Thoughts and Feedback on 8-speed Transmission: Should I Be Concerned?

ndking1126 · June 18, 2019

I havent seen it mentioned on here so I'll throw it out. Sorry if it's a repost. Chevy has two service bulletins out for the 8 speed. One is a software update for the hard shifts and the other is a fluid change for shutter. My dealership says it's always fixed the problems according to the feedback they've gotten. Maybe some of the complaints you read have already been addressed by Chevy but the customers dont know about it? My truck is in the shop right now being assessed for these fixes.

Edited June 18, 2019 by ndking1126

J-man67 · June 19, 2019

I just drove 900 miles in 2 days as a passenger and a driver 50/50 with my dad's 5.3/8spd w / 15K on it now. I was very happy with it. He's 65 and likes the chrome stuff. That I hate, buuut it's not my truck and he loves it. I felt all shifts were perfect throughout the rpm range. I have a higher mileage 15' 5.3/6spd and more on a 07' 5.3/4spd. They had a few ckunks and "twitches" along the way but are holding up to more than normal abuse. I'm closing, get whatever truck you can afford more comfortably over all. One that you won't regret. It's your decision! You're driving it!

aaronk · June 19, 2019

I'm thinking of jumping ship from a Tundra to a Silverado, but the 8 speed that I drove was noticeably clunky compared to my Tundra. I love everything about the 1500 but the 8 speed scares the crap out me. The searches on forums and Facebook groups leave me feeling real uneasy about pulling the trigger on one or waiting to see if the 10 speed is offered for the 5.3 in 2020.

kennerz · June 19, 2019

10 hours ago, amxguy1970 said:

You didn't spend enough. If you had spent 60k you would have a reliable transmission... Kidding, but seriously, nothing points to the transmission being unreliable, it just doesn't drive how some think it should even though they drive just fine with the occasional clunk. It is an incredibly complex device that takes readings on so many levels it is impossible for it to have covered every possibly throttle position/oil temp/speed/grade/temperature/humidity/gas octane etc to never have an occasional issue. Drive it and enjoy it, they learn over time too. Most don't have any issues, you just hear about the select minority (very minority) that have had problems on the forums and it is only compounded by threads like this.

As far as the wants a bit more thing, that happens to every manufacturer at every price point; which is why it is comical when people say they spent such and such amount of money and deserve so and so in return. Someone says at 56k it should have come with this or done that, it does at 60k but then the person at 60k expects it should do this or come with that and so on. People are never satisfied and that is what is sad when those unsatisfactions turn in to unwarranted complaints. Something better will always come along, look at enjoying what you have and others don't...

Tyler

This is a really good assessment. I have an early 15' 6.2 8 speed with a little over 60k miles. It's tuned (engine and trans) and shifts better than stock, but cold it does weird stuff the 1st couple of minutes. Especially on the first pull away from a stop. Mainly shift weird sometimes at light throttle inputs. A clunk here or there. But (crossing fingers) no real issues to speak of other than what I described. Great through the gears under throttle. I had the fluid changed at 40k, and will do fluid and filter soon. The stock internals have handled twin turbos and blowers so it's really a strange low speed drivability issue that can be improved greatly but doesn't go away 100%. Does not "feel" analog like some of the other older GM trans, definitely not as predictable. But in some ways feels better than others at other times. From my personal experience once tuned on the street in the "real world" it blows doors on all other trucks including everything new you can think of and I live in a big city.,

I would not overlook buying the truck because the transmission, the magazines are not all the way truthful about the exceptional performance cause they have to keep the advertising dollars from dodge, toyota, and ford coming in.

TXGREEK · June 19, 2019

I havent seen it mentioned on here so I'll throw it out. Sorry if it's a repost. Chevy has two service bulletins out for the 8 speed. One is a software update for the hard shifts and the other is a fluid change for shutter. My dealership says it's always fixed the problems according to the feedback they've gotten. Maybe some of the complaints you read have already been addressed by Chevy but the customers dont know about it? My truck is in the shop right now being assessed for these fixes.

Just got my 2018 6.2 back from dealership for the same thing you’ve mentioned. Dealership went ahead and did the flush with new GM fluid just to make sure that it’ll run better, runs better already, still feels weird from a stop but nothing that’ll get it traded in for the Raptor lol

Sent from above

MrBullz · June 19, 2019

Coming from two (18 and 19) F-150s with the 10 speed, I have zero issues with the 8. Both the F-150s had transmission issues. The 18 was so bad Ford bought it back. That was why i bought the 5.3 with the 8 speed. I hope GM does a better job with the 10. I get the occasional lunge between first and second when it is cold but has improved the more I drive it. My truck only has 1200 miles and improves every day as it learns my driving style.

Wiggums · June 19, 2019

The loud thunk in the eight-speed may be unsettling but issues with it breaking seems to be minimal. And those who mentioned the thunking issues also mentioned it going away after 1,000 miles.

Mine is going down too.

bhales · June 30, 2019

my 2018 has 19,418 miles on it the hard shift from second to first started YESTERDAY! no other tranny isssues so far except the occasional clunk when i first leave the house when its cold. but this downshift fro 2nd to first coming to a red light is not acceptable feels like i get rear ended. going to the dealership tomorrow..there going to fix it or im trading it in on a 10spd or 2500 before the warranty is up

JimTX · July 3, 2019

If you drive with the truck in L8 it’s like a completely different truck. I think a lot of the problems are with cylinder deactivation and transmission tuning working together. Even braking is different with it in L8, presumably because it has all 8 cylinders worth of torque. Now every time I drive it’s in L8 and I like the truck. The transmission was seriously about to put me over the edge and I was considering going back to Ram. Now I think I’ll hang on for a bit and see what happens.

Hoopster3 · July 3, 2019

I got out of a 2017 Camaro SS A8, just because of this. The warranty was just about up and I wasn't going to be stuck with it. My problems came when I'd be on the road for 45 minutes or so and especially if it was hot out. The first time it happened it felt like a semi was passing by way too close and made the car "rumble" and not in a good way.

I took it to the dealer and of course they couldn't replicate. It happened several times, to the point I didn't even want to drive it anymore. I traded it and my Malibu in for the 10 speed Silverado 6.2. So glad to not have to worry about the A8 anymore. My problems didn't start until around 20k miles and I traded it in at 27k.

SuperDuper · July 4, 2019

I’m curious how common the shudder is for the 2019 models? I had a 16 Sierra that I had the fluid flushed in the transmission and it seemed to clear it right up. I’m in a 19 AT4 with the 8 speed with no issues yet. I’m guessing that since it is still an 8 speed I may still experience the shudder at some point, or would these come with the better fluid from the factory?

Snuff · July 4, 2019

On 7/3/2019 at 6:23 AM, JimTX said:

If you drive with the truck in L8 it’s like a completely different truck. I think a lot of the problems are with cylinder deactivation and transmission tuning working together. Even braking is different with it in L8, presumably because it has all 8 cylinders worth of torque. Now every time I drive it’s in L8 and I like the truck. The transmission was seriously about to put me over the edge and I was considering going back to Ram. Now I think I’ll hang on for a bit and see what happens.

My 2019 crew RST z71 standard bed is in transit and I hope to pick it II next week. Can you explain the L8 concept please? I have driven GM trucks forever but not familiar with this trick.

tinbad · July 6, 2019

I believe he means putting it in L (not D) and shifting manually with the buttons on the column shifter.

JimTX · July 6, 2019

If you put it in L8 you don’t have to shift at all, it just allows you to change the highest gear it’ll shift into. Put it in L8 and drive like you normally would. See if y’all can tell a difference or see if I’m crazy...I’m actually curious.

HondaHawkGT · July 6, 2019

On 7/4/2019 at 5:21 AM, SuperDuper said:

I’m curious how common the shudder is for the 2019 models? I had a 16 Sierra that I had the fluid flushed in the transmission and it seemed to clear it right up. I’m in a 19 AT4 with the 8 speed with no issues yet. I’m guessing that since it is still an 8 speed I may still experience the shudder at some point, or would these come with the better fluid from the factory?

The 8-speed shudder in older trucks was fixed. The shudder issue was being caused by the transmission fluid's coefficient of friction changing over time as it absorbed moisture. Exxon Mobil reformulated Dexron HP to address the moisture issue and the shudder should a problem of the past.