2008 Chevy Uplander Revs But Won’t Move

There are a couple of recurring problems that affect Uplanders built from 2005-08. They range from a service bulletin that covers stalling problems similar to the one you are experiencing to valve body problems to dirty transmission fluid.

Briefly, the service bulletin addresses stalling issues that are similar to the one you experiencing in your Uplander. Honestly, it does apply to other parts of the engine, but, there is a mention of the transmission in it so I thought I would add it to the list of possible cures.

My suggestion is this: take your car to a dealer’s service area and ask them to look up all of the service bulletins that apply to your Uplander. If it is a dealer you have used for a time so much the better because the dealership will have a long record of the service procedures performed on your minivan.

There are four technical service bulletins that apply specifically to the transmission. They are:

• 08-07-30-016
• 08-07-30-002
• 08-07-30-013
• 4133 (believe it is internal number)

I won’t go into each bulletin as we have space constraints, but, suffice it to say, one or another of them may apply. The only way to know is to have a technician check.

There have been reports of dirt in the valve body that keeps the check valves from working properly. If the check valves don’t open in sequence, you will find your Uplander either not going into the gear you select, at all. Or, it may act as you have described. If this is the case, a valve body cleaning will put it into shape. It should cost about $450 for the work.

Finally, it is possible that your Uplander is either very low on transmission fluid or dirt has built up in the fluid and it has left deposits on parts of the transmission that are keeping it from working correctly. Also, the dirt may have plugged the transmission filter which stops fluid flow — or cuts it down significantly. If this happens your Uplander won’t budge.

I don’t think your Uplander needs a rebuilt installed — the price range is spot on, by the way. However, it does need work that, in some cases, might tip $800. I know your money is tight and that you may not have the funds. However, at least it is not $3,000 or more. Let me know what happens, please and we will try to figure things out.

More information here on the Uplander:

Chevy Uplander Transmission Problems & Cost | 4T65E