Help with shudder on VF Calais V S2 2015 V6

[Stevebermandy]

Hi all,

Hoping to receive some thoughts on the below problem.

I own a VF series 2 calais v v6 2015 with about 120,000KM on the speedo.

I experience a slight shudder at around 55km/h, but can happen at other speeds (happens more frequently at lower speeds). It typically happens when I slightly apply the accelerator and when on an incline. Interestingly, car will never shudder right when I start driving and within about 20-30 mins. It never shudders super violently, just subtly.

Taken to a few trans specialists who can't tell me conclusively unless they open up the trans. I have had mixed opinions between engine misfiring to torque converter. But no one had conclusively figured it out.

I bit the bullet and took it to Holden for a diagnostic test and they suspect it is a torque converter issue. Their reasoning is that when they turned the torque converter (turned the ' TCC off') the car stopped shuddering. What worries me is they found no error codes besides at P2888 which is apparently unrelated.

I want to avoid fixing the torque converter which they've quoted $3K for unless I can be 100% sure that's the part to blame.

What concerns me is also the difference in opinion that alot of people have.

I appreciate anyones insight to this apparently common problem with the VFs.

Thanks

 

[Forg]

What concerns me is also the difference in opinion that alot of people have.

Stuff like this can be a total PITA to diagnose, it can be about spinny bits being in balance for example … our 1995 Berlina had a strange strong vibration that happened maybe once a year & when you stopped it’d go away without the ability to reproduce. Kept happening for 5 years ‘til we replaced the rear tyres then never happened again.

 

[lmoengnr]

How is the trans fluid level? Any visible leaks under the bellhousing.
Not uncommon for V6 torque convertors to develop cracks.

 

[Stevebermandy]

How is the trans fluid level? Any visible leaks under the bellhousing.
Not uncommon for V6 torque convertors to develop cracks.

No visible leaks - the trans guy I went to checked the catchment and nothing yet.

 

[wetwork65]

No visible leaks - the trans guy I went to checked the catchment and nothing yet.

Hi - is there any update to this issue?
Or have you learnt to ignore it?

 

[David Delf]

Hi all,

Hoping to receive some thoughts on the below problem.

I own a VF series 2 calais v v6 2015 with about 120,000KM on the speedo.

I experience a slight shudder at around 55km/h, but can happen at other speeds (happens more frequently at lower speeds). It typically happens when I slightly apply the accelerator and when on an incline. Interestingly, car will never shudder right when I start driving and within about 20-30 mins. It never shudders super violently, just subtly.

Taken to a few trans specialists who can't tell me conclusively unless they open up the trans. I have had mixed opinions between engine misfiring to torque converter. But no one had conclusively figured it out.

I bit the bullet and took it to Holden for a diagnostic test and they suspect it is a torque converter issue. Their reasoning is that when they turned the torque converter (turned the ' TCC off') the car stopped shuddering. What worries me is they found no error codes besides at P2888 which is apparently unrelated.

I want to avoid fixing the torque converter which they've quoted $3K for unless I can be 100% sure that's the part to blame.

What concerns me is also the difference in opinion that alot of people have.

I appreciate anyones insight to this apparently common problem with the VFs.

Thanks

Hello Steve, I was very interested to read your post as I have exactly the same problem with my Calais VF Series 2. I have put up with it for a while but I really need to do some thing about it now. Before I go down the path of an automatic transmission specialist, I was wondering what the outcome was of your own situation. By the way I did have the plugs and ignition leads replaced but did not really improve things too much. I would really appreciate any help/advice you can give me.. Thanks

 

[Skylarking]

Hopefully @Stevebermandy will get back with some info as he was last seen on the forum “yesterday”.

I’m also curious what his outcome was considering that shuddering would go away by deactivating the torque converter clutch. In such conditions I’d consider the TC faulty and would want it replaced under warranty as TC‘s should last for decades and 100’s of 1000’s of kms. Obviously the dealer just wants things done at commercial rates as they are much more profitable than warranty work.

A batch of TC have been known to be faulty in manufacture and have had issues with cracks on the pump snout(?) and I’ve heard of other issues with clutch engagement and wear, just can’t remember which models and timeframe these issues were supposedly isolated to.

For me anything pointing to a faulty TC clutch I’d want fixed before metal starts flying around with the fluid causing more issues. But I’m not an auto trans expert and may be I’m just too worried at auto trans failures due to their complexities and cost to repair. Regardless, I hate vibrations and shudders as it upsets my smooth car ocd

 

[wetwork65]

Hopefully @Stevebermandy will get back with some info as he was last seen on the forum “yesterday”.

I’m also curious what his outcome was

I guess I get frustrated when questions are posted, then the OP disappears.
Knowing the outcomes and fixes would help other forum users in shortening the fault finding process, myself included, as I may be chasing a similar fault. Working out if it is the transmission or ignition/injectors is tiresome and very expensive these days.
This issue of shudder which may or may not be from the Torque Converter seems to be common e.g. one similar thread is https://forums.justcommodores.com.au/threads/torque-converter-issues.304328/ This OP has similarly disappeared, although it has only been couple of days.

 

[Marty 66]

Hi there.
Under light load the TCC (Torque Converter Clutch) can lock up early and cause a shuddering / lugging sensation. Note that the TCC does not just lock up in top gear but in most gears. It's an economy thing. I'm sure Holdens / GM know all about it. Poor design really. This can be fixed by a TCM re calibration. It is done using HP tuners and there is a guy in Adelaide that does this at a cost of $375.00. Changes the rpm point at which the TCC locks up.
Best way i can explain the shuddering i had is that it feels like the car is in too high of a gear and is laboring going up slight hills under light throttle at around 60kM per hour. Annoying !
I was passed onto this mechanic for a TCM retune by Rowell & Searle here in Adelaide after they checked my car for the shuddering / lugging i was experiencing. Re calibration fixed it.
The recalibration will decrease fuel efficiency slightly but it's a small price to pay. Pretty sure the RPM for lockup was increased around 50 rpm (could be wrong).
Not sure where you are exactly located but there would be tuners near you that could do this.
By the way - this is a very common problem - most people must just put up with it i guess. Not me !

 

[Marty 66]

Oh - and just another bit of info.
I have been led to believe that the TCC lockup rpm changes (raises) when the Air Con is switched on. A/C on TCM calibration is different - which makes sense.
Turn your A/C on and if the shudder goes away or decreases under the same driving conditions (slight incline and light throttle) then the TCC lock up / TCM tune is the issue !