NHTSA Complaint #10071045 — 2001 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE

OUR PROBLEMS STARTED WITH THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING AT INITIAL LAUNCH. A REAL SUPRISE AND SAFETY CONCERN WHEN PULLING INTO TRAFFIC. THIS WOULD HAPPEN WITHOUT WARNING. I DROPPED THE TRANSMISSION OIL PAN AND REVEALED METAL DEBRIS AND GEAR TEETH. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I HAVE LEARNED THAT A (ALLEGED) DEFECTIVE THRUST BEARING, SUPPLIED (1999) BY GM'S SUPPLIER, FAILS AND DESTROYS THE 'SUN/REACTION GEARSET' AND THE DEBRIS CONTAMINATES THE INSIDE WORKINGS OF THIS 4T65-E TRANSMISSION. JUST SHOWING THE DEBRIS TO THE GM SERVICE MANAGER, THEY OFFERED TO DO A 50/50 SPLIT ON REPAIRS. I INSISTED ON 100% SINCE THE TRANSMISSION DIDN'T EVEN MAKE IT TO THE RECOMMENDED 50K OIL AND FILTER CHANGE. WITH THE FACT OF NOT GETTING A WRITTEN ESTIMATE, BUT A VERBAL ESTIMATE OF A MAX COST TO ME OF $3500 FOR THE REPAIR, I HAD AN INDEPENDENT REBUILD THE UNIT. THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN #03-07-30-017 ISSUED MAY 7, 2003, DESCRIBING THE DEALER FIX (REBUILD) FOR THIS FAILURE. THIS TSB COVERS THIS MODEL TRANS THAT IS USED IN 1999-2002 BUICK CENTURY, LESABRE, PARK AVENUE,CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO, VENTURE, OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE, SILHOUETTE, PONTIAC BONNEVILLE, GRAND PRIX, MONTANA, 2000-2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA, 2001-2002 PONTIAC AZTEK, 2002 BUICK RENDEZVOUS, ALL WITH THE TRANSAXLE AUTO 4-SPEED, 4T65E(RPO MN3) THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN WRITTEN #03-07-30-017 ISSUED MAY 7, 2003. IT IS ALSO UNDERSTOOD THAT THE REPLACEMENT THRUST BEARINGS ARE CORRECTLY MADE NOW, AND FOR THE 2004 MODEL OF THIS TRANSMISSION, GM IS USING A SPECIAL COATING (BALZER COATING) ON THE 'SUN/REACTION GEARSET' TO INCREASE DURABILITY OF THE COMPONENTS