Horses2Tow
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'03 Sierra 1500 HD - Lost engine power on highway - **Updated post 4**
Hello,
I just purchased less than 30 days ago, a 2003 GMC Sierra 1500HD (4x4, Crew cab), it has 106,000 miles on it. I bought it to tow a horse trailer, so it is not getting much use currently, I've probably only driven it 100 miles if that, and won't use it much any given year.
I was thankfully not towing horses today when this happened, I was however driving alone with my son, and it was very scary and I'm almost afraid to drive it ever again - I think things could've been very dangerous and life threatening if the roads were half way crowded, thankfully they were not.
I was driving somewhere between 50-60 mph, and had been driving total for the day about 5 miles before it happened. The truck just did a heavy downshift sensation, as if it were put into a low gear from a high gear as we were going. It was very obvious and sudden, threw us forward in our seats. At the same time this happened, the bells started going off inside the cab, the engine light came on, and words scrolled across the bottom information screen, it said something along the lines of "Loss of Engine Power" or something like that, I can't remember exactly. I was able to get the truck to the shoulder by coasting, it had zero power to go there on its own, when you pressed gas pedal - it was like nothing happened. I can't remember if it revved up or not, someone else asked me that, and I can't recall. As soon as we stopped, the truck was running very hard/rough, just sitting there. I immediately shut the truck off and called Roadside service to come tow vehicle. I'm not a risk taker, I'm a woman, and I had my child with me, I wasn't messing with it.
The tow truck driver seemed interested in my case, and after we got the truck to the dealership, he asked if he could start it, and it did start, and he revved up the engine, and it revved up as well. No leaks, or fluids left on the ground, the driver said - which he said is a good thing.
So please tell me what this could be, anyone experience this before? Unfortunately where the truck was taken, was where we bought it, and its not a GMC/Chev type of place, so I don't have ANY faith in them fixing it, AT ALL. However, I purchased the extended warranty on the Powertrain (only) and figured I would take it there first. Does this seem like a power train issue?
Hello,
I just purchased less than 30 days ago, a 2003 GMC Sierra 1500HD (4x4, Crew cab), it has 106,000 miles on it. I bought it to tow a horse trailer, so it is not getting much use currently, I've probably only driven it 100 miles if that, and won't use it much any given year.
I was thankfully not towing horses today when this happened, I was however driving alone with my son, and it was very scary and I'm almost afraid to drive it ever again - I think things could've been very dangerous and life threatening if the roads were half way crowded, thankfully they were not.
I was driving somewhere between 50-60 mph, and had been driving total for the day about 5 miles before it happened. The truck just did a heavy downshift sensation, as if it were put into a low gear from a high gear as we were going. It was very obvious and sudden, threw us forward in our seats. At the same time this happened, the bells started going off inside the cab, the engine light came on, and words scrolled across the bottom information screen, it said something along the lines of "Loss of Engine Power" or something like that, I can't remember exactly. I was able to get the truck to the shoulder by coasting, it had zero power to go there on its own, when you pressed gas pedal - it was like nothing happened. I can't remember if it revved up or not, someone else asked me that, and I can't recall. As soon as we stopped, the truck was running very hard/rough, just sitting there. I immediately shut the truck off and called Roadside service to come tow vehicle. I'm not a risk taker, I'm a woman, and I had my child with me, I wasn't messing with it.
The tow truck driver seemed interested in my case, and after we got the truck to the dealership, he asked if he could start it, and it did start, and he revved up the engine, and it revved up as well. No leaks, or fluids left on the ground, the driver said - which he said is a good thing.
So please tell me what this could be, anyone experience this before? Unfortunately where the truck was taken, was where we bought it, and its not a GMC/Chev type of place, so I don't have ANY faith in them fixing it, AT ALL. However, I purchased the extended warranty on the Powertrain (only) and figured I would take it there first. Does this seem like a power train issue?
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). Well problem still not solved, it still chirps just as much, if not more. So it went back a second time, and they said, Oh yeah, well we didn't tighten the screw, I thought you just wanted to know where the sound was coming from.