Chev RT190V ABS light,Speedo Zero,Gear loss

[senf]

Another sags hopefully ends happily. In 2013 travelling Colorado east to west, up mountains, down mountains then on the flat the ABS light came on, no gear and speedo to zero. We drifted over to the side of the road and stopped with what little brake we had. No cell towers in range. Along came two cyclists who took my BCAA (AAA) number and phoned when they got to the next town. About an hour or so later a flat bed from Gunnison turned up, loaded the RT and off we went to John Roberts Motors. This sort of thing only happens at the end of the day and end of the week prior to a long week end. After a night on the dealer's lot in amidst all the cars for sale, the owner had one of his technicians check the problem. An ABS code was set but nothing found, so the code was reset. An offer to change the EBCM was declined because we would have to wait until Tuesday after the long weekend for the part to be ordered.

If you are in trouble in Gunnison, see John Roberts Motors - they were very helpful and understanding.

We made our way back to Canada, cancelling our intended trip to San Diego, through Montana and Wyoming without incident. However, between Osoyoos and Princeton the problem happened twice more. Neither my usual service place nor the local GM dealer could resolve the problem.

Moving on to 2014, we decided to make the trip to San Diego, before we head east this year. We made our way down parts of the old US 99 through Washington and Oregon, where we travelled hither and yon to photograph covered wooden bridges. We crossed the border into California, 98 F, up the Anderson Grade and down the other side. Just before Yreka the problem occurred again. The last 5 miles were in second gear (limp mode) and Yreka was 104 F. No help available in Yreka, but Tim's Transmission surmised it was heat related mis-communication between control modules and suggested that the GM dealer in Redding would be able to help. We arrived in Redding to 108 F temperature and humid. Not only was the RT objecting but so was DW. That night we slept with the air-conditioning on - never have had to do that before. The next morning we headed for the coast and experienced a couple of problem stoppages on the way. The temperature at the coast was 54 F. We made our way home, cancelling the San Diego visit for the second time, without any more occurrences. During all of the above the engine thermometer registered 100 (plus a fraction going up hill or less a fraction going down hill).

The symptoms were documented and C&S Transmission did a diagnosis and advised going to the local GM dealer. The service manager at Laird Wheaton read the symptoms and listened to my tale. He assigned his top technician who checked a number of items and came up with the Vehicle Speed Sensor having a low voltage reading and spikes on the waveform. The VSS has been changed and we leave mid July or later for our usual trip east to see the children and grandchildren.

Is the problem fixed? We shall see!!!!!