CriticalCommonTransmission

Holden Cruze: 6T40/6T30 automatic 3-5-Reverse wave plate failure, no reverse, 3rd or 5th gear

6T40/6T30 automatic 3-5-Reverse wave plate failure, no reverse, 3rd or 5th gear is a common transmission fault on the Holden Cruze on the 2009–2013 cars, and we rate it critical. Putting it right costs $3,500 to $7,500 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 13 documented faults on the Holden Cruze.

Vehicle: Holden Cruze
Years: 2009–2013
Gearbox: auto
System: Transmission

This page covers the Holden Cruze 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 Cruze faults13 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Clutch yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

Early versions of the GM 6-speed automatic (6T40/6T30, sold by Holden as GF6) have a 3-5-Reverse clutch whose steel wave plate and piston were poorly designed, so the plate cracks and breaks up, often without warning. The car suddenly loses reverse, and 3rd and 5th gear slip or flare, while 1st, 2nd, 4th and 6th still work, so owners often notice it first when the car will not back out of a park. The broken metal spreads through the gearbox, so the fix is a rebuild with the updated piston and plate, or a replacement gearbox. GM Holden ran Special Coverage 2022640 ZDSPP (Nov 2016, 5 years or 150,000 km) on 2011-2013 JH Cruze automatics, which has now expired. This is a separate fault from the shudder and fluid breakdown problem.

What you would notice

Reverse slow to engage, slipping or not there at all
Engine revs flare on the 2nd to 3rd or 4th to 5th upshift
Harsh or delayed shifts, check engine light (code P0776)
Car loses drive or goes into limp mode

How to check it

Where to look. Automatic transmission, 3-5-Reverse clutch pack inside the gearbox

Start the car from cold and, with your foot on the brake, select reverse: it should engage within about a second with a gentle clunk and pull backwards smoothly without revving. Shift between drive and reverse a few times. On the test drive accelerate gently from a stop and watch the rev counter: shifts should be smooth with no sudden rev flare between gears, especially into 3rd and 5th around 40 to 70 km/h. Make sure the check engine light goes out after starting. Ask whether the gearbox has been rebuilt or replaced under the Holden special coverage and ask to see the paperwork. If a workshop inspection is possible: scan for transmission codes such as P0776 and check the fluid and pan for metal debris.

Parts involved: Clutch.

What it costs to put right

$3,500 to $7,500 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 automatic gearbox been rebuilt or replaced? Can I see the invoice?”
“Was the Holden transmission special coverage work done?”
“Has reverse ever been slow to engage or failed?”

Now check the Holden Cruze 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 Holden Special Coverage 2022640 ZDSPP (Nov 2016): 2011-2013 JH Cruze GF6/6T40, no reverse, P0776, via australiancar.reviews
Sonnax technical article: GM 6T40/6T70 drum saver kits, protection against 3-5-R failures
Transmission Digest: 6T40 pattern failure, broken 3-5-R wave plate
CarsGuide Holden Cruze transmission problems (broken 3-5-Reverse wave spring)

Holden Cruze buyer questions

Is 6t40/6t30 automatic 3-5-reverse wave plate failure, no reverse, 3rd or 5th gear serious on a Holden Cruze?

We rate it critical and common on the Holden Cruze. Early versions of the GM 6-speed automatic (6T40/6T30, sold by Holden as GF6) have a 3-5-Reverse clutch whose steel wave plate and piston were poorly designed, so the plate cracks and breaks up, often without warning. The car suddenly loses reverse, and 3rd and 5th gear slip or flare, while 1st, 2nd, 4th and 6th still work, so owners often notice it first when the car will not back out of a park. The broken metal spreads through the gearbox, so the fix is a rebuild with the updated piston and plate, or a replacement gearbox. GM Holden ran Special Coverage 2022640 ZDSPP (Nov 2016, 5 years or 150,000 km) on 2011-2013 JH Cruze automatics, which has now expired. This is a separate fault from the shudder and fluid breakdown problem.

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

$3,500 to $7,500 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 Cruze years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2009–2013 Holden Cruze. 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.