# 1998 GMC GMC — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
> NHTSA complaint `313871` · 2001-09-07 · General Motors, LLC
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** GMC
- **Model:** GMC
- **Year:** 1998
- **Manufacturer:** General Motors, LLC
- **Component:** POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
## Narrative
SHORTLY AFTER SIGNING A LEASE TO PURCHASE THE VEHICLE, THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP IN REVERSE WHILE I WAS USING IT COMMERCIALLY. THE TRUCK HAD SEVERAL YEARS, OR 25000 MILES, LEFT ON WARRANTY SO I CALLED GMC CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR REPAIR.THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT AN AUTHORIZED GMC DEALERS'SHOP, PERFORMANCE CHEVROLET,SACRAMENTO,CA. ONE WEEK LATER THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP AGAIN, ONLY THIS TIME I COULDN'T AFFORD TO LOSE THE WORK (SELF-EMPLOYED) AS I DID THE FIRST LOCK UP. SO, I GATHERED MY WITS ABOUT ME AND  OPENED THE TOWER/SHIFTER ROD TOP OF THE TRANNY. I FOUND THE BOTTOM OF THE SHIFTER ROD OUT OF ITS DIVIT IN WHICH IT SHIFTS GEARS, AND ALSO SAW THAT THE REVERSE GEAR WAS THROWN INTO REVERSE. I THEN USED A SCREWDRIVER TO PRY THAT GEAR BACK INTO A NUETRAL POSITION.  I BUTTONED EVERYTHING BACK INTO PLACE AND RESUMED WORK. THIS BECAME A REGULAR PART OF MY JOBS; THAT IS, "FIXING" THE MANUFACTURER'S PROBLEMED PRODUCT. ABOUT 6 TO 8 MONTHS OF THIS MADDNESS WENT BY, WHEN ONE OF MY CLIENTS COMPLAINED THAT I SEEMED TO BE FIXING THE TRUCK MORE THAN WORKING IT TO FULFIL MY THE CONTRACT WITH HIM. AT THAT, I DECIDED ENOUGH WAS ENOUGH, AND VOWED THAT NEXT TIME THE LOCK UP OCCURED, I WOULD NOT FIX IT. I DIDN'T HAVE LONG TO WAIT BEFORE GIVEN THE CHANCE TO KEEP THAT PROMISE,AND THIS TIME I SENT THE TRUCK TO GMC'S OTHER REPAIR SHOP IN THE SACRAMENTO AREA, FB HART, HOPING FOR A REAL CURE. ABOUT 2 WEEKS LATER I RECEIVED A CALL SAYING MY TRUCK WAS REPAIRED. IT DIDN'T LAST,BUT FEELING SIMPLY BEATEN B
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*