CT5-V Is clutch shudder when engaging first normal?

[hmrh]

At 100f trans temp my 2022 CT5VBW (24k miles) has a clutch shudder right at the point where you are engaging first from a stand still.

I normally wouldn't care for a 600+ hp vehicle but this started happening out of the blue during a casual drive where it was smooth as butter before.

Is this standard behavior that I never noticed before or some kind of issue?

Only thing that has changed is that I got a fresh set of PS4S 1 day before the issue began (first new set since I've owned it). I also think I may have gotten some bad gas but its been cleared up and car is running smoothly but vibration/shudder still appears at ~100f trans temp and is kind of intermittent. Definitely more apparent at slower takeoffs and can sort of get around it by slipping the clutch more with higher RPMs

Car is balanced, aligned, 3k miles on trans fluid.

 

[Kevin0311]

Tire installer burn your clutch up putting in the shop?

 

[hmrh]

Tire installer burn your clutch up putting in the shop?

I actually watched the PDR it seemed like a casual/smooth pull in from what I can tell unless it's possible to fry the clutch within 30 seconds.

 

[sonny200]

Not normal behavior. I have 52k+ miles & have not experienced this.

 

[hmrh]

Not normal behavior. I have 52k+ miles & have not experienced this.

Perfect, will take it in and see what's going on. I’m afraid the dealership will brush it off since it’s not reproducible until the vehicle is really warmed up, have had some bad experiences.

 

[jbawden]

I can get some light chatter depending on the low speed conditions and how I engage the clutch. If I give it a quick rev with the clutch partially engaged it will usually clear it up. Sometimes it feels like the weather/humidity plays a roll, but I just take it as a characteristic of the 6M and it's living & breathing nature. These sorts of NVH issues are partially why OEM's moved away from manuals.

 

[hawk02]

The Tremec TR6060 in my previous ‘17 ZL1 would shudder a little when taking off in first gear when the transmission was fully warmed up on a hot day. Everything I read said this was normal behavior for the TR6060.

OP, what you’re describing is classic low-speed clutch shudder when everything is heat-soaked. On hot days, once the trans and clutch were fully warmed up, a few things stacked the deck against a smooth takeoff:

• High clamp-load clutch → great for holding power, not always silky when hot
• Fluid viscosity thinning in the TR6060 when heat-soaked
• Aggressive friction material that’s more prone to chatter at low RPM
• Slight driveline lash amplified during a gentle 1st-gear launch

Most owners noticed it pulling away from a stop after sitting in traffic, not when cold, and not under hard acceleration.

It is generally considered normal / characteristic, not a defect—GM even acknowledged similar behavior across several high-torque TR6060 applications (ZL1, GT500, Hellcat, etc.). Some people reduced it with:

• Fresh fluid (often switching to GM Dexron HP or Amsoil MTG)
• A little more RPM on takeoff (which kind of defeats the point in traffic

 

[albertw]

How does the fluid in the transmission affect clutch performance? Sure, the clutch assembly is bolted to the transmission but they are separate devices. (For example, in the C5 Corvette the clutch and transmission are separated by the driveshaft.) It seems to me that transmission fluid should have no more effect on clutch performance than does differential fluid or brake fluid.

 

[Savethemanuals]

I started a thread last summer with a similar issue below. After 2 visits to 2 different dealers, the issue still persists. Honestly, I got tired of spending time and effort trying to get a dealer to dive into the clutch/flywheel area (I’m convinced it’s something mainly in the flywheel/throwout bearing) so I’ve been living with it. Present mostly when the car is cold.

S

Thread '6MT folks- Anyone experience this after spirited driving?'

May 23, 2025

Did some spirited driving through mountain roads last weekend and since, my car developed a shudder/vibration upon takeoff from a standstill. If I exaggerate the throttle input a bit while coming off the clutch, its not as apparent but if you take off like normal, the car shudders/vibrates. Only happens when taking off from a standstill and not during gear changes while in motion. Wondering if I knocked something loose in the transmission mounts/driveshaft/center support bearing. Taking it into the dealer next week for further diagnosis but has anyone experienced something similar and what...

• Savethemanuals
• Replies: 26
• Forum: Blackwing General Discussion

 

[jbawden]

Agree with @albertw it has nothing to do with any fluids. I would add it has nothing to do with the throw out bearing either. It's 100% from the friction surfaces and technique. I've run Tremecs since '04 and they all did it if I acted like I was driving 3 cyl '96 metro and slipped the clutch at low speeds. Unless you're on an incline or doing a race start, there should be almost no slip when leaving from a standing start or maneuvering at low speeds as there is abundant torque and a heavy dual mass flywheel (as well as an anti-stall algorithm in the ECU for the throttle opening).

 

[Savethemanuals]

In my situation, it was non-existent prior to beating on it so something definitely changed. Don’t want to hijack op’s thread tho!

 

[hmrh]

In my situation, it was non-existent prior to beating on it so something definitely changed. Don’t want to hijack op’s thread tho!

Noo yall are good. Its good that there's documentation of it happening somewhere.

Mine started happening during casual driving at a stoplight suddenly.

I did experiment in reverse, you can get the car to shake if you hold it at like the perfect point right at the engagement point where it stops slipping.

Still haven't taken it to the dealer due to this winter freeze on the east coast but I'll see if I can consistently replicate it and take it there maybe they'll help. I am doubtful they have the patience to investigate anything that requires the trans to be warmed up which takes a while.

 

[hmrh]

Agree with @albertw it has nothing to do with any fluids. I would add it has nothing to do with the throw out bearing either. It's 100% from the friction surfaces and technique. I've run Tremecs since '04 and they all did it if I acted like I was driving 3 cyl '96 metro and slipped the clutch at low speeds. Unless you're on an incline or doing a race start, there should be almost no slip when leaving from a standing start or maneuvering at low speeds as there is abundant torque and a heavy dual mass flywheel (as well as an anti-stall algorithm in the ECU for the throttle opening).

Dude I started driving like this with basically no clutch slip and it seems to help with the chatter. Thank you.

Still a little weird that this behavior appeared out of nowhere but I guess it’s manageable now

 

[sonny200]

While it's been documented by GM & others this can be normal behavior when the trans is hot, I've not experienced this in my vehicle even after hot laps at VIR nor CMP. Just sayin. (I only have the notchy 1st-2nd when cold that gets better (but not gone) when the trans fluid warms up.)

 

[BigShark]

Sounds like you figured out the technique fix - I had similar shudder issues on my '20 and using almost no slip during takeoff made it way better.

 

[kevdawg]

I had this sort of behavior on my 2017 SS 1LE. I asked GM shops about it, but they didn't seem to know of any known issues. It would come and go for me from time to time. It'd happen for a few weeks and then never again for a while and suddenly come back. Didn't seem to have a rhyme or reason. If I did a couple launches, it would go away for a while again. I hope it doesn't show up on my bw again.

 

[hmrh]

I had this sort of behavior on my 2017 SS 1LE. I asked GM shops about it, but they didn't seem to know of any known issues. It would come and go for me from time to time. It'd happen for a few weeks and then never again for a while and suddenly come back. Didn't seem to have a rhyme or reason. If I did a couple launches, it would go away for a while again. I hope it doesn't show up on my bw again.

My 2022 BW has this same exact behavior.

Seems like grabby friction material under certain circumstances, maybe combo of warmed up PS4S gripping and friction material warming up.

Although like you said there really isn’t a way to get it to consistently happen, I’ve gotten the trans super hot after driving 2 hrs aggressively with no issue, another time I drive casually and it happens.

Also like you said didn’t happen for like a month, then the stars aligned and got some shudder/chatter.

Have to drive it on the edge of stalling to avoid it when it starts happening. Also happens less in Tour mode?

Crossing fingers your vehicle doesn’t develop this

 

[wfdeacon88]

Mine is pretty apparent on reverse also sometimes.. it's like I really have to go fast to reverse to avoid shudder. I guess I'll ask the dealership next time just to see what they say

 

[hmrh]

Mine is pretty apparent on reverse also sometimes.. it's like I really have to go fast to reverse to avoid shudder. I guess I'll ask the dealership next time just to see what they say

Yup same thing for me.

You can sort of avoid it by using very little slip but for example if you’re doing an uphill reverse you still need to slip it a bit and entire car will shake.

Pls let us know if they say this is a normal behavior or attempt to fix it.

 

[ViaDale]

My 2 cents... my 2023 5BW does not do this, ever. Yet, years ago my 2010 CTS-V with 70k miles did exactly what you describe. It seemed correlated to clutch heat/use. At the beginning of any day, it was good. After enough first-gear start-offs, it would start to shudder and adding RPMs during launch would prevent the feeling.

It was the clutch/pressure plate. Once I swapped them, it was smooth as butter.