# Grinding during a hard shift to 2nd



## FatKidsCruze (Sep 2, 2011)

Clutch may not be fully disengaged when you're shifting. Although its possible there is a defect.
I know I have grinded mine once or twice, my hand moved quicker than my foot lol.


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## Aeroscout977 (Nov 25, 2010)

Try shifting a little lower in the RPM range. I'm just taking a wild guess but I imagine you're shifting at redline?


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## TravsCruze (Aug 4, 2011)

i've grabbed a grind a couple times when i'm hustling the car and only 1st --> 2nd. 

hustling = RPM's in the 5-6k range

EDIT: its rare but it has happened a couple times.. i agree with FatKidsCruze. My hand was a touch faster than my foot.


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## FatKidsCruze (Sep 2, 2011)

Ive taken mine to redline and no grind, in my experience, grabbing the shifter just a tad too soon has caused the grind in many a cars.


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## SlowBoost (Jul 26, 2011)

JDM-USDM Love said:


> Try shifting a little lower in the RPM range. I'm just taking a wild guess but I imagine you're shifting at redline?


It happened yesterday shifting right at 5k. 

In the old car I had a 2-3 synchro out and it was behaving just like this. You guys may be right, though and I may just be too fast for the car. Rallycrossing I was always hard into 2nd from 1st and fast and right at 6700 (just at rev limit), but never had any problems. Perhaps this is another "getting used to the car" thing.


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## NBrehm (Jun 27, 2011)

Could be a bad synchro but more than likely you are shifting faster than the stock clutch will disengage. Try delaying the shift a little more after you push the clutch and see if it still does it.


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## jsscooby (May 11, 2011)

It happens to me too when doing quick shifts at high rpm. What I have noticed on the fault of myself, is I am not fully depressing the clutch pedal. Unfortunately it is not like my old car, which didn't mind quick high rpm shifts.


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## ManthaBurner (Jul 4, 2011)

My experience has been the same as most. Just real high rpms and pulled the stick faster than my foot can throw the clutch in. I assume everybody else's grinding has been just a fraction of a second like me right? May end poorly if it was much longer lol


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## eljackso (Apr 23, 2011)

Same here on my Eco; light grinding from 1-2 when I shift quickly above 4500 rpm... it did it pretty badly a few weeks ago when I shifted a bit above 5000. I will say the 1-2-3 shifts have been notchy since ~1200 miles, took it to dealership to see if clutch linkage needed adjusting, they said normal. With that being their response, if it breaks it breaks and they can figure it out after the fact - I'm not going to baby this thing...


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## Xlr8machineshop (Jul 17, 2011)

I with you on this one brother thats what the warranty is for experienced the same thing in my Eco


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Yep, my transmission's pretty notchy too. Sometimes it goes into gear just fine, other times it doesn't want to go into 4th and a double-clutch is needed. It also doesn't always enjoy getting shifted going uphill. The dealers around me have no other manual Cruzes to compare to, so they aren't doing anything about it now. 

It's got 5 years and 100,032 miles to break, so if it gets worse they can deal with it. 

I wonder if new MTF would solve any problems. Changing the MTF worked wonders in my old Hyundai's manual transmission.


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## Aeroscout977 (Nov 25, 2010)

jsscooby said:


> It happens to me too when doing quick shifts at high rpm. What I have noticed on the fault of myself, is I am not fully depressing the clutch pedal. Unfortunately it is not like my old car, which didn't mind quick high rpm shifts.


No lift shift is nice isn't it? =P


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## TravsCruze (Aug 4, 2011)

JDM-USDM Love said:


> No lift shift is nice isn't it? =P


how do you think i cranked out that quick arse 1000' time. I flat shifted my way into that low 15 equivalent :th_coolio:


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## Quazar (Apr 28, 2011)

TravsCruze said:


> i've grabbed a grind a couple times when i'm hustling the car and only 1st --> 2nd.
> 
> hustling = RPM's in the 5-6k range
> 
> EDIT: its rare but it has happened a couple times.. i agree with FatKidsCruze. My hand was a touch faster than my foot.


Same thing here, same reason, in my case my foot was slower than my hand though. ccasion14:


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## NBrehm (Jun 27, 2011)

I'd be willing to bet this is the factory hydraulics not being able to keep up with the driver. It has been common in many GM applications as of late.


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## gfxdave99 (Feb 26, 2011)

I have had it happen to me a few times, and its always been 2nd gear... 

1. WOT 1st gear
2. Clutch in and shift 
3. As the gear selected goes into 2nd i hear the slight grind as my foot is still fully depressed on the clutch.


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## TravsCruze (Aug 4, 2011)

i think we have a running theme here...


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## SlowBoost (Jul 26, 2011)

I'd guess the running theme is the car. VVV



NBrehm said:


> I'd be willing to bet this is the factory hydraulics not being able to keep up with the driver. It has been common in many GM applications as of late.


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## ManthaBurner (Jul 4, 2011)

SlowBoost said:


> I'd guess the running theme is the car. VVV


 You know that could be a possibility, or it is just that we are just as good as semi-automatic F1 transmissions and just too fast for our own good.... just saying.


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## SlowBoost (Jul 26, 2011)

Alright, it happened again today and I wasn't rushing the shift at all. Therefore, I have a more refined question to those of you that say your hand is faster than your foot.

Are you pressing the pedal in, then pulling the shifter down, then hearing the grind, or are you saying you are releasing the pedal before the shifter is fully engaged in the gear?

Today I rushed up to about 5500, pressed the clutch pedal in, let it sit for about a second, then tried to shift to second and got a long grind before it engaged. Previously I had basically pedal down and quick shifted into a grind. So the slower progression of the shift ending in a grind was a little shocking for me.


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## Kruise (Sep 28, 2011)

I get this too. I sometimes I get a sound like a "thunk" that is clearly heard with the window rolled down when I shift from 1st to 2nd with some speed. The speed of my shift is the same in every other gear and I don't hear anything shifting into other gears (unless I majorly screw up) so I doubt that I am shifting too quickly. I think the sound is more likely to happen in the beginning of a drive but I am not sure. The sound can occur regardless of my current RPM-I remember hearing it when crawling around on streets near my house.

I do believe that slowing down my 1 to 2 shift prevents that sound. However I am not sure about this and need to pay attention more.


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## TravsCruze (Aug 4, 2011)

i was hoping some transmission geek would step in and say this, but no one has chimed in so i'm gonna throw this out there for you other motor heads to kick around. Let me know what ya think, but this is how i kind of feel about this issue we all are seeing.

to me, this problem really sounds like the cone for the synchronizer ring isn't getting 2nd gears gearset, the layshaft and clutch disc slowed down to the speed of the output shaft. I'm curious if the PP isn't quite letting go of the disc all the way at high rpms, it may be dragging just enough that the dogs are grinding on the way to being engaged. The hydraulics might also have a play in this as well, it might not have enough umphhh to hold the PP disengaged all the way under high RPM's. And with the split between the ratios being the largest between 1st and 2nd, this inability to get the layshaft to the right speed is most noticeable on that gear change. 

Few more days and my new assembly will be here. Then i'll know if its the OEM assembly isn't letting the transmission disengage completely, or if its something with the design of the transmission.. which i seriously doubt.

:question:


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

This sounds like the linkage is out of adjustment, just like what happened on the 2011's. 

It's like nobody at Lordstown knows how to set up a manual transmission anymore since nobody (except us) drives a manual anymore...


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## Skilz10179 (Mar 22, 2011)

I have driven 3 different 2011 Eco MT's including my own and every single one grinds when shifting fast into second gear at high rpm's (5000-5500 range). This ultimately lead to my transmission failure with only 3200 miles on the car, leaving me without my car for 31 days while it sat at the dealership waiting for a new trans.

I think we all need to start complaining to GM about this problem and hope they do a massive recall to fix it or else we are all doomed to a life of having to short shift out of first gear and never being able to hard shift into second gear...

I regret buying this car altogether because of this...


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## SlowBoost (Jul 26, 2011)

Skilz10179 said:


> I regret buying this car altogether because of this...



I'm there with you, man. I actually was going to head down to Chevy to see about trading up on an auto tranny. unfortunately, the new Eco auto car is about $3k more than what I paid for mine. Ugh. 

How did the grinding gear cause a total failure on yours? Did it just wipe out the shifter altogether? Also, does the car still do it after you had the tranny fixed?

I was trying to see what the exact variables were today and I can pretty consistently recreate the problem. WOT in first, shift at 5500, grind, then into second. Going to try to take it in next week.


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## TravsCruze (Aug 4, 2011)

SlowBoost said:


> I'm there with you, man. I actually was going to head down to Chevy to see about trading up on an auto tranny. unfortunately, the new Eco auto car is about $3k more than what I paid for mine. Ugh.
> 
> How did the grinding gear cause a total failure on yours? Did it just wipe out the shifter altogether? Also, does the car still do it after you had the tranny fixed?
> 
> I was trying to see what the exact variables were today and I can pretty consistently recreate the problem. WOT in first, shift at 5500, grind, then into second. Going to try to take it in next week.


Guys I'm almost certain its not in the transmission now. I've done a couple 5-5.5k shifts with no issues since the clutch swap and they were just as smooth as could be. So unless you hear me say otherwise, i think this issue is fixed on my car. But if it does happen again, i'll be blabbing my mouth right here that its in the transmission instead of the clutch assembly. But atm i'm pretty sure its the PP isn't releasing all the way on the OEM componets. 

As i start hustling my car more after the full break in period i'll know for certain, but if "feels" nice going into 2nd now at that RPM range.


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## Skilz10179 (Mar 22, 2011)

SlowBoost said:


> I'm there with you, man. I actually was going to head down to Chevy to see about trading up on an auto tranny. unfortunately, the new Eco auto car is about $3k more than what I paid for mine. Ugh.
> 
> How did the grinding gear cause a total failure on yours? Did it just wipe out the shifter altogether? Also, does the car still do it after you had the tranny fixed?
> 
> I was trying to see what the exact variables were today and I can pretty consistently recreate the problem. WOT in first, shift at 5500, grind, then into second. Going to try to take it in next week.


I could never trade for an auto, driving an auto just makes me feel disconnected from the car. the MT was one if the few things that got me to buy this car in the first place but its turning out to be the thing I hate about it now.

Yes, the grind happens in my new trans as well as my old trans. It also happened in the two other MT Cruzes I've driven and I'm sure it also happens in the other 50000 MT Cruzes I haven't driven.

I'm not sure what broke inside my trans, the dealership didn't know either. Instead of servicing the trans they just replaced it, which unfortunately left me without my car for over a month.

I encourage everyone to complain to their dealers and GM about this problem.


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## Skilz10179 (Mar 22, 2011)

TravsCruze said:


> Guys I'm almost certain its not in the transmission now. I've done a couple 5-5.5k shifts with no issues since the clutch swap and they were just as smooth as could be. So unless you hear me say otherwise, i think this issue is fixed on my car. But if it does happen again, i'll be blabbing my mouth right here that its in the transmission instead of the clutch assembly. But atm i'm pretty sure its the PP isn't releasing all the way on the OEM componets.
> 
> As i start hustling my car more after the full break in period i'll know for certain, but if "feels" nice going into 2nd now at that RPM range.


This is good info! Unfortunately it doesn't help anyone who wants to keep their car stock or keep their warranty ...


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## FatKidsCruze (Sep 2, 2011)

And for all our troubles they should provide us all with TravsCruze's setup or a SPEC stage 2 upgrade over the stock unit!!!

I'm just saying lol


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Good information! Is there any slave cylinder modification that could be done to help the pressure plate release more thoroughly?


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## Skilz10179 (Mar 22, 2011)

sciphi said:


> Good information! Is there any slave cylinder modification that could be done to help the pressure plate release more thoroughly?


I was thinking the same thing but in one of Travs clutch threads he stated that the clutch line and slave look pretty standard and there is no damper or anything to bypass to get a better response from it....


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## TravsCruze (Aug 4, 2011)

Skilz10179 said:


> I was thinking the same thing but in one of Travs clutch threads he stated that the clutch line and slave look pretty standard and there is no damper or anything to bypass to get a better response from it....


yeah, i've not seen anything that would suggest there is a adjustment. From the back of the pedal to the TOB its pretty straight forward. Oh and since we are talking about this, i wanted to fix a statement i made on those clutch pics i posted. That thing down there on the transmission is just a elbow with a bleeder in it. After i tore everything apart, i was like.. "why was i thinking this was a slave cylinder? Its an elbow" Then i remembered I was high on painkillers that day since i had just had surgery.. haha. 

I guess by all technical definitions there is a "master cylinder" under the dash, and that the "slave cylinder" is integrated into the TOB. But either way and no matter what someone wants to call the pieces, i've not seen an adjustment anywhere. Push pedal X distance moves TOB X distance.


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## Crewz (Jul 12, 2011)

Does it only grind at high rpms? What happens when you shift during normal acceleration?


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## Kruise (Sep 28, 2011)

I need to backtrack for a moment. Can one of you describe the grinding sound? I just want to make sure that what I'm hearing is close to what you guys are hearing.

I hear a very short "thunk" sound sometimes when upshifting to 2, and very rarely when upshifting to 3. I think it occurs when I place the shifter into gear; it has no relation to the operation of my clutch pedal. I can be driving quite slowly when this happens. I am wondering if this is what you guys are talking about...


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

In the spring, I just may try Redline 75w-85 GL-4 gear oil in the transmission to see if that offers some relief over the Castrol BOT 303 in there now. I've never liked Castrol/BP products, just in general. Deepwater Horizon sealed the deal for me that BP is incompetent at best.


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## TravsCruze (Aug 4, 2011)

sciphi said:


> In the spring, I just may try Redline 75w-85 GL-4 gear oil in the transmission to see if that offers some relief over the Castrol BOT 303 in there now. I've never liked Castrol/BP products, just in general. Deepwater Horizon sealed the deal for me that BP is incompetent at best.


redline is one i plan on trying as well.  I'm swapping out this pennzoil i had to settle for just because I couldn't find another GL-4 on the shelf anywhere locally. And my amsoil dealer dropped the ball on my order and got me GL-5 version.. /sigh..


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## Rockerxink820 (Aug 8, 2011)

Ok mine does he same thing almost defy time I shift at high rpms into 2nd and now even at just normal driving after I shift into second(no grind at low rpm shift) il hear and feel a slight grind or something scraping but juts briefly like a 1sec sound and it's already in gear so could this be my transmission starting to **** up now some one either pm me some info


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## cruzeman (Mar 13, 2011)

Kruise said:


> I need to backtrack for a moment. Can one of you describe the grinding sound? I just want to make sure that what I'm hearing is close to what you guys are hearing.
> 
> I hear a very short "thunk" sound sometimes when upshifting to 2, and very rarely when upshifting to 3. I think it occurs when I place the shifter into gear; it has no relation to the operation of my clutch pedal. I can be driving quite slowly when this happens. I am wondering if this is what you guys are talking about...


mine has done this from day one. It actually isnt as bad as it used to be but still makes me cringe when i hear it.


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## SlowBoost (Jul 26, 2011)

Crewz said:


> Does it only grind at high rpms? What happens when you shift during normal acceleration?


Normal acceleration is a vague term. Normal based on an observation of where GM put the redline or cutoff for this car is everywhere between 0 and the red. If by normal, you mean what most drivers would shift at, I'd assume around 3k at the max, then the shift to 2nd from first is just fine. 

The reason I make the statement above is because Ford tried to muff me on a warranty claim because they said I was operating my previous car beyond it's specification. I had to inform them that if Ford deemed the specification appropriate to kill the injection on the engine at 6200, then anything below that would be within spec, not outside of it. 6100 is still within spec. 



Kruise said:


> I need to backtrack for a moment. Can one of you describe the grinding sound? I just want to make sure that what I'm hearing is close to what you guys are hearing.


If you want to know what the sound is like, pull forward in 1st gear very slowly and get up to around 10mph. Then try to shift into reverse. It sounds exactly like that.


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## Skilz10179 (Mar 22, 2011)

Crewz said:


> Does it only grind at high rpms? What happens when you shift during normal acceleration?


Any time you shift into 2nd above 5000 rpm it grinds, sometimes its so bad you can't even put the shiter into 2nd. At low engine speeds it will shift fine, no problems at all.



cruzeman said:


> mine has done this from day one. It actually isnt as bad as it used to be but still makes me cringe when i hear it.


Every Eco manual does this, just wait until your trans breaks and you're car is in repair for 6 weeks. That will really make you cringe...


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## SlowBoost (Jul 26, 2011)

You know, I'm still trying to figure out why you didn't get a Lemon Law deal. Isn't that evoked if you have the car in the shop for 30 consecutive days within a certain time frame?

I just took mine into the dealer today for service on the grinding. The adviser called me this afternoon and told me that the tranny tech couldn't reproduce the problem. However, the adviser had taken the car for a test drive and was able to reproduce the problem. :question: So anyway, the adviser asked if I could come in tomorrow and take him for a spin to see what it is that happens while I drive. He said it only happened for a short second while doing a quick shift. Correct.

I'm not sure what the purpose of this is other than they want to see if I am hotrodding the car. The adviser was able to recreate it, so they should look into a solution. End of conversation. He said if the problem popped up while I was there tomorrow, they would have to order some parts. So we'll see what happens. 

According to Skillz above, I fully expect the same thing to happen after they do a repair. That's assuming they do a repair after I take the dude for a spin. They may try to say I shouldn't be driving the car like I am. Who knows.

The adviser did say that there was some TSB I needed to be informed about, I assume it is for the clunky shifting. 

I really think everyone who is experiencing this needs to go to the dealer and have it investigated. That's the only way Chevy is going to get rid of the crappy parts they put in the car.


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## TravsCruze (Aug 4, 2011)

currently to date.. the only person with the MT without this issue that we know of is me. 

700 miles, a trip to the track, a whole bunch of hotrodding through 1st to 2nd. I have only gotten the grind one time and that was because i hadn't installed my pedal stop yet and didn't get the clutch down far enough (my fault). Since the pedal stop i have not experienced nor have i been able to recreate this issue. 

There isn't anything wrong with the transmission that i can tell. I'm very much of the belief its the clutch assembly. Namely the PP.


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## SlowBoost (Jul 26, 2011)

TravsCruze said:


> There isn't anything wrong with the transmission that i can tell. I'm very much of the belief its the clutch assembly. Namely the PP.


Which is why I wanted to get it in ASAP before the wearable parts warranty went up. I assume the pressure plate is counted as wearable since it is used with the clutch.

I just don't think we should have to pay to get an alternate assembly on the car when the one that is provided on the car is junk.


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## Skilz10179 (Mar 22, 2011)

SlowBoost said:


> You know, I'm still trying to figure out why you didn't get a Lemon Law deal. Isn't that evoked if you have the car in the shop for 30 consecutive days within a certain time frame?
> 
> I just took mine into the dealer today for service on the grinding. The adviser called me this afternoon and told me that the tranny tech couldn't reproduce the problem. However, the adviser had taken the car for a test drive and was able to reproduce the problem. :question: So anyway, the adviser asked if I could come in tomorrow and take him for a spin to see what it is that happens while I drive. He said it only happened for a short second while doing a quick shift. Correct.
> 
> ...


The reason I couldn't lemon the car is because they purposely dated the service records that car was done two days earlier than it really was, making it look as if it was only in repair for 29 days when it was really 31 or 32 day (depending if you wanted to count the first day they had the car).

There really is no "fix" for this problem, every M6 trans does this. My new trans grinds exactly like the old one did as well as the two other Ecos I've driven when doing the 1-2 shift above 5000 rpm. This is why people need to keep complaining about it until GM finally comes up with something. 

If they tell you you're driving the car too hard, tell them that's total bullshit! This is one of the slowest cars in production today and when you need to merge into heavy traffic you need to accelerate like that at times, if they didn't want the motor revved that high they would have set the rev limit even lower. They must had some idea there was going to be a problem, because first gear already has a lower rev limit at 5500 rpm than any other gear.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

I went to the NHTSA's SaferCars website and filed a complaint about the grinding, and my concerns about safety. Vehicle Owners | Safercar -- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)


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## cruzeman (Mar 13, 2011)

i just want to be clear what you guys mean when you say grind. Is it that teeth grinding noise that would happen if you accidently miss a gear or just like a clunking noise while shifting? Mine never grinds or has trouble going into gear, I just get the random clunk noise while shifting to second occasionally.


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## Skilz10179 (Mar 22, 2011)

cruzeman said:


> i just want to be clear what you guys mean when you say grind. Is it that teeth grinding noise that would happen if you accidently miss a gear or just like a clunking noise while shifting? Mine never grinds or has trouble going into gear, I just get the random clunk noise while shifting to second occasionally.


It is most definitely a grind, not a clunk. Try shifting fast just before redline in first gear like you would in a drag race, it will grind....


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## FatKidsCruze (Sep 2, 2011)

Mine has done this twice, but I have not had it grind anymore. Clutch is still stock only mod has no relevance and is the K&N intake. Well I guess it does have relevance because I have a tendency to crack on her a little more now haha.


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## SlowBoost (Jul 26, 2011)

Well, the dealership is going to replace my synchro. They need to order the parts which should take about 5 days. Seems to make sense as a guess since they didn't actually crack the case, since the other car did this after 50,000 miles on the 2 to 3 shift. But, since the other cars are still reporting it, I'm interested to see what happens after the work is done, since concencus says that it will be the same afterward.

Interesting to note that the dealer printed up a form and handed it to me stating that the transmission needs to be warm before it is driven hard, otherwise the grinding will occur. Which is the same problem other people are having with the clunk. The service adviser made sure to tell me to get the tranny warmed up before shifting it hard, otherwise the synchro will go out again. That is still making the assumption that they are thinking it is the synchro that is bad. 

We'll see.


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## Skilz10179 (Mar 22, 2011)

So they are going to pull apart your trans and replace the synchros when they aren't even sure if they are causing the problem? I'm also willing to bet the problem will still be there after the work has been done...


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## bartonmd (Jun 30, 2011)

Skilz10179 said:


> Any time you shift into 2nd above 5000 rpm it grinds, sometimes its so bad you can't even put the shiter into 2nd. At low engine speeds it will shift fine, no problems at all.
> 
> Every Eco manual does this, just wait until your trans breaks and you're car is in repair for 6 weeks. That will really make you cringe...


Mine doesn't... I have even tried shifting it HARD, like someone who either doesn't care about their car, or doesn't know how syncros work (and ham-fists 2nd, rather than pulling with one's fingers), and it doesn't grind at all...

Keep in mind that the 2nd gear syncros are probably going to be a weak point in these, just given the rather large ratio change between 1 and 2, coupled with the ease at which one can put a lot of pressure, very quickly, on the 1-2 shift... Maybe it's from me driving a diesel truck a lot, where you have to put pressure on the syncros for about a full second before it drops into gear (if you want it to live very long); but you really should wait for the syncros to do their job, rather than just jamming 2nd gear... That little bit of resistance that you feel right after it goes into the gate, but before it's fully into 2nd gear is the brass syncronizer trying to get the 2 shafts going the same speed... You consistantly just pull right through it, it WILL wear out... When I shift fast at redline, I still pull back with my fingers, instead of gripping the shifter like it's a handlebar... The lack of strength at the end of my fingers, vs. ham-fisting the shifter, gives that split-second of pause for the syncros to do their job.

Mike


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## Skilz10179 (Mar 22, 2011)

bartonmd said:


> Mine doesn't... I have even tried shifting it HARD, like someone who either doesn't care about their car, or doesn't know how syncros work (and ham-fists 2nd, rather than pulling with one's fingers), and it doesn't grind at all...
> 
> Keep in mind that the 2nd gear syncros are probably going to be a weak point in these, just given the rather large ratio change between 1 and 2, coupled with the ease at which one can put a lot of pressure, very quickly, on the 1-2 shift... Maybe it's from me driving a diesel truck a lot, where you have to put pressure on the syncros for about a full second before it drops into gear (if you want it to live very long); but you really should wait for the syncros to do their job, rather than just jamming 2nd gear... That little bit of resistance that you feel right after it goes into the gate, but before it's fully into 2nd gear is the brass syncronizer trying to get the 2 shafts going the same speed... You consistantly just pull right through it, it WILL wear out... When I shift fast at redline, I still pull back with my fingers, instead of gripping the shifter like it's a handlebar... The lack of strength at the end of my fingers, vs. ham-fisting the shifter, gives that split-second of pause for the syncros to do their job.
> 
> Mike


I never force the shifter into gears, just the right amount of pressure for the shifter to accept the gear change but still it grinds any time I attempt a 1-2 shift near redline, sometimes it blocks out 2ndin gear altogether until the rpm's drop significantly. Again, this has been the case in my car with two different transmissions as well as the few other Ecos I've driven, also a handful of others on this forum I've sent PM's to asking about this problem. Other than Trav (who seems to have fixed the problem with and aftermarket clutch and flywheel) you're the only one who doesn't experience this grinding problem, how many miles are on your car?


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## bartonmd (Jun 30, 2011)

Skilz10179 said:


> I never force the shifter into gears, just the right amount of pressure for the shifter to accept the gear change but still it grinds any time I attempt a 1-2 shift near redline, sometimes it blocks out 2ndin gear altogether until the rpm's drop significantly. Again, this has been the case in my car with two different transmissions as well as the few other Ecos I've driven, also a handful of others on this forum I've sent PM's to asking about this problem. Other than Trav (who seems to have fixed the problem with and aftermarket clutch and flywheel) you're the only one who doesn't experience this grinding problem, how many miles are on your car?


~7500 miles, and my wife learning how to drive a stick with it...

I wouldn't say that I'm the only one... I would say that other than nbrehm and Aeroscout in this thread that doesn't have this problem, but there are only like ~10 people in this thread with this problem... 

I'm not saying that it's not a weak area, and I'm not saying I couldn't feel it when driving it to TN next weekend, but I haven't experienced it yet...

I would seriously bet that it's a delay in the hydraulic clutch, and it's not releasing quick enough for the clutch/shift timing of your shift...

Mike


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## Skilz10179 (Mar 22, 2011)

I'm wondering if maybe the clutch hydraulics were not bled properly from the factory.


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## bartonmd (Jun 30, 2011)

Skilz10179 said:


> I'm wondering if maybe the clutch hydraulics were not bled properly from the factory.


It's very possible... It's also possible that you aren't pushing the clutch in far enough on a fast shift... On some other cars, I've only had to push the clutch in about 2-3" to get it fully disengaged... On this car, mine needs to be pushed like 3/4 of the way to the floor to completely disengage... I'm not sure if it's got a Belleville washer in it, like motorcycles do, to make the clutch more linear and easier to modulate...

Mike


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## Skilz10179 (Mar 22, 2011)

bartonmd said:


> It's very possible... It's also possible that you aren't pushing the clutch in far enough on a fast shift... On some other cars, I've only had to push the clutch in about 2-3" to get it fully disengaged... On this car, mine needs to be pushed like 3/4 of the way to the floor to completely disengage... I'm not sure if it's got a Belleville washer in it, like motorcycles do, to make the clutch more linear and easier to modulate...
> 
> Mike


At first I thought I might be shifting too fast for the car to keep up too so I tried something...
I've tried taking 1st gear right up to redline, pushing the clutch pedal to the floor and delaying my shift a little while the kept the clutch pedal planted against the floor and it still grinds when attempting to shift into second. 

Keep in mind that it os only the 1-2 shift at high rpm's (near redline) when this grinding happens. I can shift into any other gear right at redline and fast as I want and I never get any grind. I can also shift from 1st to 2nd as fast as I want as long as the engine speed is below 5000 rpm without grinds.


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## bartonmd (Jun 30, 2011)

Skilz10179 said:


> At first I thought I might be shifting too fast for the car to keep up too so I tried something...
> I've tried taking 1st gear right up to redline, pushing the clutch pedal to the floor and delaying my shift a little while the kept the clutch pedal planted against the floor and it still grinds when attempting to shift into second.
> 
> Keep in mind that it os only the 1-2 shift at high rpm's (near redline) when this grinding happens. I can shift into any other gear right at redline and fast as I want and I never get any grind. I can also shift from 1st to 2nd as fast as I want as long as the engine speed is below 5000 rpm without grinds.


That's interesting... Mine doesn't do that at all, even when I shift faster than what you're describing... ****, even when I bounce it off the rev limiter (used to bikes that have spot-on accurate tachs, vs. the ~500rpm delay in 1st gear that this car has), and it doesn't grind... Yet, anyway...

Mike


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## SlowBoost (Jul 26, 2011)

Mine is behaving the exact same way as Skilz is describing his to be. I do not force the shifter. It will start grinding even if you lightly pull it down as soon as it gets near an engagement point. It just starts grinding. And as he stated, I have gotten this car hard up through 3rd as well, and shifting the exact same way from 2 to 3 does nothing at all. It is only the 1 to 2 shift. For what its worth, bouncing off the limiter seems to make the problem not happen. It only happens on what should be a perfect shift. Also, it is definitely not a case of the clutch pedal not being depressed all the way. I sit quite close to the wheel as a habit from racing, and even with the clutch depressed all the way, my knee is still bent. So it goes all the way to the floor, every time. 

Also, just for information sake, the service advisor did tell me that the synchros in the new cars are some sort of a plastic assembly. They aren't made from metal anymore. Not sure if that is 100% accurate, but that is what he said.


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## bartonmd (Jun 30, 2011)

SlowBoost said:


> Mine is behaving the exact same way as Skilz is describing his to be. I do not force the shifter. It will start grinding even if you lightly pull it down as soon as it gets near an engagement point. It just starts grinding. And as he stated, I have gotten this car hard up through 3rd as well, and shifting the exact same way from 2 to 3 does nothing at all. It is only the 1 to 2 shift. For what its worth, bouncing off the limiter seems to make the problem not happen. It only happens on what should be a perfect shift. Also, it is definitely not a case of the clutch pedal not being depressed all the way. I sit quite close to the wheel as a habit from racing, and even with the clutch depressed all the way, my knee is still bent. So it goes all the way to the floor, every time.
> 
> Also, just for information sake, the service advisor did tell me that the synchros in the new cars are some sort of a plastic assembly. They aren't made from metal anymore. Not sure if that is 100% accurate, but that is what he said.


I've only hit the rev limiter a couple times, but mine is also fine on normal near-redline shifts, 1-2... So far, anyway...

Interesting information about the syncros... I've not been into a new manual trans, though I suspect the larger, heavier duty transmission syncros are still metal... The plastic makes sense on these, though, and it makes sense that if they are plastic, that they could be getting overheated or glazed... Ours does have 7500 miles on it, but they are mostly highway and rural driving, so I suspect we have less 1-2 shifts than average for the mileage...

ETA: It would appear that the 350Z also had plastic synchros, and the gear grind is a big thing for them, in all gears...

Mike


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## limited360 (May 6, 2011)

Been driving a stick for 13 years now. 

I have the same issues as Skilz, as does a fellow co worker on his ECO. I am getting rather pissed about it cause I don't have to be at redline... 5000+ and it locks me out most times.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Yep, missing shifts at high RPM's happens on mine too. I don't do much high-RPM driving, but the other day I had to accelerate up a steep hill from a standstill on a 55 mph road thanks to construction. It missed the shift into 3rd at about 4500 RPM just like others have been posting about. It didn't want to go into gear. Once the engine RPM's dropped, it went into gear just fine.

Complain to the NHTSA. And Chevrolet. If either one gets enough complaints, they'll investigate. safercar.gov is a good start.


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## bartonmd (Jun 30, 2011)

I'm driving the Cruze a lot this weekend, as we're on vacation (posting from hotel, now)... I've tried it several times, and mine doesn't grind...

Just out of curiosity, I wonder if it has to do with the drive by wire throttle closing very slowly at high RPM, being that it doesn't do it as bad for you when you hit the rev limiter... I've taken to letting off the throttle 1/2+ second before I start the shift, so I don't get the REALLY bad flare like if I was letting off at the same time as I shift, like I do with other vehicles... When I do this, I only get a 250rpm flare, instead of the 1500rpm flare that I get if I drive it like I drive every other manual....

Mike


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## SlowBoost (Jul 26, 2011)

Got the phone call from the dealer that went exactly as expected.

"The technician needed to file a report with Chevy before we ordered the synchro because the vehicle is so new. We received notice from Chevy that this is a known condition and is determined as "NORMAL OPERATING CONDITION". We also just got another used Cruze in for service and the car behaves the same way with a grind into second above 5000rpm. So we will not be repairing your vehicle. You will just have to wait until enough complaints are made to Chevy, or enough failures cause them to find a better part."

Nice. Send in your emails to Chevy and the NHTSA guys. Even if your car only did it once. Otherwise we'll never get it fixed. This is a direct notice from Chevy that they know about the problem and are not going to do anything about it until enough complaints are made. They know there is a junk component in the drivetrain and are just waiting for x% before something is done about it. 

I for one don't want to have a fatal transmission failure like Skilz when I have a kid arriving within the next couple months. Imagine me trying to get to the hospital with a broke ass car. 

Going to send an email to Chevy right now. If I don't get a response I'll start sending to the other organizations listed above. Better to touch base with the manufacturer directly first in my opinion to let them respond.


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## TravsCruze (Aug 4, 2011)

okay.. so where EXACTLY do i need to write to? 

someone throw out an email address or a snail mail address so i can get something out to these people.


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## Skilz10179 (Mar 22, 2011)

TravsCruze said:


> okay.. so where EXACTLY do i need to write to?
> 
> someone throw out an email address or a snail mail address so i can get something out to these people.


X2! Where is the best place to report these problems to???


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## limited360 (May 6, 2011)

Skilz10179 said:


> X2! Where is the best place to report these problems to???


X3.... I am kinda pissed if that truly is GM's response! Have to give my brother a piece of my mind about the company he works for than


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## bartonmd (Jun 30, 2011)

OK, so this response means that they know of the issue, and are likely working on a fix, but aren't going to go (expensively) fixing everybody's transmission because of a high RPM/high throttle/fast shifting grind with a part they know will do it again, unless your particular transmission actually fails before they get the fix out...

Thinking about it, if this is the transmission that's been out for a while and been fine, but the ECO has a particular set of very wide ratio gears in it, it makes sense that the synchros that worked perfectly well, for a long time, on the regular, medium to close ratio version would die relatively quickly with a transmission that has such wide ratios... 

Normal 1-2 % for these kinds of transmissions is usually 75-85%, but the ECO 6MT is 97% between 1 and 2... If you figure that they build a 20% buffer into everything, the gear ratio change is right at the edge of that buffer... Couple that with our extremely slow-closing throttle (that likes to flare if you don't let off of it 1/2 second before you shift), and you get a lot of extra wear on the 2nd synchro, and people that it doesn't work for all the time...

By all means, though, if it has happened to you, contact them about it! The more complaints, the hotter the project becomes!

Mike


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## TravsCruze (Aug 4, 2011)

mine doesn't do it any longer since the twin disc install. No more grinding, bbuttttt I still want to write to express my displeasure in my experiences prior to install the new clutch assembly.

Which gets back to the clutch assembly carrying to much drag over to the synchronizer cones in the 1st 2nd shift. God we just keep going around and around on this thread.. /sigh

there is also the issue with diaphragm clutches locking out at high rpms, but i don't know that its applicable here since it only happens in 1st to 2nd. But something like this might be happening, causing it to drag just enough to show up here, but not in any of the other gear changes because the spread isn't as significant and the syncros aren't working nearly as hard.

but for whatever reason.. I don't have the issue with the twin disc and i did with the OEM assembly.


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## limited360 (May 6, 2011)

TravsCruze said:


> mine doesn't do it any longer since the twin disc install. No more grinding, bbuttttt I still want to write to express my displeasure in my experiences prior to install the new clutch assembly.
> 
> Which gets back to the clutch assembly carrying to much drag over to the synchronizer cones in the 1st 2nd shift. God we just keep going around and around on this thread.. /sigh
> 
> ...



good to know as I will be going clutch route soon!!!


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## Crewz (Jul 12, 2011)

That sucks. I guess most people don't shift at that high of RPMs so most wont encounter such problems. How many complaints will it take?

Is it just me, or has there been lots of issues with the M6?


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## SlowBoost (Jul 26, 2011)

OK, sorry it has been a few days. I received my phone call from GM customer service the day following my email to them. 

"Red" said he understood my concerns regarding the vehicle and asked me a few questions regarding what was happening, and said he needed to call the dealership to get their side of the story. He then asked if it was ok to call me back the next day which was Wednesday. I was super busy at work so missed the call, but "Red" left a message saying he would call back Friday, which was today.

"Red" called me back today and stated that he had called the dealership. The dealer told GM that they had received a second Cruze in for service which they did a road test on and found the grinding transmission. Based on that, GM is officially calling this a normal operating condition. WTF? So they needed to have a dealership give them the information to call this normal? Sigh.

Me - "So you are saying that this is a normal operating condition on my car." 
Them - "Yes, sir. This is a normal operating condition on ALL 2011 Chevy Cruze's."
Me - "You realize that this is probably the only time in history that a car manufacturer is calling a grinding transmission a normal occurrence?" 
Them - "Yes, sir. Based on our findings, this is a normal operating condition."
Me - "On all Chevy vehicles?"
Them - "No sir, only on the 2011 Cruze."
Me- "What about the 2012?"
Them - "We don't have any findings on the 2012 Cruze."
Me - "So what you are telling me, is that out of all the vehicles models that GM makes, none of them exhibit this except for the 2011 Cruze?"
Them - "Yes sir.
Me - "Do you think Chevy would make a more appropriate attempt to fix the problem if it was occurring on a 2011 Corvette instead of a Cruze?"
Them - "I am sorry, sir. But Chevy is considering this a normal operating condition and you have nothing to worry about. However, in the event that some sort of a bulletin is created regarding the 2011 Chevy Cruze, all Cruze owners will be contacted."


Sigh. So, there you have it. GM says it is normal. Ridiculous.

Again, I really think everyone ought to contact GM regarding this if they have experienced it. Everyone. Make as big of a stink as possible. 

Try this link. You fill out generic info about the car, then fill in the comments field telling them that your transmission is grinding in the 1 to 2 shift. Make sure you tell them how disappointed you are. This is BS. Its a $20k car for crying out loud. Any grinding at all is not "normal." 

Chevy | New Cars, New SUVs, New Crossovers, New Vans

If that doesn't work, go to 2011 Cars, SUVs, Trucks, Crossovers & Vans | Chevrolet . At the bottom of the home page is a link for "Contact Us" . Click on that, then go to "email Chevrolet" . It will ask what you are contacting them regarding, and click on the "I have a question on a specific Chevrolet vehicle that I currently own" on the button that states "I would like to report a problem that I am experiencing."


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## TravsCruze (Aug 4, 2011)

I dropped an email to the above link and after being contacted.. oddly by someone also going by the name "Red". I described the problem with the grinding or grinding i use to have. I explained that I didn't want anything from them, i just wanted to make sure they knew there was an issue and it needed to be addressed. He said they would need a statement from a service department. So they put me on a 3 way call with my dealership who set up an appointment for this morning. 

I brought them the failed clutch assembly so they could see that.. the service managers response.. "wow.. yeah.. ummm...how many miles this have on it?" Pretty hard to argue with a failure that shows no signs of abuse.

They wanted to put it on the diagnostics machine, but they gave up after being unable to move it (i warned them they would be hard pressed to move it if they had never driven a twin disc and that i would have to move it for them). They kept killing it, they eventually gave up. We ended up just discussing in detail all the possible causes, from gear ratio split being to large on 1st to 2nd, to the oem assembly dragging. His response was "i'll just have to take your word for it".. but he did say he would file a statement on both the clutch and the grind. 

Then he switched over and started talking to me about the AT failures, and like my buddy at the other dealership they have also had transmissions fail between the truck and the prepping area. He said they've had 3 that blew up straight off the truck. The guy at the other dealership said they have had over a dozen blow up while unloading.  with all these decades of building AT's, you figure they could do better than this.

anyway.. Then the service manager wanted to know if Vince does tunes for older GM vehicles.. cause he had something he wanted tweaked on one of his rides.. haha. I can't hide that my car has a tune, it won't run at all without the tune that deactivates the clutch sensor and bumps the idle up. And he didn't seem to really care. I offered to let him drive it.. he was tempted.. i could see it in his eye. He declined.. he said he would take me up on it some day when it wasn't raining cats and dogs.


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## bartonmd (Jun 30, 2011)

SlowBoost said:


> OK, sorry it has been a few days. I received my phone call from GM customer service the day following my email to them.
> 
> "Red" said he understood my concerns regarding the vehicle and asked me a few questions regarding what was happening, and said he needed to call the dealership to get their side of the story. He then asked if it was ok to call me back the next day which was Wednesday. I was super busy at work so missed the call, but "Red" left a message saying he would call back Friday, which was today.
> 
> ...


I still think they mean "Yours isn't any more fached up than anybody else's, and it's not going to cause it to grenade tomorrow, so you'll be fine until we come up with a TSB/fix for all of them." 

I can't see there being any way they'd let BS like this go on, with their "ECO -you don't need a hybrid- Flagship" model, especially... "Well, it gets 42mpg highway, but the transmission fachs up in 10k miles, and they won't fix it under the warranty that 'covers' the transmission"...

I also think that in order to not look like the "same old GM" and give the haters more ammo to say "they haven't changed, this is why I won't ever buy a GM," they should be saying "We know about this condition, and are working on a resolution. Your transmission is not 'broken' so keep driving it like normal, and you will get a notification in the mail when the resolution is released."

Mike


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## Skilz10179 (Mar 22, 2011)

Trav, which of the two links above did you use?


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## TravsCruze (Aug 4, 2011)

Skilz10179 said:


> Trav, which of the two links above did you use?


the first one, they called me within just a day or two. But i missed the call, then they sent an email to say they were calling again monday within a certain time window. I was pretty shocked how quickly they responded.


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## SlowBoost (Jul 26, 2011)

The appropriate link is here:

Chevy | New Cars, New SUVs, New Crossovers, New Vans

Just use that one if you are going to send them an email.




TravsCruze said:


> I was pretty shocked how quickly they responded.


They do respond very quickly. Thanks for going out of your way to do that Travs.


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## thevoid (Aug 1, 2011)

Has anyone had this problem on a 2012? Unfortunately, my car isn't being built till the week of 12-5, so I wouldnt be able to test a full throttle 1-2 until sometime in late January at the earliest (after break in)


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## FatKidsCruze (Sep 2, 2011)

Yes mine has done it 3 or 4 times now on my 12 Eco

Had it since Aug 29 it now has 3800 mile. In the spring I think I'm gonna drain the factory fill manual trans oil and replace with some of the AMSOIL variety. See if that helps if not my trifecta will have toasted my clutch and I'll replace with a SPEC stage 2 or 3


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Mine hasn't done it recently. It's also not driven that hard. Come spring with more miles on it, the OEM fluid will be changed out for Redline MTL 70w-80. The 2011's have a 75w-85 synthetic gear oil, while the 2012's have a "lower-viscosity" gear oil. My guess would be 70w-80.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

I'm thinking of dropping the $50 on Redline MTL to change it out before the cold weather hits. I haven't liked how the OEM Castrol shifts, and have read lots of good reviews on MTL. The only issue is that SWMBO might have a leeeetle eeeesssuuuueee with me changing the gear oil on a new car. Come springtime, it's preventative maintenance then!


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## Skilz10179 (Mar 22, 2011)

Since the grinding issue appears to be clutch related, anyone having issues should check out this thread. http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/9-ch...45-looking-others-whos-clutch-has-failed.html


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## TravsCruze (Aug 4, 2011)

i'm still listening for mine to act up since the aftermarket swap. I've heard it a couple times, but every single time i'm almost certain i didn't get the clutch down enough. I need to go out and blast through 1st to 2nd about a dozen times and see if i can learn anything else about this issue. But something else to consider on my car, is i'm also not running the stock fluids any longer. 

I wish someone with the M32 and a 1.8 engine would chime in and say they have this issue also. But i think everybody so far has been an Eco model. If a 1.8 owner said it was happening to them, then it does away with the gear ratio split issue, and gets back to the fluid or clutch being the culprit.


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## Skilz10179 (Mar 22, 2011)

TravsCruze said:


> i'm still listening for mine to act up since the aftermarket swap. I've heard it a couple times, but every single time i'm almost certain i didn't get the clutch down enough. I need to go out and blast through 1st to 2nd about a dozen times and see if i can learn anything else about this issue. But something else to consider on my car, is i'm also not running the stock fluids any longer.
> 
> I wish someone with the M32 and a 1.8 engine would chime in and say they have this issue also. But i think everybody so far has been an Eco model. If a 1.8 owner said it was happening to them, then it does away with the gear ratio split issue, and gets back to the fluid or clutch being the culprit.



Just so i don't have to search (i'm lazy), what gear oil are you using again and is it the same viscosity as the factory oil? 

I'd love to see someone with a stock clutch switch to the exact same gear oil as Travis to see if it helps with the grinding problem...


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## Sparkles (Jul 3, 2011)

First off, I'd like to state that I neither own nor have driven a manual Cruze. So the problem that is being referred to in this thread, I've not experienced first hand. However, I've recently completed a T56 trans swap into my older Fbody and have gathered a lot of info on the internet about various parts of the swap. One of the things that came up was this:

In the Clutch

Now, I have no idea how the Clutch, Slave, Master system is set up on a MT Cruze, but seems like Chevy has been known to put restrictors into their hydraulic clutch lines causing a partial engagement when shifting fast. Might be something to look into. I had this same issue on my swap and it was cured by a simple drilling out of the restrictor. 

Sorry if this has already been brought up as i didn't feel like reading through 9 pages of something that doesn't affect me. Was actually brought to my attention partly from another thread.


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## SlowBoost (Jul 26, 2011)

Zombie thread but I have to update. 

We recently had a new addition to our family so I have been driving super conservatively for the past several months. Last week I decided to get a romp on the car, and this noise seems to be gone. I've been beating on it off and on since and am unable to replicate the problem. It will actually bark the tires into second now which it never used to do while grinding.

Very strange. So, the conundrum exists. Since Chevy told me the grinding was normal, it can be deduced that my car is not performing in a normal fashion any longer. 

Do I take it back to the dealer and tell them the car doesn't grind into a hard shift to second so now I want them to put the grind back?

In all seriousness, wtf was the grind and why is it mysteriously gone? Will it come back during the summer months? Who the heck knows? Bout ready to trade the car in on the Volvo wagon I've always wanted....


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Didn't see your update. 

I'm guessing that we were fooled by a new transmission/clutch breaking in the old-fashioned way. You know, breaking something to get worn in properly. If it's gone, like it is in my car, it's normal for these transmissions. Good to know...


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## Skilz10179 (Mar 22, 2011)

My trans still grinds if I attempt an aggressive 1-2 shift with 10k on the clock, same as it did when it was new....


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Mine did a little bit, but now with 19k miles it's smoothed out. That's the other reason I'm changing the gear oil soon. If something did wear down, getting the breakin wear-filled OEM fluid out is a good thing!


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

I've never ground a gear on my LT manual. I read this earlier today and then had to drop to first and shift near redline (over 5000, just by the sound of it - I was looking at the traffic in 3 lanes I had to zip across). 

Maybe it's just the ECO transmissions? 

Mines a 2012 LT manufactured in November 2011 (apparently after the bad batch of clutches/pressure plates). 


Sent from my Autoguide iPhone app


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## H3LLON3ARTH (Dec 16, 2011)

Mine only does it when I slam the gear over 4700 rpm mine is a 2012

Sent from my Droid


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## AkotaHsky (Feb 11, 2012)

I have this issue too. Its a PITA. Whenever I try and do a real aggressive 1st - 2nd shift, it grinds. Its killing me 

2012 Eco


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## ShyEco (Dec 14, 2011)

I have driven crappy cars, made with inferior products and have never had this issue. This car however does the 1-2 grind and no where else. Reminds me of synchros going bad.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

For what it's worth, the European driving cars with the same M32 6-speed manual transmission complain about a sloppy 1-2 shift too. I guess it's how these transmissions are. 

I'm changing the gear oil soon, and will see what effect, if any, it has on shift quality.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

sciphi said:


> For what it's worth, the European driving cars with the same M32 6-speed manual transmission complain about a sloppy 1-2 shift too. I guess it's how these transmissions are.
> 
> I'm changing the gear oil soon, and will see what effect, if any, it has on shift quality.


Looking forward to hearing about your results.


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## SlowBoost (Jul 26, 2011)

I'm also interested to see how much crud comes out when you change. I'd suggest throwing a magnet in the bottom of the drain pan when you do it, but if there are plastic bits, maybe a cloth filter or something as well?


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

My 2012 ECO MT (Oct 2011 assembly date) used to grind if I did a quick shift into second. It would also stall real easily in 2nd. Both issues now appear to be gone. I wonder what it is about this gearbox/clutch combination that makes second touchy.


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

AkotaHsky said:


> I have this issue too. Its a PITA. Whenever I try and do a real aggressive 1st - 2nd shift, it grinds. Its killing me
> 
> 2012 Eco




AkotaHsky,
Have you taken your Cruze into your dealer? I would suggest that you let them look into this for you. If you would like me to contact them and set an appointment up for you please send me a PM with your name, phone number, VIN, dealer and the days and times that you are available. Either way, please keep me posted on the progress with your dealer. If you have any questions, comments or concerns please feel free to contact me.
Thank you,
Stacy Chevrolet Customer Service


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## bartonmd (Jun 30, 2011)

Chevy Customer Service said:


> AkotaHsky,
> Have you taken your Cruze into your dealer? I would suggest that you let them look into this for you. If you would like me to contact them and set an appointment up for you please send me a PM with your name, phone number, VIN, dealer and the days and times that you are available. Either way, please keep me posted on the progress with your dealer. If you have any questions, comments or concerns please feel free to contact me.
> Thank you,
> Stacy Chevrolet Customer Service



Stacy,

Read the thread. Several people have had them in, gone to GM, Engineering says it's "normal"... That may mean that it won't hurt anything, and it may mean that they just don't have a fix for it yet, but yes, people have had their vehicles to the dealer about it... a bunch...

Mike

Mike


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## Skilz10179 (Mar 22, 2011)

Chevy Customer Service said:


> AkotaHsky,
> Have you taken your Cruze into your dealer? I would suggest that you let them look into this for you. If you would like me to contact them and set an appointment up for you please send me a PM with your name, phone number, VIN, dealer and the days and times that you are available. Either way, please keep me posted on the progress with your dealer. If you have any questions, comments or concerns please feel free to contact me.
> Thank you,
> Stacy Chevrolet Customer Service


Stacy, I have had my car into the dealership for this exact issue. The dealership service manager drove my car while I was riding as a passenger and he was able to replicate the grinding problem on 4 out of 5 1-2 shifts he made in my car. After we returned to the dealership he told me there was nothing he could do for me due to this being a normal problem these cars. I did manage to get him to document the problem and get it in writing so I could have it for my own records. I've also contacted gm customer service about the problem and my complaints seemed to fall on def ears as they did nothing. Are you willing to look into this problem for me as well??????


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Is this an issue that is more common with the Eco than with other MT Cruzes?


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## Skilz10179 (Mar 22, 2011)

Stacy, one more thing. You have ignored me in other threads when i have attempted to bring this issue to your attention but please don't ignore me again. I will even send you a PM following this post to remind you. :wink:



XtremeRevolution said:


> Is this an issue that is more common with the Eco than with other MT Cruzes?


All of the cases i have heard have been Eco's. Ecos are the only manual trans cars with the 1.4T and they have different gearing than the 1.8 manuals.


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## 20126spdRS (Dec 27, 2011)

Skilz10179 said:


> Stacy, one more thing. You have ignored me in other threads when i have attempted to bring this issue to your attention but please don't ignore me again. I will even send you a PM following this post to remind you. :wink:
> 
> 
> 
> All of the cases i have heard have been Eco's. Ecos are the only manual trans cars with the 1.4T and they have different gearing than the 1.8 manuals.


 ^ not correct... i have an LT RS M/T 1.4T


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Same. To those with the LT manuals, do yours grind? I've never had it happen.


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## Skilz10179 (Mar 22, 2011)

20126spdRS said:


> ^ not correct... i have an LT RS M/T 1.4T


I stand corrected. I know in 2011 the only way to get a 1.4T mated to a manual trans was to buy an Eco, i assume this changed in 2012?


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Skilz10179 said:


> All of the cases i have heard have been Eco's. Ecos are the only manual trans cars with the 1.4T and they have different gearing than the 1.8 manuals.


My question was asked because I am aware that there are two different manual transmissions that went into the Cruze. I believe it was only 2011 that the manual was available only in the Cruze Eco, but as of 2012, I believe you can get one any trim. The difference being the Eco has different gearing than the non-Eco transmissions. My understanding is that there is a larger difference in gearing between the Eco and non-eco manuals, and that large gap may be why this issue is happening more with Ecos than with the other transmissions. I have no idea if this is actually the case, just bringing it up for discussion. 



20126spdRS said:


> ^ not correct... i have an LT RS M/T 1.4T


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## AkotaHsky (Feb 11, 2012)

Chevy Customer Service said:


> AkotaHsky,
> Have you taken your Cruze into your dealer? I would suggest that you let them look into this for you. If you would like me to contact them and set an appointment up for you please send me a PM with your name, phone number, VIN, dealer and the days and times that you are available. Either way, please keep me posted on the progress with your dealer. If you have any questions, comments or concerns please feel free to contact me.
> Thank you,
> Stacy Chevrolet Customer Service


Stacy -

I have like 9 things I need checked out at the dealer. The thing is, I can't be without my car right now and they sure won't give me a loaner. All I get is the "Shuttle". Can you help me on that or no?


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

AkotaHsky said:


> Stacy -
> 
> I have like 9 things I need checked out at the dealer. The thing is, I can't be without my car right now and they sure won't give me a loaner. All I get is the "Shuttle". Can you help me on that or no?


According to your warranty paperwork, GM is required to provide you with a rental vehicle (even if that means having Enterprise rent-a-car pick you up) while your GM vehicle is in the shop for repairs.


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## AkotaHsky (Feb 11, 2012)

I sent a PM for an appointment.

I have quite a few issues I will have looked at and will bring this up as well. Hopefully I won't lose my car the whole day. Will inform of the outcome =\


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## coinneach (Apr 10, 2012)

Good luck. Being carless is teh suck.


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## Skilz10179 (Mar 22, 2011)

XtremeRevolution said:


> My question was asked because I am aware that there are two different manual transmissions that went into the Cruze. I believe it was only 2011 that the manual was available only in the Cruze, but as of 2012, I believe you can get one any trim. The difference being the Eco has different gearing than the non-Eco transmissions. My understanding is that there is a larger difference in gearing between the Eco and non-eco manuals, and that large gap may be why this issue is happening more with Ecos than with the other transmissions. I have no idea if this is actually the case, just bringing it up for discussion.


Its been brought up before that since the Eco has unique gearing with a drastic jump in gear ratio between 1st and 2nd gear that the Eco is more prone to the grinding. I personally also believe that the heavy dual mass flywheels we all have aids the grinding issue by carrying more engine momentum than a lighter flywheel would during gear changes. 

No matter what the cause of the issue, GM needs to stand up and come up with a solution to fix it so hundreds of their customers aren't stuck hating their new cars...


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

XtremeRevolution said:


> According to your warranty paperwork, GM is required to provide you with a rental vehicle (even if that means having Enterprise rent-a-car pick you up) while your GM vehicle is in the shop for repairs.


I think that only applies if the repairs are expected or actually take more than one day.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

obermd said:


> I think that only applies if the repairs are expected or actually take more than one day.


Didn't check the exact details. My repairs always took at least one day.


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

Skilz10179 said:


> Stacy, I have had my car into the dealership for this exact issue. The dealership service manager drove my car while I was riding as a passenger and he was able to replicate the grinding problem on 4 out of 5 1-2 shifts he made in my car. After we returned to the dealership he told me there was nothing he could do for me due to this being a normal problem these cars. I did manage to get him to document the problem and get it in writing so I could have it for my own records. I've also contacted gm customer service about the problem and my complaints seemed to fall on def ears as they did nothing. Are you willing to look into this problem for me as well??????



Skilz10179,
I understand that this can be frustrating. I would like to look into this for you. I will send you a PM to gather further information. 
~Stacy Chevrolet Customer Service


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## AkotaHsky (Feb 11, 2012)

coinneach said:


> Good luck. Being carless is teh suck.



Your telling me =\


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Mine had this issue, and it went away. I tried to get it to grind today going uphill accelerating hard in 1st and 2nd. Nothing. It used to do that 6 months and 12k miles ago. Not anymore...


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## Skilz10179 (Mar 22, 2011)

Just got off the phone with GM services, after a couple conversations with them over the last couple weeks they called me back again today. They still insist there are no service bulletins or notes about this grinding issue. This means either no one else is reporting this issue or GM just doesn't see enough need to really look into it.

I've read more people than i can count on these forums who have experienced this issue, you need to report it or else its never going to get resolved...


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## SlowBoost (Jul 26, 2011)

That's what we were shooting for before. Every single person that has this issue needs to make a complaint through the methods which were described earlier in the thread. Take your car to the dealer. Then complain to Chevy directly by the link I provided earlier.


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## AkotaHsky (Feb 11, 2012)

I've already complained, though I dunno if its on record or it got wrote off. I was told I have to get with my service manager and have him ride with me in the car. I bet $500 it won't grind when I bring him along. Then again, he also is the one that told me "This is not a race car"


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

AkotaHsky said:


> I've already complained, though I dunno if its on record or it got wrote off. I was told I have to get with my service manager and have him ride with me in the car. I bet $500 it won't grind when I bring him along. Then again, he also is the one that told me "This is not a race car"


Sounds like you need to find another dealer.


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## silverls (Nov 12, 2011)

Got the same thing from 1st to 2nd. Happens every once in a while but i just chalk it up to my own mistake lol.


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## Skilz10179 (Mar 22, 2011)

silverls said:


> Got the same thing from 1st to 2nd. Happens every once in a while but i just chalk it up to my own mistake lol.


Report it to gm customer service!


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## Skilz10179 (Mar 22, 2011)

Still getting yanked around by GM, they insist on calling me while I'm at work for some reason even though I have told them I can't receive phone calls before 5pm which they claim to have noted in my case file the last 4 times I've spoken with them. They still call me roughly twice a week just to tell me they're still looking into the issue. Seems that everyone at GM is truely incompetent...

On another note I was just looking at the Car and Driver magazine test results of the Eco manual and they even make a note at the bottom about shifting fast causes grinding which they refer to as "binding".

Check it out.

http://media.caranddriver.com/files...d-driver2011-chevrolet-cruze-eco-manual-1.pdf


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

The OEM MT lube/fluid/oil/slop has more to do with grinding than people admit. Since swapping to different MT lube/oil (about 70w-80 GL-4), it grinds into 2nd only when I don't push in the clutch enough. For those who are dissatisfied, try changing the MT fluid with a fluid equivalent to the OEM fluid. It just might alleviate the grinding. It did for me.


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## ShyEco (Dec 14, 2011)

I am getting rid of this car because of the grinding issues in my Eco and Chevrolets unwillingness to remedy the situation.

If I am having problems with only a few thousand miles, then I can not imagine what it will be like down the road. I will also boycott ALL Chevy products and advise everyone I come into contact with to do the same.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

ShyEco said:


> I am getting rid of this car because of the grinding issues in my Eco and Chevrolets unwillingness to remedy the situation.
> 
> If I am having problems with only a few thousand miles, then I can not imagine what it will be like down the road. I will also boycott ALL Chevy products and advise everyone I come into contact with to do the same.


Because that's a logical thing to do? Not to be rude, but seriously? Did you read the post above yours? So the fluid they used is shitty fluid. Big deal; takes 1-1.5 hours to replace it and you're on your way for the next 50k miles or so. Do you seriously think GM is the only company who has ever had issues with their manual transmissions? Last I checked, Mazda was also having a very hard time. 

Boycott all GM? That's a bit much to say for the dissatisfaction you had in one manual transmission. Doesn't seem like you even gave the thought of changing your transmission fluid the light of day. I'll admit mine ran perfectly fine for about the first 6,000 miles, then recently started grinding occasionally on shifts. Seems to me this fluid is more of a break-in fluid and needs to be changed. I advise you do the same.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

ShyEco said:


> I am getting rid of this car because of the grinding issues in my Eco and Chevrolets unwillingness to remedy the situation.
> 
> If I am having problems with only a few thousand miles, then I can not imagine what it will be like down the road. I will also boycott ALL Chevy products and advise everyone I come into contact with to do the same.


Try changing the MT fluid before changing cars. It's about $30 with shipping for new MT fluid, and 2 hours to change it. A shop could do it for $ 150 or so. I spent far more than 2 hours shopping for a new car. 

I've got about 3000 miles on the new fluid, and have nothing but excellent things to say. Shifting is CONSISTENTLY GOOD, and no grinding unless it's my error. 

How many miles on your Cruze?


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

ShyEco said:


> I am getting rid of this car because of the grinding issues in my Eco and Chevrolets unwillingness to remedy the situation.
> 
> If I am having problems with only a few thousand miles, then I can not imagine what it will be like down the road. I will also boycott ALL Chevy products and advise everyone I come into contact with to do the same.




ShyEco,
It sounds to me like you have been given some good advise from other posters. Have you had your transmissions fluid replaced yet? I would suggest that you try this and see if it makes a difference. I would also like to look into this for you. Can you please send me your name, VIN and current mileage? I look forward to hearing back from you.
Thank you,
Stacy Chevrolet Customer Service


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## SlowBoost (Jul 26, 2011)

The point is, why should he have to change his fluid on his own dime to get rid of a problem that Chevy refuses to acknowledge, let alone repair it. 

Seems to me that the Chevy Customer Service Reps should be contacting their employer and telling them that owners are saying that a fluid change is a possible fix, then Chevy should try it out, then if it does work Chevy should own up to the problem and replace the fluid in the cars that come in complaining about it. 

There is no reason that a purchaser of ANY new vehicle should have to pay out of pocket on a car with less than 36000 miles for ANY issue. 

And in response to the owner above wanting to boycott Chevy products, how can you blame them? There has been zero beneficial response to the problems he has encountered. So how can you assume that their lack of a remedy in a smaller problem like this (which would cost the dealer an hour of labor and $20) wouldn't happen on a bigger problem. 

We buy new cars with the good faith that they won't be turds. If the car is a turd that the dealer wants you to hand polish yourself to make it a little less brown, would you still buy the car in the first place? I bet we can all guess the answer.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

SlowBoost said:


> The point is, why should he have to change his fluid on his own dime to get rid of a problem that Chevy refuses to acknowledge, let alone repair it.
> 
> Seems to me that the Chevy Customer Service Reps should be contacting their employer and telling them that owners are saying that a fluid change is a possible fix, then Chevy should try it out, then if it does work Chevy should own up to the problem and replace the fluid in the cars that come in complaining about it.
> 
> ...


The answer isn't that easy. Because it's an economy car. They cheaped out on the fluid. It "works" and that's about all we can say. 

I wish Chevy customer service reps worked that way, but they simply don't. However, I have been in contact with someone who is much more able to investigate issues that we can demonstrate are real. I wouldn't know what to tell him about this issue. It's hard to describe it when I rarely ever have it. 

I wish it were true that we shouldn't have to pay out of pocket for anything, but as I said before, this isn't just GM's problem. I agree with you; it should work perfectly. However, I'll take 1.5 hours of work and $36 over driving a boring econobox like a Civic or a Corolla. 

We need to remember that a dealership is a privately owned and operated facility that is remotely affiliated with GM. They are licensed to sell and service their vehicles, and that is the extent of it. I roll my eyes whenever someone tells me they had issues with their car and they took it back to the dealership and couldn't get them resolved, then started flaming GM for not doing anything. GM never got a chance to do anything; it was the dealer's incompetence.

IIRC, the guys over in Europe are also having this issue. I can't even speculate as to why it's happening, but there will probably be a fix for it sooner or later. These things take time, especially when it's more complicated of an issue that would require significant resources to troubleshoot and service. 

Personally, I'd rather fork over $30 for minor things like this (and I do consider them truly minor of $30 and 1.5 hours fixes them) than drive a different car that has massively more expensive problems further down the line. 

These are just my thoughts and opinions. I would rather not have this issue, but it's not like GM is turning a blind eye to everything. If someone here can get me some more conclusive information, I can bring up this issue with Tom Read next time we talk on the phone and see if he can investigate it for us.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

I can almost guarantee the fluid that got rid of my gearbox notchiness is much better quality than the OEM fluid. Probably it's made in smaller batches, and formulated with better-quality additive packages and base oils. That's why it works better, since it is better. It's made to a much higher price point than what came OEM. 

GM has to think of what will get the car through warranty without too many claims, and not break their bank. Most of the time their decisions work fine for most car buyers. For the individual owner, if they want something better than what came OEM, it's going to have a cost of time and/or money. 

I've spent far more money and time resolving transmission issues on our Honda than on the Chevy. I don't have a problem spending $30 and 1.5 to 2 hours changing the MT fluid on the Cruze. I've likely spent $80-100 in ATF and 7-8 hours on the Honda. And changing ATF on the Honda is messier and more tedious than changing MT fluid on the Cruze. Before the Honda got its fluid changes I seriously thought it would need a transmission replacement before 25k miles. Thankfully both cars are shifting much better than new now. 

In conclusion, if you want better shift feel, either DIY or accept it as it came. The dealer doesn't care unless it's grinding on every shift, or consistently into a particular gear at any RPM above an idle.


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## bartonmd (Jun 30, 2011)

ShyEco said:


> I am getting rid of this car because of the grinding issues in my Eco and Chevrolets unwillingness to remedy the situation.
> 
> If I am having problems with only a few thousand miles, then I can not imagine what it will be like down the road. I will also boycott ALL Chevy products and advise everyone I come into contact with to do the same.


Did I just hear "Game over, man! Game over!"?? (Gratuitous Aliens reference, from when Bill Paxton's charactor is losing his ****, when everybody else is keeping it together)

Calm down, dude... You'll lose more than $30 on the trade-in... ****, you'll probably lose more than $30 in gas, driving to other dealerships the 2-3 times to buy another car.

Mike


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## Skilz10179 (Mar 22, 2011)

ShyEco said:


> I am getting rid of this car because of the grinding issues in my Eco and Chevrolets unwillingness to remedy the situation.
> 
> If I am having problems with only a few thousand miles, then I can not imagine what it will be like down the road. I will also boycott ALL Chevy products and advise everyone I come into contact with to do the same.


I think we're in the same boat my friend. With the problems i've had and the way GM has treated me i'm pretty sure i'll be trading in this pile of **** for a new Civic Si before the end of the year. Never again will i purchase another GM product.



SlowBoost said:


> The point is, why should he have to change his fluid on his own dime to get rid of a problem that Chevy refuses to acknowledge, let alone repair it.
> 
> Seems to me that the Chevy Customer Service Reps should be contacting their employer and telling them that owners are saying that a fluid change is a possible fix, then Chevy should try it out, then if it does work Chevy should own up to the problem and replace the fluid in the cars that come in complaining about it.
> 
> ...


I agree 100%, nice to see someone else thinking logically here.



XtremeRevolution said:


> The answer isn't that easy. Because it's an economy car. They cheaped out on the fluid. It "works" and that's about all we can say.
> 
> I wish Chevy customer service reps worked that way, but they simply don't. However, I have been in contact with someone who is much more able to investigate issues that we can demonstrate are real. I wouldn't know what to tell him about this issue. It's hard to describe it when I rarely ever have it.
> 
> ...


Its not the fluid, period. A fluid change can get rid of some of the notchy feeling in the shifter but it doesn't do a **** thing for the grinding problem. I can replicate the grind 100% of the time if i desire, its a design flaw.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Skilz, have you changed your fluid? Serious question. Also, do you think there's a trend with regard to which transmissions are affected? With the exception of the times when I don't fully engage the clutch when I shift, I haven't been able to replicate this grinding noise and I'm ~7,500 miles in. 

Regardless though, I sent an email to Tom Read regarding this issue to see if he can provide any insight, not because I have the problem, but because others are pissed off enough about it.

Sometimes it's not about their unwillingness to fix it, but their inability to. Sometimes you just have to talk to the right people. Let's see what Tom has to say.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Please leave your response in the thread linked below. Once we get enough responses, I'll make a quick spreadsheet and send it over to Tom Read. 

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/25-service-issues/7303-does-your-transmission-grind.html


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## blk88verde (Apr 30, 2011)

> I think we're in the same boat my friend. With the problems i've had and the way GM has treated me i'm pretty sure i'll be trading in this pile of **** for a new Civic Si before the end of the year. Never again will i purchase another GM product.


Honda just issued a recall on 50,000 2012 Civics for improperly assembled drive shaft - I think left side - potenially allowing it to separate from the CV while in operation. So everyone has issues. Besides my 2011 Cruze, I just bought a 2012 Honda CRV LX AWD in March. So I am a Honda owner - very happy with it.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Honda isn't perfect either. Needing valve adjustments since they won't use hydraulic lifters, and burying the valves under the intake manifold, and needing the wipers and front cowl removed to change spark plugs? :icon_scratch:

And, if a fluid makes the synchros work better/faster/smoother, the grind goes away since the synchro can finally keep up. I've had grinds caused by poor-quality fluids go away when a high-quality fluid was swapped in. 

And, try it before dismissing it out of hand.


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## danimal (Oct 4, 2011)

Could someone make a sticky on how to do the fluid swap and which to use? I've got the grind and would be more than willing to do the work if I saw how to do it!


Sent from my Autoguide iPhone app


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

danimal said:


> Could someone make a sticky on how to do the fluid swap and which to use? I've got the grind and would be more than willing to do the work if I saw how to do it!
> 
> 
> Sent from my Autoguide iPhone app


Go to the how-to section. A thread has been up there for a while.

Sent from my Bulletproof_Doubleshot using AutoGuide.Com Free App


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

danimal said:


> Could someone make a sticky on how to do the fluid swap and which to use? I've got the grind and would be more than willing to do the work if I saw how to do it!
> 
> 
> Sent from my Autoguide iPhone app


Ahem: http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/57-how-forum/6627-how-change-manual-transmission-fluid.html


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## Skilz10179 (Mar 22, 2011)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Skilz, have you changed your fluid? Serious question. Also, do you think there's a trend with regard to which transmissions are affected? With the exception of the times when I don't fully engage the clutch when I shift, I haven't been able to replicate this grinding noise and I'm ~7,500 miles in.
> 
> Regardless though, I sent an email to Tom Read regarding this issue to see if he can provide any insight, not because I have the problem, but because others are pissed off enough about it.
> 
> Sometimes it's not about their unwillingness to fix it, but their inability to. Sometimes you just have to talk to the right people. Let's see what Tom has to say.


Yes.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

With more OEM fluid or with an aftermarket alternative?


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

sciphi said:


> With more OEM fluid or with an aftermarket alternative?


Aftermarket, but I don't know which one.


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## Rockerxink820 (Aug 8, 2011)

i was having the same problem on my eco 6mt and it was also happening 3-4 well i took it in after the dealership couldnt find out what it was i took them for a ride they herd it and they came to the conclution that the synchro's were bad so they replaced the whole transmition


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Rockerxink820 said:


> i was having the same problem on my eco 6mt and it was also happening 3-4 well i took it in after the dealership couldnt find out what it was i took them for a ride they herd it and they came to the conclution that the synchro's were bad so they replaced the whole transmition


That's a legitimate problem, and no amount of fluid changing will cure a grind on multiple gears. 

Still fine on aftermarket fluid. Whatever, I'll be out of B2B warranty in the next few months anyhow, and powertrain in a few years.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Man, you're lucky this is somewhat anonymous, otherwise that would be harassment.

EDIT: Referring to a now-removed post.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

What's your case number with GM?


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## Aeroscout977 (Nov 25, 2010)

If someone is legitimately trying to help you then please refrain from insulting the person. We have areas here in which you can express yourself without all the restriction. Personal insults wont be tolerated. 


To everyone else; thanks for keeping things civil!


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## Hammer47 (Oct 11, 2012)

I have the same issue. I thought it was just me, but I've done it more than twice now going from 1st to second at high rev. Sounds like something GM should address.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Hammer47 said:


> I have the same issue. I thought it was just me, but I've done it more than twice now going from 1st to second at high rev. Sounds like something GM should address.


It's the OEM transmission fluid being junk. Switching to pretty much anything else that's 70w-80 or 75w-90 and GL4 will make this issue disappear for 95% of the time. I have Amsoil Synchromesh in my transmission, which is roughly a 70w-80. I get a grind only when going really hard from 1-2 using the Trifecta tune's "performance" mode. It doesn't happen at stock power levels anymore. 

I wrote up a how-to on how to change out the transmission fluid/gearbox oil. http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/57-how-forum/6627-how-change-manual-transmission-fluid.html


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## H3LLON3ARTH (Dec 16, 2011)

They replaced my transmission Friday and it still feels like it did before and my dealership wont look at it again says its normal need Stacey 

Sent from my Droid using AutoGuide.Com Free App


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

H3LLON3ARTH said:


> They replaced my transmission Friday and it still feels like it did before and my dealership wont look at it again says its normal need Stacey
> 
> Sent from my Droid using AutoGuide.Com Free App



H3LLON3ARTH,
I would like to apologize for the issues that you are experiencing with your Cruze. I do understand your frustrations with this. Have you been in contact with customer service regarding this? Can you please send me a PM with your name and VIN? I look forward to your response.
Thank you,
Stacy Chevrolet Customer Service


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## H3LLON3ARTH (Dec 16, 2011)

Chevy Customer Service said:


> H3LLON3ARTH,
> I would like to apologize for the issues that you are experiencing with your Cruze. I do understand your frustrations with this. Have you been in contact with customer service regarding this? Can you please send me a PM with your name and VIN? I look forward to your response.
> Thank you,
> Stacy Chevrolet Customer Service


Yes I have I they are setting me up with another appointment but I douvt they will figure t out so my plan is to take it in let them look at it and then change the fluid and I guess deal with it

Sent from my Droid using AutoGuide.Com Free App


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## H3LLON3ARTH (Dec 16, 2011)

I'm at the dealership right now so they can get the id number off the transmission

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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

H3LLON3ARTH said:


> I'm at the dealership right now so they can get the id number off the transmission
> 
> Sent from my Droid using AutoGuide.Com Free App



H3LLON3ARTH,
Please keep me posted on your progress with your dealer. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me anytime.
Thank you,
Stacy Chevrolet Customer Service


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## cronyjabrony (Aug 10, 2012)

Why is there no TSB on this issue if its so common? Why wont GM just put some good fluid in. I would but I am afraid if I do and something goes wrong with the trans then I just voided the warranty.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

cronyjabrony said:


> Why is there no TSB on this issue if its so common? Why wont GM just put some good fluid in. I would but I am afraid if I do and something goes wrong with the trans then I just voided the warranty.


It's either swap in good fluid and reduce chances of needing warranty, or leaving in worse fluid to help a warranty claim. Seeing how warrantying gets to be a pain in the rear, my choice was to swap in a fluid that works better and reduce chances of ever needing to make a warranty claim.


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## 1990tsi (Apr 29, 2011)

does anyone with the 1-2 grind also have a creep while stopped?

hard to explain, but if i'm at a traffic stop, with the car in neutral while stopped, clutch fully pushed down...when i put it into 1st with the clutch fully pushed in, the car creeps forward a bit and there is a noticable catch feeling. once this has happened, with the clutch fully pushed in i can go N-1-N-1 with no additional creep. but if I let the clutch out and push down again. it will creep again!

I can re-create this creep and the grind above 5k rpm constantly


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

1990tsi said:


> does anyone with the 1-2 grind also have a creep while stopped?
> 
> hard to explain, but if i'm at a traffic stop, with the car in neutral while stopped, clutch fully pushed down...when i put it into 1st with the clutch fully pushed in, the car creeps forward a bit and there is a noticable catch feeling. once this has happened, with the clutch fully pushed in i can go N-1-N-1 with no additional creep. but if I let the clutch out and push down again. it will creep again!
> 
> I can re-create this creep and the grind above 5k rpm constantly


Definitely take your car in. Manuals are not supposed to creep when the clutch is on the floor. This is a sign your clutch isn't fully engaging. This will cause premature wear on your clutch pad, which if not corrected now, won't be covered under warranty without a major fight.


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## 1990tsi (Apr 29, 2011)

Great. I'm pretty sure my service department is loving me and my car by now!


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## jandree22 (Sep 19, 2011)

1990tsi said:


> does anyone with the 1-2 grind also have a creep while stopped?
> 
> hard to explain, but if i'm at a traffic stop, with the car in neutral while stopped, clutch fully pushed down...when i put it into 1st with the clutch fully pushed in, the car creeps forward a bit and there is a noticable catch feeling. once this has happened, with the clutch fully pushed in i can go N-1-N-1 with no additional creep. but if I let the clutch out and push down again. it will creep again!
> 
> I can re-create this creep and the grind above 5k rpm constantly


I have this exact same behavior with the N-to-1 shift while stopped in my 2014 Eco. Like yours, it will only happen the first time I shift N-to-1, then I can go back and forth multiple times and it won't do it again. Unlike you, I haven't been able to definitively duplicate the scenario that "sets it up" to do that. It's subtle as heck, just enough to notice. Sometimes it's not so much as a creep as it is hearing/feeling something engage and I even at times suspected it as the aero shutter activating when I shift into first... if yours isn't an Eco that couldn't be it/the the same thing.

Did you take it in and have any feedback from your service dept? My first oil change is coming up in April so I may bring it up. Going to be hard to replicate, but you're not alone.


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## SkidooSteve12 (Jul 5, 2012)

I have always felt that "catch" when I shift into 1st gear after waiting in neutral, with the clutch fully pressed down. I don't know if it does or doesn't catch again if I go back to neutral and then 1st again. I've also had the grind from 1st to 2nd gear at high RPM's a few times... so just try to shift before I get that high of RPM's. I still have the stock trans fluid in the car at 36K miles, but have some AMSoil on order right now. I'm sure the trans will work better after the fluid change from everything I've read. My car is a '12 ECO 6M.


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## jandree22 (Sep 19, 2011)

I've noticed the N-to-1 shift at a stand still will _not _"catch" if I press in the clutch, pause a second, then shift into 1st. If I press the clutch and shift into first in one simultaneous motion is where I'll get the "catch". Again, it doesn't do it on subsequent shifts regardless. It seems like something in the transmission needs that split 0.5 second pause with the clutch pedal down before it wants to accept a shift into 1st.

Thanks for mentioning your experience with it too Skidoo, hopefully the Amsoil resolves this at least a little... I have that fluid swap planned as well.


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