The Diagnostic Shows No Problems

I have a 2005 Tahoe. I love my Tahoe. It's the perfect size for me and I plan to keep it for a really long time. We might even *gasp* pay this one off! Trevor keeps the oil changed and the fluids checked (he's handy like that) and it usually runs like the well oiled machine that it is.

Until Monday on the way home from work. I was sitting at a stop light (right before a long bridge) and when the light turned green I released the brake, stepped on the gas and...

went nowhere.

Imagine my surprise when my 3 year old vehicle decided that it didn't like to stay in gear any longer. The engine just revved up when I gave it gas, so I coasted into the providentially placed gas station to my right and promptly called Trevor. I tried switching gears (all of them including reverse), and all I got was wasted gas from the spinning engine. Trevor suggested turning the Tahoe off completely and then restarting the engine.

It worked!

I put it in gear and made my way back out to the road and put my blinker on to turn right on the bridge. I stepped on the gas and...

nothing.

After turning the engine off and restarting, I was able to move it to the shoulder and out of traffic. I called OnStar to do a vehicle diagnostic and almost laughed out loud when they said that the diagnostic showed no problems.

HA!

I'm not a mechanic, but I'm pretty sure that when the vehicle won't move, there is a problem. I wasn't thrilled with being on the shoulder of a bridge, with traffic whizzing by inches from my door, so I made it across the bridge by driving 20 feet at a time, turning the Tahoe off, starting it again and then driving another 20 feet.

Good times.

So by this time, Trevor was on his way. When he arrived, he did a once over and for the first time in our marriage did not have a ready solution to a mechanical problem. This is not a dig at his expertise, rather surprise. I mean, duh, he knew it was the transmission and checked a few things but beyond that, he was stumped. We called his brother to come tow us home, and while we were waiting in the dark with our two small children, I was suddenly glad that he has a concealed handgun license. And he's always packing. God bless Texas!

So, to make a long story even longer, we both took Tuesday off from work to tow the Tahoe to a transmission shop (the filter was completely clogged and there was a ton of metal shavings in the pan...whatever that means). They are still working on it, and I am the proud driver a stripped down, white, Ford Taurus.

Whoo hoo.

I can't wait to get my Tahoe back.

(Update: Ouch. It will be $2200 to repair the Tahoe. Praise God for the emergency fund!