# 2013 Cruze 1LT automatic didn't downshift in manual mode



## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

You can definitely start off in M2, maybe M3 for winter traction. Have you come to a slow speed like that with the car in M3 previously? 


Sent from AutoGuide.com App


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

okimdone said:


> Turning around the corner and stopping while in manual mode for a line of cars stopping at a crosswalk seemed to give me a weird issue...I go to accelerate and my engine sounds loud and I'm not moving to fast. Look at the digital display and it says I'm at M3 going 3 MPH...How the ****...This is the first time this has happened in all this time I drive in manual mode, which is a lot. Has anyone had this issue? Anyone know if I should check anything? Should I get the dealership to check it out?


Hi okimdone,

This seems like an issue that the dealership should look at. If you would like me to contact your preferred dealer on you behalf, I can definitely do so. Please PM me your VIN, mileage and contact info so I can look further into this. Looking forward to hearing from you soon. 

Patsy G
Chevrolet Customer Care


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

My 2012 cruze has done this since new. In the owners manual it does mention being able to shift into 2nd on take off for better winter traction, but does not mention 3rd. 

I do not like the way this makes the car feel, as it seems when it happens your still fully in gear in 3rd which causes the car to have more vibration than normal when idling. It seems more like a software glitch if you ask me, I see no reason for this behavior. 

I have figured out this happens when you use the taking off in 2nd feature mentioned in the manual, or sometimes if like me you roll a stop sign and take off in 2nd. Guarantee next stop you come up to the car will not automatically shift down past 3rd.


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## Sunline Fan (Jul 29, 2012)

Same here, done it since new. I guess it isn't good for it, but it is what it is. I thought I heard somewhere that the 2013+ models had a software change to prevent this.

I actually use it on purpose sometimes. In heavy stop and go traffic, sometimes people are going a certain speed where I'm having to stay on it in second, and if I let off, the car slows down a lot. Lock it in third and it'll putter along without much strain on me. I don't worry much about starting in third in traffic because I'm not starting fast at all.

The memory on the trans is funny and sometimes it'll go to third at a stop, sometimes second, and others first. I don't like to start off in third for a normal acceleration though, but I have done it.


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## okimdone (Apr 20, 2013)

jblackburn said:


> You can definitely start off in M2, maybe M3 for winter traction. Have you come to a slow speed like that with the car in M3 previously?
> 
> 
> Sent from AutoGuide.com App


Never, It's always downshifted by itself and has always locked me in a set gear or anything bellow that gear till I've reached the right speed. 



spacedout said:


> My 2012 cruze has done this since new. In the owners manual it does mention being able to shift into 2nd on take off for better winter traction, but does not mention 3rd.
> 
> I do not like the way this makes the car feel, as it seems when it happens your still fully in gear in 3rd which causes the car to have more vibration than normal when idling. It seems more like a software glitch if you ask me, I see no reason for this behavior.
> 
> I have figured out this happens when you use the taking off in 2nd feature mentioned in the manual, or sometimes if like me you roll a stop sign and take off in 2nd. Guarantee next stop you come up to the car will not automatically shift down past 3rd.


I'll go ahead and try this in a few hours at lunch. I'll see when it will allow me to shift up and when it shifts down if at all.



Sunline Fan said:


> Same here, done it since new. I guess it isn't good for it, but it is what it is. I thought I heard somewhere that the 2013+ models had a software change to prevent this.
> 
> I actually use it on purpose sometimes. In heavy stop and go traffic, sometimes people are going a certain speed where I'm having to stay on it in second, and if I let off, the car slows down a lot. Lock it in third and it'll putter along without much strain on me. I don't worry much about starting in third in traffic because I'm not starting fast at all.
> 
> The memory on the trans is funny and sometimes it'll go to third at a stop, sometimes second, and others first. I don't like to start off in third for a normal acceleration though, but I have done it.


That's weird to me because in my experience with my 2013 Cruze until the RPM is at the 1800-2000 area or greater it wont even let me shift up. Otherwise I wouldn't risk getting up to 28mph to shift into 5th then maintain 27 to keep it in that gear in a 25 zone (Yes I have to worry about that, military police on base can ticket you for going 1 mph over the limit -_-)

@Chevy Customer Care, Thank you for your response, I'll go ahead and see what we can find out here first, see if I can learn anything, and decide if this is really an issue before I head over to my dealer.


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## Sunline Fan (Jul 29, 2012)

okimdone said:


> Never, It's always downshifted by itself and has always locked me in a set gear or anything bellow that gear till I've reached the right speed.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


When it shifts is finicky though. You have to do it at idle or perhaps at 1000 rpm and under. I find if I'm in traffic and stuck in second, I have to let off, let the car slow itself down before getting it to go into third. While at a stop, you could bump it up or down between 1/2/3 as much as you'd like. After doing this, that's usually when the car will have a memory and leave it in third when I come to a stop again.


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## okimdone (Apr 20, 2013)

Sunline Fan said:


> When it shifts is finicky though. You have to do it at idle or perhaps at 1000 rpm and under. I find if I'm in traffic and stuck in second, I have to let off, let the car slow itself down before getting it to go into third. While at a stop, you could bump it up or down between 1/2/3 as much as you'd like. After doing this, that's usually when the car will have a memory and leave it in third when I come to a stop again.


That's really interesting, I'll defiantly try this when I head out to lunch because in all honesty I've never tried shifting up in idle, never had a reason, and never thought it would work.

Little off topic, but I'm not all that experienced in vehicles and wanted to learn manual so I decided a good way to get the hang of remembering to shift and when to shift was using this manual mode in automatic...and also I had recently broke my left foot when I bought this car so manual wasn't an option then =P


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## okimdone (Apr 20, 2013)

Sunline Fan said:


> When it shifts is finicky though. You have to do it at idle or perhaps at 1000 rpm and under. I find if I'm in traffic and stuck in second, I have to let off, let the car slow itself down before getting it to go into third. While at a stop, you could bump it up or down between 1/2/3 as much as you'd like. After doing this, that's usually when the car will have a memory and leave it in third when I come to a stop again.


Yep, what I thought was an issue is a feature. Tested it out during lunch, at idle put the car in 3rd gear and drove around. Unless I came to a complete stop it wouldn't drop to first or second gear. Did this with second gear and same situation but wouldn't drop to just first gear. Never knew it worked this way and everything makes sense now.

I'm done derping, thanks for your help everyone!


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

Hey spacedout and Sunline Fan,

Please let us know if you would like for us to reach out to your preferred dealership for your concerns. We can be reached via private message if our assistance is needed.

Best Regards,

Kristen A.
Chevrolet Customer Care


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

My 2014 2LT rental did the same thing. If you started off from a stop in M3 you stayed in M3 when you came to a stop each time. I meant to make a post about this but it slipped my mind. 


Sent from my iFail 5s


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## Sunline Fan (Jul 29, 2012)

okimdone said:


> I'm done derping


I wouldn't go as far as to say that, I would bet there are TONS of Cruzen that never get to experience the joys of manual mode.

Unless it's my coworker, who rented one and put it there by accident because it was like putting his Prius in drive. Wondered why it revved like crazy and didn't go anywhere.


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## Sunline Fan (Jul 29, 2012)

Merc6 said:


> My 2014 2LT rental did the same thing. If you started off from a stop in M3 you stayed in M3 when you came to a stop each time. I meant to make a post about this but it slipped my mind.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iFail 5s


I would have sworn I heard they did a software update to fix this, but I guess not. Maybe someone just didn't know how to shift it.


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