Transmission Delay in Downshifting on 2015 Impala LT 2.5 – Anyone Else?

Discussion Forum
1

Has anyone else noticed issues with downshifting on a 2015 Impala 2.5? Mine feels really slow to downshift, like it’s stuck in 2nd or 3rd gear until I’m almost at a full stop. I’ve also been smelling something burning when it happens. I’ve taken it to two dealerships and a couple of trusted shops, but they all keep saying it’s running as expected with no error codes. If anyone has ideas or advice, I’d really appreciate it!

2

I had something similar on a different model, but it ended up being a faulty transmission control module. No codes came up, so the shop was skeptical, but replacing it solved the issue.

3

Cypress said:
I had something similar on a different model, but it ended up being a faulty transmission control module. No codes came up, so the shop was skeptical, but replacing it solved the issue.

Thanks, I’ll ask about that! Do you remember if it was expensive to replace?

4

@Kameron
It was a few hundred bucks, plus labor. I went to an independent shop, though – they were more open to checking things out beyond the codes.

5

That burning smell is usually not a good sign. Are you noticing any slipping, or is it just the downshift delay?

6

Morgan said:
That burning smell is usually not a good sign. Are you noticing any slipping, or is it just the downshift delay?

Mostly just the downshifting delay. It doesn’t feel like it’s slipping otherwise, just that lag and smell when I slow down.

7

@Kameron
Gotcha. It might be worth looking at the transmission fluid. Sometimes even a small leak can cause issues like that.

8

Had a friend with a similar issue in their Chevy, and it ended up being a software issue. Have you tried asking the dealer if there’s an update for the transmission software?

9

Hale said:
Had a friend with a similar issue in their Chevy, and it ended up being a software issue. Have you tried asking the dealer if there’s an update for the transmission software?

Good idea! I’ll call them up and see if they’ve done that during the diagnostics.

10

Just a thought – I had a delay in downshifting in my 2014 Impala, and it turned out to be a bad throttle position sensor. Not saying it’s the same for you, but might be worth asking about.

11

Shan said:
Just a thought – I had a delay in downshifting in my 2014 Impala, and it turned out to be a bad throttle position sensor. Not saying it’s the same for you, but might be worth asking about.

Interesting, I haven’t even thought of that. Thanks for the suggestion!