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If your 8spd trans is rough, put your hand up

137K views 757 replies 150 participants last post by  BHBHANY 
#1 ·
I keep seeing these rough 8 speed transmission threads, but both at the dealership and when I called Chrysler Corporate they tell me that they have NO idea this is a problem. So I'd like to get a list going and see if it's substantial. If you have a rough or unsmooth 8 speed transmission, reply here-just reply with what model you have.


as for me:
2014 GJC Limited 3.6l
 
#695 · (Edited)
EDIT: While I feel a German plant would win an auto build quality contest on average with a US plant for a whole lotta reasons....the Gray Court, SC ZF plant employs US workers.

The difference is not the workers, it is the design. The 8HP70 built in the US by ZF employing US workers has far fewer issues solely because it is physically not modified from the original design. The only difference between the 8HP70 that goes into our 5.7l/6.4l/3.0l Jeeps and the other vehicles [BMW 7 Series (F01), BMW X5 (E70), Dodge Durango V8, Iveco Daily, Ram 1500 V6, V8, & diesel, Range Rover Sport (2012), Rolls-Royce Phantom, Maserati Quattroporte (2013–), Dodge Charger V8 (2015-), Dodge Challenger V8 (2015-)] is the vehicle manufacturer written software programming that gives the 8HP70 is platform specific behavior and operating characteristics. Hence, some but not a lot, of complaints from the 5.7/6.4/3.0 crowd.
 
#698 ·
I'm raising my hand...

Aug 2013 build, V6. For the first 1.5 years I thought my tranny was just o.k. My GC spent "extra time" in inspection before delivery and I thought it was well spent.

Last spring I took it in for my lame HVAC temperature control and other small stuff. I specifically wrote on the MX order and a note on the touch screen, " do not update transmission". ( dealer didn't give me the paperwork, so I don't know what they did. Going to demand it in a couple of weeks)

Not sure if the symptoms started around that time, but right now with 16,000 miles, I get the 1st gear "fender bender-bump" and I'm getting tired of low gear shifting.

It's going to the dealer next week to "fix" the HVAC system and update the transmission. Thankfully I see there's a TSB for both systems ( hopefully the tranny TSB applies to 2014?).

If there's no solution, I have until next AUG 2016 to get rid of it while still under warranty.

Al
 
#699 ·
Ah yes, the first gear "fender bender bump." Happens to me every morning. Heard back from Chrysler. They are offering to buy the car back. Problem is, they aren't offering me enough so I can get something else comparable. What a pain. I'm supposed to live with this, I guess


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#705 ·
They're offering my cash down payment back (which isn't much) plus five months of car payments back, which also isn't much. The combined total wouldn't even get me a down payment on base Laredo with the same monthly payment I have now.


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That doesn't sound like a buyback. The way they handle a buyback is they have you pick out a new vehicle. They take the MSRP of that new vehicle and compare it to the MSRP of your current vehicle. If the new vehicle is higher, you pay the difference. If it is lower, they pay you the difference.

What you are saying appears that they are only throwing you some cash and if you want, you can trade in your current vehicle. Clearly, NOT a buyback.
 
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#708 ·
I moved from a 14 v6 to a 15 v8. The difference is there. I only got 3000 miles on it and hasn't been to dealership since I got it. But sometimes it feels fine sometimes not. I keep it out of Eco mode cause I can't stand the mds. I am finding this one learns my driving habits better and shifts fine sometimes but because we all know we don't drive consistent it's trying to learn it. I think it's the constant learning feature that is messing with it in the v6 cause when I had it I couldn't tell the difference from Eco mode and non Eco mode with shift patterns. The v8 I can. Mines shifts nice when I drive how I normally drive slightly heavy pedaled usual first shift 3.5k-4k but when I try to drive in a slower fashion it doesn't like it which could be cause it.
 
#709 ·
That's exactly how I feel mine drives. The Eco mode doesn't do much. You can feel it upshift a bit sooner with Eco on, but as far as it dramatically changing the shift strategy, it does nothing of the sort. And yes, it feels like the shifting is only as good as the last shift. If it late shifts on one upshift, it'll late shift on the next, until you correct the behavior; like with a paddle shift. Totally unacceptable.


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#710 ·
Lowering my hand....slowly.

Got the GC back from the dealer and for now...it seems better.
TSB's applied : 21-004-15 and 21-007-13 Rev.C. Also Reprogram of 845RE Transmission and Drive Train Control.

As of now the low speed "Fender bender- bump" seems to be gone. I'm usually 90% highway so it's tough to tell, but if I were in traffic daily with that symptom, I would have given up by now.

Shifts are o.k. The downshifts from 4-3-2-1 are still head moving ( not jarring), but acceptable at this point.

I would say the V6 feels even peppier now ( no complaints prior) almost like the ECO is off ( Always had it on).

HVAC update has been good. Now I don't have to wait 1 minute after input for the temperature to change and it doesn't go full hot or cold to "catch up"

Al
 
#712 ·
I've had my 2015 JGC (5500 miles) in twice now for the clunky shifts. Each time they re-flashed the trans. The re-flash didn't work the first time and didn't work the second time (last week). When I picked up the vehicle last week after the second re-flash I was told the service manager wanted to speak with me. He told me not to expect any improvement as there really is no proven fix for the issue. I responded by telling him that I was surprised that after 2 years there wasn't a fix. He told me that Jeep believes that it is a software problem but they have been unable to develop a fix for it.

This is a terrible situation. I've been a Jeep owner for over 25 years and my last JGC (2008 Overland with over 100,000 miles) was perfect. All I ever did to it were oil changes and tires. My wife is so frustrated that she refuses to drive the new one anymore. She is telling me that I need to dump it for something else. I know that I will take a big financial hit by doing that but I can't live with it as it is. What a sorry situation to be in.
 
#713 ·
You should demand that they correct the situation. It's obvious that everyone doesn't have a tranny problem. I feel your pain. Luckily, I have a dealer that will do whatever is necessary to make me happy. They took direction direct from Chrysler. They were told: Replace the valve body, Then do a re-learn and if there is still a problem, new tranny. Luckily, it seems the re-designed valve body and re-learn corrected my problem. Maybe, you should try a different dealer, one that is more pro-active.
 
#716 · (Edited)
So far, aside from encountering a few random blips that haven't repeated, I'm only getting what I call the "parking lot bump" when I'm crawling through the lots at work.

What happens is two different issues:

1) It will sit in first forever while I crawl through the rows of cars, then suddenly decide it wants second and do a bump into it. It's not whiplash harsh, but it does feel like some youngster has kicked the back of my seat. It seems to only happen when I'm just using the torque of the engine to keep me rolling, not giving it any gas.

2) Coming to a stop at all the stop signs on the property seems to perplex the system since it fails to downshift to first in any sort of timely manner. The quick stop and go will always result in bit of a "chunk" into first just as I start off. It doesn't feel rough so much as I hear it jam itself into gear in a much less than graceful manner.


Other than those poorly done 1-2 and 2-1 shifts under parking lot conditions, I haven't had any issues aside from my personal preference for the actual shift points. In my opinion, in Eco mode, it doesn't always shift up fast enough (though sometimes it does under the same acceleration) and it downshifts too many gears for a simple overtake or climb up a small hill.
 
#717 ·
Mine seems to be fine now, nothing was done to it though. It still makes a sound shifting 1-2 and 2-3 on hard acceleration. It's embarrassing. And it won't use 8th gear over 79mph which is annoying af.

This is my 4th GC since 2009. I will buy another one for sure. But I wouldn't touch the 3.6 with a 10ft pole ever again. The transmission is too stupid.
 
#718 ·
Guys who amongst you is having issues of 3 to 4 gear up- and down-shifts. It actually feels like someone has rear ended you. I have never had this problem since owning the car, and I just reached 15000 km, and the car's warranty runs out in just over a month. Any suggestions ? apparently I have had the valve body and transmission change done.
 
#720 ·
Not sure the warranties where you're at but here in Texas the warranty is 50 or 60,000 miles on running gears. I've had mine in the shop at least 4 times. They re-flashed it everyone and then told me it's a learning thing on how you drive. SometI me it seems ok and sometimes on a long road trip it starts to act up. Not fond of that 8 speed but it's become more normal now. Even Ford F150 is coming out with a 10 speed. Skips gears when needed. Good luck.
 
#722 · (Edited)
My 15 SRT has a rough 6 to 5 downshift. It has done it since new and now has 750 miles on it. It does it everytime, hot, cold, dosent matter. Dealer did a relearn today but told me it's a performance vehicle and operating normal...

Tech stated the trany does extra things on the 6 to 5 downshifts and that's why I feel it and not the others...
 
#724 ·
My 15 SRT has a rough 6 to 5 downshift. It has done it since new and now has 750 miles on it. It does it everytime, hot, cold, dosent matter. Dealer did a relearn today but told me it's a performance vehicle and operating normal...

Tech stated the trany does extra things on the 6 to 5 downshifts and that's why I feel it and not the others...

If the dealer didn't fix it...you can try pulling the TCM fuse (its #32 in my Limited Ecodiesel) the owners manual will tell you. Pull it out for about two minutes then put it back in and go drive it to see if it still does it. All it does is reset the learn and then it will adapt to your style of driving. When I do it to mine it shift like its brand new:thumbsup:
 
#727 ·
i have a 14 JGC Loredo and have had the same issues, although I didn't see a lot of concerns with it in the first 2 years. Started with hard downshifts at 5 and 4 while slowing for a light or something. So hard sometimes I was afraid i'd get rear ended.

I've been reading up on the posts here and I saw the two suggestions on pulling the negative cable and/or the TCM fuse. Very strange negative cable configuration :D I didn't mess with that approach yet, I needed the car to drive family member to the doctors and didn't want to risk f'ing something up so I just pulled the TCM and left it out for about 15 minutes while i checked fluids etc. I did notice a difference. maybe placebo effect as i've read, but I did notice the hard downshifts were gone (so far anyway) and the hesitation of getting out of 1st and 2nd gear from a start improved. I failed to mention that issue above, but I'd step on the gas and felt like she would just get stuck there, then decide to go.

Off topic here, but I've owned several GC's and loved them all. The 14 has a ride like none before, but a little getting used to the 8 speed, sport mode etc., but I'm a jeep die hard I guess. 8 speeds are coming to some of the other manufacturers I've read anyway, so I'm guessing they are here to stay. i thought about switching to another brand, but when I look and test drive, they just aren't a Jeep. And not considering foreign (nothing against anyone at all), I don't care how luxurious anyone claims them to meet, they just don't match a jeep in my book.
 
#728 ·
Here's an honest advice guys... trade this piece of junk in while you can. If you keep hanging on to it, you will just continue to diminish your trade value. I've had two WK2's in the last 3 years and both have had the same issues. Junk.


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