GM RWD

4L60-E
Transmission Slipping
Code P0495
File: 4L60-E
Date: July, 2008

Transmission Slipping Code P0495

by Scott MacWilliams - International Technical Consultant
Vehicle: 2002-up Chevrolet Trail Blazer or
GMC Envoy
Complaint: Transmission is slipping, vehicle
has no power, the engine will not rev up over
2000 rpm and a code P0495 coolant fan high
is set.
Be very careful when diagnosing
CAUTION this complaint. The first step in
this diagnosis is to diagnose and repair the
P0495 coolant fan high code first. ANYTIME
A VEHICLE COMES IN WITH A CODE
STORED IN THE SYSTEM, THE CODE
NEEDS TO BE DIAGNOSED FIRST.
The cooling fan on these vehicles is
controlled by the PCM through a pulsed width
modulated solenoid, which controls the speed
of the fan by controlling the position of the oil
control valve inside the clutch. If the cooling
fan RPM is too high (above 1600 RPM for 81
seconds) when the PCM is commanding 0%,
a code P0495 will set.

As I researched this code, I found

hundreds of complaints on the Internet for this
exact problem. Some of the vehicles only
had 40,000 miles on them yet I could find no
factory bulletins pertaining to this code or this
complaint. Before recommending a
transmission overhaul, make sure that the
frozen coolant fan clutch is not the problem.
The GM part number for the fan is
#15293048.
It is also recommended that you inspect
the water pump to make sure that the bushing
for the water pump shaft is not damaged.
Make sure the shaft has no side to side play
and there is no coolant leaking out of the
weep hole on the under side of the water
pump. If there are signs of damage to the
water pump, recommend replacement of the
pump in addition to the fan clutch.

When this fan becomes frozen or stuck, the

symptom is described as having no power, the
engine will not turn more than 2000 RPM, and
the transmission is slipping. This is a very
common, but simple problem.

80A-4405
2008 AAMCO Transmissions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Printed in U.S.A.

4L60-E - 146