2012 Cruze Transmission slipping

[cruzeman]

Sounds like there should be a major recall on these but gm is fighting it for as long as possible

[cwerdna]

Sounds like there should be a major recall on these but gm is fighting it for as long as possible

Recalls are for safety-related defects or non-compliance with FMVSS (What is a Safety Recall? | Safercar.gov | NHTSA). Unless these transmissions problems fall under that, I wouldn't count on a recall. That said, GM would likely issue a TSB and could do some sort of voluntary special service campaign and/or extended warranty. Other manufacturers have done one or both of these in the past (e.g. Honda/Acura automatic transmissions in Accords, Acura TLs and Honda Odysseys of a certain model year range, 2nd gen Prius inverter coolant pump limited service campaign, etc.)

BTW, I can't speak to GM's processes and how much they monitor posts here (if at all), but for Toyota, we've been directed to Toyota marketing to relay product concerns to their call center. (See Prius Brake Recall – A Little More Information - Page 4 - PriusChat Forums and Toyota Unveils Entune, App-Ready Sync Fighter, At CES - PriusChat Forums.) I've personally met Doug 2x when he was still the Prius Product Manager (a marketing person, in many companies).

So, for those of you who are having transmission troubles/complaints, if you take it to a dealer w/the complaint and they write up a work order, then I'm sure that's a data point for GM corporate. If you complain here, don't call GM's call center (or whatever their process is) and don't take it in, GM likely doesn't have your data point.

[70AARCUDA]

So, for those of you who are having transmission troubles/complaints, if you take it to a dealer w/the complaint and they write up a work order, then I'm sure that's a data point for GM corporate. If you complain here, don't call GM's call center (or whatever their process is) and don't take it in, GM likely doesn't have your data point.

...you're absolutely correct.

...however, it's frustrating when the car has been (a) twice to the dealership with no solution, (b) calls to GM 'Customer Service' are treated like baby pablum, (c) return calls from a GM transmission engineer asks about subjects "other" than the harsh/shifting, and (d) he (the engr) only recommends to take it back to the dealership AGAIN? Can you say: "...endless LOOP...?" The transmission has been reprogrammed twice with no noticable improvement.

...Calls made to GM 'Customer Service' have NEVER resulted in an answer, they always refer us back to the dealership, with an occassional promise of call back...which we've only gottern once...and he wasn't interested in OUR problem, only his 'rabbit hole' subject.

...I swear the GM 'Customer Service' reponses sound like IBM people hired to "intercept & deflect" GM customers away from GM itself (my opinion).

[Aeroscout977]

Internet forums can make a difference. This is how we got Honda to issue a TSB for our 3rd gear issues. We consolidated all of our issues into one massive thread and contacted RSX(shares the same 6 speed) forums of the same host. The tranny had the same issues through out the life of the RSX model but no screaming and shouting was really made until the Si came along. I think we will be going a similar here as far as consolidation of issues at least for organizational purposes. Pressure on GM will have to come from you the owners in mass.


Sent from my Autoguide iPhone app

[A&J Cruzin]

so...do some of us just get lucky...and have an auto with no probs? i have 5600 miles on my car,i drove it off the lot with 6 miles..and no problem yet with the tranny.but i keep seeing everyone else having issues..and i wonder...great..when will mine act up...

[cwerdna]

Internet forums can make a difference. This is how we got Honda to issue a TSB for our 3rd gear issues. We consolidated all of our issues into one massive thread and contacted RSX(shares the same 6 speed) forums of the same host. The tranny had the same issues through out the life of the RSX model but no screaming and shouting was really made until the Si came along. I think we will be going a similar here as far as consolidation of issues at least for organizational purposes. Pressure on GM will have to come from you the owners in mass.

Yep, they can. Not meaning to diminish your work since I don't know the details, but it's possible:
- that Honda didn't do squat because perhaps manual transmissions made up a small % of RSXes vs. 100% of Civic Si's, so it didn't seem like a top issue for them
- Honda didn't have a fix available until the Si came along, so Honda kept quiet until they had something ready - It's bad for companies to promise something they can't deliver or when they don't have an ETA.
- other channels (dealers, customer service, owners in other countries, etc.) also applied pressure

BTW, to provide some more context, Doug was in this podcast: Episode 50 with Toyota's Doug Coleman | What Drives Us. Skip to the ~52 minute mark (or maybe go back 47 min mark) by clicking in the middle area to the right of track #1. Doug is on the phone and one of the hosts (Danny) is the Priuschat founder.

As Doug points out, sometimes it can be hard for others to tell if a problem is as widespread as it appears or is it a just a small set of vocal people. Certain issues can be more clear cut (like headlights don't work) vs. not so clear cut (seats uncomfortable).

(The short lifespan of 06-09 HID lights mentioned is a long running complaint and there was even a class action lawsuit. Seat being uncomfortable is a complaint that comes up on the 04-09 Priuses.)

70AARCUDA: Sorry to hear about your experiences.

[RegalT]

I haven't spoke to the dealer myself, but my girlfriend called me with an update. They put it on a "Transmission re-learner" (I'm sure shes talking about programming) and the vehicle rejected it every time. Seems strange to me, but hopefully I'll find out more when I call.

[Jim Frye]

so...do some of us just get lucky...and have an auto with no probs? i have 5600 miles on my car,i drove it off the lot with 6 miles..and no problem yet with the tranny.but i keep seeing everyone else having issues..and i wonder...great..when will mine act up...

Yep, I believe that there are some of these units that have definate issues and GM does not have a clue as to why. Now that we are hearing from owners that GM is attempting to reprogram the TCMs without success, I'm inclined to think that the problem may be mechanical, due to a parts supply problem. I wonder who (and where) supplies the shift body that go into a 6T40. Until GM Powertrain figures out what the problem is, owners are going to have to put up with the dealers "this, that, and the other" fixes.

[nobog]

How long have they been makin' auto trannies? 50 - 60 years? Now keep in mind I don't even own a Cruze (spring time ?) but it would certainly only be a manual. Now I hear rumors of the Focus auto having problems (which is really an automatic manual). We got 6 sps, 7 sps, and now even a 8 speed (Chysler 300) !? I don't see the point after a 4 sp with a lock up converter. Why not just go with a CVT if you need that many "gears"?

Sorry, maybe didn't add to the conversation, just odd to hear of such things. Hopefully there will be simple fix limited to a small # of units

.

Jim

[steve333]

...you're absolutely correct.

...however, it's frustrating when the car has been (a) twice to the dealership with no solution, (b) calls to GM 'Customer Service' are treated like baby pablum, (c) return calls from a GM transmission engineer asks about subjects "other" than the harsh/shifting, and (d) he (the engr) only recommends to take it back to the dealership AGAIN? Can you say: "...endless LOOP...?" The transmission has been reprogrammed twice with no noticable improvement.

...Calls made to GM 'Customer Service' have NEVER resulted in an answer, they always refer us back to the dealership, with an occassional promise of call back...which we've only gottern once...and he wasn't interested in OUR problem, only his 'rabbit hole' subject.

...I swear the GM 'Customer Service' reponses sound like IBM people hired to "intercept & deflect" GM customers away from GM itself (my opinion).

My opinion as well. I have a Cobalt, was having front end issues (what a shock) and GM contacted me through social media and actually convinced me to bring it to a dealer.
$80 to inspect it and $300 for sway bar bushings that didn't even fix the problem. Then the GM rep says they aren't going to cover the charge!
Guess how happy I am with GM right now