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Chevrolet Corvette Transmission Problems
Maybe someone has heard of my problem and can send me in the right direction. I recently (less than 1,100 miles ago) bought a 2007 Z06. Two days ago I heard a distinct transmission rattle in 1st gear after releasing the clutch. Took it to the dealer and was told this was normal and some transmissions do this and sometimes in different gears. Does this sound "normal" to anyone else? I will be discussing this with the regional service rep soon and would like any info I can get. Thanks....
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made what many call the marbles in a can noise that many
complained about over the years. Either mine has stopped
doing it or I have just gotten used to it since I don't
notice it any more, 64k miles.
Problem is that since that is an old issue many at dealer
will just blow off any noise when it could be a different
issue, keep in pursuit to make sure.
Randy
Mine is a 2004 Z06 and it seems to mainly affect first gear only during the first 5-10 MPH after take-off.
To check your car for these noises do the following. Back vehicle up at lease twenty feet turning steering wheel from left to right listen for the grinding or popping sounds, then drive car forward into a left or right turn remember this is only after the car has been park overnight so this is only for cold starts, if you hear what I have describe your positive traction is going bad.
GM has two campaigns out regarding what should be done. First recommendation is to flush axle by changing rear end axle oil, second replace seals and clutches on positive traction. I also recommend to have ABS sensor check and part a describe as a “LINK”
The services for the campaigns are free regardless of mileage.
Chevy has had posi noise for 40 years or more. First thing to try - take the car out and drive it in circles, left and right, or figure eights. This forces the plates in the posi to open up and let the grease in and get it all lubed up. A lot of posi noise can be cured this way.
If you want, take it to the dealer. He will drain diff oil and replace it and the additive. They have TSB's telling them about this. If you are really mad and keep at them, they will replace the clutch pack for you. And the new one may be worse.....
I'm not going to put my car into the hands of the dealer for such a small problem.
You might also be hearing the front tires actually 'scrubbing' on the pavement in the tight turn. Those big tires do not like to be turned at such a sharp angle.
Short answer: No. GM \ Chevy state that there are both hardware & software upgrades that address the 6L80 shift speed for 2008. I have seen no announcement regarding any sort of ‘retro-fit’ ‘kit’ to improve 2006\7.
I have now driven my 2007 for over 12,000 miles.
I am happy with mine. But not ecstatic. I did test drive 2 2006 A6s. In deference to the final purchaser, I was pretty gentle on the drivetrain. The delay in response ( time from paddle push or pull until initiation of the actual shift ) is too long. [ I am amazed that with so many years to develop this trans., the lag \ pause \ delay is as long as it is. ]
I find the actual upshifts to be typically quick and firm without being harsh.
I see no evidence that there is any attempt to accomplish “rev match on downshift”. At low engine speeds, the torque converter cushions the driveline jolt reasonably well. At higher speeds, the jerk in the shift is much more of an issue. On closed throttle ( foot on the brake ) downshifts are pretty much as I’d expect of a 5 or even a 10 year old design. I find this disappointing.
There has been much speculation that the delay has something to do with trans. ability to live a long & trouble-free life. Torque Mgmt. is often the term I’ve seen. I disagree. The actual shift speed is fine under most circumstances – for me. And I see no way that the delay prior to shift initiation would influence trans. longevity. ( Though I am always willing to be proven wrong. ) Seems logically that the speed & firmness of the shifts would be an issue ( & trans. temps, etc. ) – rather than anything prior. Since the shifts at WOT ( just before redline ) are as quick – and ( apparently ) executed with no delay. . .
Still quite impressed overall with the C6.
Just my 0.02 gallons worth.
- Ray
Happy – but not quite as happy as I’d hoped to be.
I just bought my '07 C6; and since I have less than 500mi, I'm not wanting to "test the tires" quite yet. But, I'm anxious.
Therefore, I think second gear noise would be even harder to hear.
Just get in your car, go to the nearest intersection, turn right or left and get on it. Be expecting to totally lose control if you give it much throttle. The car will quickly start to slide the rear end. (The car has so much power it will slide before the traction control can kick in.) And if it is sliding, it means the tires are broken loose. And there will be no noise.
If you wreck your Corvette doing this, don't blame me!
Good luck!
- Ray
Nearing the 15,000 mile mark....
I bought a beuatiful blue 2008 Vette with the optional titainium exuast, and auto tranny. I notice a grinding sound coming from the rear of the car at around 3000 RPM if I give it slight acceleration in 1st or second. In thrid however, that sound starts at 2500 RPM, and 4th 5th and 6th it starts at 2000 RPM. Again, I can only notice the sound under some acceleration.
I took it to my local dealership where I bought it. I got mixed reactions. The head mechanic says he thinks it's muffler resin (where I have I heard that before?), which seems to be a conviniant way to explain it away. But I know better...this sound is more serious than that. And resin wouldn't act like that at those RPMs. But wait, it get's better...
The salsmen went for a ride and after hearing it claimed that it is a combination of 4 things! He says it is stiff sidewall EMT tires when I accelerate, plus "power transfer" to the rear, plus "lug noise" (for the higher gears), plus some muffler resin! Wow, with those four things working together at once, ANYTHING can be explained away!
Problem is the dealership that I bought it from has NO CORVETTE EXPERTS. In fact, they even admit they never have even tore into a C-6 before!
I think I will need a new tranny (I hate that), but I'm not sure. What should I do? Drive around from dealer to dealer until I happen to come accross someone who knows what they are doing? Or do I just demand that my dealership honor the warenty and replace the tranny? Or mabey it's not the tranny, but I'm just missing something? I don't know what to do...any help is appreciated thanks.
I just drove it with compotition mode off, and it still makes that grinding sound. Same with traction control off. At this point, I'm also worried about the rear axle. Could it be low on fluid? But if that were the case, wouldn't it make that "sound" all of the time, and not just at certain RPM's? Am I going nuts?
I cannot accpet the generic "well, the sound is probably normal", espicially since I just spent some 55,000 bucks on this car! Ok here is my plan...Monday I will make an apointment and have the dealership put it up on a rack, and check the underside for anything loose...like a muffler bolt or whatever. While up there, I will have them flush the rear-end fluid (which they will probably suggest anyway), and then drive it and see. If the sound continues after that, I will ask them to replace the transmission. Anyway, that's my plan.
Anyone else have any ideas?
My only suggestion is that ( given what you say above regarding the [ lack of ] Corvette expertise in servicing C6s ) is immediately cancel your appointment with this dealer & start talking with other dealers - and take your C6 to one with Corvette tech(s).
My $0.02 worth...
- Ray
Bought local, but from a dealer with 2 techs that ONLY work on Corvettes...
I think some of your speeds are strange. At 2000 rpm in 6th, you would be doing what, 90+mph? Can you really hear a minor rear end noise at that speed.
Overall, my recommendation would be just drive the car until the noise is something that can't be ignored and can easily heard by the service rep or mechanic. After all, these thing are under warranty, and it has a 100,000 mile driveline warranty. And, after a few chips and scratches, you will feel better about leaving it at a dealer for a few days while they tear out and replace the ring and pinion gears.
I still think that a basic look under it and checking for anything loose, plus a fresh flush of the rear end is the way to go. But I will also try this regional service manager.
Of course, the noise/feel being there is driving me nuts. I keep going out for a test drive, holding out false hope that I will somehow figure it out this time! It's like I'm helpless so I resort over and over to the only thing I can do on a weekend...keep test driving it.
And yeah, I'm not looking forward to the dealership getting it up on a rack. A few years ago I had my C-5 in a few times, and the first time I got it back with a few new scratchs on it. 2nd time it was fingerprints. The 3rd time they actually wrecked the car pulling it out of the bay! I noticed it when I was getting in the car...they didn't even know they wrecked it!
I'll tell you this, when the car is in bay...so will I be! I'm going to be in there watching everything.
Every dealer should have a Corvette pro. This is ridiculous.
No way "muffler resin" explains this away. This happens before the butterflies open up on my titainium exaust (they open about 3,000 RPM). Also I agree it seems more a rear-end differential issue which makes the most sense. But what about the tranny? It's back there too. I don't know how it is set up back there, but are there U joints back there too?
This is a nightmare
So it looks like Ray is right-on with his idea of calling around to different dealerships, which it looks like I'll have to do anyway. It's either that, or let the monkeys at my dealership tinker with the unknown (to them) C-6...and I just don''t feel comfortable with that scenario.
I'll report back when I know more....
I think the 6 speed is much better, in the sense that the paddle shifters allow substantial additional control. And 6 choices is better than 4.
OTOH: I did have a trans. issue in my 2007 A6 - and it appears it may be starting to happen again....
- Ray
Well, I called around to a bunch of dealerships in my region. You wouldn't believe the dealerships that really didn't know much about Corvettes. At one dealership that I called, the guy said "no, we don't have a Corvette specialist here, but bring it by", and I replied "do you have anyone who has worked on the C6 Corvette?", and his answer floored me when he said "nope, but we have some mechanics here and they fix all kind of cars. Bring 'er by, and we'll get under there and fix 'er". !!! :surprise: Uninspiered, I thanked him for his time, but told him I would pass on his kind offer.
Frustrated and running out of pateince (not to mention dealerships), I had only one more to call. This last dealership that I called switched me to a CERTIFIED CORVETTE MECHANIC (finally!), and he immediatly knew what I was talking about, as he worked on several Corvettes! He said there is a service bulletin out on the 07 and 08 Corvettes that call for a rear differential fluid change, as the fluid used in the factory causes a grind sound (like mine!). Also, there is a TSB out for a loose axel bolt thingy (I forget what he said exactly), but in any case, I am to bring my car there. He already thinks it's a differential issue. I asked about the worst case scenerio...the tranny, and what the labor is to replace one. He said the tranny is a 7 hour job, but again, that's the worst case scenerio (fingers crossed it's the differential).
It's nice to have some confidence that the person that is working on your car knows what they are doing. I'll report back when I know more.
Punch in the appropriate info. & you'll see all the technical service bulletins for any car any year....2007 Corvette(44 service bulletins), what a disaster.....I was thinking about buying an 08 Vette....I think I'll buy the new 08 Infinity G37(4 service bulletins for the 07 model)....
Good luck...
He said there is defenatly an abnormal sound coming from the rear end at certain RPM's. He said because my car is an 08, there isn't any TSB's yet. And he thinks it's either exaust related, or possibly the differential. But looking under the car, he couldn't find anything with the exaust. And since there is no TSB on the car, he doesn't want to drop the differential. So...no joy. he says I have to basically live with it until a TSB comes out.
In other words, he did nothing. I am getting no joy from Chevrolet on this whole f******g issue, and I'm really getting angry at this point. Time to re-visit my dealership again. I'll report when I know more. :mad:
*A very dissatisfied buyer*
I purchased a 08 Wrangler(Sahara) in August....It had a 3 piece removable hardtop....The roof was leaking in several places...The dealership couldn't fix it(Chrysler technician could not fix it)...
They've had me in a rental for 5 weeks...Without me going through the lemon law crap(thank god), Chrysler decided to repurchase my vehicle for the exact amount I put into it(should have the paperwork & check next week)...The only stipulation is that I have to lease or purchase another chrsler product....Anyway, I've decided to lease a 08 liberty(good in the snow & back & forth to work).....Now I just have to decide whether I want to take the chance with an American sports car, or buy the Infinity G37 which should be reliable....Sticker on the infinity with the options I want is 44,000, so I'd be saving $$$$ over the vette...But i have always wanted a vette...It's a tough call....
A new update...
The mechanic at my dealership checked out the TSB's, and said there is a TSB on the '08 Corvette's center tunnel shaft...it is described as "making harsh grinding noises at certain RPM's". Ok, so that sounds like it may be it. Oh, and the problem is less noticable with a passenger in the car...and the heavier the passenger, the less the sound is. So weight smooths out the noise/vibration somewhat. The mechanic said that would make sense.
Anyway, he is at a conference this week with several Corvette techs, and he wants to run it by them before dropping the center shaft.
Mabey just MABEY I might be getting some action here! But I'm still skeptical, and I will report more when I know more. Hopefully all of this reporting of my problem will benifit someone else who might be having similar issues.
the glove box latch broke off a month ago, and I still don't have the part from GM, they say it is on backorder. So I have been locked out of my glove-compartment. When I go over small dips or bumps in the road, the squeaks from the interior panels have been madening, even though it is improved over the C-5. WIth this new 08 Vette I have been in the shop 3 times, having sqeaks and creaks repaired. The auto-tranny shifts like hell when in "shift mode", and when you give it acceleration, and then let off, and then get on it again, you have no power! I mean wtf is that?
Oh yeah, that other thing...the grinding noise that is coming from the back of the car when I accelerate. If I do not get a sufficiant answer and fix for the problem, and I mean this week, I'm just going to dump this car on the open market. I just might anyway, it's just not worth the headaches. I'll lose 10,000 in the process, but GM will lose me as a custermor forever! I can guarentee you the next time I shop for a sports car, I will be shopping at my local Porsche dealership.
This experience has proven one thing to me...American cars are crappy. My Acura doesnt have any squeaks or rattles or ANYTHING wrong with it. I really wanted to enjoy a new Corvette, but this whole nightmare has been a harsh wake-up call to me. For their flagship car, I would think that General Motors could have done better.
:mad: *dissapointed and dissatasfied*
I logged some 70,000+ miles in my '01 and '03 Z06's and am only 3,500 miles into my '08 coupe but none of my Vettes had a single sqeak or creak and were/are trouble free as such. I think most Vette owners have my experience but every once in a while you hear a horror story like yours. Bummer for sure.
Have you given any thought as to invoking the "Lemon Law" of your state. I don't know the nuances but it is something like "X" number of days in shop and "X" number of times without the dealer being able to remedy the problem(s), entitles you to a buy back from GM.
Just a thought, and I wish you the best in getting this matter resolved.
I will get an answer about the grinding sound tomorrow mabey, but what do you bet the answer will be "well, we dont know for sure about the center tunnel, so let's chalk it up to muffler resin"! I know I am jumping ahead by predicting that, but I have had similar experience before with both Ford and GM.
Second, I am truly sorry to hear of the issues you are having.
The one issue I had
( 2007 Coupe - trouble w/A6 trans. )
was addressed with reasonable speed & efficiency
by the dealer where I bought it.
( Largetst volume Corvette dealer in the S.E. )
Though the symptoms have started to re-appear.
(( sigh ))
Anyway, you could try:
GM North America Vehicle Brand Marketing
200 Renaissance Center, Detroit, MI 48243
313-556-5000
General Manager
Chevrolet
Edward J. Peper Jr.
And \ or:
GM North America Vehicle Sales, Service & Marketing Group 100 Renaissance Center, Detroit, MI 48243 313-556-5000
GM North America
VP Vehicle Sales, Service & Marketing
Mark LaNeve
GM North America
VP Field Sales, Service & Parts
Brent Dewar
Good luck!
I think Lemon Laws vary from state to state but not sure of this. I want to think that before you can invoke the LL the dealer must have made 3 attempts at correction and the car must be out of service for "X" days. Don't know that number.
You may want to GOOGLE Lemon Law and see what comes up.
I thought the owners manual had a section for this but I don't see it in my manual.
The manual does however have a "Customer Assistance Office" (see page 34 of your manual). The number is 800-222-1020.
Keep us posted please.
I was having a problem with the airbag light and had OnStar run a check on the car while on my way to the dealer. They came back with no problrem with the airbag system but the transmission showed a problem.
While at the dealer for the OnStar upgrade, the airbag light problem and the rear seals they had incorrectly installed (leaking) two weeks earlier they confirmed there was a problem with first gear.
Yes, I did say first gear, this is where all my trouble begins. Apparently, according to the mechanic, when changing first gear in the Tremec T-56 transmission you need to pull fifth gear. Again according to the mechanic every time you pull fifth gear the teeth break.
So a routine Saturday wait for my car to be fixed turned into a "your part will be in on Monday and you will have the car back on Tuesday".
That was three weeks ago tomorrow. From what I am told by the service manager they can't find a fifth gear anywhere in the F****ing
United States.
Let me back up to a week and a half into this ordeal. I called a friend who is the top Corvette mechanic (they do exist) at one of the Chevrolet dealerships in New York. I ran my problem by him and he had the following advice for me. First he said of the 80+ transmissions he had done the only fifth gear he broke was on the first one. After that he bought the right puller. Second he gave me the number of the place he purchases his transmission gears from.
Within ten minutes I had found the gear they needed and relayed the information to my service manager. He said he would run it by his boss. A half hour later I get a call from the service manager saying they found one in Nashville Tenn. (I am in Ft. Lauderdale Fl.) and would be overnighting it.
For those of you not familiar with the geographical oddities of Tenn. and Fl. I could drive the route round trip in 26 hours. Meanwhile let me fast forward to a week and a half later still no fifth gear. As of yesterday I was assured it would be here today and I would have the car back tomorrow. The message on my phone today from the service manager, as I was finishing up on 18, was "I still have not received the gear.
He went on to say he would understand if I went over his head to his boss. The problem with that is his boss is the one that denied my request to replace the transmission and is supposed to be spearheading the search for the elusive fifth gear.
This car has been a giant nightmare and dissapointment starting with the two weeks in the shop after I bought it and waited to drive it for the first time for a gas tank issue, two weeks out of service and three attempts to fix a leak in the firewall, five months to replace the recalled top (that's right five months). The top issue started on 04/07 and was finally delivered 09/07.
In closing Corvette mechanics do exist but seem far and few inbetween. The service you get after buying GM's flagship car is very subpar (having owned an Infiniti G-35 prior to the Vette).
Where do I start? I took my 2005 C-6 six speed in for an upgrade to the OnStar system. Almost a month later, as the car sits on the rack at the dealer, I have no 5th gear in the transmission.
I was having a problem with the airbag light and had OnStar run a check on the car while on my way to the dealer. They came back with no problem with the airbag system but the transmission showed a problem.
While at the dealer for the OnStar upgrade, the airbag light problem and the rear seals they had incorrectly installed (leaking) two weeks earlier they confirmed there was a problem with first gear.
Yes, I did say first gear, this is where all my trouble begins. Apparently, according to the mechanic, when changing first gear in the Tremec T-56 transmission you need to pull fifth gear. Again according to the mechanic every time you pull fifth gear the teeth break.
So a routine Saturday wait for my car to be fixed turned into a "your part will be in on Monday and you will have the car back on Tuesday".
That was three weeks ago tomorrow. From what I am told by the service manager they can't find a fifth gear anywhere in the F****ing
United States.
Let me back up to a week and a half into this ordeal. I called a friend who is the top Corvette mechanic (they do exist) at one of the Chevrolet dealerships in New York. I ran my problem by him and he had the following advice for me. First he said of the 80+ transmissions he had done the only fifth gear he broke was on the first one. After that he bought the right puller. Second he gave me the number of the place he purchases his transmission gears from.
Within ten minutes I had found the gear they needed and relayed the information to my service manager. He said he would run it by his boss. A half hour later I get a call from the service manager saying they found one in Nashville Tenn. (I am in Ft. Lauderdale Fl.) and would be overnighting it.
For those of you not familiar with the geographical oddities of Tenn. and Fl., I could drive the route round trip in 26 hours. Meanwhile let me fast forward to a week and a half later, still no fifth gear. As of yesterday I was assured it would be here today and I would have the car back tomorrow. The message on my phone today from the service manager, as I was finishing up on 18, was "I still have not received the gear”.
He went on to say he would understand if I went over his head to his boss. The problem with that is, his boss is the one that denied my request to replace the transmission and is supposed to be spearheading the search for the elusive fifth gear.
This car has been a giant nightmare and disappointment starting with the two weeks in the shop after I bought it and waited to drive it for the first time for a gas tank issue, two weeks out of service and three attempts to fix a leak in the firewall, five months to replace the recalled top (that's right five months). The top issue started on 04/07 (I had them order the part) and was finally delivered 09/07.
In closing certified Corvette mechanics do exist but seem few and far between. The service you get after buying GM's flagship car is a disgrace (having owned an Infiniti G-35 prior to the Vette). If I was you I would forget about the noise or buy some earplugs, much less painful than the experience described above. And if you do decide to let them
work on it, don’t take it to Ed Morse Chevrolet in Sunrise Florida.
Oh, about the Lemon Law (Fl.) the car has to be out of service for 30 calendar days for the same repair or not fixed after the third attempt for the same repair. Any claims have to be within the first 24 months of delivery. Right now I have 24,000 miles on the car and have owned it for 2 ½ years.
Thanks to everyone on this forum, and now an update:
The weather here has not been good, and my Vette has been in storage as a result. The mechanic at my local chevy dealership said they have no problem putting it uup on a rack and tearing the suspension out to get to the tranny/differencial, and center tunnle torque shaft. I guess they would replace that and the differencial, I am not sure. They aren't ot sure either. So at this point, feeling underwhelmed by their lack of knowledge, I think I'll just let it sit as I have other things to do. Hopefully, the weather will stay bad for a long long time, so I can just keep the car in storage and not have think about it!
Oh, a new problem. When I had it out a few weeks ago, I noticed when I open the door and the window drops a half-inch...when I close the door it won't go back up like it's supposed to. mabey it's a fuse I don't know, but it's another problem on top of a growing grocery list of problems, which is making my think twice about GM. Again, 17,000 miles on my Acura, and not ONE PROBLEM! Why does that not surprise me? Being an American, I hate admitting that Japanese cars are superior...but I now have first hand proof.
I'll update again when the frost thaws in this part of the country...
Window Indexing
This feature automatically lowers the window a
small amount when the door is opened. Then,
when the door is closed, the window will raise to
its full up position. If either window does not
index properly, it could be due to loss of power.
Before returning to your dealer for service, perform
the power window initialize procedure following.
Power Window Initialize
After a power reconnect such as battery
replacement, the window index-up feature will not
function until the system is initialized. Once
power is restored, do the following:
1. Close the door.
2. Raise the window by pulling up the switch.
3. Hold the up switch for three seconds after the
window is closed. Release the switch.
4. Hold the up switch again for three seconds
and release.
From the owner's manual...
Update on the transmission, week four and still no gear, supposedly they have the regional Corvette Manager working on it.
I doubt there is anyone with the title.
There are regional service managers. You should be attempting to get a name and number of this guy and see if he would get involved...