NHTSA Complaint #755016 — 1996 CHEVROLET SILVERADO

Z71 TRUCK TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 55,000 MILES. GM STATES THAT MY VEHICLE IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION & THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT I DID TO CAUSE THE FAILURE. GM SERVICE BULLETIN (DOC. #225207) STATES THAT THE VCM CAN CAUSE ERRATIC LINE PRESSURE WITH THE 4L60-E TRANSMISSION. ALTHOUGH THE BULLETINS ARE FOR TECH. INFO ONLY, THIS SERVICE BULLETIN DOCUMENTS A KNOWN PRE-EXISTING DEFECT THAT CAN "LEAD" TO PREMATURE TRANSMISSION FAILURE DUE TO THE VCM COMMUNICATING INTERMITTENT, ERRATIC, UNSTABLE LINE PRESSURE. THE BULLETIN ADDRESSES THE PROBLEM & POTENTIAL "FAILURE OR DAMAGE" VERSUS BEING INFORMATIVE & TOOLS NEEDED FOR THE JOB. BECAUSE CONSUMERS ARE NOT NOTIFIED OF BULLETINS, THEY END-UP PAYING FOR THESE REPAIRS OUT OF POCKET, NEVER KNOWING THEY STEM FROM FACTORY DEFECTS & COULD BE REPAIRED FOR LITTLE OR NOTHING. NOTIFICATION PRECLUDES ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS & EXPENSE THAT COULD BE COVERED BY THE WARRANTY OR HIDDEN WARRANTY (SO CALLED GOOD WILL PROGRAM).*AK