Auto trans shift times
- Thread starter Inferno1.8
- Start date
Johnny Alien
New member
Find an Equinox forum and you will find people with issues with them.
Not saying they are bad I actually like them alot I am just pointing out the nature of the beast. Locally I will find few to no people with issues with their cars but on a car forum you are likely to hear many more stories of problems.
Not saying they are bad I actually like them alot I am just pointing out the nature of the beast. Locally I will find few to no people with issues with their cars but on a car forum you are likely to hear many more stories of problems.
slimjim550
New member
You are right a lot of people will only post of problems they are having. That said I have what I feel is a shifting issue as well. Took my Sonic to the dealer and of course the they claimed there were no codes and normal auto 6sp operation. Others have claimed its a "smart" transmission and has to "learn" how you drive. Well maybe some of us just do not drive right and it can not "learn" how we drive. And we have two of us driving this car so it must be very confused. I am thinking of trying out some other cars with a 6sp auto and see how they shift.
SSpeckerwood
New member
look at any forum on the internet and you will see problems with anything that particular forum talks about
Bogus
Senior Member
Have you had your transmission fluid changed? Doing that fixed/improved alot of Sonic's shifting problems.
I also noticed my car learns my "mood" when driving. When I'm in traffic it'll stay in higher gears to save gas and not jerk me around. When I'm throttle-happy it holds lower gears longer.
Seems it learns your driving style every 10-20 seconds or so. Also because of this, if you're in stop & go traffic (complete stop, accelerate to 30mph, stop, 30mph, etc.) it'll confuse the HELL out of it.
jpierro79
New member
I am going to say this and this is for those with the question which fluid to use. Castrol dexron VI will help but I found the best improvement being Valvoline Maxlife ATF. It is Dexron VI approved. The car will never shift like some other style cars but there will be much immediate improvement from maxlife. I posted the proper procedure for doing this near the begining of this forum. I have found that it is not completely necessary to get the transmission up to 185 degrees but rather it be warm at least but definitely NOT HOT. I mean like dont come off your local freeway from doing 85mph and go service trans. Absolute NO NO. Make sure if you use MAXLIFE ATF its current production because older maxlife fluid does not have good friction modifiers So make sure its not 3 year old maxlife sitting on some no name parts store shelf. I am sorry to those who PMed me I was away on vacation and could not respond. I believe now when I first posted that there was two problems months ago people are finally begining to see I am right about this issue. Just did my girlfriends sonic recently and OMG fluid dark after 6k. I did a full replacement with hers drained and filled it ran it the did it again. She is soo much happier now. I told to stop procrastinatiing it. Typical lady lol. Also any questions Technical questions I plan on making an email for technical help. I am a technician for almost ten years now feel free to PM me. I had posted in the earlier procedure not to drain the trans but if you chose to open the bottom drain it will take about 4.5 quarts for initial refill.
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Eric Smit
Enforcer
185 is the "operating temp" of the transmission. When you do a change, you want the oil to be warm, but not up to operating temp.
-Eric Smit
GM_6T40_Trans_Engineer
New member
Operating temp is highly critical to setting oil level.
If your thinking about changing fluid, take it to a dealer. The opportunity to set oil level wrong is very high. Also note, all dex6 fluids are the same. There's no difference in friction modifiers. Including, the factory fill. Discolored fluid is not a sign the fluid is bad.
Eric Smit
Enforcer
Same reason I'm misinformed here and don't do my own transmission fluid changes; I'm not expert.
-Eric Smit
jpierro79
New member
GM GT640 For a guy who is a supposed engineer you dont know much about fluids. your posts in the cruze forum carry the same value. Please stop pretending to be something your not.
NOT ALL DEX VI FLUIDS ARE ALIKE. I AM NOT DEBATING IT ITS FACT BEING DEXRON VI APPROVED MEANS IT MEETS THE HEAT, FRICTION REQUIREMENTS AND VISCOSITY, AND OR EXCEEDS THEM. PATENTING WRITES, ALSO HAVE TO BUY THE WRITES TO SAY IT MEETS THE DEXRON VI CAPABILITIES. THEY DO NOT USE IDENTICAL PROCESSES AND OR MODIFIERS THEREFORE THEY ARE DIFFERENT FROM ONE BRAND TO THE NEXT END OF STORY!!!!! oh yeah I don't think darn near black counts as good transmission fluid either. That also being after only 6000 miles no less. Dead serious when I say BLACK FLUID not dirty colored BLACK.
Format for changing fluid
1 Trans operating temp to change fluid is recommended to be 185 to 195 degrees farenhieght (personally from experience I found that warm is also sufficient just not hot off of highway and not cold) This will get you within a quarter of a quart fill level.
2 Car must be level CAR MUST BE LEVEL !!!!! DONT FORGET LEVEL!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND I MEAN LEVEL
3 drain from BOTTOM PLUG and replace plug initial refill after drain is about 4.5 quarts
4 remove fill level plug and leaving fill level plug out start vehicle, LET IDLE, LEAVE RUNNING and fill till fluid begins to come out of fill plug level. Allow this fluid to drain out of fill level plug until a drip pace or close to it. REMEMBER THE FILL LEVEL PLUG IS THE PLUG HIGHER UP.
5. replace plug and process is done.
6. Personal note dont be a afraid of to put a too much as long as the fill level plug is out. Just let the excess run out the fill level hole. If you wish you can let it idle and put another quart or few and let it run out the fill level. Being that the transmission will be circulating the fluid you will flush more of what you could not drain out before.
NOT ALL DEX VI FLUIDS ARE ALIKE. I AM NOT DEBATING IT ITS FACT BEING DEXRON VI APPROVED MEANS IT MEETS THE HEAT, FRICTION REQUIREMENTS AND VISCOSITY, AND OR EXCEEDS THEM. PATENTING WRITES, ALSO HAVE TO BUY THE WRITES TO SAY IT MEETS THE DEXRON VI CAPABILITIES. THEY DO NOT USE IDENTICAL PROCESSES AND OR MODIFIERS THEREFORE THEY ARE DIFFERENT FROM ONE BRAND TO THE NEXT END OF STORY!!!!! oh yeah I don't think darn near black counts as good transmission fluid either. That also being after only 6000 miles no less. Dead serious when I say BLACK FLUID not dirty colored BLACK.
Format for changing fluid
1 Trans operating temp to change fluid is recommended to be 185 to 195 degrees farenhieght (personally from experience I found that warm is also sufficient just not hot off of highway and not cold) This will get you within a quarter of a quart fill level.
2 Car must be level CAR MUST BE LEVEL !!!!! DONT FORGET LEVEL!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND I MEAN LEVEL
3 drain from BOTTOM PLUG and replace plug initial refill after drain is about 4.5 quarts
4 remove fill level plug and leaving fill level plug out start vehicle, LET IDLE, LEAVE RUNNING and fill till fluid begins to come out of fill plug level. Allow this fluid to drain out of fill level plug until a drip pace or close to it. REMEMBER THE FILL LEVEL PLUG IS THE PLUG HIGHER UP.
5. replace plug and process is done.
6. Personal note dont be a afraid of to put a too much as long as the fill level plug is out. Just let the excess run out the fill level hole. If you wish you can let it idle and put another quart or few and let it run out the fill level. Being that the transmission will be circulating the fluid you will flush more of what you could not drain out before.
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GM_6T40_Trans_Engineer
New member
Oh, my bad. Your technician title of ten years makes you the knowledge source for this trans. Nevermind the fact that for about as long as you've been a tech I've been a actively testing this trans.
Everyone else, take it to a dealer. They can assure it's done properly.
jpierro79
New member
So far you have shown no value nor any true knowledge in any of your statements. Nothing outside of the ordinary joe so to speak. I think you might work for the production line and just be standing there hooking up the same two lines or same few bolts but by no means are you now and ever were any type of engineer.
GM_6T40_Trans_Engineer
New member
Feel better?
ol_blue
New member
Realistically if you don't know what your doing don't try it yourself. As for my local dealers they can all kiss my @$$, they're always rude to me treating me like I'm retarded when I call their bs on service. I don't trust the techs either to do honest work and stand behind it.
Either way until I have an issue there's no point in messing with it.
Either way until I have an issue there's no point in messing with it.
Does this apply to the 6t30 or all?
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