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15K views 94 replies 28 participants last post by  Barbara Smith 
#1 · (Edited)
2013 M6 sticking in gear-

(Updated 10/23/15 with the fix! See post #17 ) So my 2013 is coming up on 35,000 miles- I've been experiencing all the standard (for 2009-2010?) shifting issues...

1) Randomly gets stuck in 1, 2nd and 3rd gears. When stopped can not get it out of gear with out shutting the engine off then restarting or pulling on the shifter with extreme force. When it does get stuck and I push the clutch pedal all the way to the floor clutch drags and the vehicle wants to move forward.

2) Gets stuck in gear when parked on an incline

3) If in 1st, 2nd or 3rd gear and you were to make a panic stop- hard braking without depressing the clutch- then pushing the clutch in- the trans is stuck in gear. This one is undeniably a SAFETY ISSUE as it could easily cause an accident if I (or my wife) were not to be able to maneuver to avoid an accident after a panic speed reduction.

I have searched the forums but don't seem to find anyone having much luck getting any warranty fixes on the later models.

I've seen the Star case #K38556860 and #S1021000004 which seem to only apply to the earlier models. Although the symptoms are identical to what I am experiencing.

Today I am doing what I have been dreading for months- going to the dealer to see what they have to say about it. I suspect I will get the same as everyone else in all the post I have read- not a warranty issue and I will need to pay parts and labor for a new clutch assembly.

The only good thing is I have discovered I that can reproduce issue #3 consistently (only in 1st gear). I can reproduce issue #2 about 50% of the time. So hopefully I will be able to get the service writer or a mechanic to go for a ride with me so I can avoid the whole "we drove it and did not find any problems" BS.

Sounds to me from the research I have done is the dealer fix will be to sell a new clutch assembly and while there in there re-grease the input shaft splines (like the 2009-2010 fix) and send me down the road with (much) lighter pockets!

If any of you have any other star case numbers, arguments I can use with the dealer or other input on this issues please post up!

Thanks...
 
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#48 ·
Yes it was a specific tech, I will keep the updates coming, thanks!
 
#49 ·
So get a call from the dealer, they are saying I need to replace the entire clutch kit. SRT tech's diagnosis is that it is getting stuck in gear because the clutch is worn out. I have zero clutch slippage, the only time I smell clutch is when it gets stuck in gear when at a stop. Estimate is around $1800 for the clutch job.

I just find it very hard to believe the clutch is worn out @ 32K miles, I do engage in spirited driving, but I don't do burnouts or ride the clutch. I called SRT to file a case and complaint. Not sure what to do next.
 
#51 ·
How can a worn out clutch disc cause this? It sounds like you have a problem with the clutch not disengaging. When a clutch disc wears out you have no mechanical link between the engine and transmission. You either have a faulty pressure plate, or a hydraulic problem. Good luck, hope you get this sorted out.
 
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#50 ·
I had the same exact problem. Mine was NOT the clutch with 58,000 miles. I changed out the pilot bearing and the slave cylinder when putting in a higher horsepower clutch after getting supercharged. The mechanic told me the clutch looked almost new still. I haven't had the issue since(Just a grabbier clutch). I'm sure if I would have put that oem clutch back in, it would have been fine. $600 the install from non dealer. So my guess is the bearing or the slave cylinder is the problem when this happens.
 
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#52 ·
The clutch will wear during this issue when coming to a stop with the transmission still in gear.

For those reading along, what you need to do to limit clutch wear is to find neutral while still coasting to a stop. Then, just before taking off, put the transmission back in 1st. This will minimize the time the clutch is dragging while stopped.

If you don't practice the above, by the time you get it to the dealer, they'll say you need a clutch replacement.
 
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#53 ·
johndodge here from abbotsford canada. I had from new a 2013 R/T with 6 speed..and it was getting stuck in 1st gear and reverse especially when turned off and parked on any incline. Many dealers WOULD NOT help despite myself growing up in a dodge dealership from 1968, UNTIL abbotsford chrysler and the wonderful service rep mike. I could replicate it by parking on a steep ramp and shutting it off, then it nearly took 2 hands to pull it out of gear. They finally took the tranny out and there was rust on the input shaft??how did it get there?i was the one and only owner and it has 54,000 km. So, they took off the rust, lubed it up and now it shifts better than anywhere before...so IF YOUR HAVING AN ISSUE CALL MIKE AT ABBOTSFORD CHRYSLER CANADA AND get him to assist you..hes a great guy.
 
#60 ·
Update: 2/5/16. Screeching noise was due to a corroded weld in the exhaust system, big hole in the mid pipe. Stellar customer service by Solo Performance sent a new mid pipe, but still having major issues with the clutch not disengaging. Dealer won't budge that it's a bad clutch, can't get another dealer around me to acknowledge this is a know issue. Now I just have to get used to putting it in neutral before coming to a stop to prevent the problem from happening So frustrated with a car I love.
 
#63 ·
Jeff,

We rely upon and stand behind the diagnoses of our dealership service teams, so I apologize that more that can't be done on my (or your SRT case manager's) end.

Have you actually had your vehicle into one of these other dealerships to diagnose it?
 
#62 ·
This is sounding more like my issue in thread (Clutch stuck/Accident only 5k miles?), and I am getting same response from my dealer, bad pressure plate, but might be able to salvage the disc, wont know until we get in there.

I'm going to bring this up to the dealer tomorrow (err this morning) and go from there with the number you provided. I know my clutch still works. The tow company who picked it up actually put it into gear, then started it and drove it up the rollback! His family is a "SRT" family so he was comfortable with it... even when we got to the dealer, rolled it down the rollback.. stopped.. stuck it in reverse and started it.... back 100 ft or so... off.. stop.. put in 1st... started again drove to the customer door. This is happening in all gears on mine.

Whats got me getting more and more upset is being told I going to get stuck with a clutch replacement cost on a car with 5547 miles, that I bought september 1st 2014, then sat with 905 miles on it from oct 23, 2014 til may 3rd 2015... seriously?
 
#69 ·
As cannonballcobb pointed out, you may not want to mention to a second dealership the diagnosis from your first dealership. It's good to get a second opinion with a completely fresh mindset going into diagnosis.

You mention that the first dealership will not diagnose your transmission; is this still due to the Barton shifter being installed, or were you able to put the factory shifter back in place?
 
#70 ·
I'm going to try another dealer in San Diego, try to get a tech or svc manager to go for a test ride. I won't mention my previous visit, do you have any recommendations for Dealers in San Diego other than Bob Baker or Escondido?
 
#71 ·
Chrysler fixed mine under Powertrain Warranty


I also had this problem and had it repaired at my dealership and was able to have Chrysler take care of it under Powertrain Warranty. It was by no means easy, but made possible because of all of you out there who armed me with the information needed to convince my Service Manager to take me seriously and agree to remove and inspect the transmission input shaft and pressure plate splines for restricted movement.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
** I pulled this from one of the discussion boards **
Manual trans won't come out of gear or hard shift
Well, Finally got a response from engineering. Once these cars are getting into mid-milage (15-25k) the clutch discs are binding on the input shaft of the transmission. Here is a copy of the actual doc's

The Star Center Case #K38556860


Vehicle Issue Trans is hard to shift into gear.
Year 2009
Model LC - CHALLENGER
Engine 6.1L SRT HEMI (SMPI) V8, 5.7L HEMI VCT, 5.7L HEMI VCT
MDS (EZD)
System or Component;Gear
Driver Input / Vehicle Operation; Shifting

Case Verification; Vehicle affected is the LC Challenger equipped with a manual
transmission. It may be difficult to shift in and out of gear.

Recommendation ;Repair this condition by removing the transmission, cleaning the transmission input shaft splines and the clutch hub splines, regreasing,
and putting all the same parts back together. No parts need to be replaced because clutch disc wear or shaft/hub spline wear are not contributing factors.
The clutch should be removed from the flywheel to properly clean
the clutch splines, because it is not possible to thoroughly clean
the clutch splines otherwise. Do not use harsh spray solvents
(brake clean, etc.) on the clutch discs... care must be taken to
keep cleaning solvents away from the clutch friction material.
Mineral spirits or similar will get the job done. Both of the clutch
hub splines and transmission input shaft splines must be
carefully cleaned. When applying the grease for reassembly, the
entire exposed length of the clutch hub splines (both discs) and
the entire length of the input shaft should be lightly coated with
the P/N 05083150AA grease, spread evenly on all splines
without excess. The flywheel does not need to be removed for
this repair. New clutch pressure plate to flywheel bolts P/N
06508880AA (quantity 6) must be used.

Modification Date 12/10/09 5:02 PM
Review Approved
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My car is a 2013 R/T Classic (Tremec 6 spd) with 55,000 miles on it. My problems started at 40,000 miles one day in traffic, with the clutch in and still in gear, the car seemed to want to roll forward. At first I thought the clutch wasn’t fully depressed. Not the case. Then when I just decided to pull it out of gear, it resisted, but could be forced into neutral. As time and miles passed, the problem progressed. I could tell that normal shifting wasn’t quite right, it was getting really hard to get into and out of gear quite often at stop lights, and when parking the car it would still want to roll with the clutch in and engine on. The bottom line is that the engine and transmission were not being fully separated by the clutch system.
I made an appointment for a meeting with the Service Manager to discuss my shifting problems. I talked to my Service Writer on a previous visit and got nowhere, “we can’t duplicate it, the clutch isn’t covered”. I think everyone has one of these stories. So I sat down with the Service Manager in his office and explained that I wanted to describe my symptoms, show him Star Case # K38556860, then take a test drive and demonstrate the problem. He pointed out the Star case didn’t directly apply to my model year. I knew this going in, but let him know my position, over and over, so there was no mistake. This is a powertrain issue and we will find the root cause is not an excluded item ( clutch, pressure plate, actuator/bearing, slave cylinder) from the Powertrain Warranty. This is known problem and the fix will be to remove the transmission, clean the input shaft and pressure plate splines, then reassemble using the correct grease. I learned that I could cause the pressure plate to stick by nearly forcing a stall. By driving in first or second and putting on the brakes, like a panic stop in a parking lot, but clutching it just before the engine dies. I did this several times with him in the car. Each time I could tell him the clutch wasn’t fully disengaged and I had him look at the rpm and feel that the engine was dragging down a little. I asked him to take it out of gear so he could see how hard it was, and that just as you take it out of gear, the rpm goes up. He had a clear idea that the transmission wasn’t fully disengaging from the engine the way it is supposed to. Based on our meeting the Service Manager agreed to set an appointment and get me a loaner vehicle while my car was in the shop. He did however state that he couldn’t cover it under Powertrain Warranty until the trans was removed, the problem verified, then signed off by an Area Chrysler Representative. This made me very nervous. What if the Area Rep. isn’t honest or fair?
To make a long story longer, I brought my car in and it was torn down in a few days. The Service Manager agreed that the input shaft and pressure plate were binding and the grease is the cause. Of course we weren’t done yet – the Area Rep still had to decide if he would pay the dealership to make the repair under Powertrain Warranty. The answer was YES. Chrysler would handle this as a Powertrain Warranty claim. They also noticed the actuator/throughout bearing had a rough spot in it and replaced it at no charge. That was a big surprise because this is an excluded item from Powertrain Warranty.
So I can now say, “it shifts like butter”. Thanks again to all of you who posted about this problem and provided the Star Case information.
 
#72 ·
this is exactly what I am experiencing and trying to get one of the service writers to take me seriously. The current dealer that looked at it had their SRT tech "diagnose" it and told me it just needs a clutch? The tech put about 4 miles on the car for his "test drive" and couldn't duplicate it, this was done without me in the car which I had specifically asked to be in the car to help replicate the problem.

I have the starcase and repair info, I just need to find a dealer that is willing to listen and help.
 
#73 ·
Yes, this is your biggest hurdle - getting your Service Manger to take you seriously. If you are still within 3/36 coverage, I think the Dealership has a little more latitude in making Warranty repairs.

I would schedule an appointment with the Service Manager. He/she has the authority to make decisions on questionable warranty repairs. He or she has to sit down and listen to your reasoning about how the clutch does everything it's supposed to do, is not worn or broken, but does not fully disengage at times. You can discuss that you understand the clutch, pressure plate, slave cylinder, and actuator/throughout bearing are not covered under warranty, but they will find the problem isn't because any one of these components are bad. The problem is because the transmission input shaft and pressure plate are not allowed to move freely (without restriction) because either the wrong grease was used during assembly, or no grease at all was used and the shaft is rusted. You have to take the Service Manager for a ride to demonstrate your problem. And make him/her see how hard it is to pull out of gear, put into gear, and see that the car will creep with the clutch depressed, and also see the engine drags down during one of these creeping episodes. You have to be able to make the clutch stick. Practice demonstrating until you know you can show them exactly what you are faced with on a regular basis. One way I learned, from other posters, to cause the clutch/pressure plate to stick is to be rolling at a low speed in 1st or 2nd and hit the brakes, like a panic stop in a parking lot, but don't let it stall - clutch it just before it does. My car would creep after this and you could see and feel the rpm drop because the pressure plate was dragging on the flywheel. Show this to the Service Manger, then make them pull it out of gear - it will be stuck.

If you get your Service Manager to tear your car down and they find the problem that we all know is the problem, you still aren't out of the woods. Dealerships only get paid for warranty work by Chrysler when they have a warrantable part to replace. There won't be a bad part, just bad grease. The Service Manager will have to reach out to the Area Chrysler Representative for final approval to process this as a warranty repair. Then the Dealership will be paid to make the repair.

Good luck to you!
 
#74 ·
I contacted Chrysler today asked them why they were taking so long to handle to my star case submitted 4-21-15. They asked about the problem and I advised them that my 2011 SRT8 Challenger M6 was sticking in gear and on incline the transmission cannot be pulled out of gear and will not roll back on incline with engine running, in gear and clutch depressed. They asked why I hadn't taken it to the dealership recently. I explained that I was told by the dealership My Jeep Dodge Chrysler Ram in Salinas, that they submitted a star case and was waiting for Chrysler to respond. Chrysler advised they had not received a case from the dealership concerning this issue. I now have an appointment for next Monday 05-09-16, to start the entire process over AGAIN. This is aggravating. I have been documenting everything. I also complained about the tire/wheel imbalance over 78MPH since the car was new, and the smell of burning oil for approximately 1500 miles after an oil change. I have an 05 Dodge Ram that I purchased new and have had ZERO issues with! I cannot believe the B.S. one has to tolerate to get something FIXED, oh yeah I have a life time warranty, which has done nothing for me so far! I will keep posting as I go!
 
#76 ·
Just over $3000 for Life Time Warranty (LTW). Its not that the LTW isn't covering anything, it's trying to get a technician to find the problem, then we will know if the LTW will cover it. The problems... Transmission sticking in gear, Burning oil smell for about 1500 miles after each oil change coming up through the cowl area and into the environmental system, and the vibration from day one when speed is over 78 MPH.
 
#77 ·
My 2011 Dodge Challenger is still at the dealership Day 3. I called and spoke to service rep who said the response from Chrysler Star Case is to set the parking brake when parking on an incline and not to park against the transmission. I asked him how this helps when the car gets stuck in 6th gear or any other gear while driving...crickets. I told them this is just ONE of the symptoms that something is not right with the driveline. I told them this is a safety issue. They are now going to forward my comment to Chrysler/Fiat. This is frustrating, I have an 05 Dodge Ram that I have had NO ISSUES with at all since I purchased new. I would just like to have the $50,000 SRT Challenger to at least have a clutch operation that is at least as good as either one of my PT Cruiser GT's, or 73 Dodge Dart Sport. I guess they want to wait like GM did with their ignition switches.
 
#78 ·
I feel your pain-- my car was at the dealership for 2 weeks when they finally did attempt to fix it. Just keep pestering them, even if you come off as annoying, it's your vehicle so you're best off getting things taken care of even if it means calling every day...
 
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#79 ·
Well good news today, the dealership obtained authorization for a transmission removal to help determine what's going on with the transmission getting stuck in gear and what appears to be lack of separation of the clutch disks and pressure plate. I won't know more for a while as I have an appointment now two weeks out to get this done. I am so ready for this car to shift well. I really do want to enjoy my 392 SRT Challenger!


I will keep everyone who might be following this posted,


I am feeling better about Chrysler right now, but its with guarded optimism...
 
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#80 ·
Well good news today, the dealership obtained authorization for a transmission removal to help determine what's going on with the transmission getting stuck in gear and what appears to be lack of separation of the clutch disks and pressure plate. I won't know more for a while as I have an appointment now two weeks out to get this done. I am so ready for this car to shift well. I really do want to enjoy my 392 SRT Challenger!


I will keep everyone who might be following this posted,


I am feeling better about Chrysler right now, but its with guarded optimism...

Well I got the call today, 6-21-16, from the dealership that my SRT8 was ready for pick up (Dropped off 5-24-16). I had been down at the shop last week and observed the my transmission was out. The dealership advised they found bad synchros in multiple gears, bad input shaft and output shaft and slave cylinder (Throw out bearing). I was hoping it had just been bad grease. But I just test drove it, shifts fine, I hear a little more noise in the transmission but I am being very very picky. I checked the incline situation and with engine shut off and in gear, the clutch pedal allows for a complete disconnect and will roll backwards. So far I see nothing that really bothers me. I don't like that the transmission had to be rebuilt, but it appears to be fixed. The dealership had it for a long time, but they said they needed some retainers that were not available locally. The best part is that it was fixed under warranty!
:grin2:
 
#83 ·
I had the input shaft grease done on my 2011 RT about 2 years ago and it recently started doing the same thing again. I really don't want to take it back to the dealer again. the first time I fought with them for a week before they agreed to do it.
Has anyone pulled the trans and done it themselves?

Thanks,
ken
 
#92 ·
There have been many complaints about failed clutches.

I came across a likely cause for situations where you cannot get the car into gear with the engine idling (but can when the engine is off). This disengagement problem (i.e., no spring in the pressure plate or a warped diaphragm) can be attributable to a failed fulcrum ring weld. This defective weld shifts the fulcrum, thereby disabling the lever action of the diaphragm fingers. The fulcrum ring is a structural component, not a moving part and not a wear item.

The following is a link to a website clearly illustrating the clutch failure problem:

https://19dollarbill.wixsite.com/mysite
 
#93 ·
Well folks...looking to revive this old thread because my 2012 Challenger SRT M6 with $33.5k miles has started showing some of these symptoms: 1) Parked on an inclined driveway; neutral; parking brake on; clutch in shifted to first; clutch out. Came back 30 min later and had to pull it out of gear with both hands. 2) Realized as I was coasting to a stop with clutch in, car felt like an idling auto. Kept creeping forward at around 3-5 mph. 3) Shifting is generally becoming difficult, sometimes feeling jammed in a gear.

Just wanted to see other than the Star if anyone has had success/resolution with repairing this issue. Seems like the grease change and pressure plate works initially, just discouraging to see that some folks have it come back.
 
#94 ·
Have the procedure done - it will make a significant difference. You're describing what I went through with the '09 I had from new. Kept putting it off and 37-38K it had to be done. Driving in stop and go traffic (rpms below 1.6K in any gear) would make the symptom appear - had to bump the clutch to get it unstuck...
 
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