1997 GMC Suburban

ON A 400 MILE TRIP OVER EASTER WEEKEND, WE NOTICED THAT THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SHIFTING VERY HARD IN THE FIRST THROUGH THIRD GEARS. WE BECAME AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AS WE BEGAN DRIVING THE SUBURBAN AFTER A REST STOP. WE BECAME VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION WHEN WE TRIED TO PASS VEHICLES OF ACCELERATE UP HILLS AND IT SEEMED AS THOUGH THE OVERDRIVE WAS NOT ENGAGING. THE FOLLOWING DAY, I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE ONLY REPAIR SHOP IN A SMALL TOWN ON THE MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST. THEY ADVISED ME TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION SERVICED, (REPLACE FILTER, AND FLUID). I PAID $135 TO DO THAT. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT SOLVED. THE WEEK OF APRIL 16TH, THROUGH THE ADVISE OF A GMC CUSTOMER REP, I TOOK THE SUB TO THE DEALER IN HOPES THAT A COMPUTER UPGRADE WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THEY ADVISED ME THAT THE UPGRADE WAS ALREADY DONE AND THE ONLY THING THEY COULD DO WAS TO TEAR DOWN THE TRANSMISSION TO FIND THE CAUSE. I DECLINED AND REQUESTED (THROUGH THE DEALERSHIP AND GMC) TO MEET WITH A GMC ZONE MANAGER. THEY HAVE YET TO REPLY. I FOUND LITTERALLY HUNDREDS OF THE EXACT PROBLEMS AT WWW.THECOMPLAINTSTATION.COM/G/_GM. GENERAL MOTORS IS VERY MUCH AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND THEY REFUSE TO RECALL THE VEHICLE. *AK

FIRESTONE TIRES LT245/75-R16-LOAD RANGE E------- TREAD SEPARATION OCCURRED AT APPROX. 50 MILES PER HOUR ON A FLYOVER FROM ONE FREEWAY TO ANOTHER. THE INCIDENT OCCURED ON A SUNDAY AND THE NEXT DAY WE WENT TO A FIRESTONE FACTORY STORE TO HAVE THEM CHECK THE TIRE AND WHAT IF ANY REMENDY WE COULD WORK OUT. THE STORE MANAGER SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO FOR US, BUT IF WE WANTED TO SUBMIT A CLAIM FOR THE DAMAGES TO OUR VEHICLE THAT HE WOULD CALL AND HAVE ME TALK TO THERE PEOPLE. THE RESULT OF THE CONVERSATION WAS THAT THEY WOULD SEND US SO FORMS TO FILL OUT AND RETURN WITH THE TIRE TO TENNESSEE AT OUR EXPENSE. ALSO, DURING THIS TIME THE MANAGER WAS ON THE PHONE AND ALSO WAITING FOR A PHONE CALL. ALSO, DURING THIS TIME HE CHECKED THE AIR PRESSURE ON THE OTHER THREE TIRES THREE TIMES AND ALSO RUBBED HIS HAND OVER THE TREAD PART OF THE TIRES. HE FINALLY SAID THAT THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS FAILING AND THAT WE WOULD NOT MAKE IT HOME ON THE TIRE AND DID NOT WANT US TO LEAVE WITHOUT CHANGING THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE IN ADDITION TO REPLACING THE RIGHT REAR TIRE. WE HAD THEM REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES WITH MICHELIN TIRES. DIDN'T MENTION IT EARLIER ,BUT I DID FEEL A VIBRATION PRIOR TO THREAD SEPARATION. PLEASE CONTACT US AS WE FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE ATTITUDE OF FIRESTONE REGARDING OUR MISHAP. PHONE NO. (510)793-1939 THANK YOU. *AK (DOT NUMBER: VN11BIA097 TIRESIZE: LT245/75)

THE BRAKES LOCK UP AT THE SLIGHTEST PRESSURE. SEEMS TO BE WORSE WHEN FIRST STARTING OUT WITH VEHICLE COLD OR WHEN THE ROADS ARE WET, BUT OCCURS AT ANYTIME WHILE TRYING TO BRAKE. WHEN THE BRAKE IS APPLIED IT PULLS TO THE RIGHT AND ALSO THE BRAKES LOCK UP, THE TIRES SKID, AND YOU HEAR A HUMMING NOISE COMING FROM SOMETHING. (OBVIOUSLY IN THE BRAKING COMPONENT SOMEWHERE) I HAVE TAKEN IT TO A GMC DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES BUT THEY HAVE FAILED TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THEY SAY THEY CAN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND CAN'T FIND ANY PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES. I ASKED THEM SPECIFICALLY TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY ONE DAY WHILE IT WAS IN THEIR CARE AND IT WAS RAINING SINCE IT LOCKS UP MORE WHEN WET. BUT I QUESTION WHETHER THEY EVEN DROVE IT. I TOOK IT TO AN INDEPENDENT BRAKE/TIRE CENTER AND THEY REPLACED THE FRONT BRAKE PADS CHECKED THE REAR BRAKES AND SAID I HAD A REAL AXLE SEAL LEAKING WHICH WAS LEAKING ON THE REAR BRAKE SHOES AND PROBABLY CAUSING THE LOCKING PROBLEM. SO THE NEXT DAY I RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN WHO REPAIRED THE REAR AXLE SEAL LEAK BUT DENIED AGAIN THERE WAS ANY PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES LOCKING UP. BUT THEY CONTINUE TO DO SO, VERY DANGEROUSLY I MIGHT ADD. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE.TODAY 5/2/01 THE BRAKES LOCKED AND I ALMOST SLID RIGHT THROUGH A STOP SIGN. WHAT CAN I DO NOW?*AK

ENGINE SHUT COMPLETELY WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY/FREEWAY, LOST CONTROL OF BRAKE, STEERING WHEEL AND GEAR. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO STEER INTO SAFETY ALL 3 TIMES. TOOK TO DEALER, 1ST TIME SAID IT WAS "MASS AIR FLOW CONTROLLER" 2 WEEKS LATER THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED, THIS TIME DEALER COULD NOT FIND WHAT IS WRONG GUESSING IS FUEL INJECTION PUMP. NEED ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND COULD CAUSE INJURY OR DEATH IF HAPPEN AGAIN.

STEERING WOULD PULL TO RIGHT. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP AND MECHANIC REPAIRED IT, BUT CURRENTLY VEHICLE WAS PULLING TO LEFT. STEERING SENSOR WAS REPLACED. HAD AN ACCIDENT DUE TO STEERING PROBLEM. STEERING WENT RIGHT, AND VEHICLE HIT CURB. THEN, SPUN AROUND, BACKWARDS. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE WENT ACROSS 4 LANES. AXLE BROKE , AND VEHICLE TUMBLED DOWN A HILL. *AK

BOTH THE SENSORS FOR THE BRAKES NEED TO BE REPLACED INCLUDING THE HUBS. THE SUBURBAN DOESN'T FEEL LIKE IT IS GOING TO STOP IN TIME. I KNOW SOMEONE WHO HAS THE SAME YEAR SUBURBAN AS I DO WHO JUST HAD TO HAVE THIS DONE. IT WAS ALSO DONE AT THE SAME PLACE WHERE MINE IS IN FOR SERVICE. HE WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS A MANUFACTURES DEFECT IN THE SENSORS. WHEN I REQUIRED ABOUT THIS I WAS INFORMED THE OTHER VEHICLE MAY HAVE BEEN ASSEMBLED AT A DIFFERENT PLANT. HE HAS APPORXIMATELY THE SAME MILEAGE AS I DO. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A DEFECT. NO ONE CAN EXPLAIN TO ME WHY BOTH SENSORS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AT THE SAME TIME.