Drivetrain clunking

[66stingray]

My 16 Yukon with the 5.3 started making a clunking noise whenever it got into a high gear, 5th or 6th and I would abruptly lift off the gas pedal. When accelerating from a stop, the lower transmission gears would not exhibit this under the same conditions, only when it got out of third and using the higher gears.

I also noticed this phenomena when coming to an abrupt stop sometimes. I brought it into the dealer, rode with the service manager and heard what what I was explaining. After leaving the truck for the day, I get a call back a couple of hours later to pick it up. When I get there, the service dept. gives me a service bulletin explaing the same condition I explained and GM is saying its normal. Referenced "drivetrain lash" that will clunk and is considered normal for a 4wheel drive vehicle.

I had other 4wheel drive vehicles and never felt this. Anyone else feeling this? How is this amount of lash supposed to be considered normal?

 

[swathdiver]

Did they grease the yoke splines and clean it up? Older trucks would often do this when there was a buildup of road grime on the shaft where it moves in and out of the tail of the transmission; which is normal when the suspension articulates.

 

[brendon444]

I believe what your feeling is a normal part of gm transmissions if im understanding what your feeling. Mine would be once accelerating and it shifts up to the higher gears and then brake or lift off the gas abruptly and it shifts down quickly. Almost like its hesitating or not sure what gear to be in it would occasionally clunk if the conditions were right.
My 09 did this my 14 does it and my 16 does it.

I also had to grease the splines of my 04 but that was an unrelated noise. That was coming from a stop and stepping on the gas it felt like play in the drive line.

 

[66stingray]

Did they grease the yoke splines and clean it up? Older trucks would often do this when there was a buildup of road grime on the shaft where it moves in and out of the tail of the transmission; which is normal when the suspension articulates.

Truck only has 4,400 miles so no build up of any grime.

I believe what your feeling is a normal part of gm transmissions if im understanding what your feeling. Mine would be once accelerating and it shifts up to the higher gears and then brake or lift off the gas abruptly and it shifts down quickly. Almost like its hesitating or not sure what gear to be in it would occasionally clunk if the conditions were right.
My 09 did this my 14 does it and my 16 does it.

Not sure if its the transmission, drivetrain parts or a combination of both that clunks, but yes its what is going on. I get a clunk every time if im a bit more aggressive with the throttle and I mean a bit, nothing crazy mind you.

So this does not annoy anybody? Nobody has ever gotten a remedy or had a dealer that attempted to fix this?

 

[brendon444]

Interested to hear if there is anything as i've just accepted as normal.

 

[Kaygeez]

Mine (15 Yukon XL 115k miles) started off with clunking. Then morphed into gears slipping and come to find out the catalytic converter is shot...

 

[Doubeleive]

depends on how you drive, they all do it, never seen one that didn't, more prominent on awd/4wd

 

[Dave Legacy]

Are you driving in Auto? Kick it down to
2WD and see if that reduces your symptoms at all.

 

[RThomasII]

Had similar symptoms. Took the truck in for service last week as I just passed 15k miles. Picked it up the same evening and I haven't heard a peep out of the drivetrain or transmission since. I just assumed that the dealer installed an update while performing the regular service.