2012 Chevy Cruze Transmission

[mike7139]

Anyone know what is up with this transmission? My mom just purchased one two weeks ago and I took it for a test drive and one thing I really noticed about this car is the constant downshifting of the transmission especially at speeds under 30mph. The transmission also seems jerky and clunky at slower speeds as well. I have seen other reports of similar complaints but there ain't no way an automatic transmission should behave like this.

The engine a 1.4 Turbo seemed ok but seemed like it would struggle a little under heavy load.

I remember driving brand new cars back in the 90's and those transmissions/engines seemed way smoother and better as compared to the Chevy Cruze.

 

[MrQuackers]

6 speed

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted By: MrQuackers
6 speed


6 speed and lousy programming.

 

[mike7139]

Originally Posted By: MrQuackers
6 speed


Wonder if this will shorten the life of the transmission?

 

[Quattro Pete]

I'm guessing it upshifts quickly to achieve better MPG, but as a result it has to also downshift more frequently to get back into the power range in order to accelerate.

I've heard of some software updates to the trans programming for this car. Is yours up to date?

 

[mike7139]

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
Originally Posted By: MrQuackers
6 speed


6 speed and lousy programming.



Hopefully they can program it better?

 

[Nick R]

Yep, the biggest complaint I had with the cruze was this. It does rev match downshifts. It keeps the torque converter locked most of the time, at least that's how it feels. But it is jerky. It's normal for this car. The cruze really is best as a highway cruiser with the automatic.

 

[mike7139]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
I'm guessing it upshifts quickly to achieve better MPG, but as a result it has to also downshift more frequently to get back into the power range in order to accelerate.

I've heard of some software updates to the trans programming for this car. Is yours up to date?



I don't know. She just got the car and it only had 6 miles on it when she picked it up from the dealer.

 

[mike7139]

Originally Posted By: Nick R
Yep, the biggest complaint I had with the cruze was this. It does rev match downshifts. It keeps the torque converter locked most of the time, at least that's how it feels. But it is jerky. It's normal for this car. The cruze really is best as a highway cruiser with the automatic.


Yes she does alot of highway driving and she loves the way it runs on the highway. She has been averaging 30mpg soo far but I would have thought she would be closer to the 40mpg range. I hope that number goes up as the car gets broken in.

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted By: mike7139
Originally Posted By: KrisZ
Originally Posted By: MrQuackers
6 speed


6 speed and lousy programming.



Hopefully they can program it better?


Only if GM is willing to come up with better programming, which at this point doesn't seem so.

 

[Hokiefyd]

My Camry's 6-speed transmission was like that around town also. Excellent at speed, but it was very jerky around town. I got to where I really disliked driving it. So it got traded.

The 2012 Malibu we just got at work is similar. The transmission programming is abysmal. I actually do enjoy driving the car (the Ecotec engine is a gem), but I have to keep it in manual mode and manually + and - the gears. It drives very poorly when left in D.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Is it the same 6 speed auto in the sonic? I was reading a review on the sonic where they said it was as bad as the Fiesta for clunks / jerkiness ...

 

[JHZR2]

I want to know why the car would have an AT. Yuck. Cruze eco MT FTW! Far lower lifecycle cost. Of course shifting will reduce life. Its doing it to simulate a CVT, i.e. always have the engine as close to its correct (SFC-optimal torque) operating point.

 

[ems1]

I have a 2012 Cruze with same engine and trans with 13,000 miles. I don't notice the transmission behaving any differently than a number of other cars I have driven with a similar configuration.
It drives very well with no annoying up or down shifts. Naturally, the six speed transmissions shift more often.

I have read that there is a learning process for the computer that takes a few thousand miles. Maybe that is what you are experiencing. Although, I don't remember my trans acting weird at all during break in.

 

[djb]

Originally Posted By: mike7139

Yes she does alot of highway driving and she loves the way it runs on the highway. She has been averaging 30mpg soo far but I would have thought she would be closer to the 40mpg range. I hope that number goes up as the car gets broken in.



Only 30mpg? Ouch. I drive a '93 525i with 325K miles and get that on my commute. The drive is a bit of stoplight-to-stoplight, but mostly 70-75MPH highway driving mixed with highway stop-and-go. I expected a car that's 2 decades newer to do much, much better. And, with today's accelerometers and low cost signal processing, to have near-perfect shifts.