Gear status indicator does not display selected gear.
2005 Chevrolet Suburban transmission problems
15 complaints (12% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 19,900.
- owner complaints
- 15
- of this car's complaints
- 12%
- typical mileage
- 19,900
- crashes
- 0
- recalls
- 1
Which part fails
- Automatic transmission6
- Transfer case (4-wheel drive)2
- Axle assembly: axle shaft1
- Automatic transmission: lever and linkage: column shift1
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
Chevrolet Suburban transmission problems in other years
Related recalls
Power train: manual transmission: shift pattern indicator
- What is wrong
- Certain sport utility vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission, fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 102, "transmission shift lever sequence, starter interlock and transmission braking effect." under certain vehicle starting conditions, the shift lever position indicator located in the instrument panel cluster may not illuminate. If the shift lever position indicator does not illuminate, the driver may not know which gear the vehicle is in.
- Risk
- The vehicle may move in an unintended direction resulting in possible injury to others outside of the vehicle.
- Remedy
- Dealers will reprogram the instrument panel cluster free of charge. The recall began on february 14, 2005. Owners may contact cadillac at 1‑866‑982‑2339, chevrolet at 1‑800‑630‑2438, and gmc at 1‑866‑996‑9463.
Recall number 05V055000 · Recall details
What 2005 Chevrolet Suburban owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Truck door is not opening, fuel gas defective, rear light system has electrical problem all the times, A/C system electrical problem.
First the transmission failed right after I purchased the vehicle 2 years ago. I had to buy a new transmission that wasn't cheap around $3,500. Then the front wheel bearings started with the right side last year just had a ton of play in it my mechanic found it when lifting up my truck for a tire rotation. Then the left front wheel bearing just started making a load roaring noise but had no play in it at all that I could feel when checking it out. Both cost around $250 a wheel to replace. Now my 5.3 liter engine is having a knocking sound when at a stop after driving about 30 minutes or when the engine is hot. Also I am hearing a slight ticking sound from the engine cold or hot. I have 4 small kids so I need a very reliable large vehicle and this is suburban is driving me and my wife crazy having to poor money in this vehicle every year. I am the soil provider for my family I cant afford putting all my money into a vehicle like this.
In motion on city and highway
Began hearing a "whining" noise under the vehicle. Noise was progressively louder at accelerated speeds. Left vehicle at local chevrolet dealer (ca) who did an inspection and diagnosed a mechanical issue possibly with the differential [ref. Claim check 175]. Service writer stated estimated repair cost for an overhaul was $3,000 vs. Higher costs to replace with used or new differential. Service writer further indicated continued driving could cause further damage and added cost if axle was also affected. Decided to take vehicle to a recognized powertrain repair facility who determined (also with a drive test) that the differential was the problem and gave initial $1,200 estimate. Authorized repair. Final cost was $813 and includes 1 year full warranty. Now runs smooth / quiet when driving. Technician indicated that although fluid level was good (sealed at factory), a ring inside the differential was bad (had become pitted and could have caused further issues if unchecked. Changed out ring and bearings but all other components including casing were fine. Technician stated such wear is uncommon for a vehicle with only 126k miles and with no towing on factory tow package. Is this an annomily or are there other cases of bad parts in differential for this make / model? Would like to discuss further with gm zone rep. But no response!!!
2005 chevrolet suburban. Consumer states defective speedometer. *tgw consumer sent in duplicate letter on 3/25/2010. *kb the consumer stated the speedometer was stuck at 120 MPH. The consumer was informed her vehicle was not a part of the recall, as her vehicle identification did not fall within the range. The second problem with the vehicle was the transmission. The consumer stated the vehicle had to be towed to the dealer, due to the interal failure of the transmission. *jb updated 04/12/10.
The transmission began slipping; the car would not move from 2nd to 3rd gear; the transmission had to be rebuilt or replaced on 2/06/2008, we had it rebuilt. The vehicle only had 69710 miles. We were in a rural area at the time rather than rush hour traffic. Thank goodness.
I have a 2005 chevy suburban 4x4 and within the first 14,000 miles it has started to engage into 4w lo while driving on the freeway, in reverse, going 25 MPH in residential neighborhood(this is a gear that you cannot drive over 15mph in). Needless to say that shellworth chevrolet located in vacaville, ca has been trying to fix the problem for over 25,000 miles and over 6 times in the shop. They have been unsuccessful with the last time it was in the shop unwilling to do anything for me. It has even been towed into their shop on one occasion. They no longer want to provide me with service, told me to file a complaint with gm for a buyback purchase and shoed me off. Gm says it is not eligible for the buyback program probably because of all the false and inaccurate information the service writers have documented on the work orders. I have asked to speak to gm district manager who has made this decision and he has declined to speak to me, as well as the service manager at shellworth has not returned my last 2 phone calls. The law states that they either fix my vehicle to a working order or give me a replacement vehicle. They are not doing either. On oct. 31 after arguing with them because they didn't want to handle the issue that time either they decided to go look at a different bulletin and found something, so they replaced some parts and released the vehicle to me. Since then the light has came on 2 times which is the start of the process in which it then engages to 4w lo all by itself.
Dt*: the contact stated while being on an incline and with the gear shifter in drive the vehicle rolls back if the brakes are not applied. Upon inspection the dealership determined this is the way the vehicle was designed. Updated 4/14/2006 -
Dt*: the contact stated that the 2005 chevrolet suburban has no quick exit from the third seat and the tailgate. It takes too much force to open from the inside. The vehicle is so long the side view mirrors do not show the road very well even after adjustments are made. The brakes on the vehicle take too much force to stop the vehicle in an emergency. Lastly, the pickup on the transmission is sluggish which is a concern in emergency conditions when accelerating from a stopped position. The contact spoke with the dealer, and was referred to the manufacturer because all issues are with the design of the vehicle.
Questions about the 2005 Chevrolet Suburban transmission
Does the 2005 Chevrolet Suburban have transmission problems?
Owners have filed 15 complaints about the transmission of the 2005 Chevrolet Suburban, 12% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2005 Chevrolet Suburban transmission problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 19,900 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2005 Chevrolet Suburban transmission?
Yes, 1 recall: 05V055000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Chevrolet Suburban have bad transmission?
The Chevrolet Suburban model years with the most transmission complaints are 2015 (49 complaints), 1997 (47 complaints) and 1999 (47 complaints).
Other 2005 Chevrolet Suburban problems
Electrical 36Brakes 25Body 11Airbags 10Acceleration 8Engine 8Fuel system 8Locks 6Steering 5Visibility 5Seats 3Tires 3Suspension 2Wheels 2Driver assistance 1Lights 1Seat belts 1
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2005 Chevrolet Suburban?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history