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Less than forgiving manual transmission

8K views 21 replies 15 participants last post by  Chevy Customer Care 
#1 ·
I have a 2011 LS 6 speed manual and I have owned the car for a year and I noticed that this car has a higher "stall point" than any other manual I have driven. With my other manuals, I was able to to wait until I was about stopped before having to push in the clutch. This car really does not really "lug" either when in too high a gear. It will just stall. :angry: As I said, I have been driving manuals for a @20 years and this is the first car that acts this way. Anyone else experience the same thing? Pls don't tell me to put the car in neutral or push in the clutch as soon as I start braking. Just seems odd to me.
 
#3 ·
Hmm, my MT car runs just fine at 1200 RPM or less. I commonly run it right around 1000 RPM on flat ground. Did it do this before the tune?
 
#4 ·
2nd gear is touchy on mine. I chalked this up to the taller 1st gear and shifting to 2nd too soon. I can let my RPM drop to about 800 in 1, 3, 4, 5, & 6 but if I do this in 2nd I risk stalling if I have to accelerate again. I actually had the car at 500 RPM in 1st today and it didn't stall.
 
#7 ·
I noticed that 1st gear wont let you stay very long before you have to jump into 2nd. I have no problems with the higher gears.

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#8 ·
i have the same problem with the 1.4t. i often am trying to lug it around to improve mileage and if you let the rpms get a little to low it just shuts off. it can still be turning over but wont be running if you know what i mean. then i casually drop it a gear and let it roll start and even that doesn't work. it can show 800rpm on the dash and not be enough to start it.

then something as simple as lugging it up my driveway, i have a long uphill driveway and after making the turn into the drive i slowly let off the gas and end up with my food off the gas completely and it is lugging right up the drive in 2nd without any help. i have noticed if i have an extra person in the car i can't do that. it will stall every time. odd that one person is the make or break for that trick.
 
#9 ·
Im used to driving a manual like this. All of my manual All Wheel Drive cars have lighter flywheels. This car has a very light flywheel and requires a little more pedal to keep it from stalling. I have stalled it trying to take off from second after rolling over a speed bump.
 
#10 ·
I've had no problem clutching ~1000 during decel, but i will say I've stalled it a few times. I agree with josheco, there's no saving a stall.. lol just let it die.
 
#12 ·
I can save a stall in 1st, but not in 2nd. Fortunately the Cruze starts fast. I haven't had a near stall in the other gears. My other three MTs (both Fieros and the Lancer) I could save stalls all day long. Helps to have learned to drive a carberated stick - my Dad's old Alfa Duetto Spider (Mrs Robinson era) wouldn't lug the engine, It would simply stall.
 
#13 · (Edited)
I tried to save one just the other day - AC on full blast and in very hot weather - the 1.4t is not happy in those conditions. Normally I let out on the clutch and it takes off immediately, but it fought with me for a bit, I tried to push in the clutch and rev it up. Close, but no cigar - it fought back and stalled. Took longer to start back up than it ever does on the first try.

I was embarrassed myself; I've been driving manual transmissions since I was 16 and the only one I've ever really had difficulty with/stalled more than once in recent years was an ex's horrible Integra.
 
#14 ·
I've stalled my Cruze in 2nd more times than I care to admit. Finally figured out to simply not shift out of 1st if I even think I'll have to slow down.
 
#15 ·
I've never had an issue with the car stalling at 1200 rpm. I did stall it one time going up my driveway just because I wasn't paying attention. But this car isn't any different than any other car I've ever driven with a manual.

I typically coast with the car in gear down to about 1200 when coming up to a stop and i'm already in 3rd or 4th gear.
 
#16 ·
The only difference with the Cruze is that it appears to be nearly impossible to recover from a stall once it starts. Other cars can be recovered most of the time. It's almost as if the ECU shuts off the fuel when it detects the beginnings of a stall.
 
#19 ·
I never really noticed how low the RPMs go before stalling but it looks like it goes below 1000 so I am just slow to the clutch at times. What I was trying to say, I never had that problem with my Aleros unless unconsciously, I was really pushing in the clutch sooner than I thought. It is second nature to me so just seems surprising when I never stalled the engine when stopping before and this car will not jerk or lug before stalling. Amen
 
#20 ·
My last car was a MT Subaru Forester. It almost never stalled. My 2012 Cruze Eco with MT was stalling a few times a DAY, when I was stopped at a light or a stop sign and pulling out. It was very annoying. It never stalls as I am coming to a stop if I am above 1000 rpm. That is an odd problem. At 10,000 miles I put in an engine lubricant / oil additive called X-1R. I've only stalled twice this week so far, and both were my fault. I think the low horsepower and engine friction was making the car stall more often. The additive provided enough friction reduction to solve that stalling issue when I pulled out from a stop. I am anxious to fill up my tank to see if I had any mileage improvement as well. The car does seem to be running smoother. Maybe an engine lubricant will solve your problem as well.
 
#22 ·
Good Guy,
I am happy to hear that you were able to take care of this issue. If this becomes a concern for you again at any time please feel free to contact me; I am always happy to help.
Thank you,
Stacy Chevrolet Customer Service
 
#21 · (Edited)
No stalling issues here with my 2011 ECO 6M. In fact I think this is one of the easiest Manual Transmission cars I have driven, maybe second only to my 2004 GTO-but that is a torque monster with a much heavier clutch and gear shifter. I do have the Trifecta tune but run in ECO mode 99.9% of the time, driveability is improved over stock.
 
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