In the mornings when I leave the house, or after work, when the car has set for several hours, when the car shifts from 3rd to 4th I feel a really hard shift. It almost feels like a slip in the transmission. I have talked to the dealer and of course it doesnt do it when they drive it, but they said that if the transmission fluid temp drops below freezing it can shift hard untill it reaches a warmer temp. I bought this untill we had a 65 degree day the other day and it still shifts hard.

It only does it 1 or 2 times a day usually when the car has set overnight or for several hours. Any idea? I am only about 1,200 miles away from running out of warranty and would like to get something done before then.:confused::confused::confused:

Thanks

Park it at the dealers in the evening and let them try it the following morning.

That is what I did, But the day they looked at it, it didnt shift hard. Go figure.

That is what I did, But the day they looked at it, it didnt shift hard. Go figure.

Next step...try to arrange your time so it can sit there overnight and then YOU drive it with a service tech on board, to show them. Unless that's what you've already done, sometimes what you think sounds or feels like something, they don't.

Might also help, if possible, to drive another like yours and see if it does the same thing in the same conditions. If the dealer is worthy, they should be helpful in figuring this out with you.

Hopefully (well, not hopefully...but) someone else here may have had something similar as well, but gotten a better resolve, in addition.

When cold (that doesn't necessarily mean the temp outside is overly cold...but that the fluid is yet to be drive heated), a transmission is often programmed to hold gears a touch longer and/or shift more firmly which helps to warm it up. That's terrible wording, I know, but I've seen it remarked on before elsewhere. Not that it's your problem, but a thought.

If it is "normal operation" than I am ok with it. BUT if its just the begining stages of something bad to come, I wonder if the dealership would make good on it, since I made them aware of the problem BEFORE the waranty expired? That hard thing would be to prove that what I was feeling caused the problem. Hopfully I will not have any problems.


I never have thought the the transmission in the sts was that great. Its not that smooth and when you let of the gas at highway speeds it feels like it down shifts. Seems like for a 60k+ Car you would not ever feel the tranny shift. Just my thoughts....

That down shift while on the highway is normal. GM did this as to be like a euro car. BMW, MB etc. I am not a big fan of that myself. I could see maybe with an overdrive off button, but my 1 TON diesel coasted better on the highway and got better fuel mileage than this STS. I was hoping for a code update at some point, but I will not hold my breath. I changed my tranny fluid at 25K and put in the new Dex VI fluid, but on some cold mornings, the shift is a bit firm until warmed up. Your tranny could be a bit low on fluid, but to check the level is a major pain in the butt. ( already have a thread on that one. ) I doubt that they would even try to check that.

That down shift while on the highway is normal. GM did this as to be like a euro car. BMW, MB etc. I am not a big fan of that myself. I could see maybe with an overdrive off button, but my 1 TON diesel coasted better on the highway and got better fuel mileage than this STS. I was hoping for a code update at some point, but I will not hold my breath. I changed my tranny fluid at 25K and put in the new Dex VI fluid, but on some cold mornings, the shift is a bit firm until warmed up. Your tranny could be a bit low on fluid, but to check the level is a major pain in the butt. ( already have a thread on that one. ) I doubt that they would even try to check that.

Would you mind pasting the link to your thread on that?? :)

Maybe the red die is wearing out eh ? :bigroll:

http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/cadillac-sts-forum-2005-through-2010/118887-anybody-change-fluid-3.html