NHTSA Complaint #10051440 — 2000 CHEVROLET SILVERADO

I OWN A 2000 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2WD LT WITH TOWING PACKAGE. THE TRUCK HAS NEVER TOWED A VEHICLE AND CURRENTLY HAS ONLY 41,835 MILES. ON DECEMBER 29, 2003, I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK WHEN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED. I REALLY NEVER HEARD OF A TRANSMISSION FAILING AT 41,000 MILES. THE TRUCK HAS THE TOWING PACKAGE AND IS HEAVY DUTY ON THE TRANSMISSION. I NEVER TOWED A CAR WITH THIS TRUCK OR CARRIED LESS THAN 500 LBS IN THE BED. I FEEL THAT THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE REVIEWED BECAUSE I COULD HAVE BEEN TOWING A VEHICLE AND GOING UP AN INCLINE. I FEEL THAT THIS IS SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD TO OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD. THIS IS NOT A ONE TIME PROBLEM, BECAUSE I HAVE OTHER FRIENDS WITH SILVERADOS THAT ARE REPLACING THEIR TRANSMISSIONS LESS THAN 50,000 MILES. A TRANSMISSION BY DESIGN SHOULD LAST AT LEAST 100,000 MILES. I HAVE CONTACTED GM ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND THEY SAY THAT THERE IS NO SERVICE BULLETINS OR RECALL. MY INCIDENT IS ISOLATED AND GM IS ONLY WILING TO REPLACE 50% OF THE COST. THE DEALERSHIP THAT I TOOK THE TRUCK TO HAD 3 OTHER PEOPLE WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS. I HAVE ANOTHER LOCAL FRIEND WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS ISOLATED??? HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/GM_SILVERADO_TRANSMISSION.HTML THIS IS A SERIOUS HAZARD TO OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD TODAY. THE COST OF A NEW TRANSMISSION FROM THE DEALER IS $2400 AND GM IS WILLING TO REIMBURSE YOU 50% OF THAT COST. THE COST IS SO OVERINFLATED THAT THIS IS NOT A FIX. LOCAL SHOPS WILL CHARGE YOU TO REBUILD THE TRANSMISSION FOR AROUND $1200. I THINK GM, JUST WANTS TO MAKE MONEY ON THESE TRANSMISSIONS. THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN DESCRIBING A PROBLEM WITH THE DRIVESHAFT CAUSING A CLUNKING NOISE. GM FAILED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AND IT CAUSING THESE AUTO TRANSMISSIONS TO FAIL PREMATURELY. MY GUESS IS THAT THE DRIVESHAFT IS NOT THE CORRECT LENGTH AND IS MOVING BACK AND FORTH THUS CAUSING A CLUNKING NOISE. OVER A PERIOD OF TIME THIS WOULD CAUSE THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL.