[Doug Pizzy]

So I was just driving on the freeway and this message came on. Got off the freeway and continued driving since my destination was close by but the van had no power as if you're trying to accelerate from a dead stop in 9th gear. It will drive but it takes a long time to get up to speed and of course if you need to accelerate to get out of someone's way that's not gonna happen.
My question is can I drive it to the mechanic like this or will that do further damage to the transmission?

 

[Doug Pizzy]

Okay, so I let it sit for about 20 minutes and then started it and the check engine light came on and the message just said service engine, not "transmission service needed ". I drove it cautiously to my next destination, about 2 miles and it seems to be driving normally. Fingers crossed that this is just a computer glitch and I'll just have to go to the dealer to have them reset the check engine light. However, ever since I bought this 2015 PMC SLT tradesmen with 36,000 miles on it about two months and 4000 miles ago I've been trying to get used to this nine speed engine. The thing I hate the most is if I accelerate hard from a dead stop the RPMs go up but it takes a second or two for the van to start moving. Also when I'm driving home every day I have to go up a couple of hills in my neighborhood and I've been actually switching to manual mode because it likes to stay in third gear which doesn't give enough acceleration from the bottom of the hill so I switch it into second. Maybe there's been something wrong with my transmission all along but since I was driving a 2000 Tacoma for 17 years I just assumed this is how this van drives.

 

[Doug Pizzy]

So after about 40 minutes I started up the van and no message or check engine light came on. I proceeded to drive home and about a mile on the freeway going about 65 mph the "transmission serviced needed" started flashing and the check engine light and exclamation point light too. Luckily my exit was coming up and I got off the freeway. However it couldn't make it up the first hill in my neighborhood. I stopped and shut the ignition and restarted and like before it seemed to drive normally but the msg and light were still on.
I definitely need to get it checked out tmrw but I'm torn between taking it to the overpriced dealership bc they supposedly know how to fix the vehicles they sell or take it to my neighborhood mechanic not knowing how much he knows about this vehicle. It's out of warranty coverage so...

 

[Crabapple]

There is a guy on Promaster City Owners facebook page had EXACTLY same issues!! Cause was software was buggy, they had to upgrade/reload software control for the tranny which solved the problem. Also he claims the tranny shifts/functions much better now than before!

 

[Doug Pizzy]

Thanks Crabapple! I just read his post and you're right those are the same issues I'm having. I guess I better take it to the dealership rather than my neighborhood mechanic.

 

[jecwow]

Hey Doug, Let us know if this helps the problem of the slow acceleration from a stop. Mine also has the delayed acceleration which can be dangerous when you try to pull out into traffic and it hesitates for a second or more.

 

[bcfruit]

Doug,
My wife had a one day onset of shift problems, then service light, then DOA on side of expressway, towed in under roadside assistance under warranty, around 30K I believe. Ended up being the Transmission Control Module, which was replaced in 24 hr at the dealer they towed to. I hope this is not the reason the computer modules are the first thing staring you in the face when you open the hood... She loves the van though.

Her experience with this revealed a great disparity in dealership warranty service in Atlanta: She was able to get to the closest dealer (begins with "Land," ends with "k") in limp mode. Was told that their dealership sold so many vehicles that they couldn't even service all of them, much less look at her vehicle under warranty until at least 2 weeks. So she attempted to drive to the next closest dealer, didn't make it, had to sit on side of I-285 for an hour waiting for a tow from an independent tow company that took the roadside assistance call. The van was towed to another dealer (Ed Voyles), who gets twenty stars for being very nice, giving her a free loaner to get home (60 miles), and repairing the car within 24 hr. No problems since.

 

[Doug Pizzy]

Update:

Had to wait 5 days for my appointment at the dealership. Took them less than 2 hrs to reprogram tranny. No charge.
I have not noticed any significant difference in the way it drives, shifts or accelerates from a dead stop. I was hoping my mpg's would increase but still a disappointing 19-20 mpg like before.