# 2011 Cruze Tranny Issue - Help Please



## robertbick (Jan 1, 2011)

There used to be a TSB thread on this forum... can't find it now. Do a search for transmission tsb


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## GM_6T40_Trans_Engineer (Feb 26, 2011)

Please take your car into the dealer. Take careful note, of the conditions that your issues are apparent (speed, gear, particular shifts, first couple shifts when starting car in the morning, within X miles of driving in the morning, after driving x miles in the morning, etc, whatever condition your issue applies too) The more info you can provide the dealer, the better. Your car may already have the updated flash and have other issues.


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## Cruzemeister (Mar 22, 2011)

GM_6T40_Trans_Engineer said:


> Please take your car into the dealer. Take careful note, of the conditions that your issues are apparent (speed, gear, particular shifts, first couple shifts when starting car in the morning, within X miles of driving in the morning, after driving x miles in the morning, etc, whatever condition your issue applies too) The more info you can provide the dealer, the better. Your car may already have the updated flash and have other issues.


 Holy Schmokeys! A trans engineer on board? I post before you a humbled member of the masses!


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## JGA (Mar 15, 2011)

My dealer is refussing to even look at it. If I had the TSB number it would help me out.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

*Bad Dealer!, Bad Dealer!...*



JGA said:


> My dealer is refussing to even look at it. If I had the TSB number it would help me out.


I'd say its time to find another dealer. IIRC, they all should do warranty work, regardless of where the vehicle was purchased. 

Jim


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## indigo (Feb 25, 2011)

Jim Frye said:


> I'd say its time to find another dealer. IIRC, they all should do warranty work, regardless of where the vehicle was purchased.
> 
> Jim


Bingo... give 'em the finger... at a minimum talk to the manager.


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## 72buickgs (Mar 20, 2011)

warranty work does not pay much to the dealer. maybe that is why they do noy want to "lose" a half hour of cheap labor compared to the standard shop rate.


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## fastdriver (Jan 7, 2011)

72buickgs said:


> warranty work does not pay much to the dealer. maybe that is why they do noy want to "lose" a half hour of cheap labor compared to the standard shop rate.


This is where GM NEEDS to step in and crack down on these LOSER dealers who don't want to do warranty work. That MIGHT happen IF the customer complains DIRECTLY to GM CORPORATE and not their useless "customer service" number that is OUTSOURCED to a company that has nothing to do with GM!


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

fastdriver said:


> This is where GM NEEDS to step in and crack down on these LOSER dealers who don't want to do warranty work. That MIGHT happen IF the customer complains DIRECTLY to GM CORPORATE and not their useless "customer service" number that is OUTSOURCED to a company that has nothing to do with GM!


Been There, Done That, Took Awhile. I experienced a dealer service problem (51 repair visits in the first 15 months) with the '86 Ford I had. After months of being treated badly by the dealer and the so called "factory rep.", I wrote to Ford directly (CEO), sending the 14 pages of documentation I had compiled. I gave up and traded the POS in for a Mazda. Three months later, several carloads of "Company Representatives" showed up at the dealership, blocked all exits from the property, escorted all employees off the property, and closed the dealership permanently.


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## scaredpoet (Nov 29, 2010)

Jim Frye said:


> I gave up and traded the POS in for a Mazda.


Ironically, Ford had a controlling stake in Mazda in the 1980s and 1990s, and also co-developed vehicles and has a strategic partnership that exists to this day. 

Anyway, the OP: if your dealer doesn't even want to look at your Cruze, then it's time to take it to another dealer.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

scaredpoet said:


> Ironically, Ford had a controlling stake in Mazda in the 1980s and 1990s, and also co-developed vehicles and has a strategic partnership that exists to this day.


Yes, some 30+% interest. The 626 was built in the same plant as the Probe. But, at the time, the Mazda dealer was the only dealer in a 50 mile radius that would give me a deal on car that I was 18 months into a 60 month loan that I could remotely afford. Can you say "upsidedown"? I drove the Mazda for 10 years and 104,000 miles. It was never in the shop for any repair outside of normal wear items. I warned the Mazda Sales Manager to take the Ford to an out of state auction and not put it on their lot for sale. Unfortunately, the Used Car Manager saw it sitting behind the dealership and sold it to his brother-in-law. After two weeks, he came back and demanded they take it back or he was driving it through the front windows of the dealership.


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## fastdriver (Jan 7, 2011)

Jim Frye said:


> Been There, Done That, Took Awhile. I experienced a dealer service problem (51 repair visits in the first 15 months) with the '86 Ford I had. After months of being treated badly by the dealer and the so called "factory rep.", I wrote to Ford directly (CEO), sending the 14 pages of documentation I had compiled. I gave up and traded the POS in for a Mazda. Three months later, several carloads of "Company Representatives" showed up at the dealership, blocked all exits from the property, escorted all employees off the property, and closed the dealership permanently.


There comes a time when enough is enough and YOU have to take the bull by the horns and make the EFFORT to go BEYOND the dealer when you have a legitimate problem and the dealer is doing nothing to accommodate you. It isn't always easy and it does take time, but if you're treated like crap, you have to do something. If there were more people willing to stand up and act MAYBE these dealers will think twice. Like someone in this forum mentioned, tell them that you will make use of FaceBook or Twitter to let your friends know about your problems.

I've said it before and I'll say it again- those executives in Detroit need to get OUT of those "ivory towers" and get into the REAL world. Better yet, they need to go on a show like UNDERCOVER BOSS and see FIRSTHAND what goes on at their dealerships. Depending on "factory reps' is USELESS!


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## joeczep (Feb 2, 2011)

The Preliminary bulletin is PI0321A,Doc. #2575938 for the trans software update.


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## Cruzemeister (Mar 22, 2011)

JGA said:


> My dealer is refussing to even look at it. If I had the TSB number it would help me out.


 The way I understand it, dealer checks your VIN number and if it "calls" for a tsb fix of some kind, they do it. If it dosen't, they won't. If the complaint is the "hard shifts" and downshifts that seem abrupt, don't bother pushing for ghost fixes that don't apply. I think recent Ford propaganda online about their dual clutch automatic "that shifts like it was a manual gearbox" coming on the 2012 Frakus, I mean Foolcus, makes for a better explanation of what is happening in the current gen of 6spd autos. There is even talk of a seven speed coming up. And it will have auto clutches. And if you pretend that you are driving a clutch, between upshifts and downshifts and starting from a dead stop clutch & go, you'll realize what's going on. Why the salespeople and the literature and the mfg websites don't explain this is beyond me. Unless they think they will scare new buyers away. Which they probably would because I would have thought twice about leaving my oldfashioned 4spd auto that never had any real feeling of shifting except for the obvious "passing gear" . 
No reflash or other software change is going to make the new technology seem less intrusive to the automatic driving experience. Can I get an Ahmen?


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## 70AARCUDA (Nov 14, 2010)

joeczep said:


> The Preliminary bulletin is *PI0321A*, Doc. #2575938 for the trans software update.


...that bulletin was only applicable to vehicles built _prior_ to the VIN break-point B7137814, vehicles with VIN's _after_ that have the "corrective actions" incorporated at the factory.

...also, that bulletin has now been "incorporated" into the _later_ bulletin *PI0399A*.


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## jrichards (Feb 17, 2012)

So are there any new updates to the TSB? My Dad's 2011 Cruze LTZ has it's "moments" when it doesn't want to shift right so I wanted to see if it was covered but it looks like the VIN was just outside the break-point. His is B7305476 so that doesn't help solve the tranny isuues.


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

jrichards said:


> So are there any new updates to the TSB? My Dad's 2011 Cruze LTZ has it's "moments" when it doesn't want to shift right so I wanted to see if it was covered but it looks like the VIN was just outside the break-point. His is B7305476 so that doesn't help solve the tranny isuues.



jrichards,
Have you taken your vehicle into your local dealership? They would be able to tell you if your vehicle is included in the TSB. Also they are in the best position to diagnose anything that may be wrong with your Cruze. Please keep me posted on this issue.
Thank you,
Stacy Chevrolet Customer Service


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## jrichards (Feb 17, 2012)

I have not taken it in to the dealer yet I wanted to see if it was covered before taking it in. I haven't had the best of luck with my service department so I don't like to take things to them unless I absolutely have to. Looks like I will make an appointment and see what they say, I am sure they will say everything is fine...


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## fastdriver (Jan 7, 2011)

Finally, after a year of crappy shifting and lack of acceleration at times when stepping on the gas, I decided it was time to bring my baby in this past Thursday for the two recalls- steering wheel and shift lever position. Like many others here, I HATE to bring the car in to the dealer for anything besides oil/filter/tire rotation for fear that they will screw something else up with the car. However, after 6,800 miles I figured that my tranny has had more than enough time to LEARN my style of driving. I, too, have had some pretty bad BANGING into gears - three times in the year I've had the car.

So, when I made the appointment, I informed the service lady about the shifting and the lack of forward movement at times when stepping on the gas. I also informed her that people here have told me the lack of acceleration at times is due to the "drive by wire" setup. However, that didn't make too much sense to me because if all the Cruzes did this I don't think they would be selling as well as they are(were). Drive by wire or no drive by wire, when you step on the gas you EXPECT the car will go WITHOUT having to floor it!

So, that said, they took the car and for the next 1 1/2 hours I wandered the showroom and parking lot trying NOT to think about what they would tell me when the car was ready. I EXPECTED them to say that everything was fine and nothing was wrong with the shifting. You know, the old "they all do that" phrase that they all learn in auto school!

She finds me in the waiting room and tells me that my steering wheel and shift lever position were fine. I kind of figured that because it was almost a year since the recall and nothing happened during that time. Then she got to the part about the shifting/acceleration. I kind of tensed up and tuned her out because I want to continue with this dealer since they are real close to my home, so I THINK she said she couldn't find anything with the tranny, BUT they did do an *N4199 instrument cluster reprogramming with SPS, 1317 WC 0.40. Then CC:0521 and FC: 9096 *whatever that all means. She said that the mechanic said that the car seemed to shift better! How he knew how it shifted to begin with is beyond me because he never drove the car BEFORE he worked on it- just after he finished.

Today, I did have a chance to drive it long enough to notice any changes and I have to say that right now it does seem like it is *MUCH* improved! Over the next week or two as I drive it more, I will continue to pay attention to the shifting and the acceleration. WHY an IC reprogramming would make the tranny shift better is beyond me, but as long as it worked I'm happy. I hope this might help others here. I NEVER read anything about this particular TSB or whatever it was, but I'm glad the dealer knew about it.


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## 70AARCUDA (Nov 14, 2010)

...uh, the instrument cluster does not tell the transmission computer module (TCM) how to operate...nor when to operate...those signals come from the wheel speed sensor(s) via the engine computer module (ECM).


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## fastdriver (Jan 7, 2011)

70AARCUDA said:


> ...uh, the instrument cluster does not tell the transmission computer module (TCM) how to operate...nor when to operate...those signals come from the wheel speed sensor(s) via the engine computer module (ECM).



THAT makes sense to me too, BUT WHY does my car shift better now and why does it ALWAYS move when I step on the gas without having to floor it? Coincidence? Today I had a chance to drive it for a while longer and it was fine! I hope it lasts. Since I filled up with premium fuel, my gas mileage so far says 26 MPGs! That is the MOST in the year I've had it!


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

fastdriver said:


> THAT makes sense to me too, BUT WHY does my car shift better now and why does it ALWAYS move when I step on the gas without having to floor it? Coincidence? Today I had a chance to drive it for a while longer and it was fine! I hope it lasts. Since I filled up with premium fuel, my gas mileage so far says 26 MPGs! That is the MOST in the year I've had it!


Since the dealer didn't tell you what the specific updates were, I'd bet they touched more than your instrument cluster. I'd also bet they don't know what controllers the updates changed. If it fixed your problems, be happy!


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## fastdriver (Jan 7, 2011)

Jim Frye said:


> Since the dealer didn't tell you what the specific updates were, I'd bet they touched more than your instrument cluster. I'd also bet they don't know what controllers the updates changed. If it fixed your problems, be happy!



I'm thrilled! In message #20 below, I wrote exactly what it says on my paperwork. I thought that they put down all they did to the car? At any rate, let's hope it stays this way.


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

fastdriver said:


> Finally, after a year of crappy shifting and lack of acceleration at times when stepping on the gas, I decided it was time to bring my baby in this past Thursday for the two recalls- steering wheel and shift lever position. Like many others here, I HATE to bring the car in to the dealer for anything besides oil/filter/tire rotation for fear that they will screw something else up with the car. However, after 6,800 miles I figured that my tranny has had more than enough time to LEARN my style of driving. I, too, have had some pretty bad BANGING into gears - three times in the year I've had the car.
> 
> So, when I made the appointment, I informed the service lady about the shifting and the lack of forward movement at times when stepping on the gas. I also informed her that people here have told me the lack of acceleration at times is due to the "drive by wire" setup. However, that didn't make too much sense to me because if all the Cruzes did this I don't think they would be selling as well as they are(were). Drive by wire or no drive by wire, when you step on the gas you EXPECT the car will go WITHOUT having to floor it!
> 
> ...




fastdriver,
Thank you for the update! I am very happy to hear that your transmission issue has been resolved! 
~Stacy Chevrolet Customer Service


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## fastdriver (Jan 7, 2011)

Thanks. So far, so good. Are you with GM CORPORATE? Is that why people here are getting their dealers to take their complaints/problems seriously? Just curious. Don't like the LACK of transparency! We have enough of that in this country!


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

fastdriver said:


> Thanks. So far, so good. Are you with GM CORPORATE? Is that why people here are getting their dealers to take their complaints/problems seriously? Just curious. Don't like the LACK of transparency! We have enough of that in this country!



fastdriver,
I am a GM Social Media Agent. There was a period of time that I was unable to post due to technical issues but since then I have been trying to catch up with all the issues and questions that people have. We are located in Michigan and I can assure you that I do everything that I can to help our customers in any way that I can. If I am unable to assist someone with a problem I will escalate the issue to the proper department. I do pass along feedback as well as issues that customers are experiencing. I am here to help people; so please don't hesitate to ask me any questions. 
Thank you,
Stacy Chevrolet Customer Service


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## 70AARCUDA (Nov 14, 2010)

definition: *AGENT* - someone specifically (and legally) authorized to "speak for/represent" a *third* party.


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## fastdriver (Jan 7, 2011)

Chevy Customer Service said:


> fastdriver,
> I am a GM Social Media Agent. There was a period of time that I was unable to post due to technical issues but since then I have been trying to catch up with all the issues and questions that people have. We are located in Michigan and I can assure you that I do everything that I can to help our customers in any way that I can. If I am unable to assist someone with a problem I will escalate the issue to the proper department. I do pass along feedback as well as issues that customers are experiencing. I am here to help people; so please don't hesitate to ask me any questions.
> Thank you,
> Stacy Chevrolet Customer Service


Thanks. I just posted a message to you in one of the other topics suggesting that you put the link to your ORIGINAL introduction in your signature. I have not been in this forum for quite some time and I had NO clue WHO you were, where you came from OR that GM even had this setup to help their customers when they get the runaround from their dealer! THIS is *ALMOST* as good as that TV show UNDERCOVER BOSS! Hope you help a LOT of people resolve their problems. This is the first REALLY logical move that GM has made in a LONG time! I guess that sites like FaceBook and Twitter had SOMETHING to do with putting this procedure in place. Whatever made it happen- it's great!


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

fastdriver said:


> I'm thrilled! In message #20 below, I wrote exactly what it says on my paperwork. I thought that they put down all they did to the car? At any rate, let's hope it stays this way.


Yes, I saw that, but my point was that they didn't know what all that update touched. That update could well have implications to several other controllers that interact with the instrument panel controller. Even though there are many controllers in the Cruze, most of them interact as a system. I suspect that those updates the service department downloads, are cumulative and cover a host of issues. This is sort of like a MS Windows update, there is one update number, but it can change many different modules in the operating system. Again, if it fixed your problem, that's a Good Thing.


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