Transmission fix finally for 14-15 sierra silverado! WOOOOT!

[southern_sierra]

 

The complaint for most isn't smoothness. I agree with you there, it shifts as smooth as anything i've ever driven. Hell it's not noticeable most of the time. The problem or complaint rather is shift points, hunting for gears, trying to get to sixth as fast as possible, and just generally not making use of what the 5.3L is more than capable of.

Yep its all about fuel mileage and trying to keep the rpms down if you get into it she will get up and go. This is what trying to meet government mpg standards is doing for us. Its what it is only way to change it is to install a tune. As long as the trans will hold up I will be happy.

[DanMan_S]

I'm curious about why GM doesn't put a Sport mode option, alongside the tow/haul mode. The new F150's have this and it aggressively cranks up the transmission shift points and throttle response. That way we can have the best of both worlds.

 

Heck, the Corvettes get it. We just need some buttons on the dash for Eco, Tow, Winter, Sport, Redneck Burnout etc.

 

Actually, the more I think about it, I'm confused about why this isn't being done. Many of the auto manufacturers have their vehicles set up so that you can tune the behaviour of the throttle, transmission, suspension, etc, etc, etc. Subaru, Mercedes, Land Rover, BMW, Jeep, Dodge, etc. Heck, even do different key's like Dodge does with the Hellcats and Ford did with the Boss 302.

 

This way we can get an eco tune for aceing the EPA tests, but then once you drive off the lot, you can leave it set to whatever tune you want, without having to risk voiding your warranty.

[ember1205]

I've already said this... Agree completely.

[J-man67]

Yeah, I keep saying it but I'm just going to get blackbear involved. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love the truck. Just don't love the mpg saving (if it even does) tunes they want to use to keep the government happy. Trans should hold up to more power/less nannies. I believe the 6spd can hold well over what these engines put out.

[DanMan_S]

I've already said this... Agree completely.

 

Haha, sorry if I missed it, been skimming the thread.

 

But I test drove a Stingray and a F150 in the past month and having those options available was really freaking nice. Even for the AFM/DOD, only have it enable in Eco mode, then disable in the more aggressive settings, that way everyone is happy.

[Newell33]

I still don't buy that GM is successfully achieving their MPG goal based on the current tune for our trucks. I've driven vehicles that keep RPMs low, and immediate get to the lowest ratio gear possible for fuel mileage. This tune doesn't necessarily do that. It hunts, flairs, and sometimes keeps RPMs up for way too long during its confusion. Again, the tune is horrible, and If their goal was to get to the lowest ratio (highest gear) possible, then they still failed.

[EXSlider400]

Black Bear can keep your stock "eco" tune for everyday driving then have it so when you push the "tow/Haul" button it "hauls" booty and changes the shift points, throttle response, tm, etc.... or Jason can with the 07-13......unsure on the new ones...

 

kinda like flipping the safety off and ready to rock !!!

[DanMan_S]

Black Bear can keep your stock "eco" tune for everyday driving then have it so when you push the "tow/Haul" button it "hauls" booty and changes the shift points, throttle response, tm, etc.... or Jason can with the 07-13......unsure on the new ones...

 

kinda like flipping the safety off and ready to rock !!!

That's currently how my truck is tuned as well. Tow/haul mode is my performance mode.

[ember1205]

Anyone tried using Tow/Haul "all the time"? I wonder what that does to overall performance and mileage. I don't even use it when I tow mostly because I never have more than about 2200lbs connected.

[Trevor01]

My truck shifts not bad except fot the 150 rpm bounce. Seems to happen around 30-45 mph, but doesn't do it all the time.

[BOOMER119]

Can any of our fellow forum members working at a GM dealership verify if the "test tune" starting this whole thread actually exists?!?

[bobbobtar]

I agree with several other posters above - the truck is GREAT most of the time. But I drive a lot around town, and this constant high gear, low RPM and hesitation can drive me nuts sometimes.

 

I really think I am going to bite the bullet and spend $400 on the Diablo tuner. Thought about the RANGE but there just seems to be way to many problems with that, makes me nervous.

I have had the Ranger in my 2014 GMC Sierra 5.3L for about a month now, not one single code or light, will be selling it, went with BB Tune sent in the logs today.

[OmniGLH]

I've got about 4500 miles on my truck now and know what people are talking about. It is kind of strange because it doesn't happen all the time. Its like the truck needs a perfect storm of variables to line up just right to start acting funny. For me it is always at speeds between 5-30mph. Kind of feels like it doesn't know what to do. At worst it feels like the engine loses power or can't hook up, at best it feels like a disconnection between what I expect the power to be due to my foot placement versus what I'm feeling, quite awkward. The passenger would never know. It isn't about feel clunky, its more about expectations not being met.

 

I can't remember if I've posted in here before or not but I'm definitely not one of the big complainers... but I do notice oddness on occasion. This quoted text seems to be pretty darned accurate to what I see.

 

It's rare I can get it to act up, but when it does, it's definitely weird. And it's so infrequent, I can't put my finger down on what actually makes it happen. I'd like to be able to reproduce the issue before I complain to the dealer.

 

I have noticed that while towing, or if I drive it a little more aggressively, it shifts really nice, smooth, no hunting, no question marks. It seems like it's only when I'm driving kinda lazily that I'll find it feeling non-responsive, or like it's struggling to pick a gear.

[J-man67]

Exactly! I made an appt for Monday AM to drive with a tech and drive a truck with a gear ratio other then 3.73s. We'll see. Said he didn't have any other complaints but I drive a lot more then the average person and I'm very "in-tune" with my trucks.

[quicksilverc5]

I have never had a perfect GM product (and gosh I have had lots of them). My 15 Denali, while slow to shift in town seems fine, but could be better. However my 2010 Denali had a gremlin where it would magically go out of gear at random times, no codes, finally got lucky and it froze in 1st (though the whole time they said it was because I was driving conservatively (like a grandma...gas was 4.50 a gallon what do ya expect). GM came and took the transmission and gave me a new one at 10k miles. Still at times with foot to the floor it seemed to want permission to upshift to use those 403 ponies it had. The 15 does not behave that way at all. The only gm truck products where I had no issues with shifting is with the Yellow Z06 Corvette in the garage.....that's a manual (wish I could get one in the 15 Denali) (but I have had other gremlins to deal with in the vette too).

 

Its not just gm...

 

My acura had to have its transmission replaced

The Honda too (same problem when they went to v6s with the 6 speed)

My f150 had horrible driveshaft vibration

My Audi had peeling trim at the doors at 20K

1 had a POS ford probe that went through 2 turbos

My water pump failed on my toyota Tacoma

on and on....

 

The only cars that really worked were made before 1972.