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Chevrolet Corvette Transmission Problems

2

Comments

  • smogdungsmogdung Member Posts: 349
    30 years ago I bought a new Corvette off the showroom floor.....after one month and 1000 miles....it rolled over to the side of the road & I didn't see it again for over 4 weeks..(& that was just the start of the saga)...guess not much has changed.....so far my '07 / 15K off sticker / Lifetime warranty / MB Crossfire has been perfect.
  • tmerrisstmerriss Member Posts: 42
    This thread of mine has seen many others with Corvette problems, but I think that mine is finally solved.

    At the dealership I tested a brand new 08 auto, and the noise...is there! That's right folks, the grinding noise under acceleration coming from the back of the car...it's normal! At least in automatic trannys.

    Also, I noticed that when weight is on the car (like a full tank, or another passenger) the sound is lessend. Even though this sound is a normal sound, Mid West Inc. claims that the exuast hangers can be replaced with non-stock units to quiet the sound! Anyway, I want to thank everyone who posted and I hope that the information that I have shared can help others...
  • rayainswrayainsw Member Posts: 3,191
    "At the dealership I tested a brand new 08 auto, and the noise...is there! That's right folks, the grinding noise under acceleration coming from the back of the car...it's normal! At least in automatic trannys. "

    ?????
    Mine does not have any noise like you describe....
    - Ray
    '07 A6
    2022 X3 M40i
  • gbjerkegbjerke Member Posts: 158
    I also have an '08 A6---
    No noise/grinding on mine.
  • headstoneheadstone Member Posts: 1
    Did you ever resolve this? My 2008 has the same problem and I'm told by dealer it (the noise) is within limits. They have a bulletin telling them not to change transmission.
  • abcoh62abcoh62 Member Posts: 1
    You need to tell your service department to get the regional GM guy involved. I invoked the lemon law here in Dallas and got a new 08 to replace the 06. There was some money exchanged due to mileage and difference in pricing but I got the new car. All I had to say was, buy it back or give me a new car to the Dealer and he found the regional person. From then on, GM took care of it. They have an entire department that deals with this but it has to start with the regional person.
  • mog8mog8 Member Posts: 4
    I purchased a 2008, and have encountered shifting problems. When the car is cold there is a wash board action when shifting from 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd . After about 15 miles the problem is better but not gone. The dealer showed me a letter from chevy saying the problem is normal and to take no action. The lemon law states that they must attempt to repair the vehicle 4 times, the letter stops the repair cycle.I have a case file started, but it will take more people complaining to solve the problem. Mog8
  • lilpuulilpuu Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2008 Corvette and I to get the wash board effect when it is cold. If the Manufacturer has a bulletin out on this what will it take to fix it? What is the problem and why does it do that?
  • mog8mog8 Member Posts: 4
    You will need to contact customer service a chevrolet. Call and file a complain and get your case number. jim
  • mog8mog8 Member Posts: 4
    i signed up for the corvette forum, but still waiting for email response. The bulletin is number 2073364. The title reads #PIP4357: Noise during the 1-2 shift when cold- key words first grate grind second _ feb 27,2008 recommendation A new transmission synchronizer will make a noise when shifting from 1st to 2nd gear in temperatures at or below 32 degrees, bull it happens at any temp. jim
  • mog8mog8 Member Posts: 4
    IiIpuu, I give up on registering on corvette forum, Could you please post the info. for me. thanks, jim
  • realtimerealtime Member Posts: 2
    I just hit 2000 miles on my 2008 Automatic Transmission. I'm not sure how to describe the problem other than the fact that there seem to be "gaps" in the shifting patterns in full automatic mode in drive. To start with when I start the car and back up and then go from reverse to drive , or from park to drive , there is a delay or gap for the transmission in drive to kick in with a feeling like a thud. If I'm in very slow moving traffic , like in a school zone at 15-20 mph, as I take my foot on and off the accelerator to maintain a slow speed when I touch the accelerator the transmission feels loose and these gaps occur which again almost feel like thuds. If I'm slowing down lets say from 40 or 50 mph down to 20 or so to go into a turn and then make the turn and acccelerate to pick up speed again there is another sort of gap where the transmission almost feels like it is having to "catch up" with the engine. Actually, in all of these "gap" like situations it does feel like the transmission is out of sync and is having to again "catch up" with the engine revs. There are no problem noises whatsoever. The "select" mode works perfectly with the paddle shifter. But in drive I have these problems. Has anyone else experienced any similar problems at all ? I have not taken it to the dealer service department as yet. I thought perhaps it might correct itself as the car was "breaking in" but it hasn't.
  • beachguybeachguy Member Posts: 10
    My 08 does the same thing. I posted the question on the corvette mechanic site and was told that , what is called the garage shift ,is normal. I also notice a thud when slowing and them accelerating. I may get it checked by the dealer at the next service.
  • cfmcfm Member Posts: 2
    I own a '63 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray with a 4 speed manual hurst linkage....it's stuck in 1st gear....the clutch seems to be O.K....do I need to put it up on a rack 1st and remove the gear box??
    do you think it's the gears???...any help would really be great today..
    Thanks,
    Marty
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    I'd get underneath the car and check (and hope) that maybe it's just the linkage that is jammed or disconnected somehow.

    If it's not the linkage, then it's probably time for a new, rebuilt, or used transmission.
  • cfmcfm Member Posts: 2
    O.K. I'll do that......as soon as I can find some time...been working lots of Overtime.....thanks for replying...let you know when I find out...probably tomorrow morning..............
    Marty
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    Good luck Marty. Your post caught my eye because my 1988 BMW's manual transmission stuck in 5th gear just last week. I was just upshifting on the freeway when all of a sudden, "CLUNK!" and the shift lever wouldn't budge into gear (but the transmission fortunately made it into 5th). I too hoped it was the linkage, but no such luck for me.

    Your car has a good enthusiast network and you have the benefit of it being a well supported GM product. I'm confident you'll be able to find a good used transmission from a Corvette club member somewhere if it turns out you need one.
  • yellowvetteyellowvette Member Posts: 25
    Marty, Some older cars were well known for getting stuck in gear. alot of the problems were not the transmission but the adjustment of the shifter. Some had to be aligned. check with hurst at www.hurst-shifters.com. They should be able to tell you the way to correctly make these adjustments. I would try this before pulling tranny out.
  • hm111hm111 Member Posts: 1
    I have the same 'washboard' transmission problem described in your post mog8. Where do i view bulletin 2073364 you mentioned in your post? Can you provide a link for that and the corvette forum you mentioned. My C6 is 2 mos old and I'm annoyed that it has a mechanical issue already. Thanks.
  • yellowvetteyellowvette Member Posts: 25
    Go to---- www.alldatadiy.com
    You can view recall's and service bulletin's and other info on cars and trucks for free. Hope this helps you.
  • seanbgkyseanbgky Member Posts: 1
    I get the same problem. I have a 2008 that is 5 months old w/1500 miles. I too thought it would correct itself, but it only seems to be getting worse. Yesterday it was raining and cold. Every thud and every catch up caused me to spin.......
    I am having problems with my paddle shifter as well. from 1st to 2nd at 5000-6000 rpms the car will NOT shift without my foot coming off the gas. I get a 1 for first gear then X comes up.

    The dealership I have taken the car to passes everything off stating the car checks out fine.....no codes. GM right now doesn't want to pay any money to fix this issue. I get the 'under normal driving conditions the car is functioning perfect'. Those aren't normal conditions.

    Needless to say I'm hot about this. The dealer and GM doesn't seem to care. Does anyone have any suggestions?
  • alan47alan47 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 69 with a 350 4-speed. I found a 93 zr1 and I was wondering if it would bolt up to my existing m-21. I realize it will need the necessary conversion for the fuel injection (ie: electric fuel pump, wiring etc) but I just thought this would be such a cool conversion as opposed to rebuilding the original 350. Any comments on this would be appreciated. I do not believe the zr1 tranny was being sold ( I do not know if it is auto or standard)
  • kneargarderkneargarder Member Posts: 9
    Just curious whatever happened with your issue with the 2008 Corvette transmission. I recently bought a 2008 and am having similar problems. Just curious if yours was ever resolved and if you could provide me any additional information one way or another.
  • realtimerealtime Member Posts: 2
    The problems I was having ( which I described when the car was new ) worked themselves out on their own. I've had the car about a year now and I don't experience the same problems. In my case it seems as if the transmission needed to get broken in so to speak.
  • foshofosho Member Posts: 1
    i am trying to find out if my lt1 350 is compatibale with any corvette transmition...looking for any info ...all comments will help
  • mbgatormbgator Member Posts: 1
    How do I adjust the park lock linkage?
  • gearup72gearup72 Member Posts: 13
    I posted earlier about a 2005 corvette lemon ( auto trans failed ) that I bought new. After 3 years of driving a Mustang Cobra, I decided to give GM another chance. I bought a used 08 corvette with AT, Navi, F55, mag red, perf axle, dual mode. I really love this car and the auto transmission. I love the paddle shifters - they work well in my opinion. They are necessary to keep the RPM's high for spirited driving. The only thing I have noticed is there is a dead spot when going around corners at low speed. When the AT dowshifts from 3 to 2 it takes a little more time than it should. I hit the gas, the rpm's go up, and then the car lurches into 2nd gear. A little annoying but a small price to pay for the paddle shifters. Also, I would really recommend the F55 magnetic selective ride control too....
  • bhill2bhill2 Member Posts: 2,466
    unless you put pressure on the stick as you let the clutch out. That is, it doesn't completely engage with the shifter alone. As soon as the clutch is halfway out or so, it pops into gear and then it's fine. I took it to the dealer a couple of times and got the standard "we can't adjust it any better" and then learned to live with it. However, my wife, who drives the car less frequently than I do, just said that she thinks it's getting worse. Has anyone have a similar experience with this, and if so how did it turn out?

    2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])

  • rolinskirolinski Member Posts: 7
    I have a 2008 coupe with 1300 miles. I took it to the dealer for a shift problem, it was stuck in in maybe 3rd and the engine light came on. The dealer fixed the problem with a pressure control solinoid. The problem I now have is when I put it in drive, there is a hesitation up to 5 seconds before it ingages. I took it back to the dealer again and they said that this is a normal condition. This doesn't seem normal to me. I was wondering if anyone else had the same problem?
  • kneargarderkneargarder Member Posts: 9
    So how long was the break-in period? How many miles did it take? I don't plan on driving mine more than 3-4k per year but I want to get this transmission issue worked out ASAP before any warranty expires. But I believe the warranty for the drive train is 5-year or 100k (someone please let me know if that is not the case for a 2008).
  • bolivarbolivar Member Posts: 2,316
    That's not normal.
  • kneargarderkneargarder Member Posts: 9
    Thanks for the reply. To what are you referring when you say "that's not normal"? Do you mean the break-in period or the warranty or something else?
  • bolivarbolivar Member Posts: 2,316
    I wasn't replying to you. Replying to rolinski. About his problem with a 5 second delay after shifting into gear before the car will move - that's not normal.
  • surenpahlavsurenpahlav Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2005 corvette and started having the noise from the back trans axle at only 20,000 miles. The dealer told me, it is a defective propeller shaft in the middle of transmission and must be replaced. But my warranty is expired, and must pay $2500 to fix it!!!!!!!!!!!!
    This is my 3rd Corvette, and my C5 corvette until 120,000 miles was flawless. But my C6 is very disappointing. Shame on GM and its limited 3 years warranty on 2005 corvette!!!!!!!!!
  • bolivarbolivar Member Posts: 2,316
    Most cars have a 35 month, 36,000 mile warranty.

    In mid-2006 GM went to 100,000 mile 'driveline' warranty for most of their cars.

    I'm old enough to have bought several new cars with a 12 month, 12,000 mile warranty. The last one was a 1991 SHO, which is only 18 years ago.
  • loredo1loredo1 Member Posts: 3
    The clutch's in our posi-trac units have been known for years to give off the noise were all hearing. Since the "save the whale" issue has been with us the additive used in rear end oil no longer contains whale oil. I've owned vettes for years, some do sound louder than others, but it's common. Drive your car into a large parking lot, turn it hard right or left and make several circles, than turn the opposite direction and do the same, this will allow the oil to free up the clutchs. Check at your local auto parts store and see if they have rear end oil with the whale oil, I've found it as a additive, meaning it was just the whale oil, added it and rtemoved most of the noise. My Vette is a C5/ 6speed Convert. and yes, when itr sits a few days when it's cold, in first gear I hear it. "Save the Wave"
  • bolivarbolivar Member Posts: 2,316
    Not many people are old enough to know the 'whale oil' story.

    I agree with the 'circles' or 'figure 8's' driving to help with rear end clutch noise.
  • loredo1loredo1 Member Posts: 3
    Hi Bolivar, sort of tell off are agr doesn't it! My son found me some here a while back and it really helped. But the old figure 8 , or circle trick gets rid of most of it.
    I did some reading a while back aqbout the traction control button located behind the shiffter, leave it alone and it's active, push it once and trraction control is shut off; but did you know, if you push it donw and hold it for about 6 to 8 seconds it puts the car into competion mode, try it, it will make you smile about your Vette.
  • bolivarbolivar Member Posts: 2,316
    Yes, and if you are not careful, the rear will be pointing where the front was pointing a second ago, or it will launch into a curb.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    One *does* have to be careful where one points a RWD car with that much power under foot.
  • cnwcnw Member Posts: 105
    It's soooo much fun to "turn left and steer right"!!!!!
  • cruisinloucruisinlou Member Posts: 27
    I have been reading a lot about folks having all sorts of trouble with their new 'Vettes after driving them relatively few miles.
    I know that this might not be what a lot of people want to see but actually if you buy a Corvette that is a few years old and has 20,000 miles or so on the meter
    because by the time this kind of mileage comes up all the problems the car had hopefully will have been taken care of one way or the other.
  • esharpeesharpe Member Posts: 6
    I now have 9600 miles on my 2008, have had right rear axle replaced, transmission had to have new seals, and have had and am still having the shift problem you are having and it stinks to be told this is normal, in a parking lot and at low speeds and normal, not agressive acceleration, it jerks very hard, makes for a bad driving experience, I hate this. I have a 1969 Stingray Conv, auto and with its age, its a heck of a lot better response and driving pleasure than this car. Guys I am going for the Lemon Law, can't continue with this and just how bad is this going to be in another six months, not sure I want to be a part of this car.
  • kneargarderkneargarder Member Posts: 9
    Keep us posted on anything you find out. I too am disgusted by the "this is normal" claim. If it is normal why isn't it advertised as a "sloppy, lagging transmission"? :mad:

    I took my 2008 with 2,600 miles in and got the same claim that the lagging downshift is normal and the dealer quoted the GM post about "aggressive acceleration" although I adamantly told them it happens with just normal acceleration. Regardless it should not happen at all on a $50k+ car.
  • esharpeesharpe Member Posts: 6
    I have the same or at least a similar problem and after having my right rear axle first was (1) new fluid in rear end, (2) rebuilt rr axle, (3) then finally replaced rr axle, and the transmission, (1) can not get it to replicate the problem, (2) it is normal, (3) replaced seals in trans and told this is the fix, still having problems with hard shifting in parking lots and low speeds, told once more, normal and given a copy of #PIP4112H: Sag or Hesitation on Acceleration Bulletin (Normal Operating Characteristics). I think Lemon Law and that fellow Corvette owners is where I am headed, with 11,399 miles I am not sure it is in the best interest to wait.
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    Hello,
    I am from GM Customer Service. Do you currently have a case with GM? If so, what is the case number? Is the main issue now that you are having hard shifting at low speeds? Or do you have other shifting problems? What is the VIN of the vehicle? You can direct message me this information. Thank you,
    Mariah GM Customer Service
  • kneargarderkneargarder Member Posts: 9
    Hello Mariah,

    I also have a couple of posts in this thread with issues I am having with my 2008 with 6-speed auto trans - lagging/hard shifts after downshifting. I have started a case with GM Customer Service case #71-814153843. I bought my car in Feb 2009 only have 3,000 miles on it but have had it in the shop 3 times now for trans issues. I am currently waiting on parts as the dealer is going to perform service as is recommended by PIP4395E. I have mixed feelings. On one hand I am glad they are trying something but on the other hand this bulletin does not sound like the issue I am having. I think the dealer and customer service are tired of me complaining and are grasping for anything to appease me.

    IMO given all the issues with this particular trans I think GM should go back to the drawing board and come up with a solid solution to all these issues - a complete makeover if you will. The real kicker is when GM puts out a bulletin claiming these issues "are normal" and the dealer keeps quoting the bulletin. :mad: A $50k+, supposed high performance sports car should not have ANY trans issues. I have had several lesser GM cars with much better transmissions than this one. Take a look at the 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP trans for a good example. That car was obviously not at the same level as the Corvette but it had an excellent drive train for its performance level.

    Just hope GM does the right thing and provide an acceptable solution to all involved. I know after buying or being responsible for other family members buying a dozen or more GM cars over the past 15 years I may be through with them if they do not get this trans issue resolved. :sick:
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    Hello,
    Again, I am sorry for the issues you have experienced. The dealership is trying to fix the issue, and I hope the bulletin is going to be the fix you need. However, I would appreciate it if you keep me posted on how everything is going. Thank you,
    Mariah GM Customer Service
  • vetteunderdogvetteunderdog Member Posts: 6
    I just joined this forum out of frustration about this exact issue. My 2007 vette is my third, having previously owned a 1993 and a 2000 -- neither had the delay I am experiencing with the downshifting. I have taken my vette to two Dallas area dealerships at different times over the past couple of years. I even left it with the service guy for a week to drive around as his own car, to make sure he was experiencing the same problem I was. Both assured me that this is the way the transmission is supposed to perform. Given all the improvements made over the past two decades, it's hard for me to believe that GM would make a transmission for today's vettes that is less comfortable to drive than previous models. However, I am at least a little comforted that this problem is not something that is exclusive to my car.
  • kneargarderkneargarder Member Posts: 9
    I wanted to wait a little longer until I had enough time to drive my 2008 vette enough to confirm for certain, but I am about 80-90% sure my issue has been fixed. I had it at the dealer this past Mon-Tue (04/12-04/13) and they performed repairs outlined by GM bulletin PIP4395E. At first when I read the bulletin it did not sound like my issue, as it talks more about harsh 2-3 shifts and does not mention the downshifting delay, but I have to say I am cautiously optimistic that the problem is solved. I have not had a chance to drive it enough to make me feel 100% that the problem is gone, but so far so good.

    Here is another forum that shows the bulletin: PIP4395E

    I would suggest you insist the dealer perform this service as outlined by the bulletin, and get GM Customer Service (800-222-1020) involved if necessary.
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