Uplander Transmission Problems

The Chevrolet Uplander transmission problems have been investigated by the NHTSA.Family van image by Avesun from Fotolia.com

The Chevrolet Uplander has been reported to have transmission problems, according to the Car Complaints website. The transmission has been known to slip, be hard to shift into gear and fail completely, according to these reports. The Repair Pal website has noted five different transmission investigations on the Uplander by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Transmission Slipping

The Chevrolet Uplander transmission has been slipping in some 2005, 2006 and 2007 year models of the vehicle. The Uplander begins to lose power when each gear is being shifted into, but does shift into gear after this pause. No particular cause has been found to cause this problem, but Repair Pal has reported that the valve body needs to be reconditioned by the dealership, which prevents further transmission slipping problems.

The transmission usually shifts from gear to gear in a slow, smooth transition, but some Chevrolet Uplanders have been reported to become hard to shift. Some Uplander owners have complained about having to use an unusually large amount of force to get the transmission to shift into gear. The Uplander begins to jerk and lose power before each gear is shifted into when accelerating the vehicle. The transmission bands have been the reported culprit, according to Car Complaints. These transmission bands hold each gear into place when another gear is being shifted into. The bands become loose and cause the gears to vibrate upon shifting, which makes the Uplander hard to shift from gear to gear.

Some Chevrolet Uplanders have been failing prematurely. This premature transmission failure has been attributed to the control module, which fails, causing the transmission to overheat. The transmission fluid is running overheated if it gives off a burning smell, and if the fluid is extremely dark in color. This symptom is a sign that the transmission is beginning to fail. If the control module is the cause of this transmission failure and the transmission fluid is overheated, the control module needs to be replaced or reprogrammed. The dealership can make this repair.