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Should there be a recall on the A8

32K views 215 replies 39 participants last post by  praiseV8 
#1 ·
Hey Guys,

So this is my first post here, but have been reading the forums for a while paying attention to various posts throughout the year. I bought a 2015 SXT PLUS last December and for the most part have been loving my experience. However, about 2 months ago I started experiencing an issue with my A8 that has been turning out to be a more common issue here as well. I had about 5400 miles on my car when the transmission started high shifting/ or delayed shifting during the morning cold starts, always happening between 1st and 2nd, sometimes 3rd to 4th but mainly 1st to 2nd. After some time when the transmission hits about 110 to 120 degree's it shifts normal again. A lot of people have been reporting this issue and the results are all very similar. I have already taken my car to the dealer once, talking with the transmission specialist there and because of having forum knowledge, confirming that other people have been experiencing this issue and that they have either done the flash update with the software, have had the Valve body replaced, or in some cases have had a full replacement of there transmission done. In most of the posts here currently, I have not heard of any successful fixes because like me people are going back for a 2nd, 3rd, 4th trip to the dealer. I am currently about to go back for my second check on this exact issue because I got the software update and was told that things were all good, When i picked it up it was as if nothing had been fixed and the problem was still there. I gave it a week to be fair, and then scheduled another appointment for this week coming. To me this feels like a real issue that needs to be addressed by Dodge/etc because I am not sure what the end results will be for me and my Brand New Car that only has 5700 miles on it, or the other people here experiencing the same thing Here...
So what do you guys think of this, and has anyone had a successful end result with this issue ...
Thanks
 
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#14 ·
Have a8 scat pack noticed that from day 1, only on cold start seem like soft shift 1-2 gear only , won't do it after when warm,
 
#4 ·
Yeah, many autos shift later when cold to get everything up to temperature quicker. If late shifting is the only symptom then I wouldn't give it a second thought as that doesn't sound like a problem at all, IMO.
 
#5 · (Edited)
My 2015 SRT 392 A8 shifts great. I consider the A8 performance to be one of the really exciting parts of the car - along with the torque of the 392.
So I definitely don't want a recall of my SRT 392 for the A8 performance!
 
#6 ·
Definitely concerned about this possible issue. I say "possible".
Whats the build date of your '15 SRT, radioguy1, and how many miles on it? Mine is Dec of '14, and just the other day I noticed some very prolonged shift times between 3rd and 4th gear with my A8. So much so that I started testing the shifting with manual shifts, and even going between Default, Sport and Track. Only Track had a 3-4 shift that seemed half way normal. All the other gears/shifts were fine. The car was at operating temp, as this was during a 30+ min drive in city streets, and the car now has 5900 miles on it...
 
#9 ·
See if you can get a video of it doing that. There are a lot of inputs into the shifting pattern. Steering angle for example: where it holds a gear longer while you are turning to cut down on shifts that occur in sharper turns. Even the cruise control changes the shift pattern if you just have it turned on and not even engaged. The only time mine ever hangs high and shifts late is if you turn the cruise control on while it is cold (within the first few miles), use it at low speed, and then when you take off from a stop with it still disengaged but turned on, it can hold RPM's as high as about 4500 RPM for a good 5 seconds or more until it shifts. I never bothered looking into it because it's obviously a software issue: turn the cruise control off and it never happens. Cruise on, and it glitches like that sometimes. So I just don't use the cruise in the first ~5 miles and I no longer experience the problem.

My point: might not even be the transmission. Could be a sensor or something that is causing the learning to be out of whack on yours. I don't personally see a recall being needed as very few have needed actual parts, but I think they could issue another TSB that is a software update to further improve shift patterns under certain conditions.

Mike
 
#10 ·
Mike, I'm not sure if that post was to me, or the thread starter, Medusa2015. But, if it was to me. I'm truly hoping it doesn't do it again (considering it hadn't done it before). lol
However, I have noticed anyone who posts up a "slippage" issue with the A8, it seems to start around the 5k-6k mile mark at some point. I know when my issue was occurring, it was during normal city driving with normal flow of traffic, stopping at stop lights and taking off normally. No cruise control, no taking turns. Just simply taking off from being stopped at a light. I tried different throttle inputs, manual shifting, and different performance settings (default, sport, track). I haven't taken it out since that day. But, we'll see what happens today. If it does it consistently again today, I'll try to get video.
 
#13 ·
For me the problems started one day by just simply backing out of my drive way and just traveling forward down my street between 10 and 20 miles per hr. No Cruse on no sport mode on, just normal drive mode in D. Would get this high/ delayed shift and then the car would buck forward a bit, stayed this way with just 1st and 2nd gear for a while but slowly spread from 2nd to 3rd... Would last about 10 minutes of stop and go driving and then would go away once the transmission was hot enough... The software update did improve the shifting over all especially when in sport mode but the problem has never gone away, sometimes it happens even after the transmission has warmed up but that is few and far between.....
I dropped it off at the dealership to be looked at tomorrow so will see what happens
 
#17 ·
Other than my difficult-to-replicate cruise control glitch, I've not had a single instance where mine hangs at high RPM even when cold. Going on 8000 miles and just passed one year. The problem in comparing is that I live in a warm climate so when you guys say "cold", I don't know if that means engine is cold... or cold outside? I also don't know how high it is revving or how long it is holding a gear. That's why I suggested a video so we could compare what we are experiencing. Based on what I've seen in mine, that complaint doesn't seem like normal operation to me. In the winter when it might get down to 40's or 50's at times, I think mine might rev a little higher when first starting out, but it's barely noticeable.

Mike
 
#20 ·
I ordered a manual in my car so I won't have a chance to try out the A8 for at least another year. I do have a 2015 Chrysler 200C with the 3.6L and 9 speed though. I have had cars with the 3.6 and 6 speed in the past and one thing they accomplished with these multi-speed transmissions is much improved fuel economy.

My 200 is very quick from a light, way quicker than with a 6 speed and I couldn't even get close to the fuel numbers I am getting with this car if it had a 6 speed. Since I got the car in January I have put 14000 km on it and the average fuel economy is in the low 8's per hundred kilometers.

The down side is there some shifting issues, but nothing that really bothers me now that I know how to drive around it. If I accelerate fairly hard from a light which I often do through first and second gears and then I run up on traffic and have to lift before it shifts to third, the shift is very harsh kind of like you guys are describing. If I just accelerate while holding the pedal steady, the shifts are quick and smooth. I would describe it as a rough "lift foot upshift". I don't know if it is the same on the A8, but it helps the dealer to diagnose issues if you can describe the conditions when it happens.

The cold shift pattern when it holds the gears a little longer is a normal thing and should only happen when the ambient temperature is at or below freezing. I don't know what temperature they initiate that program at, but it certainly shouldn't happen if it is 60 or 70 degrees out.

Hope that helps.
 
#21 ·
I appreciate all the responses here guys so thanks for the support and conversation. I am still waiting to see what is up with mine, am supposed to go meet with the mechanic today and go for a ride in it while its cold to hopefully show what i have been mentioning.
The only thing that doesn't make sense to me with this whole cold start idea is that i bought my car last December in the cold and I did not have this issue for the first 4800 miles, I am at 5700 now trying to fix it, so if it didn't happen before when it was cold or in general, then why is it happen now. that's where i am at with it.
Thanks
 
#22 ·
Same issue here. Let us know Medusa what your dealer says.
I bought in January 2015, very cold temps in Indiana at that time. Never had the gear slippage until late August and at that point car had about 4800 miles.
As Medusa states: Start out with cold engine (regardless of air temperature) and mine slips (holds) onto 2nd and then bumps (jumps) into 3rd. I've had it back to the dealer once without total resolution. What is funny, is that sometimes the slip is not as bad as other times, but the only common observation is that it totally goes away and shifts very smooth after the engine is warmed up in about 10-15 minutes of driving. Also, of note: When the engine is cold, upon stopping at a traffic light and the gears are down-shifing, I get that "bump from the rear" feeling, almost like someone rear-ended me. So I'm guessing this might be related to the issue too. Anyone have this issue? The bump from the rear issue goes away after car is warmed.
So...I agree with Medusa, FIAT/Chrysler needs to find a fix for this and it is not normal nor should we put up with this on a $35k plus vehicle.
 
#24 ·
Ok, so just a quick update, went out this morning with the Mechanic at the Dealership, which for the record, is a pretty cool guy just trying to help out as best he can.... We talked for a while before going out, explained my thoughts, he stated his and did code checks and double checked the fluid in the transmission as well, All solid, no issues there, when we went for the ride, 20 feet in, Bam, got the bucking/ high delayed shift, He was like " Ahh, O wow ok, now i see/ feel what you are talking about. Stopped the car and did it again driving between 10 to 20 miles per and again, Bam, all this before leaving the dealership, He says ok that is a problem, now I have something to work with here so finally was able to show/ demonstrate the issue. Went back to the dealership and the Mechanic stated that next they would be contacting "Star" to begin a repair process. Not sure what exactly that will in-tale but it at least a first step in the right direction... I hope :|. Will keep you guys posted as things come up
 
#27 ·
STAR is a team of engineers and technical consultants from here at FCA Headquarters. Definitely keep us posted on how everything goes! Did they provide you with a STAR case number by any chance?
 
#25 ·
Found this on AllPar.

The gearbox automatically senses and adapts shift patterns for:
•engine torque gradients
•longitudinal and lateral acceleration
•grade steepness
•friction
•temperature
•cruise control
•electronic stability control activation

I think the downshifting on decel is normal, I believe they call it rev matching. My 9spd also does that and I have heard of people complaining about it. It doesn't bother me because I know it is supposed to do that. It really helps in traffic also, the trans is already in the correct gear if you don't come to complete stop.
 
#31 ·
Hey Guys,

Latest news....So sounds like the Valve Body on my car will be replaced. Was ordered and will arrive tomorrow for installation. Said with any luck I might get my car back by tomorrow evening if it fixes the issue. Hope so cause I miss my Medusa.
I am not aware of a case number to offer up. Sorry.

Thanks for the comments and support.
 
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