2008 Vue 3.6 V6 AWD Shifting Issues
 

2008 Vue 3.6 V6 AWD ~ 90K

Car started "landing" not smoothly into the next higher gear a few times in the last month. Nothing reproducible. Thought not much of it.

Today, started the same behavior, then began to do the following:
start our from a stop, tach rises to 2k, hesitates, then goes to 2500 ish, then tranny slaps into 3rd. Doesn't seem to be dependent on pedal position as the above happens with normal acceleration attempts.

If pushed under harder acceleration, the rpms still do the funny stuff

Same strangeness up to 5th.

Fluid level 1/2 qt low --capacity 9.5 qts Topped off no change. Oh -- no leak spots in the garage.

It feels as if it is slipping intermittently into neutral as there seems to be no power transfer when the rpms are rising immediately before shifts into 3rd and 5th as described above.

It's due for a fluid/filter change -- but I have a feeling this is more than that.
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Could clogged up fluid channels in the tranny cause this behavior?
Tranny control module?

No SES light so I did not try to read codes although now that I think about it there might be stored pending codes that haven't set off the light yet.

Mot sure if my older code reader can talk to it. Will find out.

I'd go ahead and do the filter and fluid change, man. It sure won't hurt and you may luck out. Try a bottle of Lucas transmission treatment in place of a pint or quart of fluid. I've had some good luck with it over the years.

my older odb2 scan tool does not talk to the Vue.
Per Autozone's reader there are no pending codes.

I drove it around this afternoon to see if I could isolate exactly which shifts are the problematic ones. Turns out it is upshift to 3rd and 5th only.
Diag was made quite easy once I realized I could use the tapshift option to shift at will into the next higher gear --and know which one it is.

(-- I corrected the text in my initial post so someone searching later on can find correct info)

Having done some internet searching (which I was counting on sw2cam suggesting I do), I found that the 6T70 6 speed is indeed prone to failure of the 35R clutch wave plate

Here's the TSB I heisted from a post I found (no warranty on completeness or correctness)

TSB Number: PIP-4327A
Owners of 2007-2009 Saturn Aura and Outlook, and 2008-2009 Saturn Vue equipped with the 6T70/75 6-speed automatic transmission may experience no reverse and slip/flare/harsh shifts in 3rd and/or 5th gear. Codes P0776 Clutch Pressure Control (PC) Solenoid 2 Stuck Off and P0842 Transmission Fluid Pressure (TFP) Switch 1 Circuit Low Voltage may be set.

The 35R clutch wave plate may be broken, allowing the piston to overstroke, causing the piston to leak and resulting in loss of apply on vehicles with greater than 25,000 miles.

During the repair process it is important to install the wave plate in the proper orientation to prevent the possibility for the failure to re-occur. Install the rounded edge of the new wave plate internal splines facing the 35R piston.

NOTE: The same TSB applies to 2007-2009 GMC Acadia, 2007-2009 Pontiac G5, 2008-2009 Pontiac Torrent, 2008-2009 Buick Enclave, 2008-2009 Chevrolet Equinox and Malibu, and 2009 Chevrolet Traverse, equipped with the 6T70/75 6-speed automatic transmission (RPO MH2, MH4, MH6 and MY9).


......hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm


off to dealer tomorrow (still has my old Saturn techs there :)


meets both 5 yr and 100K criteria of 5/100 powertrain warranty

Good you did a search, bout time someone did. But I'd not tell you to do a search on this one. I'd say take it to the dealer it's under powertrain warranty for 5 years 100,000 miles.

LOL

Yep, I looked at a couple of Vue's before I got the Equinox. Both had hinky transmissions, so I went with the Chevy. Still regretting it as is loves gas, but it has been reliable.

Sitting at dealership awaiting ride home. 35R issue confirmed. Warranty repair. 1 week downtime as they sub out to local tranny shop.

Rube--the tsb includes the 08 and 09 equinox with the six spd tranny so heads up if yours fits the bill.

Thanks derf, but mine's an 07. I like the way it rides and handles, but the AWD is not something I really need here in Tennessee. And it averages about 23 mpg. The sad part of that is that mpg is with the traction control off! I haven't had any problems with the transmission. I'm closing in on 98,000 miles now. On the other hand, my 99 Grand Caravan just rolled 188,000 miles and is still going strong. The key to the Mopar vans is using the correct fluid in the transmissions. ATF+4 is the ONLY thing to put in them.

Well, vehicle back 2 weeks later
8 days to repair 3 5 R failure
6 days, 1 loaner car, 2 return visits to tranny shop and 2 tranny mounts until they actually re-installed the tranny mount correctly. (had awful vibration in 5th and 6th at low rpms with tranny mount installed incorrectly).

Apparently the same mount can be installed differently depending on the vehicle (as the tranny spans the GM line). Or so I was told.

You'd think the same people that took it apart could put it back together the way they found it. I'm still trying to figure out how they hosed the original mount it came in with............

Whatever.

Total cost to me: $0
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Drove Chevy Cruze LS (as loaner) -- no get up and go in lower gears but a bit peppy in upper gears. Cheesy interior but it's entry level. And yes, you can still get two manual side view mirrors.

Glad to hear you finally got it back and everything's working as it should. Oh, just as a side note, my Equinox just has a 5 speed automatic transmission. Totally different animal, I guess.

ok derf .............. it's been awhile, hows that tranny doing now?