 2006 model I had before. First of all when the 2011 Impala had around 28,000 miles I drove to a store and when I was going in reverse, the car would not move forward or reverse so I called GMAC 800 number for help. A tow truck brought the car to my chevy dealer and after a week they replaced the pinion gear that was damaged and it had locked up the transmission which was covered under warranty. at 40,000 miles the same problem as with the 2006 started occurring again for me. When I slowed down for a red stop light coasting at 2-5 MPH and the light turns green without me stopping, I accelerated and the transmission shifts like I am driving a standard shift with the clutch in and felt like I popped the clutch into 1st gear and there is an abrupt sudden jerk and then the car goes forward ok. Sometimes I am completely stopped at a light and when I step on the gas to go, the engine accelerates but the car is not moving for a second and then it pops into gear.. I will momentarily burn rubber on the roadway making a short squeal and then the car moves forward smoothly down the road... At first my wife thought I was playing around until she was having the same results which continue to be intermittent. I brought the car to my chevy dealer a couple months ago and of course no problem found which meant we can't fix something that isn't happing now.. I am perplexed with having two different model years having the same problem... because the transmission had the pinion gear replaced at 28k I am assuming the fluid was changed too so I didn't do the 50k change although I am in New England and our weather is over 90 for a few weeks during the summer. My driving is more in a rural area with some hills and highway roads, I do not drive the car rough and take my time getting to where I am going being retired and in no hurry.. Is anyone having similar problems with a 2006-2011 impala transmission slipping and jerking into gear attempting to stop or you accelerate and your engine is spinning from a stop and won't move forward for a second and you jerk into gear abruptly? I am at 70k miles now and approaching the 100k end of power train warranty in a couple years and would like this issue fixed so I can enjoy driving my vehicle ... I can't be the only one with two model years with the same problems. I thought the transmission was redesigned between those years and didn't think my 2011 car would have similar problems like the 2006..
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Joined: Sep 2014
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Dissapointment
I have a 2011 Impala and just broke 80,000 miles. I owned a 2004 and traded it in on this one. The 04' had 247,000 miles on it and paid for itself 10 fold. I just recently started to have problems with transmission. I push the accelerator down and it seems to not go. It hesitates to shift gears and wont go above certain rpms. The warrenty ended at 75000. The reason I bought a new car was to not have to worry about major problems. Now I have a car payment and have to worry about coming up with money for a transmission. ..
Official GM Rep
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 4,163
Likes: 27
From: Global Headquarters in Detroit, MI
Hi nick9jones9,
Was your vehicle towed to the dealership? If it is a transmission issue it should be covered under the vehicle Powertrain warranty. If you'd like to send us your VIN, contact information and dealership name we would be happy to look further into this for you.
Amber N.
Chevrolet Customer Care
Was your vehicle towed to the dealership? If it is a transmission issue it should be covered under the vehicle Powertrain warranty. If you'd like to send us your VIN, contact information and dealership name we would be happy to look further into this for you.
Amber N.
Chevrolet Customer Care
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Joined: Oct 2014
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Transmission and stabilitrak problems
I have a 2011 Chevrolet impala, and at 69,000 miles it has started to shift erratically along with grinding and illumination of stabilitrak which comes on intermittently. I have had the transmission serviced as recommended in the owners manual, and even had the spark plugs replaced because the engine seem to die down as well. What could be the problem? I find it a bit weird for a practically new vehicle to be having transmission problems already. I drive normal, and still a horrible ride.
2011 Chevrolet Impala LT 3.6L
2011 Chevrolet Impala LT 3.6L