FaultScore

1993 GMC Sierra transmission problems

12 of the 109 complaints about the 1993 GMC Sierra are about the transmission — 11% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 20,425 miles.

D

12

Complaints

1

Crashes

0

Fires

1

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Automatic Transmission 7 58.3%
Power Train 2 16.7%
Column Shift 2 16.7%
Differential Unit 1 8.3%

Transmission & Drivetrain across every GMC Sierra year

1993 12 4.0%
1995 15 5.0%
1996 27 8.9%
1997 33 10.9%
1998 16 5.3%
1999 41 13.6%
2000 31 10.3%
2001 15 5.0%
2002 18 6.0%
2003 31 10.3%
2004 19 6.3%
2005 11 3.6%
2014 10 3.3%
2017 23 7.6%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 1,500 miles Glendale, CA

POWER TRAIN

#1 TRANSMISSION. SLIPS OUT OF GEAR INTO NUETRAL WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. MUST COAST OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD, TURN OFF ENGINE, WAIT, RESTART AND CONTINUE ON. NARROWLY CAUSED A COLLISION WITH A SEMI TRUCK WHILE COASTING TO SIDE OF ROAD. COMPLAINED TO DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES, SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. NOW TRANS IS LOCKED IN 2ND GEAR AND WON'T SHIFT TO A HIGHER GEAR. #2 PAINT. STARTED CHIPPING WITHIN 6 MONTHS OLD AND LESS THAN 2500 MILES. DEALERS SAID NOTHING COULD BE DONE. ROOF IS NOW RUSTED THROUGH AND HEADLINER IS HANGING DOWN. DEALER AND ZONE REP SAY GMC IS NOT RESPONSIBLE AND REFUSE TO REPAIR AND REPAINT. #3 SEAT BELT RETRACTOR. DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT AND IS VERY LOOSE. IT WOULD NOT PREVENT INJURY OR DEATH IF INVOLVED IN A CRASH. DEALER AND ZONE REP DENY RESPONSIBILITY AND REFUSE TO REPAIR EXCEPT AT MY EXPENSE. #4 RADIO. RADIO HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES BY THE DEALER SINCE NEW AND THEY REFUSE TO REPLACE OR REPAIR IT AGAIN. VOLUME MUST BE TURNED UP ALL THE WAY TO BE HEARD. THIS IS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH EVERY RADIO THEY SAY THEY HAVE REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #10071216 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 150,000 miles Jackson, MO

POWER TRAIN

REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION 4 TIMES, RECALL ON SEATS WERE FIXED BUT BOLTS KEEP BREAKING SO I BOUGHT NEW SEATS OF A DIFFERNT STYLE AND REPLACED THEM AFTER A 5 YEAR PROBLEM. PAINT HAS BEEN FLAKING OFF THE TRUCK FOR APPOXIMATELY 4 YRS AND I CANT GET THE DEALER OR GM TO DO ANYTHING WITH THIS PAINT PROBLEM. THEY SAY IT IS BECAUSE I AM THE SECOND OWNER. THE TRUCK WAS IN AN ACCIDENT BUT THE TOP OF THE CAB AND THE BED IS ALL THAT NEEDS PAINTED, AND THEY WERE NOT DAMAGED IN ANYWAY BECAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #10071252 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 1,500 miles Glendale, CA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING.*MR THE VEHICLE WENT FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT A NEW TRANSMISSION WOULD COST HIM $4000.00 AND TO REBUILD AN OLD ONE WOULD BE $3000.00. THE CONSUMER HAS MADE ONGOING COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE VEHICLE AND FEELS THE COST OF THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD BE LOWERED. NOT ONLY HAS THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION ,BUT THE ROOF OF THE TRUCK INCLUDING THE REPLACEMENT OF THE HEAD LINER THAT NOW HANGS DOWN WHICH WAS DUE TO THE ROOF LEAKING, THE CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR AS WELL AS THE RADIO SYSTEM. *CB THE VEHICLE ALSO HAD A BROKEN SEAT BACK RECLINER, THE IGNITION SWITCH WOULD NOT TURN OFF, THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE WOULD NOT ENGAGE, THE SHOCKS WERE BAD AND THE VEHICLE WAS IN NEED OF AN ALIGNMENT.

NHTSA complaint #10051807 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 39,350 miles Glendale, CA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION. COMES OUT OF DRIVE WHILE MOVING AND TRANSMISSION GOES INTO NEUTRAL. DRIVER MUST COAST OVER TO THE SHOULDER OF ROADWAY, STOP, TURN OFF ENGINE, WAIT SEVERAL MINUTES THEN RESTART ENGINE. CAN CAUSE A COLLISION WITH OTHER VEHICLES WHILE COASTING TO THE EDGE OF ROADWAY. HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING TO GMC FOR 10 YEARS WITH NO CORRECTION OF PROBLEM. I NARROWLY AVOIDED A COLLISION WHILE COASTING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.

NHTSA complaint #10046763 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bentonville, AR

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

1) DASH BRAKE LIGHT CONSTANTLY ON OR FLASHING, CODE = SHORTED ABS DEFECTIVE? 2) 4WD TRANSAXLE- SHIFTER FORK AND THRUST BEARINGS BROKEN. NO FORWARD OR REVERSE ON HIGHWAY-VERY DANGEROUS BREAKDOWN 3) ECM ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE FAILURE, PREVENTING THE 3-4 OVERDRIVE SHIFT IN THE TRANSMISSION-VERY HIGH RPM UNDER LOAD. 4) AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, NO REVERSE DUE TO LOSS OF PLANETARY GEAR SET (2) DUE TO DEFECTIVE WORKMANSHIP (DRIFT PIN SETTING GEAR IN HUB HAD WORKED OUT THEREBY GALLING AND MILLING OUT THE HUB AREA=LOSS OF PRESSURE AND BEARING STABILITY. 5) NYLON ROCKER ARM RETAINERS HAD FRACTURED AND BROKEN DUE TO DEFECTIVE MATERIALS, ALLOWS ROCKER TO FALL OFF ROCKER ARM SHAFT AND PUSH RODS TO FALL INTO CRANKSHAFT...ABRUBT ENGINE HALT AT HIGH SPEED...VERY DANGEROUS. 6) GLOW PLUG CONTROLLER DOES NOT ACTIVATE THE GLOW PLUGS AFTER HOT ENGINE SITS FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES...ENGINE WILL NOT START.

NHTSA complaint #746508 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bentonville, AR

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

1) DASH BRAKE LIGHT CONSTANTLY ON OR FLASHING, CODE = SHORTED ABS DEFECTIVE? 2) 4WD TRANSAXLE- SHIFTER FORK AND THRUST BEARINGS BROKEN. NO FORWARD OR REVERSE ON HIGHWAY-VERY DANGEROUS BREAKDOWN 3) ECM ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE FAILURE, PREVENTING THE 3-4 OVERDRIVE SHIFT IN THE TRANSMISSION-VERY HIGH RPM UNDER LOAD. 4) AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, NO REVERSE DUE TO LOSS OF PLANETARY GEAR SET (2) DUE TO DEFECTIVE WORKMANSHIP (DRIFT PIN SETTING GEAR IN HUB HAD WORKED OUT THEREBY GALLING AND MILLING OUT THE HUB AREA=LOSS OF PRESSURE AND BEARING STABILITY. 5) NYLON ROCKER ARM RETAINERS HAD FRACTURED AND BROKEN DUE TO DEFECTIVE MATERIALS, ALLOWS ROCKER TO FALL OFF ROCKER ARM SHAFT AND PUSH RODS TO FALL INTO CRANKSHAFT...ABRUBT ENGINE HALT AT HIGH SPEED...VERY DANGEROUS. 6) GLOW PLUG CONTROLLER DOES NOT ACTIVATE THE GLOW PLUGS AFTER HOT ENGINE SITS FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES...ENGINE WILL NOT START.

NHTSA complaint #746508 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bentonville, AR

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT

1) DASH BRAKE LIGHT CONSTANTLY ON OR FLASHING, CODE = SHORTED ABS DEFECTIVE? 2) 4WD TRANSAXLE- SHIFTER FORK AND THRUST BEARINGS BROKEN. NO FORWARD OR REVERSE ON HIGHWAY-VERY DANGEROUS BREAKDOWN 3) ECM ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE FAILURE, PREVENTING THE 3-4 OVERDRIVE SHIFT IN THE TRANSMISSION-VERY HIGH RPM UNDER LOAD. 4) AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, NO REVERSE DUE TO LOSS OF PLANETARY GEAR SET (2) DUE TO DEFECTIVE WORKMANSHIP (DRIFT PIN SETTING GEAR IN HUB HAD WORKED OUT THEREBY GALLING AND MILLING OUT THE HUB AREA=LOSS OF PRESSURE AND BEARING STABILITY. 5) NYLON ROCKER ARM RETAINERS HAD FRACTURED AND BROKEN DUE TO DEFECTIVE MATERIALS, ALLOWS ROCKER TO FALL OFF ROCKER ARM SHAFT AND PUSH RODS TO FALL INTO CRANKSHAFT...ABRUBT ENGINE HALT AT HIGH SPEED...VERY DANGEROUS. 6) GLOW PLUG CONTROLLER DOES NOT ACTIVATE THE GLOW PLUGS AFTER HOT ENGINE SITS FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES...ENGINE WILL NOT START.

NHTSA complaint #746508 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Marysville, CA Crash 1 injured

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

WHEN 4 WHEEL DRIVE KICKED INTO NEUTRAL TRUCK ROLLED DOWNHILL TRUCK WAS IN PARK AND OFF.

NHTSA complaint #744998 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Johnstown, PA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. THE PAINT IS PEELING SO BAD IT IS DOWN TO THE METAL. THE DRIVERS SIDE POWER WINDOW GETS STUCK AT VARIOUS POSITIONS. WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR WENT OUT DURING A SNOW STORM. STARTER AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAD TO BE REPLACED ALSO.THIS TRUCK HAS HAD ALOT OF PROBLEMS FOR BEING ONLY 7 YEARS OLD.

NHTSA complaint #721174 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Greenfield, WI

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED CONTINUED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, REPLACED TRANSMISSION ON TWO OCCASIONS, HOWEVER CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS.

NHTSA complaint #544734 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Velarde, NM

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION FAILURE; JUMPS OUT OF GEAR.

NHTSA complaint #518182 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Cuero, TX

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION JUMPED OUT OF PARK WHILE PARKING BRAKE WAS ON.

NHTSA complaint #504056 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1993 GMC Sierra problems

← Full 1993 GMC Sierra report