I have a 2005 Z51 with 57K miles on it. Yesterday, I took it to my mechanic's shop to get the water pump replaced (had a small leak), belts changed and a fluid flush.

When I picked it up this morning, everything seemed to be working normally. I have an automatic, shifted it in D and accelerated slowly (no more than 15mph) down the street. Came to a stop sign, accelerated and turned left. I gave it a little gas to get out in front of some on coming traffic and then...nothing...no acceleration at all. It was like my transmission completely quit working. I rolled to a stop. Cut my car off and then back on. Put in in drive and again, nothing. It would not accelerate forward. Odd thing is, reverse worked great. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd gears also worked, but Drive/overdrive/4th gear does not work. Any thoughts?

I didn't hear any grinding, no fluids were lost on the street. I opened the hood and all of the belts are on. I called the guys at the shop and drove it back to them in 3rd gear about 20 mph. They are going to take a look at it on Monday, but I was hoping to get some advice from the experts on this forum.

Really appreciate your help!!

 

It could be many things. What fluid was flushed? Transmission?

 

No, just had the coolant flushed.

 

 

 

Have it checked with a Tech-2 scanner,or a Shafer shifter,then you'll determine if it's electrical.which i think it is. could be no signal from your shifter,or the noids on your valve body?

 

Just spoke with the mechanic and he said the transmission needs to be rebuilt and that there may also be further damage. Huh? I've babied this car since day one. How can a transmission go out that quickly? I told him I'm going to pick it up this afternoon to take it somewhere else for a second opinion. I'll take it to the dreaded dealership. It should still drive in 3rd gear ok.

He wants to charge over $3,000 for the repair. Does this sound right? He said that it was an estimate and that it could be more depending on potential damage. Anyone know of a good transmission shop in Fairfax, VA?

 

Good idea as I also believe it still might be something else (something more simple/less costly hopefully).





I would not let him do it, there are known/reputable 4L60E/4L65E (your transmission's name) rebuilders out there that will charge less than that for a full race build though they can also do a milder street rebuild for even less money I'd bet.
The only issue is the labor of pulling the trans out/putting it back in all while storing the car during the down time but there are Corvette specialty shops around that are well versed in those procedures and much cheaper than a dealership when it comes R&R.

 

 

It seems odd that you brought your car in for a water pump replacement, the car worked fine and you got it back and had major problems. You stated you babied the car and have low miles why would the tranny go south? It appears to me they rodded the heck out of your car or else they screwed something up big time unintentionally. They 05 A4 trannies are just about bullet proof however if they screwed up and did something wrong who know? Keep us informed. It appears to me someone did something wrong at the repair shop.

 

I would opt for a complete rebuilt transmission. I'm sure you would have better luck with it and probably no more money and maybe less. Find a shop that specializes in your transmission. Make sure you need one first.

 

I had a similiar problem after leaving the Chevy dealership after an oil change. Interestingly the service dept. told me that some wires under one of the wheel wells had vibrated loose. They towed the car back & fix it free of charge. Dont know if that was really the problem, but thats what I was told.

 

The transmission in the 2005 Corvette is unique in that it's the only transmission made for that year only which is the improved version of the C-5 transmission.

 

I had a stage II transmission rebuild with a Protorque converter, and removal + installation for $3300 at Orange County Transmissions in Costa Mesa.

They did a great job and I would definitely recommend them.

 

Good news.

 

I took my car to the dealership last week (Wednesday) to have them look at the transmission. They have been backed up and just got back to me today. The verdict is my transmission needs repair. They said the clutch kit is bad, along with the fourth gear piston, forward sprag and band.

They offered me a couple of options of a rebuilt or replaced transmission.

The rebuilt trans is only guaranteed for 12 months/12K miles for the specific parts they rebuild. It totals $3,000.

The replaced trans guarantees the whole transmission (all parts) for 3 years/100K miles. It totals $3,300.

I went with the replaced trans as I don't want to have to deal with this issue for a long while. It really, really sucks that I am having to replace the transmission after only 57K miles. I asked him if this is common and he said no. Isn't there some kind of complaint I can make to GM or is something still under warranty that would help to cover the cost?

I knew owning a sports car came with certain expenses, but replacing the transmission after a short time seems really unreasonable. Especially when I drive like a grandma most of the time.

I'm definitely losing my confidence in GM/Corvette. In 57K miles, I've already had to fix a rear differential leak, water pump and now the transmission. I have a 1991 Toyota Tercel from my college years that still drives like a dream, haha, with no major issues.

 

Is this transmission factory stock or has it been modified?

 

No mods, just stock

 

Did you buy it new? Original owner?

 

Yep, the original owner. I ordered it from the factory. Just about all of my 57K miles are attributed to highway miles back and forth to Myrtle Beach to visit family.