2001 Pontiac Grand Prix Transmission Problems

I've got a 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix with only 47,000 miles that needs a whole new automatic transmission. A couple of weeks ago, I started noticing that sometimes when driving, I would have to press the peddle really far down to get it to go. Then sometimes I could get up to 5000 - 6000 RPMs and I was only going about 30 MPH. So I made an appointment to take into a dealer to have them look at it. Before I got a chance to get to my appointment, the car just died. Wouldn't go forward or backward. I had it towed to Dan Tobin Pontiac (in Columbus Ohio) and they hooked it up to the computer to estimate what was wrong. I got a call back saying that they couldn't tell but for an extra $878.00, they would take out the transmission and tell me what was wrong. So I had it towed out of there.

I started to call around to local transmission shops and checked them with the BBB online. I found one that had a good rating with the BBB and that would take it apart for $195 to tell me what was wrong with it. He told me that the entire thing is shot except for the drum. It's a total of $2300 in repairs. I asked him what could cause this. He told me that they have noticed a lot of 2000 - 2002 GM cars coming in with transmission problems. He called it an epidemic.

He told me that a valve in the transmission that GM is now using was made too small and that it's causing the transmission to over heat and just fall apart over time. He also said the steel they are using in the transmissions is failing too easily. He said that it's a design flaw in the car. He did say he was willing to put this in writing or to testify if need be.

I told the guy hold off on the repair because I'm going to do some research. I feel that if it is a design flaw, then Pontiac should assist in the cost of repairing the car.

Has anyone else had a similar experience or heard of this problem before?

Thanks! Michael Purdin snipped-for-privacy@wideopenwest.com

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Michael Purdin
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