FaultScore

Chevrolet C3500 transmission problems

25 of the 206 complaints filed about the Chevrolet C3500 are about the transmission — 12% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 1995.

25

Complaints

12%

Share of all complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

Transmission & Drivetrain complaints by model year

1989 C3500 1 4.0%
1990 C3500 1 4.0%
1991 C3500 1 4.0%
1992 C3500 3 12.0%
1994 C3500 6 24.0%
1995 C3500 11 44.0%

Median failure at 100,000 miles

1996 C3500 2 8.0%

What owners said

1995 Chevrolet C3500 at 100,000 miles Moses Lake, WA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR AND WIPERS FAILED DURING RAIN. LEAVE THE SWITCH ON AND HOPE THEY START WORKING AGAIN. THIS TRUCK NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL, BUT DOES THE SAME THING AS RECALLED TRUCKS. TRANSMISSION REFUSES TO SHIFT FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEARS. STOP TRUCK, SHUT OFF ENGINE, RESTART AND PROCEED SEEMS TO WORK MOST OF THE TIME TO GET TRANSMISSION WORKING CORRECTLY. SOMETIMES MUST REPEAT SEVERAL TIMES. CRUISE CONTROL FAILED. BOTH SHIFTERS REPLACED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. ALTERNATOR REPLACED 3 TIMES. AIR CONDITIONING PUMP REPLACED 3 TIMES. THIS PROBLEM CANNOT BE REMEDIED BECAUSE THE CLUTCH FREEZES UP ON EACH ONE SHORTLY AFTER INSTALLED. HARMONIC BALANCER PULLEY WAS FIRST TO GO. REPLACED IT 1 TIME SO FAR, VACUUM PUMP BLEW A HOLE IN SIDE AND REPLACED AS WELL. BOTH DOORS HAD HINGE PINS REPLACED AS BOTH DOORS WERE HANGING. PASSENGER DOOR WAS THE WORST. PASSENGER DOOR LINKAGES REPLACED AS WELL BUT FAILED WITHIN A FEW DAYS AFTER REPLACEMENT. ALL PROBLEMS STARTED IN FALL OF 2000.

NHTSA complaint #10118488 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 Chevrolet C3500 Lander, WY

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT

REAR TIRES MEASURE APPROX. 96 FRONT TIRES APPROX 91. DT

NHTSA complaint #769788 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1989 Chevrolet C3500 Sacramento, CA

POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT

SEPARATION OF WHEEL, HUB AND AXLE ASSEMBLY FROM VEHICLE WHILE UNDERWAY. INSPECTION OF THE COMPONENTS REVEALED A CRACKED BEARING RETAINING NUT, WHICH ALLOWED THE NUT'S INSIDE DIAMETER TO EXPAND AND SLIDE OFF THE THREADED HUB. RECOVERED PARTS INCLUDE THE NUT, KEY, AND RETAINER RING, ALL OF WHICH APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN PROPERLY ASSEMBLED. ALSO DAMAGED AT THE TIME OF FAILURE WAS THE AXLE SHAFT, WHICH FRACTURED AT THE OUTBOARD EDGE OF THE SPLINE AREA, ABOUT 3 INCHES FROM THE TIP. I COULD NOT DETERMINE IF THE AXLE FRACTURE OCCURRED WHILE THE AXLE WAS IN THE HOUSING OR IF THE DAMAGE WAS THE RESULT OF THE AXLE EXTENDING OUT OF THE HOUSING OR THE SUBSEQUENT TUMBLING OF THE WHEEL/AXLE ASSEMBLY AFTER SEPARATION. THIS IS A NON-POSITRACK REAREND SO THE AXLE FAILURE COULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED VERY LONG BEFORE THE ASSEMBLY SEPERATION. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED IN A RURAL AREA AND RESULTED IN NO DAMAGE OTHER THAN TO THE REAR AXLE HOUSING AND BRAKE BACKING PLATE. ALL AXLE BEARINGS TURN FREELY. THERE IS NO VISUALLY APPARENT CAUSE FOR THE FRACTURE OF THE BEARING RETAINER NUT. THIS IS NOT A PART NORMALLY SUBJECT TO WEAR OR PREVENTITIVE MAINTENANCE REPLACEMENT.

NHTSA complaint #763464 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 Chevrolet C3500 Clarkston, WA

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE)

WHILE PULLING A HEAVY LOAD WITH VEHICLE CLUTCH PEDAL WILL GO TO FLOOR, CAUSING CONSUMER TO LOSE CLUTCH. CONSUMER FEELS THAT THIS IS THE RESULT OF HEAT COMING FROM EXHAUST PIPE IN ENGINE BEING TOO EXCESSIVE, AND CAUSING SLAVE CYLINDER TO MALFUNCTION.*AK CONSUMER STATES THE ENTIRE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM HAS BEEN FLUSHED SEVERAL TIMES, ALSO THE SLAVE CYLINDER HAS BEEN REPLACED, BUT PROBLEM IS STILL NOT RESOLVED.

NHTSA complaint #888512 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 Chevrolet C3500 Clarkston, WA

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

WHILE PULLING A HEAVY LOAD WITH VEHICLE CLUTCH PEDAL WILL GO TO FLOOR, CAUSING CONSUMER TO LOSE CLUTCH. CONSUMER FEELS THAT THIS IS THE RESULT OF HEAT COMING FROM EXHAUST PIPE IN ENGINE BEING TOO EXCESSIVE, AND CAUSING SLAVE CYLINDER TO MALFUNCTION.*AK CONSUMER STATES THE ENTIRE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM HAS BEEN FLUSHED SEVERAL TIMES, ALSO THE SLAVE CYLINDER HAS BEEN REPLACED, BUT PROBLEM IS STILL NOT RESOLVED.

NHTSA complaint #888512 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Chevrolet C3500 Saginaw, MI

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WHILE TRAVELING NOTICED SHIFTER WOULD SLIP OUT OF GEAR. CLUCH WOULD ALSO SLIP WIITH NOISE. HAD VEHICLE SERVICED. TECHNICIAN STATED TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #881572 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Chevrolet C3500 Blue Sprin, MO

POWER TRAIN

TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, DUE TO CHANGE OF TRANSMISSION FROM A 5-SPEED MANUAL TO AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, DOES NOT MATCH UP TO COMPUTER UNIT. MJS

NHTSA complaint #549195 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Chevrolet C3500 Blue Sprin, MO

POWER TRAIN

TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, DUE TO CHANGE OF TRANSMISSION FROM A 5-SPEED MANUAL TO AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, DOES NOT MATCH UP TO COMPUTER UNIT. MJS

NHTSA complaint #549195 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Chevrolet C3500 Blue Sprin, MO

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, DUE TO CHANGE OF TRANSMISSION FROM A 5-SPEED MANUAL TO AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, DOES NOT MATCH UP TO COMPUTER UNIT. MJS

NHTSA complaint #549195 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1996 Chevrolet C3500 SAN Marcos, CA

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT

DIFFERENTIAL FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #603563 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Chevrolet C3500 Dallas, TX

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

CLUTCH FAILED SEVERAL TIMES.

NHTSA complaint #522391 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Chevrolet C3500 Conroe, TX

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

FUEL INJECTION PUMP/COMPUTER/ AIR CONDITIONING BLOWER SYSTEM FAILED. ALSO, POOR ENGINE PERFORMANCE AND EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION/TRANSMISSION REFUSES TO SHIFT FROM FIRST GEAR/ALTERNATOR AND BOTH BATTERIES FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #781491 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Chevrolet C3500 Waupun, WI

POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT:SEAL

REAR AXLE SEALS ARE LEAKING CAUSING THE BRAKE PADS TO SATURATE, RESULTING IN BRAKE FAILURE. *AK THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURED TWICE WITHOUT WARNING, ONCE WHILE TRAVELING AND TOWING A TRAVEL TRAILER. *NLM

NHTSA complaint #828283 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1992 Chevrolet C3500 Otterdein, IN

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

CONSUMER HAS A COMPLAINT CONCERNING DEALER'S UNWILLINGNESS TO HONOR AN EXTENDED WARRANTY NOTICE FROM MANUFACTURER CONCERNING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION . CONSUMER WILL SEND A COPY OF EXTENDED WARRANTY NOTICE. DEALER NOTIFIED.

NHTSA complaint #825976 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1996 Chevrolet C3500 Post Falls, ID

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT

TRANSFER CASE FAILED SEVERAL TIMES, CAUSING GEAR TO STICK INTO 4-WHEEL DRIVE.

NHTSA complaint #535717 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Chevrolet C3500 Lyndon, KS

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE)

CLUTCH FLUID OVERHEATED DUE TO DESIGN FLAW OF THE BELL HOUSING, GENERAL MOTORS HAS REPLACED THE BELL HOUSING WITH AIR HOLES TO PREVENT OVERHEATING.

NHTSA complaint #535105 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1990 Chevrolet C3500 Wasco, CA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

STARTED VEHICLE, BUT UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO GEAR (AUTOMATIC). AFTER RESTARTING, ENGINE RUNNING, TRANSMISSION MAKES A WHISTLING NOISE. WOULD GO ABOUT 30MPH, ONCE IN GEAR BE FOR SHIFTING AGAIN. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER.

NHTSA complaint #818883 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Chevrolet C3500 Paradise, TX

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE)

CLUTCH ACTUATOR FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #520444 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 Chevrolet C3500 Magnolia, TX

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

CLUTCH PEDAL IS HARD TO PUSH DOWN AND THERE'RE DIFFICULTIES SHIFTING GEARS. THE CLUTCH BALL AND FORK WERE BROKEN. ALSO, PROBLEMS EXISTED WITH THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM.

NHTSA complaint #523055 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1992 Chevrolet C3500 Aliso Viejo, CA

POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT:SEAL

REAR AXLE SEALS LEAK, CAUSING SATURATION OF REAR BRAKE SHOES AND LOSS OF BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS, ALSO LOCKED UP THREE TIMES.

NHTSA complaint #516600 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other Chevrolet C3500 problems