problems w/GM 6 speed in trailer tow mode
September 4th, 2011, 12:33 AM
#11
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Update on this problem
Since my last post on this issue, because of weather (snow and ice) for several months over the winter and early spring, and also because of health problems (open heart surgery) I was not able to spend any more time on this until about May of this year. Based on needing to pull my trailer during the summer months I again contacted the dealer service people and an appointment was arranged with the service manager to take a drive with me with the trailer hooked up. This test drive took place approximately 10 weeks ago or middle to latter part of June.
Upon arrival at the dealership the service mgr hooked a more elaborate type computer to the OMB port in the car, than the previous "event recorders" I had been given previously to use while driving the vehicle with the trailer hooked up, and we departed for the test ride. During a conversation about the differences between the computer he had and the two previous "event recorders" I was given two different times that recorded absolutely nothing, even though the vehicle did react as it had before with these recorders hooked up, and nothing was found on them when I returned them to the dealer, I was told by himthat in order for the recorders to work, certain information had to be input into them before they were installed in a vehicle. This information was NOT given to me prior to installing them before. This information had to do with the make, model, possibly VIN #, and other pertinent information about the vehicle, and this had to be done BEFORE the recorder would accept any information while hooked up and driving the vehicle. Evidently this was never done at the dealer prior to giving me the recorders to take on my trips to the lake, and that was the reason that no information was recorded on either of my two separate trips with the recorders hooked up, during which time the vehicle did operate as I had been complaining about. In short, because needed information was not input into the recorders, they recorded nothing.
After returning to the dealership with the service mgr., and being able to recreated the problem several times, he said he needed to check with GM about the problem and what he saw on the computer while in the vehicle, and he would contact me in a few days. A few days turned into 8 weeks, and after hearing nothing for that period of time, I called him. He was not available so I left a voice mail for him with my name and phone numbers. I indicated I thought 8 weeks was plenty of time to get back to me with some kind of information, and I would like him to return my call. No result was forthcoming, so I called again a week later, and this time he did call back, apologizing that he had forgotten how to spell my name and had trouble calling up the workorder that had been originally filled out when he went with me, because of that factor. I did not remind him that I had left my phone numbers twice for him on the voice mail and he could have just called the number and asked for whoever left the message.
At that time an appointment was made to bring the vehicle in because, based on a conversation with an engineer at GM, a decision had been made to replace the stoplight switch on it. It seems the stoplight switch is a part of the circuit which tells the vehicle when to downshift when in trailer tow mode, in addition to other functions besides just the one it is named for.
The work was done day before yesterday, and I plan on towing the trailer in the next day or so to see if any improvement is evident from the replacement of the switch.
Total time involved to this point is approximately a year to this point to resolve this problem. Not all the dealers fault, but at least 50% in my opinion because of screwups in not programming the event recorders when put in the vehicle before, and not following up after the service managers ride and getting back to me in a timely manner.
I have had a postcard and a phone call from the dealer since the switch was replaced (2 days ago) with both asking that I answer question #16 on the questionaire GM sends out with a yes. The question has to do with was I "very satisfied" with the service received on this visit to the dealer. I understand GM frowns on anything but a yes answer to that question, and so at least I feel I have some leverage if the problem has not been corrected.
I am going to wait until after I take the drive with my trailer, and if the problems has not been resolved, see what response I get when I go back to the dealer for further effort to solver the problem, before I fill out the answer to question #16.
Upon arrival at the dealership the service mgr hooked a more elaborate type computer to the OMB port in the car, than the previous "event recorders" I had been given previously to use while driving the vehicle with the trailer hooked up, and we departed for the test ride. During a conversation about the differences between the computer he had and the two previous "event recorders" I was given two different times that recorded absolutely nothing, even though the vehicle did react as it had before with these recorders hooked up, and nothing was found on them when I returned them to the dealer, I was told by himthat in order for the recorders to work, certain information had to be input into them before they were installed in a vehicle. This information was NOT given to me prior to installing them before. This information had to do with the make, model, possibly VIN #, and other pertinent information about the vehicle, and this had to be done BEFORE the recorder would accept any information while hooked up and driving the vehicle. Evidently this was never done at the dealer prior to giving me the recorders to take on my trips to the lake, and that was the reason that no information was recorded on either of my two separate trips with the recorders hooked up, during which time the vehicle did operate as I had been complaining about. In short, because needed information was not input into the recorders, they recorded nothing.
After returning to the dealership with the service mgr., and being able to recreated the problem several times, he said he needed to check with GM about the problem and what he saw on the computer while in the vehicle, and he would contact me in a few days. A few days turned into 8 weeks, and after hearing nothing for that period of time, I called him. He was not available so I left a voice mail for him with my name and phone numbers. I indicated I thought 8 weeks was plenty of time to get back to me with some kind of information, and I would like him to return my call. No result was forthcoming, so I called again a week later, and this time he did call back, apologizing that he had forgotten how to spell my name and had trouble calling up the workorder that had been originally filled out when he went with me, because of that factor. I did not remind him that I had left my phone numbers twice for him on the voice mail and he could have just called the number and asked for whoever left the message.
At that time an appointment was made to bring the vehicle in because, based on a conversation with an engineer at GM, a decision had been made to replace the stoplight switch on it. It seems the stoplight switch is a part of the circuit which tells the vehicle when to downshift when in trailer tow mode, in addition to other functions besides just the one it is named for.
The work was done day before yesterday, and I plan on towing the trailer in the next day or so to see if any improvement is evident from the replacement of the switch.
Total time involved to this point is approximately a year to this point to resolve this problem. Not all the dealers fault, but at least 50% in my opinion because of screwups in not programming the event recorders when put in the vehicle before, and not following up after the service managers ride and getting back to me in a timely manner.
I have had a postcard and a phone call from the dealer since the switch was replaced (2 days ago) with both asking that I answer question #16 on the questionaire GM sends out with a yes. The question has to do with was I "very satisfied" with the service received on this visit to the dealer. I understand GM frowns on anything but a yes answer to that question, and so at least I feel I have some leverage if the problem has not been corrected.
I am going to wait until after I take the drive with my trailer, and if the problems has not been resolved, see what response I get when I go back to the dealer for further effort to solver the problem, before I fill out the answer to question #16.
September 7th, 2011, 5:46 PM
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may have a fix
The dealer installed a new "stop light switch" which according to a person at GM also functions as a "signal" to the main computer and the transmission when in trailer tow mode. Supposedly there have been a few problems that were traced back to this switch and the same problem.
Hooked the trailer up yesterday afternoon and was not able to duplicate the problem on some of the same terrain where it has occurred previously.
I am keeping my fingers crossed that the problem is solved. The vehicle was out of warranty at the time this switch was installed as per my previous posts, but they did handle it as a "courtesy" repair to "maintain good customer relations". Based on the documented history of this problem and the unsuccessful attempts to fix it in the past, I don't really see there was any other fair and right way for it to be handled.
Hooked the trailer up yesterday afternoon and was not able to duplicate the problem on some of the same terrain where it has occurred previously.
I am keeping my fingers crossed that the problem is solved. The vehicle was out of warranty at the time this switch was installed as per my previous posts, but they did handle it as a "courtesy" repair to "maintain good customer relations". Based on the documented history of this problem and the unsuccessful attempts to fix it in the past, I don't really see there was any other fair and right way for it to be handled.
September 8th, 2011, 10:49 PM
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Mad Dawg:
I am also pleased that the problem MAY now be taken care of. My hope is that no damage or increased wear was done to the transmission internals, engine, or driveline by the "overrevving" it was subjected to during the time it took to diagnose it, that will now cause problems down the line that they will try to deny warranty coverage on. The vehicle is four years old in December, but only has 40K miles on it now, so I will run out of time on the warranty, long before the mileage becomes a factor. Of course I do have these posts on the Chevy forum to document the problem for part of the time it occurred, and my efforts to get it fixed, so if push comes to shove, at least dated documentation exists about the problem and my efforts to get it recognized, and the results of that effort, both successful and not so much.
What really irks me is that the service personnel at this dealer (which is a very large Chevy, GMC Truck,Cadillac, etc., dealer, was not cognizant enough about the two different "event recorders" I was given last summer and failed to know that they had to have info programmed into them so as to record and then read out that information on the dealership computer. That oversight cost almost another year to properly diagnose and get information that hopefully has now fixed the problem.
I am also pleased that the problem MAY now be taken care of. My hope is that no damage or increased wear was done to the transmission internals, engine, or driveline by the "overrevving" it was subjected to during the time it took to diagnose it, that will now cause problems down the line that they will try to deny warranty coverage on. The vehicle is four years old in December, but only has 40K miles on it now, so I will run out of time on the warranty, long before the mileage becomes a factor. Of course I do have these posts on the Chevy forum to document the problem for part of the time it occurred, and my efforts to get it fixed, so if push comes to shove, at least dated documentation exists about the problem and my efforts to get it recognized, and the results of that effort, both successful and not so much.
What really irks me is that the service personnel at this dealer (which is a very large Chevy, GMC Truck,Cadillac, etc., dealer, was not cognizant enough about the two different "event recorders" I was given last summer and failed to know that they had to have info programmed into them so as to record and then read out that information on the dealership computer. That oversight cost almost another year to properly diagnose and get information that hopefully has now fixed the problem.
Last edited by Bill Van Steenwyk; September 8th, 2011 at 10:53 PM.
September 12th, 2011, 4:40 PM
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I have the same down shifting issue when hauling my boat with surge brakes but when towing my travel trailer with electric brakes and a Prodogy controller it doesn't happen. I assumed the boat put more pressure on the vehicle causing the electronics in the tranny to cause a downshift when applying the brakes. My transmission will go through the gears very quickly appearing to skip 3rd and 4th but it does cycle through them, but only for a spliit second so it really seems like it jumps from 5th to 2nd. Scared the heck out of me the first time it happened!
January 21st, 2014, 10:29 PM
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I have a 2012 1500 w/the 6 Spd that is doing the same thing. I took it in to the dealer they could not duplicate so I took the tech on a ride and it duplicated six times with his computer hooked up to the truck. They are dealing with GM engineers to find out what needs to be replaced they have replaced the trans computer, and two different valves this far and the problem still exists. The engineers are having them replace transmission veins now. Waiting on parts....
April 27th, 2014, 8:27 AM
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6 speed problems
Does anybody else have a problem with transmission sliding into 3rd gear. It started at around 28000 miles. Engineers say it is Shift Stabilization, if so, why not happen as a new vehicle. Not really accepting their explanation, as they say that there are a lot of complaints about this symptom on this tranny on a 6.0 engine. Also say it is why the new trucks hesitate after stopping at a stop sign & does not shift down to first or second and it hesitates to take off.
I also had a reader installed, it coded that I had 45# of pressure when I should have 90#s. Also reason for original post in this thread according to the bulletin#08-07-30-030A.
I also had a reader installed, it coded that I had 45# of pressure when I should have 90#s. Also reason for original post in this thread according to the bulletin#08-07-30-030A.
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