davanz

I know many are getting tired of A8 questions but I'll ask anyway.
My car is a 2016 with a build date of July 2015. The issue I am still having is the slipping/abrupt shift into 2nd gear the first time of each drive. It's as if a hydraulic clutch control valve bleeds down as the car sits for a while and the valve has to be reprimed or the air purged out of it at the first shift. After the first shift of each drive it works fine. By experimenting I have found that it is not temperature related. Nor do I think that this is associated with the torque converter/shudder issue. Does anyone know what is actually going on in the transmission hardware or controls that causes this and does it ever clear up? My dealer service man says just to be patient and keep putting miles on it, but I am about to believe this is something that is not going to clear up on it's on. Any more knowledge out there?

SpeedUp

I have the exact same behavior your describing with my 2016 z51 mfg july 2015. Vin is 1G1YM3D79G5103388

3980 miles

Red C8 of Jax

Not a TC problem, maybe your tranny is learning your driving habits. I would drive it like I stole it for a while and see what happens. It will either get better or worse. When I first got my car (A8) it would hold in first when cold and dump into 2nd. After several months it corrected itself and continues to shift fine and I now have 23K on the car.

Squeaky Wheel

I've noticed that on mine a few times, but only on the first shift of the day when the engine is cold and if I crawl away after slipping it into gear. If I allow the car to warm up for about a minute, then accelerate at a normal rate, it never happens. And its always with just that first shift. It's not terribly abrupt, just noticeable, and I don't really consider it a problem.

Spice red Ed

I suspect it is normal, my build date December 2015, 7800 miles does the same thing but only on the first shift into second gear after that it shifts normally. The first startup after sitting overnight it knocks when shifting from park to reverse but If I let it run for maybe a minute it will shift into reverse without the knock. Other than those two items, it works great.

corvette-22

Well let me tell you I have a 2017 and I still have THAT 1 to 2 abrupt shift pause/bang first thing out of the barn. I in fact brace for it because I know it's coming. Once warm the turd shifts fine.

davanz

Evidently my issue with this is not all that rare. Please keep the replies coming.

JonMN

Greetings from Minnesota. Just my thoughts on this. I had the hard shift on 1-2 for a while, then I "trained" it out. Here is my history:
1. Purchased the car and had no problem with the 1-2.
2. Read about hard 1-2 shifts, so decided I should drive very conservatively for a while before the first 1-2 shift. This made it WAY worse.
3. Reverted to simply driving off normally. For me, with normal acceleration (nothing fast) I shift 1-2 at about 100 feet out of the drive. 1-2 went back to normal.


So unless you also have other symptoms like RPM fluctuation, delayed engagement, etc. you might not have a mechanical problem.
[PS: I have never had a manual transmission that shifted the same cold and warm either.]
[PSS: Hate winter in MN]

joemessman

Let me share my experience with my build of Oct 2015. I have never had any of the described issues with mine. I can start it up and immediately shift in reverse and smooth as silk. That rough business between first and second and vice versa, never had it. And I might add, I just drive the Bajezus out of this rig.
I'm not sharing this to make folks with the problem angry. I just wanted to indicate it is not normal so you can proceed accordingly.

Rebel Yell

Ummmm, maybe it's yours that's not normal Joe.

BTW OP, my 03/16 build has been fine as an GM A8 goes. But, that's not to say it doesn't have it's quirks.

obxchartercaptain

I only have the slipping part.....mine also is a july 2015 build on a 2016 Z51. There is a TSB on our problem. They need to remove the Tranny...open it up and replace the SINGLE check valve with a DOUBLE. After going to Stingray Chevy and seeing all the trannies on the floor with parts all over I decided to wait and maybe do something before my warranty is up. In the meantime, after I start the car I shift from Park to reverse then to drive and back to reverse and it moves just fine out of my garage. Also.....it doesn't do it all the time. I have no other problems with the transmission other than that. Also, It only happens after it sits over night.....I have 7000 miles on it now.

Eff A Ford

It's the car telling you to drive it like it's supposed to be driven and not like a wimp.

obxchartercaptain

That can hardly be the case with me.....On the way home from the Museum I had it up to 170+ a few times .... have had it to the strip a few times....and when I'm at a light....I am ALWAYS looking. NOPE, I drive it like it was meant to be driven for sure. Like I said in my post...the only problem I have is after it sits over night.....it doesn't move until the fluid pressure builds up. I'm guessing "fluid Build up" because I go back and forth from D to R and it is fine or let it idle for 30 seconds. And, it doesn't do it all the time.

rmorin1249

My 2016 is a late June 2015 build and I had the hard 1-2 shift along with some other issues. I had my TC and stator support replaced and I still have the rough 1-2 shift when the car is cold. It goes away once it is warmed up. I don't know for sure that my car has the double check valve or not. Perhaps this was done at the same time as the TC. If this is your only problem with your tranny, I would live with it but you may well develop other issues and end up needing a new TC. Good luck.

blynch67

Nothing makes the older Vetts more appealing than the newer Vetts :lol

iclick

First, I disagree with those who suggest that you need to "stop driving like a wimp" and "drive like you stole it." We're talking about the first shift out of the driveway when cold and at that time the car should be driven moderately, even lightly, until normal operating temperature is attained--or at least until the tach shows its full range. (JMHO)

Second, my 12/18/14 build has always had the same issue. While researching that and other A8 issues for that past 18 months I think most complaints on the first cold shift is that it is too hard, not too soft. My driveway is long and I always get into 2nd gear before I hit the street. That shift is always sloppy though not what I would call a "flare." About a year ago I did a TCM software update (#14876) with "fast-learn" procedure and the sloppy 1>2 cold upshift improved somewhat. Today I don't even notice it, and if you haven't done that I would go ahead with it if your car qualifies--i.e., it doesn't already have that or a more current software version installed.

DAWS C5

Check out TSB #16-NA-014. Google it. Covers 2015-16 Corvette. Also applies to the first 1-2 shift you are experiencing.

corvette-22

My 2017 is doing it so don't expect any TSB from the prior year to fix anything.

joemessman

It will apply to yours too. Take my word for it. Don't put up with it. Make them fix it. Depending on where you take it, it probably won't be a battle to get it fixed. I had a discussion with a certain service manager I know personally and he indicated to me that the TSB #16-NA-014 will roll up to yours too.

corvette-22

GM sucks!