I am looking for advice - I have a lemon of 2019 Traverse - that was in the shop 3 months last year with electrical issues - last week it’s transmission seized.
The transmissionr seized several thousand miles over warranty - it’s out of warranty - sitting on top of a Mountain in NH 50-100miles from a garage - Im $12,000 under water with payments…I won’t have the $ for a new transmission until Frb…
I was nervous about posting such a non-technical problem - in a forum for top experts -because I’m not just a woman - but I’m also pretty pathetic I when it comes to cars.
I want to learn - but to now all I’ve done is that changed tires, alternators and installed a tow hitch) . I have a scanner and got the error codes.
I live in a cabin in the mountains - where mechanics are few and far between.
And none of the mechanics Ive gone to around here have given me a straight answer (at least not as far as I could understand)
Blizzards, Sick Children & Work - I’m feeling absolutely helpless and completely at the mercy if I ever find a mechanic to fix my car - both of us knowing he can change as much as he wants - and still be doing me a favor.
sound like a stereotype of the completely clueless woman - which is stupid of me because I’d only be too happy to be taken advantage of and overcharged if a mechanic fixed my car…
My situation might not be as difficult as I ses. There may be mechanics in the area I don’t know - It’s only been a year since I moved to NH - barely know anyone - and am just starting to recover from culture shock.
I have no idea if - under the circumstances I should try to unload it (take z hit and use (a double ) e-vehicle creditt to get back above water. (Our minister has offered a junk car for me to make a double trade-in / purchase). - make sure I’m never in this situation again.
I think your best choice financially is to fix this car when you can and plan to drive it for many more years. Otherwise you’re taking a major loss. Would your minister let you drive the junk car until then (making sure the proper insurance is in place)?
It would be best to get this car to a good independent transmission shop (not a chain) for an estimate on a rebuilt transmission and a used transmission. I will point out that there’s a small chance that the dealer and manufacturer might give you some “goodwill” assistance because you were just out of warranty, but then you’d have the hassle of towing the car there first, so that’s probably not worthwhile.
I assume you realize now that you bought a car that was beyond your means, so keep that in mind the next time you buy a car. At a minimum, your down payment needs to be enough that you’re never underwater.
Stop thinking like that. Just stop it. Many, many men are just as clueless about cars as women. Even some that comment on forums! The XY chromosome does not imbue one with innate car knowledge (although many think it does!). They are just as likely to be taken advantage of as a woman.
That said, most mechanics are honest because they are people, too, and want repeat business. Especially small town mechanics. They cannot afford to rip people off because they’ll have to leave town or starve if they develop that reputation.
The 2 previous posts are good advice. Seems awful for a 4 year old vehicle to have this problem but… A used transmission is a good choice. Ask around to find respected local mechanic. Explain your situation and desire to get this thing running as cheaply as possible.
Well I’ll try. She said it was out of warranty so I guess worth a double check if there was an extended poewertrain warranty. A good percentage of guys know nothing about cars either and getting worse. But you don’t have to know how to repair a car to hire someone to do the job.
Without knowing what the trans symptoms are or were, it is kinda hard to tell whether it should be repaired or replaced. More than several times I have had my car towed 50 or more miles to get it to where I wanted it. That’s what tow trucks are for. So first thing is it needs a reasonable diagnosis from either a good trans shop (if that is the real problem), regular shop, or even dealer. I have never put a used transmission in but have overhauled them or put in an overhauled unit off the shelf. Replacement or overhauling can range from $2-5000, but need the diagnosis first.
Whether to fix or trade is another issue. A car without an engine or transmission is not worth much so it has to be fixed first before selling or trading. Under water by $12,000 is an issue but selling for scrap won’t help. If you have had multiple issues with it, might be worth it just to take the hit and trade after it is fixed. But knowing you will have to make up that $15,000 loss on the next car, either by keeping it longer or increasing payments. Once you get to zero, you can do what you want.
I have had a few transmissions over the years and never flinched at the cost and usually gives you another 100-200,000 more miles. But I change fluid every 30,000 miles and at 10,000 on a new car. Regardless of what anyone says. So has the fluid been changed? Also you put a trailer hitch on it and you are in the mountains. I think that car has a 1500 pound trailer limit.
This isn’t money talk but in my lectures to the kids, it doesn’t matter how much or little you have as long as expenses are less than what you have. Not always possible, but that’s the goal. So sometimes even a new car with guaranteed expenses makes more sense than getting nick,e and dimed on a lemon. First thing though is to get it back on the road for breathing room.
Sorry for long windedness. Most of us have been there if we are honest.
I looked it up and the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse has a 5 year 60,000 mile powertrain warranty that covers the machinery that moves the car down the road. The transmission is certainly covered. It is a transferable warranty, which means it can cover things even if you are not the first owner.
If you are within the mileage limitation my advice is you call the Chevrolet dealer nearest you and tell the service manager your story.
Also, you live in New England, where small town life is very slow to really welcome you. However, that small town is a very strong community, and looks out for itself and each other. If you approach the local folks, introduce yourself and ask who they think is a reliable local mechanic, you’ll get some answers. But first contact the Chevrolet dealer.
I wonder what is meant by “the transmission seized”. One band I play in was playing a gig about 40 miles away. When we got to the sight, the band director said something had happened to the transmission on his van and the van was struggling and not shifting right. He said the problem happened right after he had to make a panic stop. I suggested to him the problem might not be the transmission but that a brake might be locked up. That turned out to be the problem.
I had had a similar problem on a Ford Aerostar van I once owned. The Aerostar had antilock brakes only on the rear wheels. It turned out that some valve in the antilock brake system was not allowing the brakes on the rear wheels to release.
Yes it certainly appears there is a 5yr/60,000 mile Powertrain warranty. These generally cover anything that is touched by oil/fluid which includes transmissions. I hope the op comes back with the mileage and what led her to believe it was not covered. Maybe a dealer was trying to delay the repair. Also there is a roadside assistance warranty, that I don’t know the limits on, but may cover a tow to the nearest dealer.
Your Facebook page says you are in the town of Gilford , NH . It seems that the are at least 2 repair shops there that can put a rebuilt transmission in your vehicle . Or at least tell you where you can have this done because your vehicle is not worth much now.
It’s an automatic with that system to maximize mileage on shifting and turns off the engine when you stop.
For weeks it’s been flashing an error after it was parked that it was still in gear
The past month a couple times a week its been going crazy - freaking out when accelerating- clutch takes a while to engage and the RPMs spike and the come back down.
I took it to yhe dealer in Littleton and they said it looked fine
A week a I got wedged between 2 DoT plows and it shot up like that and I couldn’t pull over or slow down for a mile- when II fimally found a place to pull off it wouldn’t shift into reverse or meutral - it’s stuck in first… (and the engine sounds awful)
At ,East we know there is no warranty to worry about. Got to evaluate what if anything is going on with the engine. Maybe it is just going into limp mode or something. The codes will be helpful.
