NHTSA Complaint #10145693 — 2004 GMC SIERRA

#1 04 SIERRA 4X4 RETURNED TO DEALER AFTER 2 WEEKS (9/18/04) WITH 1523 MILES FOR HARD SHIFTING. CLUTCH WAS NOT INSTALLED CORRECTLY FROM FACTORY. ENGAGE AND DISENGAGE POINT IN CLUTCH PEDAL TRAVEL IS AT FULL DEPRESSION INTO THE FIREWALL. #2 PASSENGER DOOR HARD TO CLOSE FULLY. DRIVER SIDE DOOR CLOSES AS EXPECTED WITH LITTLE EFFORT. PASSENGER DOOR WILL NOT CLOSE COMPLETELY WITHOUT UNDUE FORCE BEING APPLIED OR A WINDOW CRACKED. #3 RETURNED TRUCK TO A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP ON 9/15/05 WITH 8,190 AND AGAIN 12/15/05 WITH 10,282 MILES. FOR A KNOCKING NOISE DURING TURNING, CLUTCH NOT ENGAGING AND DISENGAGING CORRECTLY, PASSENGER DOOR NOT CLOSING COMPLETELY, AND A NEW RATTLING NOISE FROM THE TRANSMISSION ALONG WITH A WHINE NOISE FROM THE GEARS. THE DEALERSHIP FIXED THE KNOCKING NOISE FROM A SERVICE BULLETIN CONCERNING A STEERING BUSHING. THIS DEALERSHIP ALSO STATED THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CLUTCH OR THE TRANSMISSION OR THE PASSENGER DOOR. NONE OF THE PROBLEMS WERE FIXED #5 I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE TRUCK TO AN INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST AFTER PICKING IT UP FROM THE DEALERSHIP FOR A 3RD OPINION ON 12/20/05 WITH 10,284 MILES. HIS OPINION WAS FLATLY STATED THAT THE TRUCK HAS MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THE CLUTCH AND THE TRANSMISSION. HIS EVALUATION WAS THE CLUTCH WAS NOT INSTALLED CORRECTLY FROM THE FACTORY AND DEPRESSION INTO THE FIREWALL WAS NOT CORRECT. THE TRANSMISSION HAS SYNCHRONIZER AND POSSIBLE BUSHINGS AND BEARINGS THAT WERE FAILING. HE STATED THE NOISES ALONE WERE DEFINITE INDICATORS THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAS PROBLEMS AND THAT ANYONE WOULD KNOW THAT A CLUTCH IS NOT REQUIRED TO BE DEPRESSED INTO THE FIREWALL FOR PROPER OPERATION WHICH IN TIME WILL LEAD TO PREMATURE CLUTCH FAILURE. THIS EVALUATION COST ME $30 AND 3 HOUR LOST FROM WORK. *JB