Transmission help!!!!

go to the dealer

 

At 600 miles, you've just finished the break in period. You should go to the dealer.

 

Why worry if they say new dct. Be thankful there is this thing called a warranty. And dealer will only say new dct if it is in fact needed. In this case you are likely looking at a new dct, as repairing faulty ones is not worthwhile.

 

The gearbox is maintenance free. Even the dealers don't open them up and couldn't fix them if they could. They just swap them. The fluid is permanently sealed inside. There is nothing to do but check to see if there are some faulty external connectors or sensors. They can read the fault codes and know right away what the issues are.

If it truly is a gearbox problem, swapping with a rebuilt unit is what they do.

2011 should give you 3 years of warranty. So, don't sweat it. Just call them, have them pick it up, and let them fix it. I would suggest you don't drive it anymore until you call them.

Relax -- its under warranty. Ask for a new warranty on the new box if they swap it.

 

Say one accrues 50 K miles, how does the shop change the gear oil if the DCT is sealed
After time it would turn bad I suspect

 

If the car threw a code (i.e you had a persistent alarm), hopefully the dealer can use their DEIS and source the error.

Original DCT's had some issues, but they seem to be working reasonably reliable now for most. Sounds like your issue has been intermittent and in Auto mode (only)? If the DCT had a more fundamental error, it wouldn't shift (at all), have a constant alarm that an on/off cycle would not clear, or would offer only odd or even gears.

Hopefully it's something simple like a bad sensor or a calibration issue (the DCT is a complex hydraulic thing with a lot of sensors determining how it works, spread all over the car).

I would take it in and have them check it, hopefully it's minor. BTW DCT fluids (gearbox and diff) are changeable and are limited maintenance items, however the DCT was intended as a limited maintenance/longer life component. "Lifetime"? we'll see...

please keep us posted

 

It will be in the dealer records no matter what.

How can a new gearbox changed by the dealer actually depreciate a car? I don't see it. If anything, it's a benefit, especially if they add more warranty to the box. This is not a collector car. It's an exotic sports car.

Honestly, having only 600 miles on it in 2 years is more of an issue when it comes to resale. You're blowing through the warranty period without testing the car. Like any good athlete, you need to exercise once in a while or you will grow old quickly. A lot of us would not consider buying garage queens. 300 miles a year? Garage queen.

If resale value is what you're worried about, fix the car and then sell it. It's not for you. You can't enjoy it enough to worry if the clown behind you wants to take a picture and hits you at 6 MPH, causing 50 grand in damage.

No offense but just being honest. Call the dealer, have them pick up the car, and start driving.

It's summer.

 

To be honest, you don't have enough miles on the car to tell if its auto or manual. It may be both but you haven't experienced it enough to really know. It could be an intermittent problem that occurs once every 100 miles or so.

My suggestion is stop driving it and call the dealer as the driver's manual says. It may be simple and that will be the end of it.

 

The DCT failure modes I have read about involve failure to shift up by a single gear; for example shifting from 2nd to 4th but no 2nd to 3rd. It is as if only the gears on one shaft are working.

 

See... the guy before you should have driven this car and found the problem a long time ago.

But, luckily you were smart to buy one still on warranty so you will be fine.

They have done a lot of work with ZF on the problems of this box since 2010. Believe me, Ferrari doesn't like swapping these boxes either. It's a ZF problem, not Ferrari.

 

Getrag makes the DCT, but same point applies....IIRC basically the same designs across all Fcar platforms, Mercedes AMG....albeit with apparently different software maps.

If are close to a dealer, they should be able to plug it in and see if there any fault codes to address pretty quickly, and they can run a full diagnostic test as well off the DEIS

 

These forums have seen quite a few issues with DCTs in the earlier 458s and Californias. A search will bring them up. As I said earlier, usually the failure mode involves shifting up two gears instead of one. But i guess there are variations.

 

Ooops. You are right. Getrag. My mistake. Sorry.

I knew it was one of those German guys!

 

My 458 has kicked into nutral when I am on a hill and the engine is gently pulling the car. This does not happen on flat ground.

In your case you may have a slight drag on the car with the emergency break or ?

As you know the emergency brake releases when you move forward. Maybe your car does not release completly. all conjecture on my part.

I would do as this poster says maybe call the dealer service maybe they can help you. I would release the break manualy to see if that helps. I know it can be done but I cannnot remember how.

Lee

 

Yes might be less serious than other dct issues like jumping gears, hope an update will fix problem and it will be ok, keep us posted!

 

Ferrari seems like it has a new update every freakin' week! It's crazy.

Could be-- who knows. They can read the fault codes when it comes in

Believe me--they will do anything to find the problem without pulling the box.

Pulling the box is the nuke option.

 

Due the symptoms can be a sensor fault. There are many which kick the DCT to neutral.

For example door sensor fault. If you gear reverse with driver door open and wait for a second before push the throttle, DCT changes immediately to neutral. So if it appears suddenly an instant fault signal on a sensor, it might display the protection on DCT which kicks it to neutral.

Just a guess, but dealer can verify that easily.