We bought a Sky for my wife last December, with the standard engine and automatic transmission. Shortly after we got it I couldn't help but notice how badly the transmission is programmed.
Half the time it takes off in second
It's really wishy-washy with the torque converter clutch
It up-shifts too soon, requiring a lot of throttle to keep it in gear in order to obtain a reasonable acceleration rate.
It feels like ignition timing is retarded in 1st as a form of traction control which makes it sluggish when launching.
I like the car, but the first two items bug the crap out of me every time I drive it. I haven't taken it to the dealer yet to see just what and how much they can tweak it.
I tried to order a factory service manual for it but I'm told it is not available. Anyone know where I can get a factory service manual for the Sky?
After seven months and over 5000 miles I have this to say about our Sky:
Engine power is adequate for my wife.
Engine power curve and transmission gearing are well matched.
The engine starts instantly and runs smoothly.
The top is really easy to raise and lower.
It has a firm ride and handles very well.
Excellent braking.
The dash and controls are laid out very well.
The MP3/CD stereo has a good sound and is easy to use/adjust.
It is fairly quiet on the highway with the top and windows up.
Fit and finish is very good.
AC works well even at 110F
- The fuel gage is hard to see in bright sun light.
- The radio and message displays are impossible to see in sun light.
- There are too many shiny surfaces on the dash and console which reflect sun light (top up or down).
- It is very difficult to see when backing up (top up).
- The transmission is slow to respond to conditions that trigger gear changes
- Storage is minimal.
- Gas mileage is disappointing, the worst of the three cars we own (26 HWY).
(edited from GM's bulletin #02-07-30-002A) The Hydra-Matic 5L40E/50E automatic transmissions have some unique operating characteristics with which customers may not be familiar. They have been designed to provide more of a manual transmission feel than other Hydra-Matic automatic transmissions.
-Normal Mode Operation During normal mode operation, drivers may notice increased powertrain braking after releasing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle will not coast freely when the accelerator pedal is released but will start to gradually slow down as if the brakes were lightly applied. This feels very similar to releasing the accelerator pedal on a vehicle equipped with a manual transmission.
-Sport Mode Operation Typically, Sport mode delays upshifts. The Sport mode simulates the performance driving of a manual transmission. Under certain conditions, the vehicle will maintain specific gears longer than a traditional automatic would. When driving in Normal mode in 5th gear, depressing the Sport button causes an immediate 5-4 downshift, which will be maintained for ten seconds. In any other gear, no downshift takes place when Sport is engaged. In Sport mode, the vehicle has firmer shifting and increased performance, and the transmission may remain in a gear longer than it would in Normal mode.
-Driver Shift Control (DSC) The driver manually overrides the automatic gear selection. Various mechanization options for input device and degree of override are allowed.
-Performance Algorithm Shifting (PAS) PAS overrides normal automatic gear selection during closed throttle high lateral acceleration maneuver. Lower gear is accompanied by near synchronous engine speed control for quick response upon re-opening throttle (enable threshold bias in Sport mode).
-Performance Algorithm Liftfoot (PAL) PAL prevents liftfoot upshifts while maintaining engine braking during repeated aggressive cornering.
-Winter Mode The vehicle launches in 2nd or 3rd gear instead of 1st, to avoid wheel spin in snow or ice, if selected by the driver.
-Shift Stabilization Shift stabilization is used to minimize shift business, or hunting between ranges. Based on several inputs and a map of engine torque at various RPM and throttle position, the TCM determines before making an upshift whether the engine will be able to maintain vehicle speed in the next higher range. If it calculates that it cannot maintain speed, it will prevent the upshift from occurring.
-Downgrade Detection Brake Assist Shift to lower gear with braking on downgrade based on fuzzy logic rules calculated from a thermal brake model, terrain detection, desired acceleration, vehicle speed, and mass detection.
-Adapts Adapts continually compares actual shift times to desired shift times. The transmission controls make hydraulic adjustments to assure the actual shift times approach the ideal shift time the next time the shift is made for similar operating conditions of vehicle RPM, engine load, and road load conditions. The adaptive shift process continues for the life of the vehicle to provide consistent and optimized shifts.
Doesn't seem to describe the transmission in our Sky at all. I was told the Sky has a French transmission, not German. I am French and German and don't like either.
Our transmission feels like it was programmed to mimic a CVT, not a manual.
Our Sky takes 7 seconds to initiate engine braking on the highway -- another very annoying characteristic.
It takes 50% throttle to get it to upshift at a decent RPM.
This would be nice feature, but I was told it is not available. I have this on my Stratus and love it. The one feature missing is torque converter clutch control. If it had that then it would be the perfect automatic transmission (for me).
What's funny, when Dodge first introduced the Auto-Stick in 1995 all of the car magazines slammed them and dismissed the feature as lame. What car manufacturer doesn't offer this feature now? If Dodge does it, it's crap; anyone else, it's golden. BMW 7 series transmissions are to be rebuilt at 100,000 miles and that's acceptable. If a Dodge transmission fails at 120,000 miles, it's crap. Mine has over 137,000 miles on it without having to rebuild anything (knock on wood).
The shift pattern hasn't changed from the day we drove it home.
All of this sounds nice, but in reality the TCM & ECU are guessing what the driver would want based upon conditions, and too often guesses wrong (like Microsoft & Windows). I say forget all this stupid BS and give the driver the option of commanding the car -- what a concept!
Getrag generally make good transmissions but nothing else Euro appeals=20 to me at all.=20
Sorry but the DSC was for Cadillac. I wasn't sure if the Sky had a=20 'shift mode button' or performance button which it appears it does=20 not...=20 =20
No, to them, if it is any "American car company" it is crap. :-\
2007 Hydra-Matic 5L40 (M82, MX5)
2007 Model Year Hydra-Matic 5L40 five-speed electronically controlled automatic Car /=20 Truck transmission=20 (M82 rear wheel drive, MX5 all wheel drive )
SUMMARY OF NEW OR CHANGED FEATURES=20
? New Applications: Saturn Sky And Sky Red Line, Pontiac Solstice GXP
FULL DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW OR CHANGED FEATURES
NEW APPLICATIONS: SATURN SKY AND SKY RED LINE, PONTIAC SOLSTICE GXP The Saturn Sky and Sky Red Line roadsters, and the Pontiac Solstice GXP,=20 use a unique adapter ring to adapt the driveshaft to the 5L40.
LOW MAINTENANCE
The unique assembly procedure aids the long-term durability of the=20 Hydra-Matic 5L40. No maintenance is required and there is an elimination=20 of any potential contaminants entering the transmission since it is=20 assembled in a "clean room," which was the first of its kind for=20 transmission assembly. In addition, the components are not inserted into=20 the case, which is conventional assembly practice, but the case is slid=20 over the assembled components with visual sensors monitoring parts=20 alignments and component quality. The Hydra-Matic 5L40 uses the new=20 DEXRON=AE VI fluid and is filled for life, requiring no maintenance. The=20 fluid is added at the transmission plant eliminating the chance of=20 contamination at the vehicle assembly sites.=20
OVERVIEW
The Cadillac CTS sport sedan, STS rear-drive luxury sedan, and the SRX=20 rear-drive sport utility use the 5L40; the RPO for this application is=20 M82. The all-wheel-drive SRX sport utility and all-wheel-drive STS use=20 the 5L40 with a modified rear flange for the all-wheel-drive unit; the=20 RPO for this application is MX5. The internal components of the 5L40=20 remain identical in the STS and SRX applications, which use the 3.6L V6=20 VVT. In the CTS, the 5L40 is mated to either the 3.6L V6 VVT or the 2.8L=20 V6 VVT.
The STS sedan powered by the 3.6L V6 VVT engine uses either the rear- drive or all-wheel-drive versions of the 5L40, as does the SRX crossover=20 SUV.
Part way through the 2006 model year the Solstice roadster was available=20 with the 5L40 with a unique drive flange to adapt the transmission to=20 the driveshaft.
For the 2006 Model Year, the CTS added the Driver Shift Control (DSC)=20 feature, which allows the driver to manually select gears using the=20 shift lever in a special console gate position.
The 5L40 is designed with a three-piece case. All upshifts and=20 downshifts are accomplished with one-way roller clutches (which lock if=20 rotated in one direction and run free if spun in the other) and are=20 therefore "free-wheeling." This eliminates the need to synchronize the=20 applying and releasing of clutches or bands and provides superb built-in=20 shift quality. The 5L40 uses a single electrical connector to minimize=20 potential leak paths for fluid, and all electrical sensors and switches=20 are internal or are connected internally to simplify vehicle assembly.
The 5L40 uses GM's Electronic Controlled Capacity Clutch (ECCC)=20 technology, which dampens engine torque pulses. Other sophisticated=20 electronic controls enable shift mode selection, shift patterns that=20 adapt to driving conditions and driver style, traction control=20 capability, engine torque management during shifts, and powertrain=20 protection capabilities. There is also a reverse lockout safety feature,=20 which inhibits the transmission from engaging the reverse gear when the=20 shift lever has been inadvertently moved to reverse while the vehicle is=20 still moving forward above a certain speed.=20
The Hydra-Matic 5L40 is produced in Strasbourg, France.=20
Of course you're right, but my point is an automatic transmission doesn't have to be programmed so sucky. I would love to get my hands on the equipment to reprogram the transmission in this car, then develop a performance upgrade package. I'd bet it would sell!
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