Transmission complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Oldsmobile Bravada. The contact stated that the transmission would slip when shifting gears and the vehicle hesitated intermittently. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, who was unable to replicate the failure. The vehicle then was taken to an independent mechanic, who replaced the fuel filter and the catalytic converter. The vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 110,000.
Oldsmobile 2003 Bravada AWD complete transmission failure at 53,000 miles. Required new transmission. No warranty coverage from GM. I see ion the internet that many owners of the same GM vehicles have had the same problem. Clearly this is a manufactures defect that requires a recall.
On Friday, 01/16/09 at 7:45 am I was on my way to work. As I was driving the "service all wheel drive" light came on. I was only a couple of blocks from work so figured I would continue my drive and call a mechanic when I got there. All of a sudden it was like the vehicle became possessed and I had no control of the vehicle. It spun me around 3 times slammed me head on into a snowback, threw me back out spun me around again and threw me backwards into the snowbank again before throwing me back out onto the highway. I was very shaken but the vehicle seemed to straighten out and let me drive, so I very slowly continued on to work. When I got to work I called koronis motors in paynesville and explained to them what had happened. They came and picked up the vehicle and checked it out. They said it was a malfunction of the all wheel drive and that the transfer case would need to be replaced. …
At 60K miles had to replace transmission and motor (with 2003 Chevy blazer). Mirrors don't recall and move when unlocking car. Passenger seat belt gets tight after braking and has to be undone, recoiled, and put back on. Backup lights blow every year. The AWD was fixed twice by dealer and messed up again so we had it removed. The air suspension blew & was replaced with springs. Terrible racket in the rear end. Driver heated seat quit working 2 years ago. This year, transmission has quit working (while driving) and I am over this car!
I am the owner of a 2001 olds Bravada and recently my complete transmission has failed. Last year I took my vehicle to the olds dealer complaining of straining to change gears. They told me that it was not my transmission, but a part of the emmission and they were fixing the problem because I had purchased the gmpp (good thing I did). A year later, the same problem occured and I took my vehicle back to the olds dealer and because it had been "a few days" past the warranty expiration date, they said that they couldn't do anything. So, I had to take my vehicle to an outside dealer who had to replace my entire transmission for $1700! Now, my oxygen sensor has gone out and my gas gauge doesn't work. Since, I am still recovering from the $1700 to replace my transmission, I am unable to get these to necessities fixed right away. …
1. Oldsmobile Bravada with smartrak at 48,000 miles and good condition developed drivetrain binding / locking up over several months. 2. The problem started as a minor binding when backing out or in tight forward turns. Now drivetrain actually locks up in tight turning position. Have to play with forward/backward gears and wheel direction to allow movement. This has become a serious safety problem if merging onto or backing into a traffic lane. 3. Initial service at GM dealer was to flush and fill transfer case fluid, $140. Instructed to drive for a while to obtain improvement. After three weeks, condition has gotten worse. Am debating next step and service provider.
Purchased 96 grand am in 98 found it to be wrecked after I traded in 02 for old's Bravada with mileage roll back at bad dealership multiple problems several wrecks due to manufactures defect let go back to gmac financing because bad dealers could finance bad deals through them. Please contact me asap!!!!!
I just purchased my 2000 Bravada in December of 2002 and it had less than 25,000 miles on it. I do not do heavy driving, mostly open road and no towing, and was very surprised when all of a sudden my transmission went out two months and 1,700 miles after the power train warranty expired. When I called the dealership and talked to the repair person he knew what was wrong even before I told him (the reverse and overdrive went out but the other drives were fine) and he said that this was a common problem with bravadas. Imagine my surprise! Then Oldsmobile indicated they would only pay for 50% of the repair. I am currently trying to work with them to cover it all because it is obviously a defect in the transmission and is not an isolated incident. I hadn't heard anything about this, but now that I look on the internet there are quite a few people who have had similar problems. …
Related recalls (1)
Power train › Automatic transmission
Certain sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 114, "theft protection." these vehicles are equipped with a mechanical override that could allow the ignition key to be removed with the shift lever in a position other than park.
Remedy: Dealers will eliminate these conditions by disabling the overrides. Owner notification began on May 29, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the…
Frequently asked questions
Which Oldsmobile Bravada years have transmission problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2002 (53), 1997 (18), 1999 (15), 2000 (14) and 2001 (10) model years. Transmission complaints make up 22% of all complaints for the 2002.
Is there a recall for Oldsmobile Bravada transmission problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 03V-075 (automatic transmission, Mar 6, 2003). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Oldsmobile Bravada transmission problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 61,000 miles; 37% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the automatic transmission (45 mentions), followed by the transfer case (4-wheel drive) (20).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.