CriticalCommonTransmission

Holden Barina: 6T40 six-speed auto slip, flare and torque converter shudder (TM)

6T40 six-speed auto slip, flare and torque converter shudder (TM) is a common transmission fault on the Holden Barina on the 2011–2018 cars, and we rate it critical. Putting it right costs $1,800 to $4,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 17 documented faults on the Holden Barina.

Vehicle: Holden Barina
Years: 2011–2018
Fuel: petrol
Gearbox: auto
System: Transmission

This page covers the Holden Barina as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Holden Barina faults17 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

A cutaway automatic transmission torque converter showing the internal turbine and stator. — A torque converter, sectioned. The lock-up clutch inside is what shudders.
No machine-readable author provided. BerndB~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims). · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

What goes wrong

The TM Barina's GM 6T40 six-speed automatic is the same troubled unit fitted to the Cruze and Captiva: it can slip or flare between gears, hunt for ratios, shudder from the torque converter clutch and eventually lose drive. GM ran Special Coverage program 2022640 for slip/flare on 2011-12 builds, and the 6T40 family is covered by the Maurice Blackburn class action against GM Holden over defective torque converters. Out of any coverage today, a proper fix is a torque converter and valve-body overhaul or a full rebuild.

What you would notice

Revs flare between gears without speed increasing
Shudder at light throttle around 60-100km/h
Harsh or delayed engagement of Drive or Reverse
Transmission warning light / limp mode

How to check it

Where to look. Automatic transmission, front of car under the engine

Test drive at motorway speed with light throttle and feel for shudder, and from a standstill check Drive and Reverse engage within a second.
Check the fluid condition if there's a dipstick access and ask for transmission service receipts.

Parts involved: Torque converter.

What it costs to put right

$1,800 to $4,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Has the transmission or torque converter ever been replaced or serviced?”
“Was any GM special coverage or class action work done?”

Now check the Holden Barina you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

GM Special Coverage 2022640 (6T40 slip/flare)
Maurice Blackburn Holden transmission class action
CarsGuide Holden Barina transmission problems page

Holden Barina buyer questions

Is 6t40 six-speed auto slip, flare and torque converter shudder (tm) serious on a Holden Barina?

We rate it critical and common on the Holden Barina. The TM Barina's GM 6T40 six-speed automatic is the same troubled unit fitted to the Cruze and Captiva: it can slip or flare between gears, hunt for ratios, shudder from the torque converter clutch and eventually lose drive. GM ran Special Coverage program 2022640 for slip/flare on 2011-12 builds, and the 6T40 family is covered by the Maurice Blackburn class action against GM Holden over defective torque converters. Out of any coverage today, a proper fix is a torque converter and valve-body overhaul or a full rebuild.

How much does it cost to fix on a Holden Barina?

$1,800 to $4,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Holden Barina years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2011–2018 Holden Barina. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.

How do I check for it before I buy?

Test drive at motorway speed with light throttle and feel for shudder, and from a standstill check Drive and Reverse engage within a second. Check the fluid condition if there's a dipstick access and ask for transmission service receipts. Look here: Automatic transmission, front of car under the engine