ZF FWD/AWD 9 Speed Tranny...AGAIN!

[charbaby]

So, although I've never driven a vehicle with this particular transmission, we do hear much negative about it. I do know at least one person who does in fact own one and they've made no mention of any issues. And the complaints from those owners seems to be high even if the transmission itself isn't necessarily unreliable. Here is an explanation from AlexOnAutos(AoA) with the issues(or shifting pattern) with the ZF 9 spd transmission and how some of the reliability issues have been calculated. Not saying that there AREN'T some reliability issues with this ZF transmission as even the most reliable transmission(or engine) has some failures.

Starting at ~ 52:10 in the video, Alex explains this subject differently than I've ever heard it mentioned before.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0InAIOEh7M

 

[dwcopple]

amazing. The ZF 8 speed is the best trans out there

 

[mcrn]

Hey CB! Hope you are doing good! Check this out.....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7EMGnjEhmE

 

[charbaby]

Yeah, very cool. I haven't seen this episode(alex on answers) and I've been watching Alex for quite some time including during the time this episode aired. I missed it completely. I'll have to go back in time and reviews episodes that I may have missed over the years.

 

[Sunnyinhollister]

I can't speak to the reliability of the unit, but I can say the shifting leaves a lot to be desired. The programming is horrible. There are times you have to floor it just to get it to downshift to accelerate. In Sport mode it behaves much better, but the RPMs are kept higher when cruising.

 

[HemiBenny]

I have a 2015 Chrysler with the 9 speed purchased new in December of 2014 and I sit at just under 109,000 miles without issue. A month or two after buying the car, the dealership removed the software and installed the updated software to fix any hard shifting issues. This process took them half a day, after that they drove the car with a computer in it to monitor the shifting. The only thing that I don't care for is the fact that we have to come to a complete stop before it goes down from 3rd to 1st and stepping on it will create a hard shift from 3rd to 2nd. Other than that, there are no hard shifts during operation and it has somewhat trained me to avoid rolling stops at a stop sign. The wide range of gears allows it to be in an appropriate gear for any given situation and the car never seems to be "searching" either. It does a fine job of being where it needs to be.
Now, am I the exception to the rule? I don't know, but I can only speak to my experience with the ZF 9. I will say that the dealership that my wife and I purchased the car from is an excellent dealership and they made sure that the car was doing what it was supposed to with the new software. We are very happy with ours.

 

[AC1DD]

Originally Posted by dwcopple
amazing. The ZF 8 speed is the best trans out there

Yes. The difference between the ZF 8 and ZF 9 is literally night and day. The 9 is a turd.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by AC1DD
Originally Posted by dwcopple
amazing. The ZF 8 speed is the best trans out there

Yes. The difference between the ZF 8 and ZF 9 is literally night and day. The 9 is a turd.

Depends what it is made for and what is price of unit.
Do not forget, Getrag makes dual clutch for Ferrari and BMW, and then also for Ford (the one with numerous problems).
But yes, nothing for a long time can touch ZF8. That transmission is in its own league.

 

[Skippy722]

I was incredibly leery about it, which is why we went with the Grand Caravan over a Pacifica.

But I agree with the 8 speed being phenomenal. I love love love mine.

 

[charbaby]

As most of us know:
The ZF 9 speed is a FWD-AWD transmission
The ZF 8 speed is a RWD-AWD transmission

So ZF makes some really good automatic transmissions and one DUD!
It's really too bad because the companies using this ZF 9 spd are still under contract with ZF til it runs out and each company has done several reprogramming updates to get the transmission where it is currently. And that's about as good as they're going to get it. Oh, maybe they all can work more on it with reprogramming and with ZF to make some mod but, they're not going to. I think the car companies contract w/ZF is coming to a close soon anyway.

 

[SoNic67]

This is a great example of "better" is the enemy of "good". Why in the world would they decided to add a 9th speed? Even 8 speed is on the side of minuscule improvements when coming from a 6 speed transmission.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by Char Baby
As most of us know:
The ZF 9 speed is a FWD-AWD transmission
The ZF 8 speed is a RWD-AWD transmission

So ZF makes some really good automatic transmissions and one DUD!
It's really too bad because the companies using this ZF 9 spd are still under contract with ZF til it runs out and each company has done several reprogramming updates to get the transmission where it is currently. And that's about as good as they're going to get it. Oh, maybe they all can work more on it with reprogramming and with ZF to make some mod but, they're not going to. I think the car companies contract w/ZF is coming to a close soon anyway.

Yeah we know applications of ZF8 and 9.
Take into consideration that this is one of those things: you get what you pay for it.

 

[AC1DD]

Originally Posted by SoNic67
This is a great example of "better" is the enemy of "good". Why in the world would they decided to add a 9th speed? Even 8 speed is on the side of minuscule improvements when coming from a 6 speed transmission.


Indeed, more complexity and complication eventually results in negative results overall and raises cost too. The car companies REFUSE to accept this fact.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by AC1DD
Originally Posted by SoNic67
This is a great example of "better" is the enemy of "good". Why in the world would they decided to add a 9th speed? Even 8 speed is on the side of minuscule improvements when coming from a 6 speed transmission.


Indeed, more complexity and complication eventually results in negative results overall and raises cost too. The car companies REFUSE to accept this fact.

ZF said few years back they are done with gear increases. 8 speed suppose to be last transmission for personal vehicles. To me this 9 speed looks like afterthought for ZF. Though, it depends a lot on vehicle manufacturers how they program transmission. BMW in their transverse applications use Aisin 8 speed transmission, and it works in such a way like it is from another planet compared to Toyota and similar vehicles.

 

[Kira]

"BMW in their transverse applications use Aisin 8 speed transmission, and it works in such a way like it is from another planet compared to Toyota and similar vehicles."

Is that good or bad?