# is Gm trans flud that bad



## Cruz15 (Mar 17, 2016)

Drop and fill never flush.


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## beaurrr (Aug 27, 2016)

Perhaps Amsoil is better, or perhaps not. Even if it is, simply following the recommended maintenance using the correct fluid is plenty good enough. The exception for me would be the so-called "lifetime fills". That's a rule just meant to be broken.


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

> Drop and fill never flush.


and why is that? this is a flush with trans pump method now a power flush. done by my dealer at 20k miles 



> Perhaps Amsoil is better, or perhaps not. Even if it is, simply following the recommended maintenance using the correct fluid is plenty good enough. The exception for me would be the so-called "lifetime fills". That's a rule just meant to be broken.


yah i figure even if its not the best if i flush every 20-25k it should be ok


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

pandrad61 said:


> and why is that? this is a flush with trans pump method now a power flush. done by my dealer at 20k miles


I've heard that the flush machines are used on multiple cars that take different fluids, and that there is always some residual fluid in there. The wrong fluid, even a little bit, can be a big problem.


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

This is a bit scary, but looks potentially effective. It's not for the Cruze, but the same concept could apply. I am not recommending it, just posting it as an example of what someone has done. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsdPAadc9fY


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## beaurrr (Aug 27, 2016)

Cruz15 said:


> Drop and fill never flush.


Assuming you meant 'drain and fill', I have no problem with this strategy, either. Yeah, you'll only get half the fluid out, but it's quick and easy and if you do it within the maintenance interval, the fluid will stay plenty clean.
It's when the oil is left in tens of thousands of miles past the recommended interval that a flush might start to make sense.


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

reason i ask is that its being done at a dealership.. by a dealer teck... and im under power train with a long time to go. if it does blow up thats fine since i have all paperwork proving dealership did all the service


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## Cruz15 (Mar 17, 2016)

pandrad61 said:


> and why is that? this is a flush with trans pump method now a power flush. done by my dealer at 20k miles
> 
> 
> 
> yah i figure even if its not the best if i flush every 20-25k it should be ok


If they are using the cooling lines and bucket method its fine any sort of power flush breaks things. so I'm told by employed Mechanics in the family that I trust.


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

At our dealer we dont use a power flusher. Its basically snaps onto rad trans lines, has a 2 massive reservoirs one with 12qt new and empty old. Turn the machine and car on and let the trans do its thing. Most new places get rid of power flushers due to high bring back rate


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

pandrad61 said:


> and why is that? this is a flush with trans pump method now a power flush. done by my dealer at 20k miles
> 
> 
> 
> yah i figure even if its not the best if i flush every 20-25k it should be ok


Check your owners manual for the service interval. The only thing that a drain/fill of the ATF at 20K miles will do is drain your wallet and fill the dealerships wallet.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

GM's transmission fluid, Dexron VI, is excellent. 

The problem is that the diesel transmission is made by Aisin and takes Aisin AW-1 fluid. I dint know anything about that fluid. 

When the time comes I will go with Amsoil Signature Series ATF in my diesel transmission.


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

Its starting to get rough on down shifts so i may just take it in for a warranty diag. my manual under severe says 35k if i remember. todya they replaced my seat track since it pivoted excessively and squeaked


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

> GM's transmission fluid, Dexron VI, is excellent.
> 
> The problem is that the diesel transmission is made by Aisin and takes Aisin AW-1 fluid. I dint know anything about that fluid.
> 
> When the time comes I will go with Amsoil Signature Series ATF in my diesel transmission.


thats why i ask. ive had old gm trans and they are amazingly stout in general and fluid good but this being a non gm plant i want to make sure its ok. ill have them do a diag some time next week.. i would love signature series but expensive for 12qt lol


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

pandrad61 said:


> thats why i ask. ive had old gm trans and they are amazingly stout in general and fluid good but this being a non gm plant i want to make sure its ok. ill have them do a diag some time next week.. i would love signature series but expensive for 12qt lol


i thought the amsoil was less expensive than the ~$20 a quart for the aw1


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## IndyDiesel (May 24, 2015)

pandrad61 said:


> thats why i ask. ive had old gm trans and they are amazingly stout in general and fluid good but this being a non gm plant i want to make sure its ok. ill have them do a diag some time next week.. i would love signature series but expensive for 12qt lol


Maybe there is a problem with your transmission? Mine shifts fine at 17k. I think the fluid that tomko said is in our CTD transmission is more expensive than amsoil. If I still own the car will prolly change at 40-50k miles, have not determined what I will use just yet.


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

> i thought the amsoil was less expensive than the ~$20 a quart for the aw1


not sure. figure 12qt x20 =240$ not shipped plus the small small labor fee


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## Chris Tobin (Feb 23, 2016)

pandrad61 said:


> Well im on 20k miles her ein a few months. time for a trans flush. tech says 12 quarts for a full flush and the machine lets the trans pump new fluid in and old fluid out into collection tank. if i do amsoil that a lot of $$$$$$. is the Gm automatic fluid THAT bad that it would be worth doing a amsoil swap.. i get 1/2 off all service so my trans flush cost 100$


I do not understand why you are wanting to change or flush the fluid at only 20,000 miles??? As far as I can see there is no maintenance recommendations at at at a 20,000 mile interval and the earliest I could see for the trans fluid was 45,000 miles. If you really want to throw money away, I'll send you my paypal info!


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

> Maybe there is a problem with your transmission? Mine shifts fine at 17k. I think the fluid that tomko said is in our CTD transmission is more expensive than amsoil. If I still own the car will prolly change at 40-50k miles, have not determined what I will use just yet.


possibly yes. on down shifts when slowing from 50 around 4-3 3-2 it jerks on the down shift and not a fan,, occasional but enough to concern me. plus this car will stay with me for 25 years sinc ei bought it brand new so im ok with a initial early procedure and maybe get it analyzed if possible to see how oem fluid does with my driving habits and location


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

> I do not understand why you are wanting to change or flush the fluid at only 20,000 miles??? As far as I can see there is no maintenance recommendations at at at a 20,000 mile interval and the earliest I could see for the trans fluid was 45,000 miles. If you really want to throw money away, I'll send you my paypal info!


i mya have a tech look at it and see what he thinks but a early sample at 20k to see how it holds up wouldn't be bad, plus then i know its done with better fluid. im a very hard driver..either way back to my original question.. Is the fluid in the CTD really all that bad to have it break down before sever flush interval or would it make it?


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## Chris Tobin (Feb 23, 2016)

pandrad61 said:


> i mya have a tech look at it and see what he thinks but a early sample at 20k to see how it holds up wouldn't be bad, plus then i know its done with better fluid. im a very hard driver


Sending a SMALL sample off for analysis would be smart, but a complete flush or even a drain and fill seems like flushing money down the toilet.

I suggest Merchant Automotive www.merchant-automotive.com and Apex Oil Lab direct for any automotive oil analysis. They are quick and reasonably priced and I have physically seen their facility and it is top notch for sure!!! Personal attention and analysis for a clean environment is a good thing!!!

https://www.merchant-automotive.com/p-4806-fluid-analysis-kit.aspx

https://www.merchant-automotive.com...uctID=5588&SEName=oil-syphon-pump-with-tubing


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## IndyDiesel (May 24, 2015)

pandrad61 said:


> i mya have a tech look at it and see what he thinks but a early sample at 20k to see how it holds up wouldn't be bad, plus then i know its done with better fluid. im a very hard driver..either way back to my original question.. Is the fluid in the CTD really all that bad to have it break down before sever flush interval or would it make it?


My two cents is the transmission is a good one but down shifts a bit different but I am not concerned at all. Normal service intervals for me should keep it going for a long time. I drive very hard on occasion but the transmission seems fine to me. Have 100k or 5 years warranty so I am not concerned.


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

when these trans are in saabs, ford and volvos, the fluid intervals are 30,000 miles

thats what i went with.


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## beaurrr (Aug 27, 2016)

I'm a little confused by what you mean by "that bad"? Does anybody actually know what the OEM fill is on these transmissions, other than meeting the AW1 cert? Considering they're made in Japan by Aisin, I could assume that they're filled with Aisin branded fluid, which I'm quite sure isn't actually made by Aisin. So, if we don't know what exact oil is coming out, how is it possible to know how 'good' or 'bad' it is?

To be blunt, I'm not sure it makes a nickel's worth of difference in the long run, so long as the fluid is changed per the schedule with the AW1 of your choice.


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## Chris Tobin (Feb 23, 2016)

beaurrr said:


> I'm a little confused by what you mean by "that bad"? Does anybody actually know what the OEM fill is on these transmissions, other than meeting the AW1 cert? Considering they're made in Japan by Aisin, I could assume that they're filled with Aisin branded fluid, which I'm quite sure isn't actually made by Aisin. So, if we don't know what exact oil is coming out, how is it possible to know how 'good' or 'bad' it is?
> 
> To be blunt, I'm not sure it makes a nickel's worth of difference in the long run, so long as the fluid is changed per the schedule with the AW1 of your choice.


They are likely shipped over dry. Highly unlikely to ship filled transmissions from overseas...


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## UpstateNYBill (Jan 14, 2012)

Just a general question for you all.

How many miles would you expect to get out of a Cruze transmission with fluid changes at the recommended interval?


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## beaurrr (Aug 27, 2016)

In a perfect the world, the whole car would be mostly problem-free, then everything would fail all at once. And in this perfect world, that scenario wouldn't happen until at least 300,000 miles. That way, there's no nickel-and-diming.

Seriously, though. I'd be happy if the transmission gave 250,000 trouble-free miles.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

pandrad61 said:


> Well im on 20k miles her ein a few months. time for a trans flush. tech says 12 quarts for a full flush and the machine lets the trans pump new fluid in and old fluid out into collection tank. if i do amsoil that a lot of $$$$$$. is the Gm automatic fluid THAT bad that it would be worth doing a amsoil swap.. i get 1/2 off all service so my trans flush cost 100$


Our Mazda P5 is at 98K miles. I drained and replaced twice the factory fluid at about 30K miles with Amsoil ATF. Yes, I didn't change the fluid at 60K and 90K, because I got busy and lazy. The fluid is still cherry colored and smells like new. The transmission, a Sport Stick 5 spd auto still squeaks the tires in 1st & 2nd. The Amsoil was well worth the $$$$.


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## guitargain (Jul 19, 2016)

pandrad61 said:


> not sure. figure 12qt x20 =240$ not shipped plus the small small labor fee


The amsoil is cheaper. I have a quote for 12 quarts of signature for $140.00 shipped.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

UpstateNYBill said:


> Just a general question for you all.
> 
> How many miles would you expect to get out of a Cruze transmission with fluid changes at the recommended interval?


148-150,000 miles.


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

Tomko said:


> 148-150,000 miles.


lol, you jerk


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## UpstateNYBill (Jan 14, 2012)

Tomko said:


> 148-150,000 miles.


LOL! That's awfully specific.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

UpstateNYBill said:


> LOL! That's awfully specific.


Under the old GMPP the longest coverage that you could ever tease out of GM was 148,000 miles. 

This year, GM announced a GMEPP coverage for 150,000 miles. 

For me this is evidence of GM's meantime between failure design life.


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

> Under the old GMPP the longest coverage that you could ever tease out of GM was 148,000 miles.
> 
> This year, GM announced a GMEPP coverage for 150,000 miles.
> 
> For me this is evidence of GM's meantime between failure design life.


My zj has 210k on oem trans and still shifts strong but its 4x4 so trans doesn't take the heat a trans axle does. i figured even if i do it a little early that may be the difference of 150k rebuild or 250k


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

Tomko said:


> Under the old GMPP the longest coverage that you could ever tease out of GM was 148,000 miles.
> 
> This year, GM announced a GMEPP coverage for 150,000 miles.
> 
> For me this is evidence of GM's meantime between failure design life.


ha, and here i thought you just looked at his mileage


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Chris Tobin said:


> I do not understand why you are wanting to change or flush the fluid at only 20,000 miles??? As far as I can see there is no maintenance recommendations at at at a 20,000 mile interval and the earliest I could see for the trans fluid was 45,000 miles. If you really want to throw money away, I'll send you my paypal info!


The early Cruzes had a period where corrosion inhibitors that covered internal parts mixed with the ATF and caused erratic, harsh, and inconsistent shifting. Switching out the fluid (which looked black at 20k miles) relieved that problem, that's why people are wanting to change the fluid at 20k miles. Furthermore, the first run of ATF has you running clutch plates against fluid full of break-in metals, which also affects shift quality, which brings me to my next point...



Chris Tobin said:


> Sending a SMALL sample off for analysis would be smart, but a complete flush or even a drain and fill seems like flushing money down the toilet.
> 
> I suggest Merchant Automotive www.merchant-automotive.com and Apex Oil Lab direct for any automotive oil analysis. They are quick and reasonably priced and I have physically seen their facility and it is top notch for sure!!! Personal attention and analysis for a clean environment is a good thing!!!
> 
> ...


All an analysis will show you at this point is that you have an exorbitant amount of break-in metals. The information would be of very limited use.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

As for the discussion regarding "to flush or not to flush," I would advise that anyone recommending against a flush make perfectly clear what kind of flush they are referring to. For example, I can, and have, "flushed" my ATF in my driveway, which involves letting the transmission's internal pump cycle out fluid while you pour new fluid in, thus replacing close to 100% of the old fluid in the transmission. Functionally, this is also how most flush machines work today. A 100% fluid exchange on a transmission that has been properly maintained will not damage that transmission. 

The "fear of the unknown" surrounding transmission flushes is directly linked to instances where a transmission was brought in because it was having shifting issues and the owner suspected the fluid needed to be changed, followed by a transmission failure shortly afterward. In cases like this, it is important to understand that if a transmission is shifting erratically, it is already too late to get it serviced, but people will blame anything other than themselves. 

Owners of the Diesel Cruze specifically have reported that switching to AMSOIL's ATL (Fuel-Efficient Signature Series ATF) smoothed shifts substantially and alleviated the harsh shifting conditions that some have reported. The fact that it costs nearly half as much as the OE fluid and is rated for 2x the severe service mileage makes it a no-brainer.


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

> As for the discussion regarding "to flush or not to flush," I would advise that anyone recommending against a flush make perfectly clear what kind of flush they are referring to. For example, I can (and have) "flushed" my ATF in my driveway, which involves letting the transmission's internal pump cycle out fluid while you pour new fluid in, thus replacing close to 100% of the old fluid in the transmission. Functionally, this is also how most flush machines work today. A 100% fluid exchange on a transmission that has been properly maintained will not damage that transmission.
> 
> The "fear of the unknown" surrounding transmission flushes is directly linked to instances where a transmission was brought in because it was having shifting issues and the owner suspected the fluid needed to be changed, followed by a transmission failure shortly afterward. In cases like this, it is important to understand that if a transmission is shifting erratically, it is already too late to get it serviced, but people will blame anything other than themselves.
> 
> Owners of the Diesel Cruze specifically have reported that switching to AMSOIL's ATL (Fuel-Efficient Signature Series ATF) smoothed shifts substantially and alleviated the harsh shifting conditions that some have reported. The fact that it costs nearly half as much as the OE fluid and is rated for 2x the severe service mileage makes it a no-brainer.


Asked service manager if it would be a problem for amsoil.... he says its best to use gm while under warranty.... uhh huh


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

pandrad61 said:


> Asked service manager if it would be a problem for amsoil.... he says its best to use gm while under warranty.... uhh huh


Ask him which fluid they sell and what experience he's had with the AMSOIL fluid. I'm not expecting him to be familiar with many aftermarket lubricants.


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

> Ask him which fluid they sell and what experience he's had with the AMSOIL fluid. I'm not expecting him to be familiar with many aftermarket lubricants.


i highly doubt he cares, im sure he wants to make sure he covers his ass vs knowing the truth and seeing it meets or exceeds specs. i may go to a outside shop to have it done vs my dealer... 1/2 the bill is tempting. if the fluid wasent so bad from oem i would just use gm stuff and flush a little early


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

pandrad61 said:


> i highly doubt he cares, im sure he wants to make sure he covers his ass vs knowing the truth and seeing it meets or exceeds specs. i may go to a outside shop to have it done vs my dealer... 1/2 the bill is tempting. if the fluid wasent so bad from oem i would just use gm stuff and flush a little early


I have yet to hear anybody call the factory fill "so bad". 

The amsoil signature series is definetly better - but if the OEM fluid was "so bad" we'd be seeing transmission failures. And I haven't heard of a single CTD transmission failure.


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

> I have yet to hear anybody call the factory fill "so bad".
> 
> The amsoil signature series is definetly better - but if the OEM fluid was "so bad" we'd be seeing transmission failures. And I haven't heard of a single CTD transmission failure.


that's why i ask. reading old threads its made out to be this god awful fluid that even flushed when needed still will wear components


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## IndyDiesel (May 24, 2015)

pandrad61 said:


> i highly doubt he cares, im sure he wants to make sure he covers his ass vs knowing the truth and seeing it meets or exceeds specs. i may go to a outside shop to have it done vs my dealer... 1/2 the bill is tempting. if the fluid wasent so bad from oem i would just use gm stuff and flush a little early


I am sort of getting tired of folks bashing something that there is ZERO evidence to bash. It seems to me you are making comments with little to NO MERIT. I am starting to think that reading this stuff in the forum after I am already have a foundation of understanding of my CTD is a waste of time in addition promotes being concerned about potential problems that just don't exist. 

Why would a GM service manager recommend an aftermarket transmission fluid? He/She is in the business to sell GM fluid that for sure meets the specs of this CTD Tranny. I don't care how good Amsoil is putting it in at a GM Dealer is probably not a good practice for the Dealer in my opinion. There is nothing wrong with the fluid GM is using, if you are having issues have those issues identified by your dealer, my best guess is your transmission is working like it was designed. Drive more and worry less.


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## UpstateNYBill (Jan 14, 2012)

Tomko said:


> Under the old GMPP the longest coverage that you could ever tease out of GM was 148,000 miles.
> 
> This year, GM announced a GMEPP coverage for 150,000 miles.
> 
> For me this is evidence of GM's meantime between failure design life.


Ok, New question. How many miles would you expect to get out of a Cruze transmission (auto) with no fluid change?


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

UpstateNYBill said:


> Ok, New question. How many miles would you expect to get out of a Cruze transmission (auto) with no fluid change?


I'd take whatever fluid change interval is specified in the service schedule and double it.


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## justin13703 (May 2, 2016)

IndyDiesel said:


> pandrad61 said:
> 
> 
> > i highly doubt he cares, im sure he wants to make sure he covers his ass vs knowing the truth and seeing it meets or exceeds specs. i may go to a outside shop to have it done vs my dealer... 1/2 the bill is tempting. if the fluid wasent so bad from oem i would just use gm stuff and flush a little early
> ...


THIS. Sometimes people worry themselves sick over issues that are really non issues. Change the fluid when the manual says to change the fluid, with the type of fluid they recommend, and forget about it. No need to make it into rocket science. The factory trans fluid is perfectly fine and does not need to be flushed out at 20k miles.


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## UpstateNYBill (Jan 14, 2012)

Tomko said:


> I'd take whatever fluid change interval is specified in the service schedule and double it.


Normal service says 97,500 so that would be 195,000 miles. That is more than the 150,000 miles you said it would last WITH fluid changes. lol


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

UpstateNYBill said:


> Normal service says 97,500 so that would be 195,000 miles. That is more than the 150,000 miles you said it would last WITH fluid changes. lol


Well it's not an exact science... LOL

But so far I think I'm the only one who's even tendered an opinion.


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## UpstateNYBill (Jan 14, 2012)

Tomko said:


> Well it's not an exact science... LOL
> 
> But so far I think I'm the only one who's even tendered an opinion.


Yeah, pretty much. Thanks for that! 

I remember bringing my Cruze in to the dealer for an oil change when it was still under warranty. It had right around 30,000 miles, and the tech tried to sell me on a transmission fluid change, stating that the fluid was very dark. I passed, with the response that my Cruze was only 9 months old!


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

UpstateNYBill said:


> Yeah, pretty much. Thanks for that!
> 
> I remember bringing my Cruze in to the dealer for an oil change when it was still under warranty. It had right around 30,000 miles, and the tech tried to sell me on a transmission fluid change, stating that the fluid was very dark. I passed, with the response that my Cruze was only 9 months old!


There is such a thing as too much maintenance. 

Everytime someone touches something it introduces the element of human error. I've seen a lot of human error over the years.


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## UpstateNYBill (Jan 14, 2012)

Tomko said:


> There is such a thing as too much maintenance.
> 
> Everytime someone touches something it introduces the element of human error. I've seen a lot oh human error over the years.


Me too, which is why I've done as little maintenance as possible on my 190,000 mile Cruze.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

Some examples of human error I've seen:

Like oil changes gone bad because the tech didn't exercise due diligence: 

- Dropped and bent the filter before installation causing a leak at the gasket. 

- Improperly installing the O ring at the filter housing causing a leak. 

- Filling a dexos2 engine with dexos1 oil. 

- Using the incorrect viscosity of oil. 

- Overtorquing the oil drain plug. 

- Not putting enough oil in the crankcase. 

As you know, and may have experienced yourself, all of these things can cause catastrophic damage to the engine or emissions equipment. 

So from that point of view one could argue that having the oil changed on your vehicle puts it at some level of risk. And therefore the more often the oil is changed the greater the risk being presented to that engine.


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

overfill


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

justin13703 said:


> The factory trans fluid is perfectly fine and does not need to be flushed out at 20k miles.


Which is fine if everything is working satisfactorily. But as I'm reading this, some took it in that early because they weren't happy with the shifting.






XtremeRevolution said:


> As for the discussion regarding "to flush or not to flush," I would advise that anyone recommending against a flush make perfectly clear what kind of flush they are referring to. For example, I can, and have, "flushed" my ATF in my driveway, which involves letting the transmission's internal pump cycle out fluid while you pour new fluid in, thus replacing close to 100% of the old fluid in the transmission. Functionally, this is also how most flush machines work today. A 100% fluid exchange on a transmission that has been properly maintained will not damage that transmission.


Right. It's flushes with added pressure or some kind of cleaner that's bad news. Unfortunately, the terminology has gotten to the point that it's hard to know what you're getting by what you call it.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

I never said this fluid was bad. I reported on what I've seen other members report on this forum and on our FB counterpart. 

OE fluids are usually not the best you can get for the vehicle, barring low production number examples or specialized applications. Again, that doesn't mean the OE fluid is terrible, but that it could be better. 

I firmly believe the break in metals and whatever corrosion inhibitors are still being used in these transmissions is causing the erratic or harsh shifting many CTD owners have reported. I am fairly confident that a complete transmission fluid change, aka flush, would alleviate that regardless of fluid used. 

The fact of the matter is that the OE fluid costs 2x as much as the AMSOIL fluid while being rated for 1/2 the severe service mileage, which makes the AMSOIL option 4x better, while still meeting AW-1 specifications, and that excludes wear protection or "insurance."

Logically, the only reason one can come up with not to take that option is if your dealer gives you grief for not wanting to fork over $20/quart on replacement fluid. 

This is a Chevrolet economy car, not a Mercedes. Their price on AW-1 fluid is asinine. 

Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

> I am sort of getting tired of folks bashing something that there is ZERO evidence to bash. It seems to me you are making comments with little to NO MERIT. I am starting to think that reading this stuff in the forum after I am already have a foundation of understanding of my CTD is a waste of time in addition promotes being concerned about potential problems that just don't exist.
> 
> Why would a GM service manager recommend an aftermarket transmission fluid? He/She is in the business to sell GM fluid that for sure meets the specs of this CTD Tranny. I don't care how good Amsoil is putting it in at a GM Dealer is probably not a good practice for the Dealer in my opinion. There is nothing wrong with the fluid GM is using, if you are having issues have those issues identified by your dealer, my best guess is your transmission is working like it was designed. Drive more and worry less.


for one when have i ever bashed the CTD here? my biggest complaints are minor such as not having a keep driving light, the engineer that does shift denied. ive had 0 major issues and highly recommend the vehicle to everyone i speak to, ive made great memories in mine and plan on keeping doing so. you say im basing my statements on no merit. i asked IS it that bad? i never said it caused a issue. i went back and re read my bookmarked threads and yes made a mistake, seems manuals fluid have had not been the greatest but not too much on automatic. so yes my bad but again thats why i ask, your acting as if i joined here and immediately started bad mouthing the cruze as others have done. i love the car and its serving me very well so don't lump me into the bashing group please.

yes a service manager is gong to say use GM but if there is a better product to use why not. there is a reason i ask. i want to see if its that bad of fluid and if members who have made it to well over 100k if the oem fluid did it well enough. im sorry i may have over worries it will be the last time i ask a question


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## beaurrr (Aug 27, 2016)

Tomko said:


> There is such a thing as too much maintenance.
> 
> Everytime someone touches something it introduces the element of human error. I've seen a lot of human error over the years.


Exactly. This is why I feel so apprehensive about turning my vehicles over to someone else for repair (of any kind), dealer or not. In my experience, there has almost always been some collateral damage somewhere, usually minor, but not always. 

My newly purchased Cruze diesel came off the lot overfilled with oil, as a GM CPO from a big-time dealer. That was pretty disappointing.


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## plasticplant (Mar 26, 2013)

Tomko said:


> I have yet to hear anybody call the factory fill "so bad".
> 
> The amsoil signature series is definetly better - but if the OEM fluid was "so bad" we'd be seeing transmission failures. And I haven't heard of a single CTD transmission failure.


Mine failed. Replaced under warranty at 63,000 miles. The trans was still on the "life time" factory fill.


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## beaurrr (Aug 27, 2016)

plasticplant said:


> Mine failed. Replaced under warranty at 63,000 miles. The trans was still on the "life time" factory fill.


Can you tell a little about the symptoms that lead to the replacement? Did you ever hear anything about the cause?
Mine has a bit of a whine in first gear, under moderate to heavy load. Doesn't sound right to me but I don't have anything to compare it to.


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## plasticplant (Mar 26, 2013)

beaurrr said:


> Can you tell a little about the symptoms that lead to the replacement? Did you ever hear anything about the cause?
> Mine has a bit of a whine in first gear, under moderate to heavy load. Doesn't sound right to me but I don't have anything to compare it to.


There is a whole thread on it "Transmission Replaced at 63,000 Miles". It got surprisingly little attention. Basically the car would take forever to shift from neutral to 1st gear at stop lights/signs and when it would finally go it would slam into gear. Also the downshifting from 2 to 1 was brutal (much more than "normal"). They never gave me the official "problem" and since it's not GMs transmission, they really didn't trouble shoot. As far as I know, I was the first (on CT) to have a transmission replaced in the CTD.


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## beaurrr (Aug 27, 2016)

Thanks; I'll find the thread.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/64-g...ion/168833-new-transmission-63-000-miles.html


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

beaurrr said:


> Can you tell a little about the symptoms that lead to the replacement? Did you ever hear anything about the cause?
> Mine has a bit of a whine in first gear, under moderate to heavy load. Doesn't sound right to me but I don't have anything to compare it to.


I posted on another thread, mine has whined since new. Perfectly normal. You hear it especially at higher RPMs. I went about 125K miles on the factory fill before changing it out. I am at 184K miles now and my transmission is perfectly fine.

If you look through the DIY transmission fluid change for CTD thread, you will see some pics of my fluid at that mileage.


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## CruzeDan (May 17, 2015)

These Asin-Warner transmissions are virtually bulletproof, this is why GM chose it in our cars over their own transmission options, even the beefed up Hydra-matic 6T FWD options. This fluid is a lifetime fill, and most people will probably never have a problem never changing the fluid (not that I recommend as such). GM currently is getting away from endorsing and approving the multiple vehicle flushes and system cleanings. When I change my trans fluid, I plan on doing it around 50,000mi, and since I have a couple of bottles of AW-1 I got from my father, thats what I am using. You cannot use Dextron VI in this transmission.


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

My manual says it's to be changed @ 72k km. That doesn't sound lifetime to me


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## CruzeDan (May 17, 2015)

Money_man you are looking at the "Severe" use maintenance schedule. According to the book, this schedule is for vehicles that are: Mainly driven in heavy city traffic in hot weather, Mainly drive in hilly or mountainous terrain, Frequently towing a trailer, Used for high speed or competitive driving, Used for taxi, police, or delivery service. The "Normal" maintenance does not have anything listed as far as changing the diesel's transmission fluid, just the 1.4L and 1.8L.


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## IndyDiesel (May 24, 2015)

pandrad61 said:


> for one when have i ever bashed the CTD here? my biggest complaints are minor such as not having a keep driving light, the engineer that does shift denied. ive had 0 major issues and highly recommend the vehicle to everyone i speak to, ive made great memories in mine and plan on keeping doing so. you say im basing my statements on no merit. i asked IS it that bad? i never said it caused a issue. i went back and re read my bookmarked threads and yes made a mistake, seems manuals fluid have had not been the greatest but not too much on automatic. so yes my bad but again thats why i ask, your acting as if i joined here and immediately started bad mouthing the cruze as others have done. i love the car and its serving me very well so don't lump me into the bashing group please.
> 
> yes a service manager is gong to say use GM but if there is a better product to use why not. there is a reason i ask. i want to see if its that bad of fluid and if members who have made it to well over 100k if the oem fluid did it well enough. im sorry i may have over worries it will be the last time i ask a question


You were not bashing the CTD. You were making statements about the CTD transmission fluid from factory and saying it was "so bad" yikes that is the name of the thread. I will stand by my statement that factory fill transmission fluid isn't bad, do I think it is a good idea to change on a regular schedule , heck yes it is. I don't think changing it at 20k is needed but sure won't hurt anything.


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

> Thread: is Gm trans flud that bad


yup in the name...in a form of question but yah


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

If the fluid was that bad, I would never have made 125K on my factory fill. I did want to switch to Amsoil though and glad I did.


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