3.3T Jerky auto transmission (hard downshifts while braking)

[LoLaWy]

I’m having an issue with my transmission, started to notice it since the car had about 20000 km on the clock (car now has 52000 km)

the car doesn’t smoothly downshifts during normal soft braking or in stop and go traffic or at a traffic light
The downshifts are very noticeable and that makes the braking experience unpleasant. Especially when I’m braking very softly, the car brakes very soft (brakes) then it suddenly brakes harder (transmission) then brakes softly again (brakes) then harder again (transmission).
this isn’t something that I’ve experienced in any other car.
the closest other car that does that is my 2018 G80 3.8L but it’s much smoother.

recently I’m experiencing jerky downshifts more often (the downshifts are harder and with a slight noise, sometimes louder) .. I’m not having fun with the car anymore

car modifications: Ark GT-F springs, spacers, wider tyres front and rear (20mm) on stock sport rims (245/40/19 front .. 275/35/19 rear)

the shift points are a little bit different (says other G70 and stinger owners who test drove my car) but this could be due to the fact that I’m running fatter tyres >> bit taller side wall
But this one doesn’t really bother me and it’s still very smooth

could someone suggest a fix for these hard downshifts?
the dealer claims he checked it and it’s normal and he also claims he did a software upgrade to the transmission control module .. but that obviously didn’t help
I know if I keep going to the dealer about it he would blame it on the Tyre size

I had this problem even with stock tyres (tyres changed at 40000 km) .. did try to run the stock tyre size now and that didn’t help also >> so maybe the tyres aren’t the problem here (only transmission effect tyre diameter have is on the final drive ratio)

I’m still hopeful this could be solved through software.. any help or advice?

thank you

 

[Aquineas]

I don't know about Canada and if you have an LSD or not, but in the US, I believe there's LSD maintenance due at 36,000 miles on HTRAC models. I am not suggesting this is related, but it might be worth checking out.

 

[joschneider]

You’re not the first to notice it. I’m on one older thread on here about the same issue, and I know of several threads on the stinger forums.
Unfortunately there doesn’t seem to be a fix. My dealer also said it’s normal. I’ll be selling my car in the next year or two because of this transmission behavior. Usually keep my cars longer but this is just ridiculous

Edit: found a thread Transmission issue

 

[Aquineas]

You’re not the first to notice it. I’m on one older thread on here about the same issue, and I know of several threads on the stinger forums.
Unfortunately there doesn’t seem to be a fix. My dealer also said it’s normal. I’ll be selling my car in the next year or two because of this transmission behavior. Usually keep my cars longer but this is just ridiculous

Edit: found a thread Transmission issue

That sucks.

 

[Bill in Alexandria]

My 2018 G80 is doing it as well. Sooooo annoying! Seems to ease when it warms up, but the first 15 minutes of driving it occurs, and my commute to work is...15 minutes.

I was hoping that there would be a software upgrade to make it go away. It's still under warranty.

 

[LoLaWy]

You’re not the first to notice it. I’m on one older thread on here about the same issue, and I know of several threads on the stinger forums.
Unfortunately there doesn’t seem to be a fix. My dealer also said it’s normal. I’ll be selling my car in the next year or two because of this transmission behavior. Usually keep my cars longer but this is just ridiculous

Edit: found a thread Transmission issue

Feels good not be alone
I can’t blame you for getting rid of the car after having to deal with this transmission everyday

I might do that as well at one point .. it’s sad because the problem should be easily sorted out through software (if they want to help you)

we need to beginn a recall for this

 

[LoLaWy]

My 2018 G80 is doing it as well. Sooooo annoying! Seems to ease when it warms up, but the first 15 minutes of driving it occurs, and my commute to work is...15 minutes.

I was hoping that there would be a software upgrade to make it go away. It's still under warranty.

You’re right .. the first 15 minutes are the worst!
Even though it doesn’t get below 37 degrees Celsius where I live (so it’s not exactly cold)

 

[tarhoosier]

It never goes below 98º F where you live?!

Edit: You mean your ENGINE never goes below that temperature?

 

[Bill in Alexandria]

Since it only happens during warm up, I wonder if a software patch would even work. And my car is under warranty, so maybe a transmission change is in order...

 

[joschneider]

Since it only happens during warm up, I wonder if a software patch would even work. And my car is under warranty, so maybe a transmission change is in order...

You have to get them to acknowledge it’s a problem first. That’s the roadblock I’m running against. No way it’s happening to everyone, because this harshness can’t be ignored and would have been talked about in every review

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[Bill in Alexandria]

When I first bought my car (with 24k miles on it), I brought it to the dealer and had them check it tip to tail (including making sure it was never in an accident) and they found a leaking water pump which they replaced. But I SPECIFICALLY brought up the strange downshifting, and they brushed it off, and said "everything is fine" so I ended up buying it. If I had a 45 minute drive to work, at least the remaining 2 thirds of the trip would be smooth, but it's a 15 minute stop and go trip where it occurs at EVERY light. (Maybe it would be less noticeable if I didn't focus on it, but it's a NEW car for me and I want it to be nice...)

 

[LoLaWy]

When I first bought my car (with 24k miles on it), I brought it to the dealer and had them check it tip to tail (including making sure it was never in an accident) and they found a leaking water pump which they replaced. But I SPECIFICALLY brought up the strange downshifting, and they brushed it off, and said "everything is fine" so I ended up buying it. If I had a 45 minute drive to work, at least the remaining 2 thirds of the trip would be smooth, but it's a 15 minute stop and go trip where it occurs at EVERY light. (Maybe it would be less noticeable if I didn't focus on it, but it's a NEW car for me and I want it to be nice...)

Hard not to notice it .. I feel pain every time it downshifts .. feels like the transmission is getting destroyed

 

[Bhavie]

I've had this happen on occasion as well - once a month or so. Happens even if the car is warmed (after 30 minutes of driving). Really hard downshifts and always happens twice, from 3>2 and 2>1. I also noticed it happens 2-3 times consecutively, and then goes back to being smooth. Strangely it hasn't happened since the temps have dropped.

At first I thought it was a mechanical issue but now it kind of seems too controlled to be mechanical. It's definitely a problem, just don't know what's causing it.

Question: For those that are experiencing it, 3.3 or 2.0? I know the tranny's are the same but still worth determining. Also, ISG on or off?

 

[LoLaWy]

I've had this happen on occasion as well - once a month or so. Happens even if the car is warmed (after 30 minutes of driving). Really hard downshifts and always happens twice, from 3>2 and 2>1. I also noticed it happens 2-3 times consecutively, and then goes back to being smooth. Strangely it hasn't happened since the temps have dropped.

At first I thought it was a mechanical issue but now it kind of seems too controlled to be mechanical. It's definitely a problem, just don't know what's causing it.

Happens to me constantly when the car is cold in the morning (37 Celsius) .. still happens occasionally when the car is warm (44 Celsius outside!)

Even our middle eastern weather can’t save me from this

 

[Bhavie]

Happens to me constantly when the car is cold in the morning (37 Celsius) .. still happens occasionally when the car is warm (44 Celsius outside!)

Even our middle eastern whether can’t save me from this

@tarhoosier he does mean temperature wow.

So yea that shows it's not just caused by a cold engine/transmission. Definitely something else going on.

 

[Bhavie]

Hmm I just remembered that after the last time it happened I turned off coasting. It hasn't happened since.

The hard downshifts occurred in both comfort/sport so not while the car was coasting or anything. But who knows, maybe the setting bugs up the tranny software in some way.

Worth a try.

 

[joschneider]

For me: coasting off in settings, no ISG on my 3.3, and no auto hold ever used. It’s been this way since I first noticed it. And this issue has gaslighted me so much that I don’t know if it was always this way or if one day it just started. I know I didn’t notice it on any of my test drives of other color/trim combos at the time. However for me the issue goes away 95% when the trans is up to temp so it’s possible my test drives were not cold starts and had been warmed up and idling

 

[joegr]

Happens to me constantly when the car is cold in the morning (37 Celsius) .. still happens occasionally when the car is warm (44 Celsius outside!)

Even our middle eastern whether can’t save me from this

It gets pretty warm here, and rarely goes below freezing, but I would never call 99 degrees (F) cold. Your humidity must be very low?

 

[LoLaWy]

It gets pretty warm here, and rarely goes below freezing, but I would never call 99 degrees (F) cold. Your humidity must be very low?

Humidity is very high in here .. live on the coast

 

[Bhavie]

It gets pretty warm here, and rarely goes below freezing, but I would never call 99 degrees (F) cold. Your humidity must be very low?

To be fair he meant it's cold for the engine, which is true