I have a 2012 Chevy Cruze 1.4 with the 6 speed auto. I have changed the fluid with amsoil. This thing jerks ridiculously and has been for a while. I keep taking in to the dealer and they keep saying nothing is wrong. Its only when I am slowing down and not completely stopped like I am coming up to a light and the touch the gas. Its also when it downshifts between 30 mph to 25 mph. The dealership has did supposed software updates but has not gotten better. First gear shift to second slips occasionally too. No check engine light or codes. How do I get them to fix this???....Thanks
Transmission issues
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The 2012+ automatic downshifts from 5th to 4th gear at 28mph, if your on the gas when this occurs sometimes the transmission can be clunky. Since it will downshift every time that that speed though you just need to learn to let it do its thing(downshift) then ease back into the gas, or if you prefer keep your speed above 28mph.
If your driving allot of city streets in this speed range best bet is to learn to use manual mode and lock 4th gear so not to confuse the transmission to hunt between 5th an 4th gear as you speed up and slow down.
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990 Posts
Wave plate failure it's common on the 2011 and 2012 cruze and over GM with that trans. Make sure they replace the TCM when finished or they will just clean it and out it back in and the issue will come back
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10,589 Posts
Is this the person on the FB group we told to come here to the forums?
Wave plate failure?????
Nope......A wave plate failure (shatters by the way) will result in no forward movement at all......ask how I know.
To the OP......You are describing somewhat normal trans operation for the Cruze 6 speed auto.
But, you cannot describe intensity of shift......meaning, what seems extreme in your opinion may be normal intensity for another.
Somehow, you must drive a similarly equipped Cruze of the same year to satisfy yourself if your car has a problem or it just drives like the rest.
I'm sure you understand the mechanic can only repair to 'as designed' as opposed to making it, in this case, shift like you think it should.
See if you can find a dealer, yours or another, with a similar unit and try to get a road test out of it.....explain to the dealer salesperson what you are trying to achieve.
Good luck,
Rob
Nope......A wave plate failure (shatters by the way) will result in no forward movement at all......ask how I know.
To the OP......You are describing somewhat normal trans operation for the Cruze 6 speed auto.
But, you cannot describe intensity of shift......meaning, what seems extreme in your opinion may be normal intensity for another.
Somehow, you must drive a similarly equipped Cruze of the same year to satisfy yourself if your car has a problem or it just drives like the rest.
I'm sure you understand the mechanic can only repair to 'as designed' as opposed to making it, in this case, shift like you think it should.
See if you can find a dealer, yours or another, with a similar unit and try to get a road test out of it.....explain to the dealer salesperson what you are trying to achieve.
Good luck,
Rob
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1,160 Posts
I agree it maybe normal.These trans can feel funny at times.
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990 Posts
thats not true the first one didn't shatter but the sec trans did once on the dyno and lost all forward gears. If you google this issue you'll find the same complaints he is having that's how I got my dealer to repair mine because they thought it was normal at first then the TCM. So not 100% of the time they will shatter
The issue is intermittent at times...It feels like its getting worse. ...Also.....I have drove other 2012's and 2013's and they don't drive even close to what mine is like....It mainly just the harshness of the downshift around 28 mph ....The other cruzes I have driven have the exact same shift points and are smooth as butter...Even when letting off the gas and accelerating at low speeds.....Its like its "slow" at reacting..Could it be the Tcm or something in the valve body?
I have had my cruze for nearly 10months (2011 1.4T). Over that time I have noticed all similar concerns which you mentioned. Lag shifting, even when in manual mode it seems to lag behind when I engage the shift. Revs high going up hills (small) and hesitant to shift. Jerky down shifting. Being new to the cruze it was concerning for me as well and after multiple trips to the dealer and a response of "it's normal" has been what I have come to expect. Until recently my check engine light came on and my gas mileage went from around 31mpg to 25mpg with no change in driving habits. Don't know the issue yet because the dealerships I have called to service can't see me for a week, which seemed a bit ridiculous to let someone drive that long on a check engine light. At any rate, your concerns seem common among cruze owners and I wonder how long the "it's normal" motto will work long term for the owners. In all the newer car rentals I have driven for work for, the cruze transmission is unlike any other I have experienced, unfortunately not in a good way.
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17,969 Posts
The 2011's were notorious for clunky transmission shifting. The TCM programming and transmissions themselves were tweaked for the 2012 model year.
Can't tell you much without a code to work off, but that much of a hit in mileage might be the result of a vacuum leak or sensor failure.
OP, leave a battery cable disconnected for a few minutes (or overnight). The transmission is an "adaptive" design, and sometimes can learn stupid things (I have to clear the gf's car's memory every 2 months or so or it will hunt all over the place for gears for no good reason).
Reconnect the cable, give it ~5-10 miles to re-learn a few things, and see how it behaves after that.
Can't tell you much without a code to work off, but that much of a hit in mileage might be the result of a vacuum leak or sensor failure.
OP, leave a battery cable disconnected for a few minutes (or overnight). The transmission is an "adaptive" design, and sometimes can learn stupid things (I have to clear the gf's car's memory every 2 months or so or it will hunt all over the place for gears for no good reason).
Reconnect the cable, give it ~5-10 miles to re-learn a few things, and see how it behaves after that.
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