Tag Archives: transmission problems

GM Wheel Lock-Up From Transmission Control Valve Defect

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General Motors (GM) has announced a safety defect affecting the transmission control valve in certain Chevrolet, GMC, and Cadillac vehicles equipped with diesel engines. The issue involves excess wear on the transmission control valve, which could lead to a gradual loss of pressure. This defect has the potential to cause harsh shifting, and in rare cases, a momentary lock-up of the rear wheels.

The Affected Vehicle Models Are:

2021 Cadillac Escalade
2021 Cadillac Escalade ESV
2020-2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
2020-2022 Chevrolet Silverado 2500
2020-2022 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
2021 Chevrolet Suburban
2021 Chevrolet Tahoe
2020-2022 GMC Sierra 1500
2020-2022 GMC Sierra 2500
2020-2022 GMC Sierra 3500
2021 GMC Yukon
2021 GMC Yukon XL

GM first became aware of this issue in June 2024 through the company’s Speak Up for Safety (SUFS) program, after a customer claimed that the rear wheels of a 2021 GMC Sierra 2500 HD pickup allegedly locked up while towing a trailer. The incident caused property damage to both the vehicle and the trailer. This report prompted GM to open a new investigation.

Previously, GM had already investigated the condition, finding that excessive wear in the transmission control valve could cause harsh downshifting and, in some cases, a momentary lock-up of the rear wheels. Earlier tests and analyses suggested that the lock-up was unlikely to lead to loss of vehicle control, and no accidents or injuries were reported at the time.

In July, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) notified GM that its Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) monitoring process had flagged additional reports that could be related to this issue. GM’s investigators conducted an extensive analysis of these reports and reviewed comprehensive field data, identifying 1,888 field reports alleging a potential lock-up condition. Further examination revealed eleven specific incidents where the vehicles veered off the road, causing minor property damage. There were also three minor injuries reported, although none were linked to a collision.

Based on these findings, GM’s Safety Field Action Decision Authority (SFADA) decided in October to initiate a safety recall.

To address the defect, GM dealers will install updated transmission control module software. This software will monitor valve performance and detect signs of excess wear approximately 10,000 miles before a wheel lock-up condition could occur. If excess wear is detected, the software will limit the transmission to fifth gear, effectively preventing a wheel lock-up scenario, which typically happens during a downshift from eighth gear. Additionally, the vehicle’s instrument panel will display a service engine light and a reduced propulsion warning message to alert the driver. GM’s number for this recall is N242454440 and the NHTSA campaign number is 24V-797.

RAV 4 SUV Squeaks And Brake Problems

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The Toyota RAV4 is known as a compact SUV renowned for its dependable performance, adaptability, and impressive fuel efficiency. While it has earned a commendable reputation overall, certain model years have seen reported issues, prompting owners to navigate through a spectrum of challenges.

Some common problems experienced by RAV4 owners include:

Brake problems emerge as a recurring concern among RAV4 drivers, including issues such as premature brake pad and rotor wear, disconcerting brake noises, and unsettling brake fluid leaks. These problems not only compromise safety but also demand timely intervention from skilled mechanics to conduct thorough inspections and execute requisite repairs. The intricate interplay of brake system components necessitates meticulous attention to detail to ensure optimal functionality.

Another issue encountered by RAV4 owners revolves around squeaking noises emanating from various areas of the vehicle. These auditory disturbances could originate from suspension bushings, brake pads, or even interior trim pieces, confounding both drivers and mechanics alike in their quest for pinpointing the exact source. Addressing squeaking noises entails a systematic diagnostic approach, coupled with the technical acumen to remedy underlying causes effectively.

Transmission issues represent a notable headache for certain RAV4 owners, manifesting in the form of erratic shifting patterns, disconcerting hesitation, or ominous slipping sensations. Tackling these transmission problems often entails a multifaceted approach, including fluid replenishment, software updates, and in more severe instances, complete transmission overhauls.

Electrical problems cast a shadow of uncertainty over RAV4 ownership experiences, as drivers contend with an electrical system susceptible to a myriad of maladies. From temperamental sensors to glitchy infotainment interfaces and vexing electrical shorts.

Certain RAV4 models have encountered engine-related issues, ranging from excessive oil consumption and rough idling to outright engine stalling. These afflictions, though relatively rare, underscore the imperative of adhering to stringent maintenance protocols and promptly addressing emerging issues to safeguard the longevity and performance of the vehicle’s powerplant.

Jeep Wrangler 4XE Plug-In Hybrid Repeated Problems

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Jeep Wrangler 4XE The Jeep Wrangler 4XE plug-in hybrid has faced a series of challenges that have left many owners questioning the reliability of their vehicles. Reports from owners highlight a range of issues, from stalling engines that cannot be restarted to transmission errors, battery defects, and more serious safety concerns.

One common complaint among Wrangler 4XE owners is the vehicle’s tendency to stall unexpectedly, leaving drivers unable to restart the car. This issue is not just inconvenient but poses a significant safety risk, especially if it occurs in traffic or remote areas. Additionally, there have been reports of defective batteries and blown fuses, further contributing to the vehicle’s unreliability.

Transmission problems are another significant issue, with some owners experiencing leaks and errors, alongside instances where the shifter becomes stuck in park, rendering the vehicle immobile. Warning lights, such as the check engine light and power steering light, frequently accompany these mechanical failures, along with messages indicating the need to “Service Electronic Stability.”

Charging issues have also been a point of frustration. Errors like “Service Charging System” have been reported, alongside malfunctions in the Power Inverter Module (PIM), further complicating the ownership experience. In some cases, these electrical issues lead to a complete loss of power, preventing the vehicle from starting.

More alarming are reports of oil leaks from the exhaust and rear undercarriage, with one vehicle diagnosed with a bad pinion seal on the rear axle at merely 241 miles on the odometer. The recurrence of such leaks, accompanied by smoke and the potential risk of fire, underscores the severity of the Wrangler 4XE’s problems.

The erratic behavior of the vehicle’s transmission and propulsion systems, including sudden stops in the middle of highways and unintended acceleration that has led to property damage, raises significant concerns about the safety and reliability of the Jeep Wrangler 4XE.

For owners facing these daunting issues, California’s Lemon Law provides a beacon of hope. This law is designed to protect consumers who have purchased or leased new vehicles covered by a manufacturer’s new vehicle warranty. If a vehicle proves to be defective and cannot be repaired after a reasonable number of attempts, the manufacturer is required to either replace the vehicle or refund the purchase price to the consumer.

Under the California Lemon Law, owners of the Jeep Wrangler 4XE experiencing repeated failures that substantially impair the vehicle’s use, value, or safety may be entitled to relief. It’s essential for affected owners to keep detailed records of all repairs and attempts made to address the issues, as these documents will be crucial in pursuing a lemon law claim.

The myriad of problems faced by Jeep Wrangler 4XE owners highlights the challenges in the automotive industry’s shift towards electrification, especially in models that are expected to perform under the demanding conditions for which Jeeps are renowned. For those grappling with these defects, understanding and utilizing the protections offered by the Lemon Law can provide a pathway to resolution and ensure that manufacturers are held accountable for the reliability and safety of their vehicles.

Electric Oil Pump Failure May Cause Fire

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Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and Kia America, Inc. (Kia) are contacting owners of certain 2023-2024 vehicles because these vehicles are potentially affected by a critical issue related to the electric oil pump assembly. The problem could lead to a vehicle fire.

According to the defect report, the problem lies in a Multi-Layer Ceramic Capacitor (MLCC) located on the printed circuit board within the Idle Stop & Go (ISG) electric oil pump assembly for the transmission. During the manufacturing process, the MLCC may have incurred damage from the supplier. This damage can have severe consequences on the electrical operation of the pump, leading to heat damage to the electric oil pump circuit board, connector, and wiring harness.

The consequences of this heat damage are twofold. Firstly, it escalates the risk of a vehicle fire, which can pose a significant threat to both the occupants and the vehicle itself. Secondly, there is a potential for a Controller Area Network (CAN) communication disruption for multiple onboard controllers. This disruption could lead to operational issues and compromises in the vehicle’s performance.

A range of 2023-2024 Hyundai and Kia models have been identified as being susceptible to this issue. The affected vehicles include:

The vehicles affected include:

2023 Hyundai Elantra
2023 Hyundai Kona
2023-2024 Hyundai Palisade
2023 Hyundai Sonata
2023 Hyundai Tucson
2023-2024 Kia Seltos
2023 Kia Soul
2023 Kia Sportage

Drivers may notice smoke from the vehicle’s under-body, a burning or melting odor or an illuminated Malfunction Indicator Light and other system dashboard warning lamps.

To address this potential problem, Hyundai and Kia are taking immediate action by issuing a recall. Owners of the affected vehicles will be notified and requested to schedule an appointment with their nearest Hyundai or Kia dealerships. During the inspection process, the electric oil pump controller will be inspected, and if necessary, replaced to ensure optimal performance and safety.

As a precautionary measure until the recall repair is completed, owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures. This will minimize the potential risk of a vehicle fire and provide added safety for both the vehicle and surrounding property.

For reference, Hyundai has designated the recall with the number 246, and the corresponding NHTSA campaign number is 23V-526. Meanwhile, Kia has assigned the recall with the number SC275, and the associated NHTSA campaign number is 23V-531.

Stellantis RAM 2500 & 3500 Truck Problems

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Transmission Fluid Leak May Cause Fire In Certain Stellantis Trucks

Chrysler’s parent company, Stellantis has issued a recall for certain 2020-2022 Ram 3500 and 2020-2023 Ram 2500 heavy-duty diesel trucks because of a problem that could result in an engine compartment fire. These trucks are equipped with Cummins 6.7L Turbo Diesel engines and 68RFE transmissions.

According to the defect report, a build-up of heat and pressure inside the transmission may result in transmission fluid being expelled from the dipstick tube. If the fluid comes in contact with an ignition source within the engine compartment, it could result in a vehicle fire. Stellantis is still working on a fix for this problem. Chrysler’s number for this recall is ZA3 and the NHTSA campaign number is 22V-835.

In the past two years, Stellantis’s Ram 2500 and Ram 3500 trucks have experienced a high number of recalls.

Owners Are Advised To Park Outdoors Due To Fire Hazard

It began in February 2021, when an investigation was opened into engine compartment fires in certain 2021-2022 Ram 2500, 3500 pickup trucks and 2021-2022 Ram 3500, 4500, and 5500 cab chassis vehicles equipped with Cummins 6.7L Turbo Diesel engines. An electrical short within the solid-state intake heater grid relay could result in a fire, even when the ignition was turned off. Owners are advised to park these vehicles outside and away from structures and other vehicles until the problem has been fixed. Approximately 131,000 vehicles were affected by this recall.

Side curtain Air Bag May Not Deploy Properly

In November 2021 an airbag recall was issued for a small number of 2021-2022 RAM 1500, 2500 and 3500 trucks. The side air bag inflatable curtain (SABIC) assemblies in these vehicles were manufactured with a low gas mass that would result in an airbag non-deployment or slow deployment or a high gas mass that could result in aggressive airbag deployment and an increased risk of occupant injury in certain crash scenarios.

Stellantis RAM Electrical Problems

Stellantis issued three more recalls before their most recent for transmission fluid leaks that could cause fires. In March 2022, approximately 370, 000 Dodge Duango, RAM 2500, and Ram 3500 trucks were repaired for an electronic stability control (ECS) indicator light that could fail to illuminate during a control problem, increasing the risk of a crash.

In June 2022, certain 2022 Ram 1500, 2500 pickup trucks, and 3500 Cab Chassis vehicles with GVWR less than 10,000 lbs, experienced a radio software problem that could prevent the rear view image from displaying. These vehicles failed to comply with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) for rear visibility.

In August 2022 a misaligned capacitor inside the ECM of certain 2022 Ram 2500, 3500, 4500 and 5500 trucks, could cause an electrical short, and a loss of drive power.

If your vehicle is experiencing repeated problems it could be a Lemon. Know your Lemon Law Rights. If you have any questions about your rights and the California Lemon Law, please call our office at 1-888-395-3666 and get some great Lemon Law advice!

Hyundai And Kia Loss Of Drive Power – Transmission Oil Pump Malfunction

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Hyundai and Kia will be contacting the owners of certain 2021-2023 vehicles because of an internal fault affecting the electric oil pump in their transmissions. These automobiles are equipped with 2.5L turbocharged gasoline direct injection (T-GDI) engines and 8-speed dual-clutch transmissions (DCT)

Hyundai first became aware of the problem in September 2022 when the NHTSA’s ODI contacted them about a 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz allegedly experiencing a loss of motive power while driving at various speeds. An investigation into the problem identified an internal fault with the DCT’s high-pressure electric oil pump as the likely cause of the vehicle entering “fail-safe” driving. Based on the information received, Hyundai decided to conduct a recall for affected vehicles. Because the same components are used on certain Kia vehicles, Kia also decided to conduct a recall.

The vehicles affected include:

2022 Hyundai Elantra N
2022 Hyundai Kona N
2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz
2021-2022 Hyundai Santa Fe
2021-2022 Hyundai Sonata
2021-2022 Hyundai Veloster N
2021-2023 Kia K5
2021-2022 Kia Sorento

According to the defect report, “The electric oil pump within the 8-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) may experience an internal fault due to insufficient soldering of a component of the electric oil pump circuit board. As a result, the subject vehicles may set a diagnostic trouble code with warnings and allow the vehicle to be driven normally for 20-30 seconds, followed by complete loss of motive power due to disengagement of the transmission drive gears.” If this happens, drivers will hear an audible warning chime, the message “stop safely immediately” on the instrument cluster and an illuminated malfunction indicator light (MIL).

Hyundai has received 229 unique incidents in the US related to this problem. Kia has identified 36 alleged incidents of loss of motive power due to an internal fault with the electric oil pump. Hyundai’s number for this recall is 236 and the NHTSA campaign number is 22V-746. Kia’s number for this recall is SC250 and the NHTSA campaign number is 22V-760.

NHTSA Investigates Chrysler, Dodge And Jeep Vehicles For Safety Issues

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Automotive Defect InvestigationThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issues safety standards that require automobile manufacturers to recall vehicles that have safety-related defects. An important first step to identifying a problem is to keep a database of complaints received from owners. Similar complaints from a number of owners about the same product are usually a good indication that a problem could exist. The NHTSA will review the complaints and, in most cases, open an investigation. If the investigation leads to a recall, the NHTSA will monitor the effectiveness and management of the recall, including the filing of recall notices, communicating with owners regarding the recalls, and tracking the completion rate of each recall.

The NHTSA currently has three investigations affecting certain Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep vehicles.

Stalling And Loss Of Motive Power Due To Transmission Malfunction
2019-2021 Chrysler Pacifica and 2019-2020 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 40 complaints alleging incidents of stalling and loss of motive power in certain 2019-2021 Chrysler Pacifica plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). Most incidents occurred at speeds greater than 25 MPH and resulted in a vehicle stall. The loss of motive power was often accompanied by a dashboard warning message indicating a charging fault. A review of vehicle data showed that the malfunction was correlated with an internal transmission fault. The ODI is opening an investigation to assess the scope, frequency, cause, and potential safety-related consequences of the alleged defect.

Crankshaft Or Camshaft Sensor Failures
2016 Dodge Journey, 2016 Jeep Compass, and 2016 Jeep Patriot

In December 2016, the NHTSA issued a recall (16V-907) that identified crankshaft or camshaft sensor failures on certain 2016 Dodge Journey, Jeep Compass, and Jeep Patriot vehicles. According to the recall report, the crankshaft or camshaft sensor may work intermittently, possibly causing the engine to stall while driving. Following this recall, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has continued to receive consumer complaints from owners who say they are experiencing crankshaft or camshaft failures on similar vehicles not included in the recall. The NHTSA has opened a Recall Query (RQ) to further assess the scope, frequency, and safety consequences of the alleged defect.

Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) Inadvertently Activates While Driving
2014-2020 Jeep Cherokee

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 80 complaints for 2014-2020 Jeep Cherokees alleging the Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) activated while the vehicle was in motion. Based on repair invoices, the problem is caused by water leaking into the vehicle and damaging the EPB module which inadvertently activates the vehicle to a stop. The ODI is aware of recall 15V-393 that addresses water ingress affecting the power lift-gate module on the same population of vehicles. The lift-gate module can potentially catch fire as a result of the water damage. Both the lift-gate and EPB modules are located in a similar area of the vehicle.

If your vehicle is experiencing repeated problems like the ones listed above, it could be a Lemon. Know your Lemon Law Rights. If you have any questions about your rights and the California Lemon Law, please call our office at 1-888-395-3666 and get some great Lemon Law advice!

2020 Mercedes Benz GLC350E 4Matic
Loss Of Drive Power

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The owners of certain 2020 Mercedes Benz GLC350E 4Matic SUVs could experience a loss of drive power due to a problem affecting the wiring harness going to the transmission in their vehicles.

In September 2020, Mercedes Benz first became aware of the problem after receiving a customer complaint regarding the loss of drive power in their vehicle. As similar complaints regarding GLC-Class vehicles increased Mercedes began an investigation into the problem. A production quality survey was initiated to double check the wiring harness installation in two plants producing the LC-Class. Mercedes investigated possible commonalities between the reported failures of two different platforms that are manufactured at three different plants. Mercedes also asked the wiring harness supplier to analyze any possible cause involving the wiring harness.

The investigation identified the root cause of the problem as an error in the installation of the wiring harness. Mercedes studied the potential effect of the transmission wiring harness production deviation on vehicle safety and identified the potentially affected vehicles. On July 1st 2022, they determined that there was a potential safety risk and decided to conduct a recall of all the potentially affected vehicles.

According to the defect report, the routing of the transmission wiring harness in certain 2020 GLC-Class (253 platforms) 4-Matic vehicles may not meet current production specifications. Due to deviations in the wiring harness length and the assembly process, the harness could come in contact with the front drive shaft and damage it over time. If this happens, drivers could experience a loss of propulsion and an increased risk of an accident. If the failure occurs, the driver would be made aware through a warning message in the instrument cluster.

Owners receiving notices will be asked to return to their dealers to have the transmission wiring harness inspected and replaced as necessary. The NHTSA campaign number for this recall is 22V-494.