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2012 Chevy Impala automatic transmission issue.
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us023589
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Jan 22, 2022, 2:20 PM
Post #1 of 24
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2012 Chevy Impala automatic transmission issue.
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I have a 2012 Chevrolet Impala LT with 6 cylinder engine and 6 speed automatic transmission. The car has 75,000 miles on it. Recently the car has failed to move after stopping at a stop sign and attempting to start out again. I move the shifter from drive to neutral a few times and it eventually engages. No problems shifting in the higher gears and no odd noises after it engages. Problem is sporadic. It has happened 4 times in the past 3 months. I took it to a transmission shop. They could not duplicate the problem and said I would have to drive it until it completely fails. Took it to another shop. They changed the fluid and filter and added some very expensive additive to the fluid.
(This post was edited by us023589 on Jan 23, 2022, 12:16 PM)
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jan 22, 2022, 11:09 PM
Post #2 of 24
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Re: 2012 Chevy Impala automatic transmission issue.
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Site has a trans expert but 1st off What's your question?
It's been to 2 shops now and had a fluid change and doesn't misbehave now if neither found anything what do want now?
If you aren't happy with their diagnosis I guess it will take a third shop and more info if any is to be found it doesn't seem there's a problem yet.
Fluid level and color is a first thing you check or have checked yourself didn't say anything about that so IDK what to say nor do they apparently and had it in person,
T
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gsferraro
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Jan 23, 2022, 5:08 AM
Post #3 of 24
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Re: 2012 Chevy Impala automatic transmission issue.
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Hello,
Can you tell me if any codes are present for the transmission? Any issue in Reverse? Just FYI, you cannot change the filter on this trans, you can only do a drain and fill. Has this happened since fluid was changed? Gary
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us023589
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Jan 23, 2022, 11:05 AM
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Re: 2012 Chevy Impala automatic transmission issue.
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The second shop told me there were no codes. They also told me that they changed the fluid and the filter. I threw the receipt away so, I cannot verify that they installed a filter. All I know is that we had agreed on fluid and filter change and additive. I think it was about 50 bucks for additive. Looks like I might have been had? No issues in reverse or in shifting between gears 3 thru 6 in the 6 speed transmission. No check engine light. I just had one new interesting development that might be a clue to an expert. On the gear shift display, just to the right of PRNDL the number 3 showed up. I have never seen it before. So, the display looked like this PRNDL 3. Since the transmission itself seems solid and, supposedly clean fluid, I am wondering if my problem could be electronic and involve the solenoids that control shifting? One more thing. I just started the car and placed it in each gear to see if the 3 was on the gear shift display or if it would appear. I shifted into each gear and moved with no problem and the display did not show anything until I placed it in Low gear. When I did it showed what a appeared to be a colon where the 3 had appeared. So, it looked like this PRNDL: maybe that is normal. I seldom if ever use Low gear.
(This post was edited by us023589 on Jan 23, 2022, 11:39 AM)
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gsferraro
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Jan 23, 2022, 4:00 PM
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Re: 2012 Chevy Impala automatic transmission issue.
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Hello,
ok, when the #3 showed up did the car shift normal at that time, Thinking when the #3 showed up it was starting out in 3rd gear. Gary
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us023589
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Jan 23, 2022, 4:34 PM
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Re: 2012 Chevy Impala automatic transmission issue.
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I estimate that I was driving between 25 and 35 mph when I saw the "3" next to the display. I had, maybe driven about 1/4 of a mile. I was watching the display closer than normal in an effort to detect any warning lights. Is the gear that the transmission is in normally displayed there? I have to say that I have never noticed it.
BTW. Thanks for your effort to help. I have a retired mechanic coming to my house tomorrow. He has a diagnostic device that he wants to hook up. Sounds like he can watch what is happening with the electronics and detect error codes...if there are any.
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us023589
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Jan 23, 2022, 4:40 PM
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Re: 2012 Chevy Impala automatic transmission issue.
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One more thing. I am fairly certain the 3 that was displayed disappeared and after that, there was nothing after the normal PRNDL display. Does that help you with any ideas?
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gsferraro
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Jan 24, 2022, 6:12 PM
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Re: 2012 Chevy Impala automatic transmission issue.
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Hello,
I would like to see if any codes are present, could you let me know after the car is scanned
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us023589
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Jan 25, 2022, 11:20 AM
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I had a mechanic scan for codes. He found no error codes. He did suggest that I have it scanned again by a certified GM transmission specialist. I have an appointment scheduled in 3 days. I did stop at another repair shop and explain my problem to them. Their mechanic insisted it was the pump and the entire transmission has to be replaced. Cost would be $5,400.00 The mechanic who did the initial scan was inclined to believe that the transmission has a bad solenoid that controls gears 1 and 2. Replacing a solenoid could be $1,500.00 or more. I am going to wait until I get results from the GM tech before I make a decision. I am skeptical that it is the pump and I hope their diagnostic tool will be able to measure pressure.
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gsferraro
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Jan 25, 2022, 11:43 AM
Post #10 of 24
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Re: 2012 Chevy Impala automatic transmission issue.
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ok, first, if you have no problem in reverse, the pump is not the problem. What type of scan tool was used to scan the transmission? How often do you experience the no move and does this happen only hot?
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us023589
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Jan 25, 2022, 11:58 AM
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Re: 2012 Chevy Impala automatic transmission issue.
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I have never had a problem with reverse. The retired mechanic had a generic diagnostic tool similar to what most repair shops have. It was capable of detecting error codes if they were present. He saw none but did believe that a GM transmission specialist would have a much more sophisticated tool that might see something that he could not. I have experienced the problem 4 times now within 3 months. I would guess that was within 1500 miles? It has always happened after driving less than 5 miles. once after only about 1 mile.
Again, thanks for trying to help me. I appreciate it.
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gsferraro
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Jan 25, 2022, 1:10 PM
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Re: 2012 Chevy Impala automatic transmission issue.
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Well, solenoid can cause this issue, i have had these cars with no movement forward at all and it was the solenoid pack which is also the TCM. When this stops moving what do you do to get it to move? can you select manual one on your car?
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us023589
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Jan 25, 2022, 1:28 PM
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Re: 2012 Chevy Impala automatic transmission issue.
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When it has failed I have been moving very slowly. Typically just starting from a complete stop. I have been able to force the transmission to shift into gear buy moving the shift lever back and forth from Drive to Neutral or Park a few times. After a 3 or for attempts it has dropped into gear. The last time it happened it took about 10 times. I was ready to call for a tow. FYI. I was informed that what I thought was a colon next to the gear shift indicator actually is supposed to be a "1" and indicates the car is in low gear. Recently I have begun placing the car in "L" when I stop at a stop sign and watching that the car displays that it is in low gear. I then manually shift the car into drive when I have accelerated to the normal speed that the car would shift into 2nd gear. I have not had a failure in the past week since doing this. It is almost like the transmission does not shift into low gear when rolling to a stop and is sorta between 1st and 2nd. FYI when at the last shop, I described the transmission as making a whirring sound when not engaging. It could more likely be described as a squealing sound. The mechanic claimed that that sound indicated a pump failure and thus the need for a new transmission.
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gsferraro
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Jan 25, 2022, 3:06 PM
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Re: 2012 Chevy Impala automatic transmission issue.
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ok, you said these guys are hearing a noise, do you hear a noise and if you do is it a high pitch whining sound? trying to see if filter is a problem but not sure if it is
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us023589
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Jan 25, 2022, 3:12 PM
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Re: 2012 Chevy Impala automatic transmission issue.
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I am the only one who has heard the noise. None of the mechanics that have looked at it have ever been able to cause it to fail. In fact, after driving, they tell me that they would not have believed there was a problem if I had not described it to them.
The sound is a little difficult it is more like a screeching or squealing sound until I mess with the shifter until it engages.
No noise from the transmission after it engages. No grinding or gnashing or what I might call gear noise?
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gsferraro
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Jan 25, 2022, 7:02 PM
Post #16 of 24
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Re: 2012 Chevy Impala automatic transmission issue.
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OK, Does the noise change with engine pitch and do you hear it in park or neutral?
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us023589
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Jan 26, 2022, 12:02 PM
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If I recall correctly, it sounds the same in neutral and drive. I am usually in panic mode when it happens because it aways seems to happen at a busy intersection. I will try to focus more next time that it happens. Question for you: When I take it to the GM tech on Friday, will he be able to read or detect transmission pump pressure? If so, I would ask him to take special note of it. I would like to eliminate the possibility that the pump is bad and the entire transmission needs to be replaced.
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us023589
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Jan 26, 2022, 7:59 PM
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I had another event today. That is 3 in 10 days. A little different event. I had left my house, stopped and started at 3 stop signs. At each of which I shifted the transmission into Low gear and watched the display indicate 1. I was less than 1 mile from my house. At the fourth stop sign, I shifted to Low, the display indicated 1. When I started, the transmission did not seem to be completely in gear, or seemed like it was slipping. I let up on the accelerator and reaccelerated and it went into gear and I made it to my destination. Maybe be another 2 miles. I did not hear the whinning or squalling sound that I have heard before. This event was different.
Is there any chance that the transmission may not be dropping completely into Low even though the display indicated that it had?
I must be driving you crazy!
(This post was edited by us023589 on Jan 26, 2022, 8:01 PM)
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us023589
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Jan 27, 2022, 3:03 PM
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Re: 2012 Chevy Impala automatic transmission issue.
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I take the car into GM dealer tomorrow. I am not optimistic that they will see any problems or be able to duplicate the problem. I intend to ask them if they can evaluate pump pressure. I am no expert but, I do not think it can be the pump. I have one off the wall thought. Keep in mind that I am not a transmission professional so, bear with me. When I was told that the pump was the problem and the entire transmission must be replaced, the shop owner told me that their price quote of $5,400.00 installed, included the price of taking the car to the local GM dealer to program the transmission. Here is my question, would it be dumb for me to request that the dealership reprogram or, what I might call, "flash" the chip/TCM and re-program it? I do know that the car sat for extended periods of time before I purchased it. It likely had the battery go completely dead on multiple occasions. Your thoughts?
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gsferraro
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Jan 28, 2022, 7:18 PM
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Hello,
Flashing it wouldn't really do anything, there maybe updates but i don't think it will fix the problem. Pump is not the problem because you have no problem in reverse. Let me know what they say at the Dealership. Gary
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us023589
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Jan 29, 2022, 12:03 PM
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The tech at the dealership drove the car while connected to his monitoring device. There were no error codes but, he did notice strange behavior in the low gears. I asked if he could note monitor pressure and he did note low pressure. He checked the fluid and felt it had an odd color. He concluded that there were metal filings in the fluid. Long story short, they said the transmission must be replaced. The worst news is that they say they have Supply Chain problems and may not be able to obtain a new Chevy transmission for up to 6 weeks. They might be able to get an aftermarket tranny in about 2 weeks. Bottom line. It was worst case scenario. Repair will be about $5,500.00. After they identified the problem. They did not bother to flash the transmission. Thanks for all you input. Odd that no error codes were ever detected.
(This post was edited by us023589 on Jan 29, 2022, 1:54 PM)
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gsferraro
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Jan 30, 2022, 1:46 PM
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Re: 2012 Chevy Impala automatic transmission issue.
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one of the shops that checked, didn't they have a code? Not really buying low pressure, never had to replace a pump on one of these, i would say either problem in the 1-2-3-4 clutch or sticky solenoid, I have had the small version of this trans called a 6T40 with no forward due to a bad solenoid pack. also wondering if it doesn't move or if the car is in limp mode. Gary
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us023589
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Feb 2, 2022, 1:45 PM
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I traded the car in to the dealer "as is". I didn't get much for it but, they can fix it at a much lower cost than I could. They indicated that they intend to replace the transmission.
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gsferraro
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Feb 2, 2022, 1:53 PM
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ok, thanks for the update. Gary
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