# '13 Eco - Transmission Bearing Failure



## LS1LOL (Feb 24, 2013)

Hi guys, haven't posted here in a while. Having some issues with the cruze. '13 Eco M6,128.5k miles. Transmission bearings are whining pretty good. Would like some advice as to what options are out there for replacing the transmission. Seems like buying a used one is possibly a time bomb as these failures are basically factory defects. From what I understand, this issue was fixed in 14, but finding a used 14 transmission for an eco is likely not an easy task. Any tips for what to do for finding a replacement?

Also, the replacement itself. I'm fairly handy myself and likely will tackle this transmission replacement myself with a couple of buddies hopefully on a weekend. Any tips for getting it in and out? I breezed thru a walk thru and it looked like a nightmare...dropping the subframe and stuff. Someone else was saying pulling the motor and transmission is likely the easiest option. Is that also true? What other parts should I consider replacing? Clutch has never slipped on me once. In that walk thru he mentions replacing the slave and throw out bearing...i may consider that depending on cost but those also have never been an issue. Any wisdom here is also appreciated.

Thanks! 
-Tyler


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## LS1LOL (Feb 24, 2013)

*'13 Eco - Wheel Speed Sensor Issue*

Hi guys, 13 cruze eco M6. ABS/Stabili-trak lights come on. Scan it with my buddies scanner. Open circuit passenger side rear wheel. Test the sensor, no resistance/continuity. Check the drivers side, has resistance. So I replace the speed sensor. Light comes back on. Now it's saying that the circuit is 'not plausible' C0050-5A. We played around with the crimp terminals and stuff, still no luck. My buddy recommended I replace the wheel bearing (keep in mind this has the drum rear brakes on it). Is this a semi common issue? Is that going to solve the issue? Not sure what else it could be? Thanks for any help! -Tyler


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## BowtieGuy (Jan 4, 2013)

Have you checked the wiring between the sensor and computer? Maybe broken wire somewhere? Check for resistance/continuity and compare with other wheel sensor wiring?


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## LS1LOL (Feb 24, 2013)

Mods, I was really hoping to keep the speed sensor issue separate from the transmission issue...any chance to keep the two posts segregated?


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Did you change the fluid, and fill up to 2.5 quarts? 

I'd just find a used 2014+ transmission and swap that in.


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## LS1LOL (Feb 24, 2013)

Transmission maintenance was rather meticulous IMO. At probably 15K miles I swapped the fluid for Amsoil syncromesh @ 2.5 quarts, and again at 35K(ish). Ithen put in the Amsoil GL fluid at 65K(ish_, and again at 100K (ish). Now I am having the bearing whine. Seems like it is probably the common 5/6 bearing failure. The noise seems to be coming from the top of the transmission.

I will see if I can find a decent used 14+ Eco transmission at a junkyard or something, but everything I have found online so far is rather pricey for what it actually is. Just wondering if I should put a new clutch in, slave, throwout bearing, etc while I am at it.

EDIT: I actually did one additional fluid swap so I added that interval to the list.


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## mechguy78 (Jun 6, 2016)

LS1LOL said:


> Transmission maintenance was rather meticulous IMO. At probably 15K miles I swapped the fluid for Amsoil syncromesh @ 2.5 quarts, and again at 35K(ish). Ithen put in the Amsoil GL fluid at 65K(ish_, and again at 100K (ish). Now I am having the bearing whine. Seems like it is probably the common 5/6 bearing failure. The noise seems to be coming from the top of the transmission.
> 
> I will see if I can find a decent used 14+ Eco transmission at a junkyard or something, but everything I have found online so far is rather pricey for what it actually is. Just wondering if I should put a new clutch in, slave, throwout bearing, etc while I am at it.
> 
> EDIT: I actually did one additional fluid swap so I added that interval to the list.


if I t were me I would be replacing the clutch kit and slave cylinder/ throwout bearing while I was in there, but I guess that would also depend on how much you are driving the car. 

A high milage driver like myself would end up going back in to do the clutch in a few months whereas a low milage driver may make it a year or more before having to do so. All depends on how the car is being driven.


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## BowtieGuy (Jan 4, 2013)

Given the mileage of the vehicle, I would replace those parts. It would be a real PITA to have to pull it all apart again later if you had to replace a part later down the road.


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## LS1LOL (Feb 24, 2013)

Do you guys have any places I could look at for buying a good condition transmission (even new or remanufactured)? Trying to weigh out the cost difference for just a junkyard transmission vs all new components...


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## Nescafe (Mar 16, 2015)

Pardon me for jumping on in this thread, but I have been wondering for a while about this transmission question.

Since the 2012-2016 models are no longer being manufactured, what options does that leave someone who is due for a transmission replacement in the next 2 years? I know the M32 transmission is common in European GM vehicles, and they have transmission shops capable of rebuilding them, but what is the situation in the states? Can a US transmission shop rebuild the transmission, or is it just replace the entire unit with a used trans?


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Nescafe said:


> Pardon me for jumping on in this thread, but I have been wondering for a while about this transmission question.
> 
> Since the 2012-2016 models are no longer being manufactured, what options does that leave someone who is due for a transmission replacement in the next 2 years? I know the M32 transmission is common in European GM vehicles, and they have transmission shops capable of rebuilding them, but what is the situation in the states? Can a US transmission shop rebuild the transmission, or is it just replace the entire unit with a used trans?


GM sells remanufactured M32s.

Junkyard one is a good bet, but you may end up having the same problem again (then again, you could with the reman one as well)

The same thing carried over to the Gen 2 (Eco gearing), but the casing or mounting points MIGHT be different.


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## LS1LOL (Feb 24, 2013)

jblackburn said:


> GM sells remanufactured M32s.


How do I go about finding this? The dealer? Is there a place online I could look into? I was under the impression this issue was solved with 2014+ models?

If I could go back in time I would honestly run this transmission with 3 quarts of oil. We put another half quart in mine and you can tell the bearings are getting better lubrication by the sound of the whine now. I will most definitely be running my next transmission with that much in there as well.


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