1997 GMC Suburban

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION-DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE ON VACATION WHEN A CLOUD OF SMOKE WAS NOTICED OUT THE REAR OF THE SUBURBAN. PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO FIND TRANSMISSION FLUID SPRAYED ALL OUT OF THE OVER FLOW TUBE. I WAS TOLD THAT TOO MUCH PRESSURE WAS BUILT UP AND THE SUBURBANS ARE KNOWN FOR THAT. FILLED IT BACK UP WITH TRANSMISSION FLUID AND THE TRANSMISSION CONTINUED TO SLIP. HAD TO GIVE UP THE VACATION AND GET A TOW BACK HOME. FLUID HAD SPRAYED ALL OVER MY VEHICLE AND VEHICLES BEHIND ME. IT WAS EXTREMELY HOT. LUCKILY I GOT IT SHUT DOWN BEFORE A FIRE CAUGHT. HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT A HEAVY COST. *AK

IN AUGUST OF 2002 MY 1997 GMC SUBURBAN STARTED TO TO SLIGHTY LOOSE CONTROL OF THE POWER STEERING WHILE TURNING TO THE LEFT. OVER THE YEARS THE LACK OF CONTROL OF THE POWER STEERING WHILE TURNING TO THE LEFT HAS INCREASED AS WELL AS DRIVING STRAIGHT DOWN THE ROAD. IT IS A VERY SCARY FEELING BUT OVER THE TIME I MYSELF HAVE LEARNED HOW TO HANDLE IT. I HAVE NOTIFIED GMC OF THE PROBLEM BUT THEY SAID MY MODEL IS NOT UNDER A CURRENT RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE FOUND WHERE SOME GMC MODELS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM. GMC IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM YET THEY IGNORE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE A TERMINALLY ILL HUSBAND SO I CANNOT AFFORD TO GO OUT AND BUY A NEW OR USED VEHICLE. I LOVE MY GMC SUBURBAN SO I ALWAYS WANTED TO PURCHASE A NEW ONE OR EVEN MAYBE A GMC YUKON. YET WITH THE DISTRUST I HAVE WITH GMC ABOUT FIXING PROBLEMS THEY KNOW ABOUT I WOULD HAVE SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT SUCH A PURCHASE. I HAVE A FIFTEEN YEAR OLD SON WHOM IS LEARNING TO DRIVE AND IT IS A VERY SCARY SITUATION WHEN HE IS BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A VEHICLE THAT MIGHT LOOSE COMPLETE POWER STEERING CONTROL. *AK

I HAVE OWNED THE SUB FOR ABOUT 5 YEARS NOW. FIRST OFF I REALLY ENJOY DRIVING IT. I NEED TO SAY MY VEHICLE IS MODIFIED AND NOT STOCK. 9 INCH LIFT 38IN SUPER SWAMPERS, AND A COUPLE OF ENGINE UPGRADES. I CAN VERIFY HOWEVER EVEN BEFORE I INSTALLED THE LIFT AND TIRES I HAD A COUPLE OF PROBLEMS. #1 ALWAYS HAD UNEVEN WEAR IN THE FRONT BRAKES, 1 CALIPER (FRONT) WOULD ALWAYS BURN UP THE BRAKES FASTER. I MADE SURE I USED GM PADS FROM THE DEALER. I ALSO MADE SURE THE CALIPERS WERE MOVING FREELY AND GUIDE BOLTS LUBED WITH GM SUPPLIED GREASE. #2 POOR BRAKING PERFORMANCE EVEN WITH VEHICLE UNLOADED, I GUESS I FIGURED THIS ONE OUT BY MYSELF. NOT TO BE RUDE BUT WHY WOULD GM EQUIP A VEHICLE WITH A AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION THAT IS RATED AT APPROX 7,300LBS WITH A TINY BRAKING SYSTEM. IN MY OPINION SMALL PADS+SMALL ROTORS=LONG STOPPING DISTANCE. #3 DETONATION, GOING UP SMALL INCLINES 1/4-1/2 ENGINE THROTTLE. THIS HAS ALWAYS HAPPENED. EVEN THOUGH THIS MAY NOT BE GM'S PROBLEM I JUST WANTED TO GET MY 2 CENTS IN. I UNDERSTAND ALL GASOLINE IS NOT CREATED EQUAL, I HAVE TO USE 92-93 OCTANE WITH A FUEL ADDITIVE TO GET RID OF THE NOISE. IS THIS NOT A FUCTION OF THE KNOCK SENSOR? I MAYBE WRONG BUT SHOULDN'T THE KNOCK SENSOR BACK OFF IGNTION TIMING VIA THE ECU WHEN DETONATION IS PRESENT. #4 DOOR HINGES LOUD/NOISY BREAKING.

1997 GMC SUBURBAN- MULTIPLE ENGINE & TRANSMISSION FAILURES. AT 60,000 MILES, VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHIFT HARD. RETURNED TO SHOP FOR DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIRS SEVERAL TIMES FOR WORK. FINALLY, WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN CITY TRAFFIC, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED COMPELETLY. REQUIRED VALVE COVER AND TRANSMISSION REBUILD @ COST OF $2,000. ON DECEMBER 27 '03, HAD TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR. ON JAN 17 '04, DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS NO ANTIFREEZE IN NEW RADIATOR. RETURNED TO MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE RADIATOR. SAID THE INTAKE MANIFOLD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. COST: ~$600. TOOK TO ANOTHER MECHANIC FOR SECOND OPINION. SAME DIAGNOSIS. BOTH STATE THAT GM IS AWARE OF BOTH PROBLEMS, HOWEVER, THEY WILL NOT COVER THE COSTS OF REPAIRS OR REPLACEMENT. ADDITIONALLY- REPLACED ALTERNATOR TWO TIMES; REPLACED WATER PUMP TWO TIMES; REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER IN FALL 2003. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONER BROKE FROM ITS MOUNTING AND RESULTED IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND OTHER COMPONENTS INCLUDING CHARGING OF THE BATTERY. THE ALTERNATOR ALSO SHORTED OUT. THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER WERE NOTIFIED. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE WARRANTY NOT LONGER COVERED THE BELT. THE BRAKES SHUTTERED WHILE BRAKING FROM 60 MPH. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FRONT BRAKE PADS AND RESURFACED THE ROTORS. *NLM

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH CONSUMER'S DAUGHTER AND FRIEND WERE DRIVING ON A GRAVEL ROAD WHEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WHILE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED. DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND HIT A TREE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. VEHICLE THEN CAREENED OFF OF THE FIRST TREE AND HIT ANOTHER TREE THAT TURNED VEHICLE ONTO THE TOP. BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL FOR MINOR INJURIES AND STITCHES. THE SEAT BELTS WERE WORN AT THE TIME OF ACCIDENT, BUT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. POLICE RESPONDED TO THE ACCIDENT. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.*AK