What 300 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 GMC Acadia Denali

PURCHASED A GMC ACADIA DENALI IN SEP 2015. HAD TO HAVE TRANSMISSION REPAIRED, STRUTS REPLACED IN NOV 2015. BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH STEERING LOCKING UP WHEN TURNING WHEEL HARD AND MAKING A LOUD WHINING SOUND AS WELL AS BURNING FLUID SMELL IN JAN 2016. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND WAS ADVISED BY SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP/MOTOR WAS LEAKING AND REQUIRES REPLACEMENT, AND THE RACK AND PINION IS BAD AND HAS TO BE REPLACED. FURTHER RESEARCH INDICATES THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE AND GM IS AWARE OF THE DEFECTIVE POWER STEERING PUMP/MOTOR AND RACK AND PINION. EVEN DEALER SERVICE TECHS ADVISED IT IS A VERY WELL KNOWN AND DOCUMENTED PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL VEHICLE YET THE REPAIR IS NOT COVERED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION TO THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE AS WELL AS TO THE DRIVING PUBLIC AND PEDESTRIANS IN GENERAL. THERE IS AN OPEN CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AS WELL. NHTSA SHOULD REQUIRE GM TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND MAKE THE REQUIRED REPAIRS AS TO PREVENT A CLEAR DANGER TO THE PUBLIC.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIFE GATE FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS STRUCK ON THE BACK AND THE SHOULDER. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE LIFT GATE STRUT WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V415000 (STRUCTURE). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POSITIONING OF THE SEATBELT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE THIRD-ROW COULD NOT BE BUCKLED WITHOUT HURTING THE PASSENGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT TO AVOID THE DISCOMFORT, THE SEAT BELT WAS NEVER BUCKLED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS FUNCTIONING AS DESIGNED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.

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WHEN THE WIPERS ARE ON AND AND THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL IS ACTIVATED, THE WIPERS STOP WORKING. TO GET THEM WORKING AGAIN I HAVE TO TURN THE WIPERS ALL THE WAY OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN OR ACTIVATE THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL. IN THE RAIN I HAVE TO DECIDE WHICH IS MORE IMPORTANT VISIBILITY OR USING MY DIRECTIONAL. NOT A GOOD CHOICE TO HAVE TO MAKE.

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AROUND APRIL/MAY 2015 I BEGAN NOTICING ISSUES WITH MY VEHICLE WHEN SHIFTING, UPSHIFTING AND DOWNSHIFTING WHILE DRIVING. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES WITH COMPLAINTS OF THE TRANSMISSION SKIPPING, HESITATING, SPUTTERING, AND A VARIETY OF OTHER WORDS THAT I USED TO DESCRIBE THE ISSUE. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED TO BECOME WORSE. TIME AND TIME AGAIN THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THEY TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE, COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE ISSUE, AND COULDN'T DO ANYTHING FURTHER B/C NO CODE WAS COMING UP ON THE CAR. AGAIN, IN DECEMBER 2015, I TOOK MY CAR BACK IN BECAUSE THE PROBLEM WAS WORSENING. AGAIN, THE SAME STORY FROM THE DEALERSHIP. ONLY THIS TIME THEY SUGGESTED I SERVICE MY TRANSMISSION. I DID. THEN I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS CLUTCH MATERIAL IN MY TRANSMISSION FLUID WHICH MEANT THE CLUTCHES WERE FAILING AND I WOULD BE LOOKING AT A TRANSMISSION REBUILD SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. I ASKED WHAT IF ANYTHING COULD BE DONE, I WAS TOLD NOTHING BECAUSE THERE WERE NO CODES ON THE CAR. SO I HAVE A CAR THAT I PURCHASED 3 YEARS AND 3 MONTHS AGO BRAND NEW LOOKING AT A TRANSMISSION REBUILD. I THEN CONTACTED CORPORATE AND BEGAN THE PROCESS OF A FORMAL COMPLAINT. AFTER SPEAKING WITH CORPORATE AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN, THE DEALERSHIP TOOK MY CAR BACK IN. THIS TIME. THEY PULLED OUT THE TRANSMISSION, AND BEHOLD, THE 35R WAVE PLATE WAS CRACKED (WHICH I ASKED IF THAT WAS IT BACK IN MAY AFTER DOING SOME INTERNET RESEARCH AND SEEING THAT SEVERAL OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS EXACT SAME ISSUE WITH A CRACKED WAVE PLATE) AND THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH A COUPLE OF OTHER ITEMS AND THE SYSTEM FLUSHED. IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW WITH THE TRANSMISSIONS THAT NEED TO BE CORRECTED. IF THIS IS SUCH A COMMON PROBLEM, WHY IS GMC ATTEMPTING TO PLAY DUMB WHEN THERE ARE OBVIOUS ISSUES AND PUSH THE COST OFF ONTO ITS CONSUMERS?I FEEL 100% THAT THE DEALERSHIP KNEW ALL ALONG.

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WHEN STATIONARY AND USING THE BACK LIFE GATE. BACK LIFT GATE WILL OPEN, THEN VIOLENTLY COME DOWN ABOUT 10-12 INCHES. VERY LIKELY TO INJURE. IF YOU HOLD IT UP, IT SEEMS TO PUSH DOWN. IF YOU ARE HOLDING IT UP, WHEN YOU LET GO IT VIOLENTLY SLAMS SHUT. IT COULD SEVERELY INJURE SOMEONE. I WAS TOLD BY GMC THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF A CURRENT RECALL FOR OTHER GMC ACADIAS -- FOR THE EXACT SAME ISSUE.. THEY WILL NOT COVER THE REPAIR AS PART OF THE RECALL, SINCE MY VEHICLE IS NOT PART OF THEIR RECALL. I AM RELUCTANT TO HAVE IT REPAIRED MYSELF, AS I BELIEVE IT IS THE EXACT SAME ISSUE ADDRESS IN THE RECALL. IF YOU SHUT OFF THE POWER LIFT GATE IT BECOMES EVEN MORE DANGEROUS, AS THE HEAVY DOOR WILL VIOLENTLY SLAM SHUT WHEN YOU LET IT GO. THE DATE IS A GUESS. NO SERIOUS INJURIES, JUST SOME SMALL BUMPS ON THE HEAD -- BUT IT HAS A POSSIBILITY OF INJURING FUTHER, FOR A SHORTER PERSON OR CHILD.

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WHILE DRIVING EITHER IN THE RAIN, OR IF HIT A PUDDLE .....IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A BIG PUDDLE EITHER. I HEAR THIS GOD AWFUL SCREECHING NOISE. I THEN LOOSE ALL CONTROL OF THE STEERING AFTER A FEW SECONDS IT CATCHES AND WORKS. THE BATTERY WARNING LIGHT WILL COME ON. THIS HAPPENS W EVERY TIME IT RAINS OR I JUST HIT A PUDDLE. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE ROAD AND OUT OF THE WAY OF TRAFFIC. FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED WAS NOVEMBER 17, 2015 AND HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES SINCE. WAS WONDERING IF THERE HAVE BEEN ANY RECALLS OR INFORMATION ON THIS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND SCARY!

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC ACADIA. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO MAKE A LOUD ABNORMAL NOISE AND THE VEHICLE STEERED TO THE LEFT WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE WAS CONSISTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 72,000.

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WHEN WE FIRST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE THE ALTERNATOR WENT BAD. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY FOR US. THEN 6 MONTHS LATER THE ALTERNATOR WENT OUT AGAIN. THEY AGAIN REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR. SINCE THEN THE VEHICLE HAS HAD A DEAD BATTERY AT LEAST 4 TIMES. ALSO NOTICED THAT WHEN IT RAINS YOU CAN HEAR WATER SLOSHING IN THE AC VENTS AND THEN POURS DOWN FROM UNDER DASH ON BOTH THE PASSENGER AND DRIVERS SIDE. NOW MY SOUND IN THE VEHICLE HAS STARTED TO CUT ON AND OFF. THIS WATER ISSUE IS OBVIOUSLY LEADING TO THE ELECTRICAL ISSUES.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC ACADIA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH THE LIFTGATE OPEN, THE LIFTGATE INDEPENDENTLY CLOSED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIFTGATE WAS ACTIVATED BUT IT FAILED TO REMAIN IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS AWARE OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V415000 (STRUCTURE) BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,000.

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THE SENSOR READING LIGHT CONTINUES TO COME ON BUT DOESN'T MATCH THE AREA ITS STATING. TOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE AND LIGHTS DISPLAYING NOW WON'T GO OFF. I HAVE REPLACED TIRES AND AIR IN THE TIRES LIGHT STILL ON. FOUND THAT TO MUCH PRESSURE IS IN TIRES AND THEY MAY BURST.

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THE FIRST THING THAT I WANT TO SAY IS THAT SOME OF THE RECALLS ARE NOT FOR THE 2012 MODEL BUT MINE HAS HAD THE ISSUES WITH THE FUEL MODULER NOT READING CORRECTLY AS IN ONE RECALL AND ALSO THE SHIFTER CLIP CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO NOT BE IN THE CORRECT GEAR. WHAT DO I DO? ALSO THE SECOND THING IS THE A/C BROKE WITHIN THE 3RD YEAR OF HAVING IT. THE THIRD THING TO GO WRONG IS THE POWER STEERING. IT COMES AND GOES BUT AS LONG AS I PUSH ON THE GAS I HAVE POWER STEERING. I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUEL MODULER BECAUSE MY DAUGHTER DRIVES THIS VEHICLE ALSO TRAVELING THE INTERSTATE TO WORK AND ALSO A VERY POPULATED SECONDARY ROAD.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V415000 (STRUCTURE); HOWEVER, THE PART FOR THE RECALL WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

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DIFFICULTY IN TURNING, ALONG WITH A GRINDING NOISE WHEN TURNING RIGHT. VEHICLE MILEAGE WAS 73,113. TAKEN TO GMC DEALER IN BRIGHTON, MI ON NOV. 14, 2014 AND POWER STEERING PUMP AND RACK AND PINION WERE REPLACED FOR $2,100.00. THE CAR WAS THEN DRIVEN APPROX. 650 MILES. THE NEXT MORNING, WHEN BACKING OUT OF DRIVE, THE STEERING WAS LOCKED-UP AND THE VEHICLE WENT OFF THE DRIVEWAY. TOW TRUCK WAS REQUIRED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO GMC DEALER IN INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, MN WHERE THE SAME EXACT PARTS WERE REPLACED AGAIN! I HAVE ALL RECEIPTS.

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HIGHWAY, VEHICLE IN FRONT KICKED UP A BACKPACK UNABLE TO AVOID, WHEN SPEED WAS LOWERED, ODOR OF GASOLINE NOTICED, STOPPED, FUEL TANK LEAKING, TOWED TO NEAREST DEALER. PHOTO ATTACHED

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AIR BAG SENSOR WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, CARRIED IT TO FOWLER BUICK GMC IN AUGUST, 2015, SYSTEM WAS RESET. 2 WEEKS LATER, LIGHT CAME BACK ON, WENT BACK TO DEALER, HAD AIR BAG SENSORS REPLACED IN DRIVERS SEAT AND PASSENGER SEAT, WHICH COST $1310.00. 2 WEEKS LATER WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AND GOES OFF SEVERAL TIMES WHEN DRIVING. DEALER SERVICE CANNOT FIND CAUSE BUT INFORMS ME TO THAT AIR BAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY WHEN WARNING LIGHT IS ON. 2012 ACADIA HAS 81,000 MILES ON VEHICLE AND I DO NOT WANT TO TRADE AGAIN. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT OPTIONS I HAVE SINCE THERE APPEARS TO BE NOR CALL FOR THIS PROBLEM

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC ACADIA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH THE LIFTGATE OPENED, THE DOOR INDEPENDENTLY CLOSED WITH FORCE AND STRUCK THE CONTACT ON THE HEAD. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V415000 (STRUCTURE); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000. UPDATED 1/20/16 LN THE CONSUMER STATED IT WAS FIXED 12/1. *TR

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6/18/15 LIFTGATE CAME CRASHING DOWN ON MY HEAD SO THE STRUTS WERE REPLACED AT DEALERSHIP FOR 116.72 PLUS TAX. THERE IS A RECALL #15240 FOR THIS REPAIR. BUT MY CAR WAS BUILT ON 3/8/2012 WHICH IS 9 DAYS AFTER THE RECALL DATES YOU SUBMITTED. THIS DATE NEEDS TO BE EXTENDED. MORE INVESTIGATION NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO THIS AND OBVIOUSLY MY CAR IN WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF THIS RECALL. ARE THEY WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO GET HIT SO HARD IN THE HEAD AND BE KILLED. I WOULD HOPE NOT. ON DEC 12, 2014 SECONDLY THERE IS A PROBLEM THAT AT 46000 MILES THE STEERING PUMP WENT OUT DEALERSHIP TOLD ME TO KEEP THE RECEIPT THAT THEY ARE SEEING MORE OF THIS TYPE OF REPAIR. THIS REPAIR COST ME 2000.00. CAN THIS BE LOOKED INTO ALSO. NO STEERING PUMP SHOULD GO OUT WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE. WHILE STEERING YOU COULD HEAR A WHINING NOISE.

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1. THE POWER LIFT GATE ON MY VEHICLE FAILED ON 7/23/15. WHEN IT OPENED, IT WENT ALL OF THE WAY UP AUTOMATICALLY AND THEN CAME CRASHING BACK DOWN AND NEARLY HIT ME IN THE HEAD. 2. THE FAILURE FROM THAT POINT ON HAPPENS EACH AND EVERY TIME SO I HAD TO TURN THE FEATURE OFF. 3. I CONTACTED BOTH GM DIRECTLY AND SPOKE TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP TWICE (HARE CHEVROLET IN NOBLESVILLE, IN) AND BOTH TOLD ME THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS ITEM BUT NO SOLUTION AND SUBSEQUENTLY NO PARTS HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED TO CORRECT PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT I COULD FIX IT OUT OF MY OWN POCKET (WITH THE SAME SUSPECTED FAULTY PARTS) BUT THERE WAS NO GUARANTEE I WOULD BE REIMBURSED AS A RESULT I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO USE MY POWER LIFT GATE IN FOUR MONTHS NOW. I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN AUGUST WITH NO UPDATES IN THREE MONTHS. I SPOKE TO THE DEALERSHIP ON 10/31/15 AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO UPDATE ON THIS RECALL.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V415000 (STRUCTURE) AND STATED THAT THE PART NEEDED WAS UNAVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE REAR LIFTGATE LANDED ON HIS BACK. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIFTGATE FELL ON THE PASSENGER OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V415000 (STRUCTURE) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 31,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE LIFTGATE FAILED TO OPEN. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 GMC ACADIA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V415000 (STRUCTURE) HOWEVER THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

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WE GOT THIS CAR IN HOPES IT WOULD LAST 3 YEARS. WHEN WE DRIVE IT, THE TRANSMISSION SHUDDERS AND ACTS LIKE IT IS GOING TO DIE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS AND ANNOYING AND I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. IT IS REALLY SUCH A SHAME, THE CAR SEEMS SO NICE BUT DRIVES WORSE THAN A SHERMAN TANK. IT SEEMS TO DO IT WORSE AT LOW SPEEDS, ON THE MILITARY BASE 15MPH 20MPH AVERAGE SPEED IT DOES IT CONSTANTLY. IT ALSO DOES IT ON THE HIGHWAY AT ANY SPEED.

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TRANSMISSION SHUDDERS AND MAKES FOR A VERY UNEASY, UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVE. IT ACTS LIKE IT IS GOING TO DIE IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY.

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