2005 Park Ave Ultra Tranny HELL....HELP...PUH*LEEEEZE!

[Ultraknowgo]

Hello There!!

I am in desperate need of someone who has knowledge on 2005 Buick Park Avenue Ultra trannies! Here's the sad story! I took my car to a local Buick Dealership to have my car looked at. The problem was a harsh shift and I wanted to make sure that nothing was wrong. So a tech took it for a test drive and said he was going back to get the other guys there to put their heads together and come up with what was going on with my vehicle. Well , out comes the shop manager and states that we need a motor mount and that the car's computer had a code P1811 so they said it worse case senerio would dealership be the car needed a valvebody and solenoid but they wouldn't know until they took the tranny apart. If it was something more inside, they would call us ASAP and get an approval for work. So they replaced the motor mount, valvebody/ TCC solenoid,PC solenoid and I figured while the car was there to get a tune up and fuel filter so the car would be in tip top shape and ready to 'rumble'!! The car has 77,000 miles on it so you know. I got the the car back and as I was driving it home, less than four miles, the car started bumping, slipping, shaking worse than on a riding bulls and the tach would jump from 3K to 5K while I was trying to go up a slight hill and then it would return to normal when I let off the gas but the other issues continued. So I called them and they said, drive it right back and will scan it for codes. So they did and the same P1811 code popped up. So they took the tranny apart AGAIN and told us it was a 'defective' valve body/solenoid from GM. To make this short, this happened three more times in a span of one week and me having my car for a total of 8-miles each time with the same problems. Now we are at three 'defective' valve/body from GM and NOW they are saying I need a torque convertor and that this is been the problem all along. Ooops, I forgot to mention that the tech who worked on my car, well he's only been employed for TWO WHOLE WEEKS!!!!! I questioned what qualifications this guy had, since his name/certificate, wasn't on the board. The manager told me, he had NO training since he was just hired but the other items he's worked on, the new guy had no problems. So I asked, did he work on trannies, the manager said NO but he had owned his own shop prior to his employment here. So the manager called over another tech to ask if he watched the new guy and this one said "Yes, but only this latest time but not the prior three times" and this guy went on to say that the tranny is getting damaged with each drive and can't say if the new guy put it together or what he did. They want us to buy a new tranny now at what they say is 'dealer cost' but we have to pay full labor and we don't feel we should since the car NEVER had these issues before and they never told us that it needed a 'torque convertor' until after the last time and I feel that they damaged my tranny?? Can anyone verify this for me or give me any ideas how to deal with these people. I have over two grand into this, from this visit. I know what I'm going to mention next has no bearing on the tranny, but it will give you a better idea on how this dealership seems to operate. First they gave me a written guaranteed quote and I was then overcharged and had to fight to get that corrected. Then when they returned my car this last time, the car was completely out of gas and I had a full tank in there when I started and they 'forgot' two important software updates because the 'new' guy didn't know about them. The only thing I get from the manager is "I'm sorry!" these things never should have happened but if I had known all this, I never would have taken the car there but I figured it was a dealership and the best place to take this beauty!

Thanks for taking the time out of your day to read my story and ANY help would be soooooo GREATLY appreciated!! Right now, I am without a car and all I get is 'We'll get back to you after we call GM...it's there fault since they keep giving us faulty parts."...so they say...



Thanks Again! Have GOOD ONE!


Ultraconfused

[HotZ28]

When it shifts hard, do you here a whining noise? If you have a P1811 which is, (Max Adapt / Long Shift), the code will NOT always set the SES light but will disable all adaptive shifts and will max out line pressure in the transmission which will causes harsh shifts and the transmission pump to whine. This happens because, the pump is supplying fluid at an increased pressure which puts more stress on it, thereby creating the whine. Usually, when you shut the engine off, it will make this condition go away until you drive it a few miles, or when the engine & trans both warm up and the harsh shifting returns. Click Here for some DIY tricks. If the suggestions mentioned here don't work, it may be time for a replacement. BTW, the dealer is giving you the run-around & you should not have to pay for inexperienced (untrained) mechanics labor & parts. Most dealer mechanics are no better than independent trans shops, when it comes to transmission related problems! Good Luck!

[Jrs3800]

Here is my question....

Did they actually replace the parts? Or simply charge you for them?

Generally, you aren't going to get bad parts several times over...

[Ultraknowgo]

Hello Again and thanks for the replies!! :-)

To answer your questions, there NEVER was any whining sound when the tranny acted up. And secondly, they charged me for parts and labor for the motor mount (cost $350), tune-up ($500) and the initial valve body/solenoid. The valve body/solenoid and the TCC unit cost was $938 plus tax. They called me when the work was done and on my way home, that is when the tranny started acting NUTS. They replaced the valve body/solenoid an additional three times at no charge and each time they guaranteed me that the down shift was completely fixed 'this' time and viola, it goes right back to their shop after I drive it a few miles because the valve body/solenoid is guaranteed 12 mths or 12,000 miles...which ever comes first but they keep blaming GM for sending faulty parts. We asked how do they know they are faulty and the manager said, he has to send them back to GM so he really doesn't know if they are faulty!!They said the tranny fluid was VERY clean when the dropped the pan.Any more advice will help.

[Jrs3800]

Being that you had this done at a GM dealer, I will assume that you have a 12 month/12000 mile parts and labor warranty... I would take it to another GM dealer and have them look at it, explain everything that has been done..

I would also get in touch with a GM Rep..