Impala trans went out agian!!

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The wifes 2005 impala that now has 101k on it. We got it last year with 66k on the clock.

I called the original dealership that sold the car and they informed me that they replaced the trans at 45k. I had the trans replaced at 85k, at which point I added a second cooler to the cars trans. Now at 101k it went out agian!!!!

When she was working she drove almost 100 miles round trip to work that is 90% highway.
I'm at a loss????
 
It took me sec to get the lemon joke, lol.....

I just dont understand what can make 3 transmissions go out in 100k in a car that gets almost all highway driving. Could the radiator cooler be plugged just enough that the trans shop wouldnt notice, but enough to eat up a trans?
 
call a lemon law attorney in some cases even though it has 101,000 on it there may still be something they can do...Call them its free
 
bummer weren't you the guy whos dad switched all your pennzoil with castrol? think i remember you saying times were tough because she was out of work in that thread, sorry for the bad luck man.
frown.gif
 
I would look into contamination or cooler flow restriction. If this is the trans I am thinking of, cooler return lubes the gearset and bearings. So if you have a blocked flow those parts will not get enough lubrication. Contamination from previous failure (typically left in the cooler circuit) is another big item that causes multiple failures like this.
 
Originally Posted By: Colt45ws
I would look into contamination or cooler flow restriction. If this is the trans I am thinking of, cooler return lubes the gearset and bearings. So if you have a blocked flow those parts will not get enough lubrication. Contamination from previous failure (typically left in the cooler circuit) is another big item that causes multiple failures like this.


I've been told that catastrophic transmission failures require radiator/cooler replacement for exactly this reason. No matter how well you try to back flush the radiator, not all of the debris is cleaned out and will lead to the death of the replacement transmission.

Originally Posted By: crazyoildude
call a lemon law attorney in some cases even though it has 101,000 on it there may still be something they can do...Call them its free


You're kidding, right? On an used car with 101k? Please be real-- and stop spewing such garbage.
 
Originally Posted By: crazyoildude
call a lemon law attorney in some cases even though it has 101,000 on it there may still be something they can do...Call them its free


lemon laws only apply to the original owner.

OP i would take a good look at replacing the radiator and inspecting the cooler lines for pinching.
 
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal

lemon laws only apply to the original owner.


Not true in all states. Many states have a used car lemon law( mine does ). However, they are pretty short term and I doubt it would apply here anyway. This would be more a case of faulty workmanship of the trans rebuild.
 
Originally Posted By: MuzzleFlash40
The wifes 2005 impala that now has 101k on it. We got it last year with 66k on the clock.

I called the original dealership that sold the car and they informed me that they replaced the trans at 45k. I had the trans replaced at 85k, at which point I added a second cooler to the cars trans. Now at 101k it went out agian!!!!

When she was working she drove almost 100 miles round trip to work that is 90% highway.
I'm at a loss????


What exactly went out? Are you assuming the tranny is toast or has it already been diagnosed as blown? There are a couple things that could be behind this.

1 - a very common problem with the tranny used in that generation Impala is the shift pressure solenoid( believe that is the name ). A $40 part but it requires the entire tranny to come down to replace it. It is in the valve body but to access the valve body you need to remove a cover on the top of the tranny. No traditional access from the bottom pan.

If that solenoid fails it leads to hard shifts that feel just like the trans is gone. There is a seal that fails( seals? )that allows fluid past when the fluid temp gets past a certain ppoint( thins out )that causes a short in the solenoid. When it does that it trips a computer code that causes the computer to max out the line pressure for the tranny which causes very hard shifts. It can make it feel like the trans is completely shot when it isn't.

It can come and go and it is worse when the temp is hot outside. In winter it is possible to not experience the problem even if you have it as the fluid doesn't get hot enough, to thin enough, to leak past the seal and cause the short.

NOTE - I believe there is an aftermarket shift kit that can bypass that solenoid issue. If you look around in this forum( ATF, Diff, Trans, Brakes, P/S )it has been discussed. Possibly in a Buick thread or another Impala thread. I can't remember exactly what. Within the last 6 months to a year however.

2 - Do you know if the torque converter was replaced at any time? If the same one has been swapped from trans to trans it could be the problem. They are known to fail around 100K on that tranny.

My Sister's 05 with 118K had the tranny go last spring. Had the hard shift issue come and go during the winter. As spring approached and the temps began to climb the issue became more and more apparant. Her TC was shot all to heck as well as it turned out. Had to have the entire tranny overhauled to the tune of $2800.

If you are not 1000% sure the tranny is really toasted investigate that solenoid issue before rebuilding the trans yet again. A reputable trans shop or the dealer should be able to scan for the code that causes the trans line pressure to max out. If the trans is actually shot again I would look for another place to rebuild it and make sure it is done right and that you get a good warranty with it.
 
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Originally Posted By: MuzzleFlash40
The wifes 2005 impala that now has 101k on it. We got it last year with 66k on the clock.

I called the original dealership that sold the car and they informed me that they replaced the trans at 45k. I had the trans replaced at 85k, at which point I added a second cooler to the cars trans. Now at 101k it went out agian!!!!

When she was working she drove almost 100 miles round trip to work that is 90% highway.
I'm at a loss????



If I were to repair and continue driving this car, I would replace the tranny, converter, lines, and radiator. Anything that could have been contaminated.


As far as the lemon law goes, we sued GM over our '04 Malibu Maxx over all sorts of problems back in '05. Three and a half years later, we finally settled with cash and kept the car (by then, I had repaired many items myself). While I am no Lemon law expert, I don't believe you have anything to go on due to the mileage and when you bought it. I suppose it can't hurt to call, but IMO you're on your own.
 
dealer replaced at 45k assuming factory reman?

who rebuilt it at 85k? could just be a bad aftermarket rebuild?
 
Originally Posted By: The Critic
Originally Posted By: Colt45ws
I would look into contamination or cooler flow restriction. If this is the trans I am thinking of, cooler return lubes the gearset and bearings. So if you have a blocked flow those parts will not get enough lubrication. Contamination from previous failure (typically left in the cooler circuit) is another big item that causes multiple failures like this.


I've been told that catastrophic transmission failures require radiator/cooler replacement for exactly this reason. No matter how well you try to back flush the radiator, not all of the debris is cleaned out and will lead to the death of the replacement transmission.

Originally Posted By: crazyoildude
call a lemon law attorney in some cases even though it has 101,000 on it there may still be something they can do...Call them its free


You're kidding, right? On an used car with 101k? Please be real-- and stop spewing such garbage.


DITTO on everything. Also, the lemon Law will NOT work for you...
 
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I think something else is at work here. Either something was not repaired correctly or driver error is to blame. Transmissions don't die with this frequency under normal circumstances.
 
Originally Posted By: cchase
I think something else is at work here. Either something was not repaired correctly or driver error is to blame. Transmissions don't die with this frequency under normal circumstances.


Unless they are in a Honda Odyssey
wink.gif
 
That is unusual. Aside from a not so common solenoid problem like said above, the 4T65E is one of the better transmissions out there.
 
Not it is not driver caused, it is driven 90% highway.

Both times now that i've had to replace it it has started jerking and then it just wont move in any gear. When the shop dropped the pan in front of me there was grit all over the pan. When I replaced it at 85k and now will be with a remainufactured trans. I have no idea what kind of trans chevy put in it at 45k.

I do know when I called the original dealership back, they did NOT replace the radiator nor did the shop that replaced it the last time. They said that they flushed the cooler twice.

Would it be a safe bet just to replace the radiator just to be on the safe side?
 
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What is the likely hood of the lines being plugged? I'm gonna replace the radiator myself since this shop wants another chunk of cash that i dont have right now.

If the lines are not pinched, is it safe to say that they are ok re-use? How about the aftermarket cooler that I installed, Should I replace it as well? Or is flushing enough to get the grit out of the lines?
 
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