Sporadic reports have begun popping up in the Camaro5 forums about issues with V8-powered SS models equipped with the manual transmission. It seems that doing a hard launch or using the launch control system occasionally results in a broken output shaft, a serious failure that will most likely leave the car immobile and in need of repair. We spoke with General Motors spokesman Adam Dennison about the problem and, as this is being written, a factory hold has been put on deliveries of manual transmission V8 Camaros while Chevrolet engineering teams investigate the problem.
Based on the reports, the transmission issues may not be related to the launch control system as the failures seem to happen whether or not launch control is engaged. The Camaro SS uses the Tremec 6060 six-speed gearbox – the same transmission fitted to the Dodge Viper, Mustang GT500, Corvette Z06 and other performance cars – so this is likely a manufacturing issue with a batch of gearboxes.
Dennison told Autoblog that an engineering meeting is being held this evening to identify the cause and establish a timing for the fix – and a recall seems likely. In the meantime, if you have a manual model Camaro SS, you might want to go easy on the launches for now – and if you have one ordered, you’ll have to wait a bit longer.
It will be interesting to hear the cause of the issue.
It has to be a bad batch or perhaps a slightly different design leading to the problems… The TR-6060 has been in the Viper since 2008, and I have not heard of a single failure of any type. Considering the tire size, 3.07 rears and ALL of those cars having 600+ horsepower, if it was an actual problem, it would have shown up in the Viper long before the Camaro.
that suck, my stock old weak t56 input, and output shaft are still going great. 6500 dumps on big slicks. When I put the new clutch in a few weeks ago, I looked up the output shaft and it wasn’t twisting at all. And I’m running a cheap non forged $20 spicer slip yoke. Its a 1330 style but I really should get better one… knock on wood going to NYI tonight…
ya, joelster I seen like 2-4 new camarosa day this week. On the street, not ones at new era. I read somwere too the GM sold more camaros then the buick line, did last month
saw a car carrier on the 400 full of them, rainbow of camaros on it, the really do look badass.
Hope they get this sorted out. Sounds like one of them deals where your samples come all nice and strong, then you get your first 10,000 and they changed something.
Eh… not really. The TR-6060 in the ZR1 is a very different design. The tail housing is a completely different configuration, and the output shaft design is more than likely quite different as well. Both the Viper and Camaro are conventional and similarly designed housings, comparing apples to apples.
Not to mention, a 3.07 equipped car with 5-600 ACR specimens out there equipped with Sport Cups are going to have a LOT more stress on the output shaft than a 3.42 equipped car, all with Pilot Sport 2’s… thats just common sense. Not to mention, what portion of ZR1 owners out there have more than the delivery miles on them?
I could have sworn it said ZR1… damn Chevy and their Z packages. Regardless, they use a similar drivetrain, so it would still be the case, just moreso. As far as him doing it on purpose, whats the difference… its still a valid point on the issue since the Vettes share the transmission as well.
According to The New York Times, General Motors now says that a problem which stopped production of one of its hottest models has been fixed. As we reported first last week, a number of 2010 Camaro SS owners were experiencing failures related to the Tremec six-speed manual gearboxes in their new muscle cars. And while company officials are declining to reveal what the actual cause of the defect was, what we do understand is that something untoward was going on with the output shaft of these vehicles. The defect manifested itself in the form of a debilitating mechanical failure when the affected vehicles were launched aggressively with the engine turning 5,000 rpm or more.
It appears that the model’s production hold has been lifted, although some vehicles have been held back for inspection, just to make sure. GM’s Adam Denison reports that about a dozen owners had problems, and hopefully the problem with remain isolated, with no further cases coming out of the woodwork. In the meantime, GM has apparently decided that no recall action is warranted.
