[Jfmoore79]

I was hoping to purchase a 17 SS with an automatic in about a year. I keep going back-and-forth on a sixth gen SS versus a fifth gen ZL1. I had made my mind up to go with the newer car but all the complaints and issues with the transmission have me worried. Overall what kind of percentage of vehicles are having problems? Are there better build dates to look for? It doesn't seem like GM has a solution at this point and dealers are giving owners the run around. This will be a toy and not a daily driver.

[Chutzpah]

That’s a great question, it seems no one has a good answer ( except gm). There’s literally a million + cars, trucks and suv’s that have the A8. If you look online, are there issues? yes but not as many as one would think. I’m concerned as well. However, I’ve seen (on this site) people with fewer miles and issues with build dates just before and after my cars
build. Go to the ask Al section of this and support the TC inquiry.

[Cameron27]

.

[Jfmoore79]

Thanks for the list of things to check out. The first 6th gen I drove was a 16 that exhibited what I would describe as clunking when downshifting. I knew that wasn't normal but I hadn't done any reading on the forum to get a frame of reference.

[Megacide]

Originally Posted by Cameron27

If I could do it all over again, I'd consider a manual, or I wouldn't get a Camaro at all. The A8 may be fine, but I'm one who ran into problems, so I wouldn't be willing to risk it all over again.

Whatever you do, be prepared to do a thorough test drive. What I would do (and this test is biased based on only the problems I've encountered):
- Test the car on a very cold day if that is possible. Make sure transmission fluid starts at 10 degrees celcius or colder. Drive at a normal pace. Mine hickups terribly until it gets to about 27 celcius, at which point it hickups bad but not as bad on upshifts from a red light.
- Be thorough with testing how the car shifts. See how it shifts in sport mode, in tour mode, and with triptronic.
- Test switching out of park/reverse many times back and forth (waiting until the shift occurs, not shifting as if it's a toy) to make sure the car shifts smoothly.
- Test downshift from 4 to 3, and 3 to 2, while foot isn't on the gas pedal. See if there's lag, see if the car jolts into it. If the car can't smoothly downshift without throttle input from you, then again, not good.

If the transmission truly is smooth throughout, and you really were thorough, then I'd say write the VIN down. Come back the next day. Do one more test drive. Buy it if really no issues.

This is great advice.

GM does not currently have all the parts available for repairs to the A8 and mine is sitting in the shop for 21 days now with the part supposedly coming two days ago but never came! I'm sitting in limbo.

They are re-engineering the input and output speed sensors for the transmission along with the wiring harness. For many of the shifting issues this is the root cause they have determined as the sensors constantly go out of spec and then the computer has no clue when to properly shift and then fudges it like a bad/new manual driver!

If I could do all over again I would have bought the manual.

[KingLT1]

The shifting issues lies in the tuning. It just needs a proper tune and not the cobbled up factory tune that focuses on extracting every last drop of fuel economy out of the LT1.

[Cameron27]

.

[camaro5]

Originally Posted by Jfmoore79

I was hoping to purchase a 17 SS with an automatic in about a year. I keep going back-and-forth on a sixth gen SS versus a fifth gen ZL1. I had made my mind up to go with the newer car but all the complaints and issues with the transmission have me worried. Overall what kind of percentage of vehicles are having problems? Are there better build dates to look for? It doesn't seem like GM has a solution at this point and dealers are giving owners the run around. This will be a toy and not a daily driver.

The 2019 Camaro SS refresh gets the 10-speed auto. It has been reliable so far in the Camaro ZL1.

The 8-speed is an engineering failure that should be avoided at all costs.

Simply Google "GM 8 speed transmission problems"

b

[Rock-It Man]

I will not buy a gen 6 until this transmission is gone.

Why? Because, knowing GM, they will continue selling cars with faulty transmissions even after they have identified the problem, until they run out of faulty parts.

That's exactly what they did with AFM lifters in gen 5. They knew the problem even before the first Camaro rolled off the assembly line (used on other vehicles with disastrous results), yet they continued to use the bad parts for years after that. Lucky for me that my dealer gladly did the TSB repair. Other owners had way more hassle.

If GM doesn't stop using the A8 when it's time for me to replace my 2010, I'm going Mustang or maybe even Challenger.

[meyouand987.2]

A8 is a disaster....AVOID!

[L99BEN]

Originally Posted by Jfmoore79

I was hoping to purchase a 17 SS with an automatic in about a year. I keep going back-and-forth on a sixth gen SS versus a fifth gen ZL1. I had made my mind up to go with the newer car but all the complaints and issues with the transmission have me worried. Overall what kind of percentage of vehicles are having problems? Are there better build dates to look for? It doesn't seem like GM has a solution at this point and dealers are giving owners the run around. This will be a toy and not a daily driver.

I traded my 16' 1SS auto for a 17' 2SS 6M and haven't looked back.
~Both were bought very low mile/used at great prices, so didn't lose much.

The auto performed well left in auto mode but in sport the paddles were slow to respond. The A8 horror stories made it an easy decision.
Love the rev match as it makes the manual feel so smooth on up and downshifts! I may now lose from a dig against the A8 but manual is so much more fun and involving.
The manual feels quicker at highway speeds too.

If you are a drag racer and or aren't into manual, I'd wait for the 10-speed auto.

[Cameron27]

.

[KingLT1]

Originally Posted by camaro5

The 2019 Camaro SS refresh gets the 10-speed auto. It has been reliable so far in the Camaro ZL1.

The 8-speed is an engineering failure that should be avoided at all costs.

Simply Google "GM 8 speed transmission problems"

b

The 8l90 is fine once properly tuned. The problem again is the stock tuning...now that most of the TCM tables have finally been unlocked via 3rd party software, the A8 should be trouble free. All gm needs to do is revise the tune. There is too much slip going on causing premature clutch wear and Converter shudder.

[Jfmoore79]

Originally Posted by KingLT1

The 8l90 is fine once properly tuned. The problem again is the stock tuning...now that most of the TCM tables have finally been unlocked via 3rd party software, the A8 should be trouble free. All gm needs to do is revise the tune. There is too much slip going on causing premature clutch wear and Converter shudder.

I like this train of thought. Since many of us will need tunes due to basic mods having the transmission recalibrated as well makes sense. Has anyone reported success in correcting trans issues from a tune? Are the majority of our sponsors who do tunes able to address the trans?