Dealing with the A8 Issue

dray · 11-22-2017, 06:51 AM

So, I've been dealing with the shuddering issue like lots of others and read a lot of posts on here about it. Haven't been to the dealer yet because I've been busy and I'm not crazy about driving a Malibu for a week while they fiddle with it.

What I have noticed is I can work around the problem somewhat by how I use the throttle. When I'm in traffic, I try to coast as much as possible (no throttle input whatsoever). When I start to slow down, I sorta goose the throttle...getting it up over 3K to speed up and maintain my position in traffic. Every chance I get, I accelerate hard and then ease up rather than easing into it...letting the traction control do it's job.

With this approach, I still get the shudder occasionally, but not as often. Plus, I get to hear the engine more which is music to my ears.

Natro33 · 11-22-2017, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dray

So, I've been dealing with the shuddering issue like lots of others and read a lot of posts on here about it. Haven't been to the dealer yet because I've been busy and I'm not crazy about driving a Malibu for a week while they fiddle with it.

What I have noticed is I can work around the problem somewhat by how I use the throttle. When I'm in traffic, I try to coast as much as possible (no throttle input whatsoever). When I start to slow down, I sorta goose the throttle...getting it up over 3K to speed up and maintain my position in traffic. Every chance I get, I accelerate hard and then ease up rather than easing into it...letting the traction control do it's job.

With this approach, I still get the shudder occasionally, but not as often. Plus, I get to hear the engine more which is music to my ears.

I hear what you're saying, but, should you even have to deal with such an issue? My shudder feels like the driveshaft has a 12oz weight welded to the side. These are flagship 40k+ cars, not acceptable to me. Especially because this just comes down to sloppy programming by GM

V8RWD · 11-22-2017, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Natro33

I hear what you're saying, but, should you even have to deal with such an issue? My shudder feels like the driveshaft has a 12oz weight welded to the side. These are flagship 40k+ cars, not acceptable to me. Especially because this just comes down to sloppy programming by GM

Agreed. My 2005 Toyota Corolla is smooth as butta with 200,000km on it. 2017 Camaro should do better. Not even asking for that much here...

AmericanMike · 11-22-2017, 02:59 PM

I took mine in for this issue. They had it for a day. There is a TSB for this so shouldn't be any fiddling. I put almost 1000 miles on it now with no issue.

Spartan268 · 11-22-2017, 03:27 PM

Sent mine in on Saturday morning. Heard Saturday evening they need it for longer cause the recall didn't resolve it (Which I told them it wouldn't). And still have yet to hear anything back yet. I'd send it in for peace of mind.. Despite dealers being incompetent

Chazzz · 11-22-2017, 04:08 PM

No offense but I don't buy it. If it is such an easy fix and from what you are saying just about every pickup with an A8 has this issue along with from my research most vehicles with the A8 across GM product lines, I honestly haven't seen any proof that they have a permanent resolution for any of these A8 issues. Let's hope they get the bugs worked out of the new A10 joint project with Ford, as I was reading posts on the F150 forum and there are some very disappointed new F150 owners that are dealing with similar frustrations with this all new transmission. Gotta feel for them after dropping over 60K on a new truck and not being able to even drive it.

Cameron27 · 11-22-2017, 05:07 PM

.

Frank237 · 11-22-2017, 05:24 PM

The ONLY time I get a shudder is coasting down my drive, and the car shits to 2nd. I get a 1/2 sec shudder, with no accelerator input. the only time I have any issue.

mako22 · 11-22-2017, 05:40 PM

I brought mine in last week, brought the service bulletin with me so I didn't have to waste time explaining. Had the car back in 4 hours...still hearing the shudder slightly, plan on waiting a few weeks and taking it back if it comes back louder. Pain in the ass but there could be worse issues.

DangerZL1 · 11-22-2017, 06:00 PM

If the TSB is simply a trans fluid change to the new fluid, it hasn’t fixed all the ltransmissions. The problem is the cylinder deactivation which causes vibrations be to appear in the car. The trans programming slips the converter to reduce the vibrations in the car. It’s not a design that I’d feel comfortable owning for a long time. I think they’ve been through three versions of the converter. It appears GM is bandaiding the problem until they can get all the RWD vehicles switched over to the A10. The real problems occur when the drivetrain warranty runs out

RxSummit16 · 11-22-2017, 06:26 PM

Took mine in...emailed them the tsb..took test drive with with trans tech...after a week they gave it back and said it was "characteristic" behavior.

Chazzz · 11-22-2017, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DangerZL1

If the TSB is simply a trans fluid change to the new fluid, it hasn’t fixed all the ltransmissions. The problem is the cylinder deactivation which causes vibrations be to appear in the car. The trans programming slips the converter to reduce the vibrations in the car. It’s not a design that I’d feel comfortable owning for a long time. I think they’ve been through three versions of the converter. It appears GM is bandaiding the problem until they can get all the RWD vehicles switched over to the A10. The real problems occur when the drivetrain warranty runs out

While I agree that cylinder deactivation does play a role in some A8 issues, it certainly doesn't tell the whole story as from my research there are possibly more I4 Camaro owners dealing with frustrating A8 problems than V6 or V8 owners. A flush just simply isn't going to be a long term fix!

argus · 11-22-2017, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dray

What I have noticed is I can work around the problem somewhat by how I use the throttle. When I'm in traffic, I try to coast as much as possible (no throttle input whatsoever). When I start to slow down, I sorta goose the throttle...getting it up over 3K to speed up and maintain my position in traffic. Every chance I get, I accelerate hard and then ease up rather than easing into it...letting the traction control do it's job.

With this approach, I still get the shudder occasionally, but not as often. Plus, I get to hear the engine more which is music to my ears.

Recommend you don't try to work around the problem. It won't heal itself, at least not for long.

Started having issues with the same 8L90 in my truck around the 10k mi mark. Took it in to the dealership around 12k mi, just beyond the Lemon Law threshold for TX, unfortunately. Anyway, I ended up driving three different loaners over many weeks as the dealership worked on my trans back in 2016. They ended up replacing the original trans per GM, which ran even worse initially. Took it back and they reassembled the new trans. It then ran okay. Now, here I am today, 18k mi later, at 30 k mi, and it is starting to act up again. Gonna dump it at this point. Love this truck, but when major drivetrain components act up time after time, it becomes a lost cause. Life is too short.

I know one thing for sure, given the experience described in short above, If the wife's Camaro acts up at any time before 12k mi (it's at roughly 6k mi now), I'm going to the dealer ASAP. If I have to Lemon Law it, I'm ready for the pain. Can't be any worse than what I've gone through with my truck.

Natro33 · 11-22-2017, 08:57 PM

I would urge any camaro owner with an A8 that is experiencing these issues to read this thread (http://www.camaro6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=510888) and post on it. The more posts and visibility we have the better chance we have of getting the issues to gm engineering. Post 24 is where I have posted the majority of conversations as it is relates to this shudder issue. Don't accept "that it's a normal characteristic" of the vehicle, it's not. I love my camaro but it's days out of service have accumulated to more than my states lemon law allows (for more than just A8 issues). I urge you to understand your states lemon law statues and do not accept being pushed around. I'm currently in the middle of a lemon law case with hopes that gm will finally admit to the issue and commit to fixing it. It would be overly nice of me to give them more time to resolve the issue, I'm hoping they can, but I'm not optimistic.

11-22-2017, 06:51 AM	#1
dray Drives: 2017 2SS A8 NGM, 2012 Yamaha FZ8 Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Ohio Posts: 189	Dealing with the A8 Issue So, I've been dealing with the shuddering issue like lots of others and read a lot of posts on here about it. Haven't been to the dealer yet because I've been busy and I'm not crazy about driving a Malibu for a week while they fiddle with it. What I have noticed is I can work around the problem somewhat by how I use the throttle. When I'm in traffic, I try to coast as much as possible (no throttle input whatsoever). When I start to slow down, I sorta goose the throttle...getting it up over 3K to speed up and maintain my position in traffic. Every chance I get, I accelerate hard and then ease up rather than easing into it...letting the traction control do it's job. With this approach, I still get the shudder occasionally, but not as often. Plus, I get to hear the engine more which is music to my ears.

11-22-2017, 05:07 PM	#7
Cameron27 Drives: 2015 2SS Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Texas Posts: 349	. Last edited by Cameron27; 06-06-2019 at 10:03 PM.

11-22-2017, 05:40 PM	#9
mako22 Drives: 2017 HB 2SS Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: NJ Posts: 661 View My Garage	I brought mine in last week, brought the service bulletin with me so I didn't have to waste time explaining. Had the car back in 4 hours...still hearing the shudder slightly, plan on waiting a few weeks and taking it back if it comes back louder. Pain in the ass but there could be worse issues. __________________

11-22-2017, 06:26 PM	#11
RxSummit16 Drives: 2016 Summit White Camaro LT2 RS Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: NC Posts: 135	Took mine in...emailed them the tsb..took test drive with with trans tech...after a week they gave it back and said it was "characteristic" behavior. __________________ 2016 Camaro 2LT \| 3.6L V6 \| A/T \| Summit White \| JWM Smoked Side Markers \| Flowmaster American Thunder Axle-back Exhaust \| K&N Filter \| AIRAID Modular Intake Tube \| Overkill Tune

11-22-2017, 02:59 PM	#4
AmericanMike Drives: 2017 Camaro SS FIFTY Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: North Carolina Posts: 538	I took mine in for this issue. They had it for a day. There is a TSB for this so shouldn't be any fiddling. I put almost 1000 miles on it now with no issue.

11-22-2017, 03:27 PM	#5
Spartan268 Drives: HB 2SS Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 518	Sent mine in on Saturday morning. Heard Saturday evening they need it for longer cause the recall didn't resolve it (Which I told them it wouldn't). And still have yet to hear anything back yet. I'd send it in for peace of mind.. Despite dealers being incompetent

11-22-2017, 04:08 PM	#6
Chazzz Drives: 2018 1LT RS V6 A8 Convertible Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: USA Posts: 497	No offense but I don't buy it. If it is such an easy fix and from what you are saying just about every pickup with an A8 has this issue along with from my research most vehicles with the A8 across GM product lines, I honestly haven't seen any proof that they have a permanent resolution for any of these A8 issues. Let's hope they get the bugs worked out of the new A10 joint project with Ford, as I was reading posts on the F150 forum and there are some very disappointed new F150 owners that are dealing with similar frustrations with this all new transmission. Gotta feel for them after dropping over 60K on a new truck and not being able to even drive it.

11-22-2017, 05:24 PM	#8
Frank237 Drives: Kubota 2640, 83 BMW R-65, 2017 1 SS Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: Craig, MT Posts: 643	The ONLY time I get a shudder is coasting down my drive, and the car shits to 2nd. I get a 1/2 sec shudder, with no accelerator input. the only time I have any issue.

11-22-2017, 06:00 PM	#10
DangerZL1 Drives: 2023 Black ZL1 Auto Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: FEMA Region 4 Posts: 2,935	If the TSB is simply a trans fluid change to the new fluid, it hasn’t fixed all the ltransmissions. The problem is the cylinder deactivation which causes vibrations be to appear in the car. The trans programming slips the converter to reduce the vibrations in the car. It’s not a design that I’d feel comfortable owning for a long time. I think they’ve been through three versions of the converter. It appears GM is bandaiding the problem until they can get all the RWD vehicles switched over to the A10. The real problems occur when the drivetrain warranty runs out

11-22-2017, 08:57 PM	#14
Natro33 Drives: 2016 Camaro LT2 v6 A8 Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: North Carolina Posts: 33	I would urge any camaro owner with an A8 that is experiencing these issues to read this thread (http://www.camaro6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=510888) and post on it. The more posts and visibility we have the better chance we have of getting the issues to gm engineering. Post 24 is where I have posted the majority of conversations as it is relates to this shudder issue. Don't accept "that it's a normal characteristic" of the vehicle, it's not. I love my camaro but it's days out of service have accumulated to more than my states lemon law allows (for more than just A8 issues). I urge you to understand your states lemon law statues and do not accept being pushed around. I'm currently in the middle of a lemon law case with hopes that gm will finally admit to the issue and commit to fixing it. It would be overly nice of me to give them more time to resolve the issue, I'm hoping they can, but I'm not optimistic.

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