Decent amount of "slop" in my '09's tranny.... Anyone else?

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

KMeloney

Full Access Member
Joined
May 2, 2009
Posts
2,968
Reaction score
364
Hey all,

I've noticed in my '09 Tahoe that there's a decent amount of "play" or "slop" in the tranny, especially when it comes to parking on and/or pulling out from any kind of nose-down incline.

I park on an incline at work. When I come to a complete stop in my spot, put it in park, and kill the engine, I have to SLOWLY take my foot off the brake, as the truck wants to roll forward half a foot or so (I have a railing that I pull up to, and I have to really watch that I don't roll into it). I have also found that if I am parked this way and take it out of park and head backward out of the spot, the truck can roll WAY forward before "engaging" (between registering that it's in R and registering that it's getting throttle, the truck can roll forward a scary amount).

I don't know if it's an electronics thing, or a auto tranny/flywheel thing or what, but it's BAD. It's very disconcerting, and I'm concerned that I'm going to roll into something or someone one day.

My '02 did NOT have this kind of play in it. In fact, the behavior of this tranny is the only thing I don't love about this truck.

Thoughts? Thanks!

/< / /2 /<
 

rogersinsel

Full Access Member
Joined
May 4, 2009
Posts
169
Reaction score
0
No problems what so ever as you have described here. The 6 speed in mine is the reason I bought it.
 

Modded

That Guy
Joined
May 3, 2009
Posts
6,942
Reaction score
108
Yeah your tranny should ne good, could just be the gears rolling then engaging. For the most part its nomral but I would look into the parking brake and change the parts out on them.
 
OP
OP
KMeloney

KMeloney

Full Access Member
Joined
May 2, 2009
Posts
2,968
Reaction score
364
two words...parking brake

Really? Should I just give it gas and smoke the parking brake until I get back to level ground? Sounds awesome.

For those of you who understood that the problem I'm having has nothing to do with how I ought to park my truck, any thoughts?

Roger -- Sound to you like I have a tranny issue? I don't get any slamming, or any appreciable delay in normal acceleration, but this nose-down scenario (which can certainly occur in a parallel parking situation on a hill) is not good. The truck can start rolling, and despite feathering the gas, it wants to keep rolling until I step on the brake. I shouldn't have to be standing on the brake with my left foot while I feather in the gas with my right -- but that what I have to do.

It feels as though the truck is in neutral for a period, despite being in reverse. I have a couple of stick vehicles where I expect the car to want to roll until you give it enough gas to overcome gravity. I just don't expect it from this vehicle.

Thanks!
 

Nfamous60

Full Access Member
Joined
May 4, 2009
Posts
416
Reaction score
1
Location
Bronx, New York
why would you park on a incline and put the full weight of the trucc on the gear? to me i think that should hurt the tranny longevity. whenever i park on a uneven surface i engage my parking brake b4 i shift into park that way when i come bac to it i dont have to break my damn wrist shifting out of park.. Just my .02 sumtimes i even engage on level streets forve of habit.
 

snowjay

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2009
Posts
237
Reaction score
1
Do the pumps in these transmissions engage while in P?

That could be the cause of the roll forward if they haven't been engaged long enough to bring up the pressure. In my old Dodge the pumps only work in forward, reverse or neutral. When in P they are inactive.
 
OP
OP
KMeloney

KMeloney

Full Access Member
Joined
May 2, 2009
Posts
2,968
Reaction score
364
why would you park on a incline and put the full weight of the trucc on the gear? to me i think that should hurt the tranny longevity. whenever i park on a uneven surface i engage my parking brake b4 i shift into park that way when i come bac to it i dont have to break my damn wrist shifting out of park.. Just my .02 sumtimes i even engage on level streets forve of habit.

Gents -- Forget the actual parking aspect. When I go to BACK OUT OF THE SPOT, which I think would be very difficult to do with the parking brake engaged, the car will roll forward upwards of 3' before heading backward. There is a noticeable delay in reverse "engaging," and during that delay, the truck rolls forward.

My concerns have nothing to do with the car sitting parked. It's when I go to back out that I have this problem.

So, I park the truck. I put the E brake on. I go in to work. I come out from work. I put my foot on the brake. I take the E brake off. I shift into reverse. I put my foot on the accelerator to give it gas -- and in that time the truck starts rolling forward. I have to take my foot off the gas and jam on the brake to stop the truck. I then have to quickly get on the gas, and firmly, to get the truck moving backward.

See what I'm talking about yet?

This isn't normal, as far as I know.

SnowJay -- I don't know the answer to your question. How would I check this? Can I hear them? I can't say that that's NOT the case, since it feels like something isn't engaging -- and if the pumps are responsible for this, then they could be the culprit.

Thanks!

PS -- Incidentally, without the E brake on, but on level ground, parked, I can push my truck forward a good 6" just by leaning into the back bumper. Last night I leaned into the back of my truck to grab my hockey equipment which had shifted forward in the truck, and I could feel the truck roll forward under me. This can't be "normal."
 

snowjay

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2009
Posts
237
Reaction score
1
SnowJay -- I don't know the answer to your question. How would I check this? Can I hear them? I can't say that that's NOT the case, since it feels like something isn't engaging -- and if the pumps are responsible for this, then they could be the culprit.

I would say shift it into reverse and wait a few more seconds before moving your foot off the brake onto the gas. If that makes things better then the pumps might not engage when in P, which may be by design and not a fault. I'm not familiar enough with these transmissions yet to know if they should or shouldn't.

And you can always two foot it. Put left foot on brake and give it gas until you feel it starting to move then let off the brake and you shouldn't roll forward at all.

How steep of an incline are we talking about anyway?
 

rogersinsel

Full Access Member
Joined
May 4, 2009
Posts
169
Reaction score
0
why would you park on a incline and put the full weight of the trucc on the gear? to me i think that should hurt the tranny longevity. whenever i park on a uneven surface i engage my parking brake b4 i shift into park that way when i come bac to it i dont have to break my damn wrist shifting out of park.. Just my .02 sumtimes i even engage on level streets forve of habit.

I am not sure what you are saying here. However, you should always use you emergency brake while parked. Admittedly I have never used mine. But, if I were to park on a hill I would and I would turn my wheels into the curb just like I was taught as a kid. This is off topic since he is speaking about transmission slack, not the e-brake. He uses the e-brake because he has too!

I vote to take it in for service! I know mine does not roll six inches or more.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
133,093
Posts
1,879,529
Members
98,055
Latest member
WashFarm
Top