Transmission out at 78k miles

[ZraHamilton]

2010 Chevy Equinox. Bought used with 70k miles last May. After 8k miles in our possession, the trans had major internal failure. It started revving up like it was slipping and by the time we made it home it was bucking and barely moved forward. Then it wouldn't move forward or backward and did nothing until you revved it up to 3k rpm and it just made a grinding sound.

Had a remanufactured trans from chevy with a 3 year / 100,000 mile warranty swapped in.

I have 2 questions:

1. Has chevy determined the problem with these specific transmissions and made a revised part(s) to solve it?

2. Is there anything I could have done to make it last longer? (The fluid was considered lifetime)

 

[oilpsi2high]

Did you start with the basics and check the fluid level? Is the filter clogged?

Did you scan the computer for codes?

Lifetime fluid is a bunch of nonsense IMO and is one of the few things I agree with Scotty Kilmer on.

 

[joegreen]

Lifetime fluid is like lifetime never brushing your teeth. Works fine in the beginning and is convenient but in the end things get ugly and expensive. I wouldn't consider 78k miles extremely high on factory fill though. Many people go much much higher before changing.

 

[Tman220]

Did the issues start in either 3rd gear, 5th gear, or reverse? These transmissions had a known issue with the 3,5,R wave plate (they call it) If I remember correctly the wave plate was installed backwards, or didn't have a required chamfer on one side and would eventually break. The issues would initially show up in the gears listed. The transmission would then create lots of metal clogging the filter, trans cooler, etc until complete failure. It was a known issue and chevy extended the warranty out to 10 years, 120,000 miles.

Edit:
I guess the 2010's weren't affected... but I am still curious of how it started.

 

[nascarnation]

These failures are due to a quality issue with the steel clutch wave plates which fatigue crack and cause the plate to separate into two halves and become dislodged and unable to work properly. To the best of my knowledge, this failure is only dependent on number of times the pack has been activated. No relation to amount of torque applied or lubricant. When the parts are mfg correctly, no issue exists, so your re-man should be fine.

 

[WobblyElvis]

Google GM transmission failure "Wave Plate". You might find a secret warranty on your transmission.

 

[marine65]

I have a co worker with 260K miles on the original transmission in his 2010 Equinox.
He is on his second engine but thats a whole nother story.

 

[ZraHamilton]

You have to check the fluid from a fill level plug on the side while it's running. Level was perfect. The scanner only pulled up an engine code about the VVT solenoids which was unrelated, since the car wouldn't move at all. I took out the solenoids and cleaned some debris off the screens.

 

[benjy]

lifetime anything means until the warranty is gone, then its your $$$. as noted not a lot of miles for a failure + it seems GM is getting worse all the time as witnessed on various forums. at least it was cheaper than the CVT's that will die in higher mileage vehicles when of course the warranty is gone!!!

 

[doitmyself]

Originally Posted by benjy
it seems GM is getting worse all the time as witnessed on various forums.


If you search ALL brands for problems, you will discover that they are ALL having a few serious issues here and there, even the revered Honda and Toyota brands. Too many examples to list here.

 

[Chris142]

If the problem was caused by a hard part failing there isn't anything you could have done to save it.

 

[nicholas]

It could have been - and probably was all city driving.
Stop and go - or not proper warm up will toast a trans that fast.

We do drain and fills every 30,000kms.

 

[Rolla07]

Have you checked to see if this is a common issue on that model? Could of been prev owner abuse, bad trans, bad luck...

 

[4WD]

Our Cruze Owners Manual recommended ATF at 40k. I did that but it looked like motor oil with 15k.
Put it on a 20k OCI now - and it's just turning brownish at that OCI. (only takes one jug of Maxlife) ...
... very easy and quick change of some of the ATF during an oil change ...
At +112k of hard miles (young male driver) - the trans is still solid ...

 

[supton]

Originally Posted by doitmyself
Originally Posted by benjy
it seems GM is getting worse all the time as witnessed on various forums.


If you search ALL brands for problems, you will discover that they are ALL having a few serious issues here and there, even the revered Honda and Toyota brands. Too many examples to list here.

People generally only post about problems. The worse the problem, the more vocal they get.

Random failures occur also. Sometimes a person is just unlucky. Anything can break, regardless of how "reliable" it is.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Originally Posted by Chris142
If the problem was caused by a hard part failing there isn't anything you could have done to save it.


+1,000

Must be because this is primarily a site about oil where everyone thinks fluid changes can "save" just about anything.

 

[badtlc]

Originally Posted by BMWTurboDzl
Originally Posted by Chris142
If the problem was caused by a hard part failing there isn't anything you could have done to save it.


+1,000

Must be because this is primarily a site about oil where everyone thinks fluid changes can "save" just about anything.


I don't see anyone in this thread claiming this would have undoubtedly been prevented with fluid changes. Most posts seem to indicate the OP should check to see if he had one of the defectively manufactured units.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Originally Posted by badtlc
Originally Posted by BMWTurboDzl
Originally Posted by Chris142
If the problem was caused by a hard part failing there isn't anything you could have done to save it.


+1,000

Must be because this is primarily a site about oil where everyone thinks fluid changes can "save" just about anything.


I don't see anyone in this thread claiming this would have undoubtedly been prevented with fluid changes. Most posts seem to indicate the OP should check to see if he had one of the defectively manufactured units.


True but the knee-jerk cause was due to a lack of fluid changes (aka "lifetime ATF").

 

[JTK]

What is the engine and trans combo?

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted by ZraHamilton


1. Has chevy determined the problem with these specific transmissions and made a revised part(s) to solve it?

2. Is there anything I could have done to make it last longer? (The fluid was considered lifetime)

GM's usually good about installing updated parts during the reman process - although it's a third party who does them and not GMPT. Still, better a GM/ACDelco reman with a full warranty than a crapshoot Jasper or junkyard tranny.

Besides changing the fluid on a regular basis and perhaps installing a ATF cooler, there wasn't much to be done.