NHTSA Complaint #10039346 — 2003 AM GENERAL H2

THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE CRUISE CONTROL AND TRANSMISSION. WHEN TRAVELLING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH AND GOING OVER A SMALL RISE (OVERPASS), SOMETIMES THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT UNLOCK THE TORQUE CONVERTER FOR NECESSARY POWER TO MAINTAIN VEHICLE SPEED. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE TRANSMISSION DIRECTLY DOWNSHIFTS (WITHOUT FIRST UNLOCKING THE TORQUE CONVERTER). THIS CAUSES A VIOLENT SURGE IN VEHICLE SPEED OVER THE SET CRUISE CONTROL SPEED, AND THEN A DROP OF THE THROTTLE AND UPSHIFT, ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO SLOW AGAIN. THESE TWO LURCHES MIGHT CAUSE SOME DRIVERS TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE OVER THE SAME COURSE WITHOUT THE CRUISE CONTROL, BUT MAINTAINING THE SAME SPEED MANUALLY WITH NECESSARY THROTTLE MOVEMENTS, THE TRANSMISSION PROPERLY UNLOCKS THE TORQUE CONVERTER AND THE PROBLEM DOES NOT OCCUR. HAVE WORKED WITH THE DEALER AND GM ON THIS, AND IT SEEMS THAT NEW SOFTWARE IS NEEDED IN THE VEHICLE CONTROL SYSTEMS. THEY WILL NOT GIVE ANY TIME FRAME TO FIX THE VEHICLE.