descartesfool

I'm happy to pay. Not expecting anything for free. But they need to start making upgrade parts available. So far each time I go to the track my car has a failure and needs to go to the dealer, so I ab=void the track with my Z51. I am off to the dealer with my Corvette this morning due to failure from overheating last time on track. How much fun is that? If GM does not come up with a fix, I will have to sell the car and get something actually track worthy.

Boebis

All this talk is from/about you A8 guys. I'm having the same issues with my A6 (surprising...I know), but hope that when a fix is in place, it is rearward looking and captures the 2014 A6 as well.

5thGear

I guess the issue is that we (A8 owners) understood that the A8 is a performance transmission meant for performance driving and fast shift times. Its seems like there are a lot more A8 owners that track their cars than A6. Hopefully what ever the fix is on the A8 can also be applied to the A6. One member was able to have GM trade his A6 for a manual MSRP to MSRP due to A6 overheating. Maybe you can do the same. Also, if you decide to do this on your own, LG motorsport has a fix for the A6 overheating that they developed on their own A6 race C7. I cant tell you that its not cheap.

5thGear

Here is what I gathered through my research, with the new design it was required to reduce the size of the transmission to fit in the available space. It also needed to accommodate two more gears, thus decreasing the amount of fluid space in the transmission. What is happening, the transmission gets up to peak temperature quickly during performance driving and then because the fluid is so thin, it causes torque converter slip which spikes the temperature even more and sends it into limp mode. This will also lead to overall decreased performance. You will notice that shift times become slow as the session goes on and eventually the transmission will clunk into the next gear.

Issue with current transmission cooling
-one undersized thin / cooler
-No direct efficient air flow to the cooler
-Transmission is surrounded with hot exhaust pipes
-Not enough space to accommodate more transmission fluid

solution:
-Larger cooler to set upfront with enough capacity to cool the fluid. These are available in the market such as Setrab. The problem the dealer might void the warranty if the cooling is upgraded. That's why we are pushing for GM to address the issue to insure that no one will lose their warranty if they upgrade the cooling system on the transmission since its proven that the current cooler is not doing the job. The also need share some of the cost as minimum since such work will cost at least $2500.

Jrider

I would encourage you all to take a few simple steps to make your complaint known officially. I am told by GM District folks, this gets their attention.

1. Call GM Customer support and open a case at 866-636-2273 or websitehttp://www.gm.com/content/gmcom/home/lemon-law-warranty-concerns.html?

2. They will involve your local dealer who has access to the Regional district manager who has access to engineering and can run it up the flagpole within GM.

3. Provide your dealer with written explanation in an email of what you are experiencing along with PDR Cosworth tool proof if you have it.

4. They will likely ask you to bring the car in to open a service request at the dealer.

GM has a process and although it won't be fast, it is worth it.

I have followed this and it is in process. I got contacted by local Cust Service person after GM contacted them. They involved their Service director where I provided the written explanation and proof. This then resulted in a same day call to District Regional Service manager who was given all the info. He then reportrd he would be escalating through his channels to engineering to request a solution. Next week there is a gathering wher the Dist Mgr will be with Tadge and engineering team so we will see what info comes back. The dealer also requested I bring the car to them so they can create an official service ticket in their system to be escalated to GM and referenced by Dist Mgr along with my GM case.

The way the fixes work is that GM designs a solution, packages it, issues an official service bulletin to dealers that explains what to do.

Everyone I talked to agreed that this is something GM should fix, but I say no guarantee. It looks like a black mark for Tadges team to management and there are only a percentage of people who track their cars. I have been monitoring trans temps for weeks. My trans temps run normal around 150 to 160 degrees in ambient 75 to 85 degrees. My PDR/Cosworth shows temperatures escalate rapidly from 150 to 279 in light track duty at Mid-Ohio.

So, please help us all and take action officially.

C7Z51

I am currently in the same process as you, currently waiting for an answer from the District Manager.

Jrider

C7Z51,
That is excellent, keep us posted on your progress.

I met Tadge in April at the Corvette bash and we had a 5 minute conversation. I walked away from that with a good feeling about Tadge personally. I believe he sincerely cares about his customers and wants to do the best for them. But, he lives in corporate America where sometimes "Doing the Right thing" is hard to get done. I believe his intentions are good, but the wheels turn slowly and sometimes they just stop. Reasons for stoppages vary between liability, public scrutiny, costs, risk, and even politics (can you believe that?).

By the way, I see that most votes are to ask Tadge the question regarding solving this...that is the right move!

5thGear

I did this and received below reply from the service manager at the dealership:

"Ali, I have spoken with the Corvette Brand Quality Manager about your email and they are aware of that issue. He said that he will get in contact with the District Manager to speak to you"

SEE7 Z51

+1

Thanks for the great post!

Harris

Just curious, has the question been submitted?

5thGear

The answer is yes. I was pleasantly surprised with how many A8 owners had voted for the question.

JVP will know more but I assume we should have an answer from Tadge within couple of weeks.

Jrider

I believe there is something going on in Las Vegas where a lot of the Corvette team is this week or next. Coincidentally, I am headed to Spring Mountain for the Corvette Track training. I requested an A8 auto to use and they said they would accomodate that. I will see what there experience is and hopefully they will let me use the PDR to gather my own info. I will nose around.

GM contacted me today to confirm they are continuing to work on the case. I am taking my car in this week to dealer to open an official service ticket as outlined in my previous post.

It would be great if everyone that voted for the question to Tadge would open a case with GM so they officially know who is having the issue and requesting a fix.

5thGear

I will be calling GM tomorrow to file a formal complaint. The dealer told me that the district manager will contact me and then nothing happened.

Jrider

Good plan. When you get the case setup, GM Customer service will give you a case number and assign a Customer Service rep to your case and you will get their phone number. The case worker will then start working with the dealer for resolution. Do not let the dealer close that case until you have a solution. Then call your dealer and talk to their Customer Service/Satisfaction person (each dealer has to have someone assigned to this role). They should bring in Service manager and ultimately the District manager if they cannot address the issue directly. Ask to speak or meet directly with the District guy, best would be face to face with dealer service manager.

The important point is that the district guy can get to Tadges engineering people for a solution. By more of us doing this, GM will understand clearly our expectations and that is not going away. This is how their system seems to work, so that is how it should be handled.

Keep us posted!

Harris

Great, thanks!

5thGear

I called GM and opened a case. They provided me a case number and said that I will receive a call shortly from district office.

Jrider

Today it was back to dealer to create an official ticket in dealers system and to reference the GM case number. This completes the initial stages of documentation and making sure I am on record with both GM customer service and the Dealer / District manager.

I don't expect to hear anything until I get back from Spring Mountain in a week or two.

But while I am at Spring Mountain, I hope to gather more data.

Dale760

I am new to my C7 like yours and was planning on tracking my car. I was also a service manager many years in the motorcycle industry before starting my own performance parts company, and know about customer service . For now I will just auto cross it, and make a few passes at the strip, then wait to see if Chevy comes up with a fix. But I'm with you and others, this is BS on a car I waited 6 months to get and bought two weeks ago $$$$ . This should be a recall upgrade for all 2015 Z51 A8 owners when GM figures it out. We will need to stick together if they don't take care of this and demand they take care of this for 2015 owners. What ever it takes .......... meanwhile we are screwed and have to play the waiting game or void the warranty if updated, not to mention the chance of trans damage when over heated a few times.

Dale

C7Z51

My transmission already started leaking and this was the third time I took it to the track

Dale760

It can be fixed by keeping the temp down for sure and they know it. They should retrofit the 2016 update to our cars at least at a discount program through a Chevy dealers.

I went through something like this a few times. Back in late 2001 the Suzuki Bandit 1200 motor started to drink a quart of oil every 600 miles. They drug their feet with band aid solutions , valve guide seals , engine breather issue, blah blah. Customer had to take the bike to a dealer , then document mileage and bring it back to check the oil level.

All a complete waste of time over about a year or more

Since Im a engine builder / tuner and specialized in those bikes that came out in 1997, I pulled a 2001 engine down to inspect.

Bingo ! Some ding dong in Japan programed the CNC machine wrong at ART piston and the lower oil ring land holes where half way exposed above the rings.

Over time they ring lands would get clogged up , stick the rings then they would smoke and burn oil.

I contacted US Suzuki, who know me since Ive had a few of my project bikes in the factory booth at bike shows and sent them a piston. Finally Suzuki did the right thing but did not do a recall, they put out a service bulletin to dealers about the problem with bikes VIN numbers that where effected. 2001-and most 2002 models

They offered all the parts from a 97-00 model, pistons , rings and gaskets, but the customer paid the labor

GM needs to do something similar and nip this in the but, or it wont be pretty as far as PR and law suites in the near future

Cheers Dale