Original Post onRedline Forum 6/30/08
Manual Transmission Linkage Mystery
Okay, so I took my Sky into the Dealer for service today… I had the dealerships main service technician go out with me for a test drive before he got started with the diagnostics. My service tag reads:
“Customer states when clutch is pressed in and or gearshift activated there is noise. Check & Advise” So we take the test-drive and
every time I am in first gear and press in the clutch (after accelerating) there is a metal slapping or shuttering noise coming from the drive train (mostly from the rear). The noise is present in the other gears but most definitely in first. The technician tells me he positively hears it and it’s good that its consistence, so they can trouble shoot it easier. So we go back to the dealership and they take the car away for about 2 hours. I get the call it is ready and the service representative gives me a three page document (
see attached) and tells me everything is fine and they went ahead and completed the scheduled maintenance and
all is good… After reading the document, which states: [
The purpose of this bulletin is to assist in identifying characteristics of manual transmissions that repair attempts will not change.] Oh, and one other note: this document/bulletin is for most all GM cars in general. I spoke to the sales manager who was a pretty down to earth guy, as I knew him when I brought the car. Now he goes out and talks to the service technician. So he comes back and tells me “basically if it isn’t causing a safety concern it’s just a design issue and you’ll just have to live with it!” Also, there is another bulletin coming out this month that specifically mentions the “
SKY drive train” and the “
Clutch” and apparently there is something about a “
DAMPER” that makes noise when the clutch is depressed at low throttle and low speeds!! Again, they know about these issues but they are keeping it under wraps and just publishing disclaimers in the form of bulletins. So, back to my service tag: It states:
“Inspected & verified test drive with customer. Rattle type sound present coming from rear when pushing in clutch. No damage or loose parts found. See Noise Doc# 03-07-29-004E for normal trans… Customer is advised” So that’s the gist of it!! Someone had said in an earlier reply “just turn up the radio”…. he must have been a used car salesman in his past as that’s what was done back in the day to hide noises!!! So bottom line…. If it’s broke GM will replace the parts but if it’s not causing a safety issue or doesn’t impede performance, you are stuck with it and you get no sympathy! So when you read reviews about the Saturn Sky and they say
its all good, they just might be talking about an
automatic transmission!!!
Attached Files