2019 Chevy Malibu CVT having issues

[JimPghPA]

Amsoil makes a CVT tramy fluid that is supposed to have higher concentrations of whatever the good stuf is for CVT's.

If no warranty, maybe a filter change and drain and fill with amsoil CVT fluid, drive it a few hundred miles to mix with the old fluid that did not get out, and then another drain and fill with amsoil CVT. The torque-converter will hold a lot of the old fluid, so a second drain and fill will help remove a lot of that.

^ Not a guaranted fix, but maybe best shot at it.

 

[buster]

It's likely that CVT fluid should be changed more often than what is suggested. Although I haven't really seen any proof through UOA etc. that the fluid was the issue.

Amsoil does give you this:

 

[JimPghPA]

Some CVT's have 2 filters.

 

[R18Civic]

Service writers are known to go to the big ticket fix. What about your trusted cheap indie mech? Hope the limited powertrain warranty works out for you.

I really don't think it's the transmisson. The issue doesn't always occur and if it does I can park the car overnight and the issue will resolve itself.

 

[RF Overlord]

If this is going to cost you out of pocket then absolutely get a second opinion.

 

[R18Civic]

Yeah the dealer says they changed the fluid and it had metal chunks and clutch material.

 

[Silverado12]

Have you tried using premium gas and cleaning the MAF sensor? There is a special spray can cleaner for them you can get at the parts store. Install a fresh, name brand air filter too.

 

[R18Civic]

They said they hooked it up to a computer and saw quite a bit of slippage, took a fluid sample and it had flakes and clutch material in it. Drove it 20 miles back home as per the service writers under 2k rpm rule and it made it just fine.

The hard part is going to be getting the dealer that sold it to me to honor the limited lifetime powertrain warranty. I've only put 3700 on it since I bought it in November.

 

[dogememe]

They said they hooked it up to a computer and saw quite a bit of slippage, took a fluid sample and it had flakes and clutch material in it. Drove it 20 miles back home as per the service writers under 2k rpm rule and it made it just fine.

The hard part is going to be getting the dealer that sold it to me to honor the limited lifetime powertrain warranty. I've only put 3700 on it since I bought it in November.

Oof, sorry to hear that. I thought I had heard these GM CVTs were actually decent. May the warranty help you, keep us updated

 

[R18Civic]

Oof, sorry to hear that. I thought I had heard these GM CVTs were actually decent. May the warranty help you, keep us updated

Will do.

 

[JimPghPA]

Oof, sorry to hear that. I thought I had heard these GM CVTs were actually decent. May the warranty help you, keep us updated

GM does not make CVT tranys. They buy them from JATCO. JATCO builds them to the specifications of the vehicle maker.

General rule of thumb for CVT transmissions is to change the fluid often. Toyota and Honda make good CVT's. Subaru and JATCO, are not as good.

 

[JTK]

GM does not make CVT tranys. They buy them from JATCO. JATCO builds them to the specifications of the vehicle maker.

General rule of thumb for CVT transmissions is to change the fluid often. Toyota and Honda make good CVT's. Subaru and JATCO, are not as good.

Is GM using Jatco units? I wondered about that.. I thought the GM CVTs didn't have a lower pan. All Jatcos have a lower pan you can drop.

Any metal found in the drained oil is pending doom for sure. Any scuffs on the belt sheaves just leads to an exponential wear rate to the point of total failure.

 

[wemay]

Is GM using Jatco units? I wondered about that.. I thought the GM CVTs didn't have a lower pan. All Jatcos have a lower pan you can drop.

Any metal found in the drained oil is pending doom for sure. Any scuffs on the belt sheaves just leads to an exponential wear rate to the point of total failure.

From everything i've read, it's an inhouse GM unit. It's called the VT40 and has been very reliable.
OP, sorry to read what they found in yours. I hope the selling dealer does right by you.

 

[JTK]

From everything i've read, it's an inhouse GM unit. It's called the VT40 and has been very reliable.
OP, sorry to read what they found in yours. I hope the selling dealer does right by you.

I looked the GM VT40 up on the Google machine. It looks way more GM than Jatco per the design of the case and it's serviceability, plus it uses a chain instead of a belt, which I thought was interesting.

 

[JTK]

I'm worried. Must purchased this car 3 months ago.

Today I experience some rubber banding in the CVT before the transmission really started blogging down. Foot down between 1/2 and 3/4 of the way down, engine revs up to 4k before it slowly accelerates off.

No idea what to check or look for.

I do have warranty, hard part will be getting then to honor it.

Sorry if I missed it in here, but do you live where there's cold winters? The GM 1.5T's can suffer from the charge air coolers freezing up. If you do lots of short trips, condensation from the PCV system will collect in the CAC because it's the lowest point in the system. It can freeze and partially plug the CAC causing issues, sometimes w/out setting codes.

 

[R18Civic]

Sorry if I missed it in here, but do you live where there's cold winters? The GM 1.5T's can suffer from the charge air coolers freezing up. If you do lots of short trips, condensation from the PCV system will collect in the CAC because it's the lowest point in the system. It can freeze and partially plug the CAC causing issues, sometimes w/out setting codes.

We just had a cold winter with multiple small snowstorms. I'm going to choc this one up to neglect on the previous owners part and also possibly being sold a lemon. everyone I talk to says this dealer is crooked. Bottom line is I've put less than 4k on the car since purchase and I never had my first oil change.

 

[R18Civic]

Well I'm not familiar with how dealerships work, but it looks like they might honor the warranty.

We called, explained the problem via the diagnostic paperwork from the other dealer, brought up the warranty and they said bring it on Wednesday and that I had to pay $100 deductible.

 

[nascarnation]

GM does not make CVT tranys. They buy them from JATCO. JATCO builds them to the specifications of the vehicle maker.

General rule of thumb for CVT transmissions is to change the fluid often. Toyota and Honda make good CVT's. Subaru and JATCO, are not as good.

That's incorrect.
The VT40 is a GM design and manufactured in a GM plant in Ramos Arizpe Mexico.

 

[JimPghPA]

That's incorrect.
The VT40 is a GM design and manufactured in a GM plant in Ramos Arizpe Mexico.

Thanks for the information. I did not know that.

 

[R18Civic]

Alright I'm feeling better and better about this. I just re-read the diagnostic report and they're blaming the issue on faulty TCC.