Rough Shifts in Colorado? Check Transfer Fluid First

Had the same transmission symptoms on my 2017 Silverado last month. The rough shifting and slipping pointed to serious gear wear in the transfer case. After inspection, the mechanic found metal shavings in the gear oil, classic sign of mechanical wear inside the transfer case. The fix required a complete transfer case rebuild due to worn gear sets causing the grinding and slipping. The gear wear was likely accelerated by contaminated gear oil that wasn't changed on schedule. Quick tips before heading to a shop: Check transfer case fluid level and condition, Listen for grinding noises during gear changes, Note if slipping happens more when cold or warm, Document when/how the symptoms occur This isn't something to ignore, transfer case failure can leave you stranded and cause more damage if left unchecked. Would recommend getting it checked soon, as these symptoms typically worsen quickly once they start.

Thanks for sharing that experience, I had nearly identical problems with my Colorado last year! The symptoms you described with the Silverado match what I went through, especially that grinding during shifts. Turned out my transfer case oil was severely contaminated too, causing major gear wear. I've been wondering about your repair costs since I'm still wincing at my bill. Did you remember roughly what you paid for the whole job? Also curious if you've had any oil leakage or other transmission issues pop up since the rebuild? After my repair, I've been religious about checking the transfer fluid levels every few months to catch any problems early.

Good news on the repair front! Just like I mentioned before, had that exact transfer case issue with my Silverado fixed up. The total came to 330 € for replacing those worn-out gears in the transfer case. Honestly, it was worth every penny, the grinding and slipping completely disappeared after the repair. The mechanic showed me the old gear oil when they drained it, it was pretty nasty with metal particles floating around. They did a thorough job cleaning everything out before installing the new gears and fresh transfer fluid. Since the fix, everything's been running smooth as silk, no leaks, no grinding, and the gear shifts are crisp again. Smart move checking your transfer case oil levels regularly. That's exactly what I've been doing too since the repair, just to stay ahead of any potential issues. You definitely made the right call getting it fixed when you did. These transfer case problems tend to cascade if left unchecked, which usually means even bigger repair bills down the road.

Thanks everyone for the helpful feedback! Wanted to share how my situation turned out. Finally took it to a new mechanic last week who actually knew what they were doing. Right away they spotted the contaminated transfer case fluid, it was full of metal bits from gear wear. Ended up needing some serious work but glad I caught it when I did. The mechanic showed me the worn gears they pulled out, pretty shocking to see how bad the mechanical wear had gotten. They did a partial rebuild, replaced the damaged components, and flushed everything clean. Bill came to €2800 but the transmission's shifting like new again. No more grinding or slipping between gears. Been driving it for a week now and what a difference! The mechanic suggested regular transfer case fluid checks every 30k miles to prevent this from happening again. Definitely learned my lesson about not ignoring those early warning signs. Really appreciate all the advice here, helped me understand what I was dealing with and get it fixed right.