6T40 Planetary 2013, used and ready to install. Fits the 6T40. Ships fast from the USA.
A 2013 Chevrolet Malibu 2.5L, or another Gen 2 6T40 car, that howls on the highway, clunks when you go from Drive to Reverse, or leaves broken gear teeth on the pan magnet has often lost the final drive at the back of the gear train rather than one of the shifting gearsets. This listing is a used, genuine GM 6T40 final drive planetary and differential assembly taken from a 2013 Malibu with the 2.5L engine. The photo shows the differential carrier with its spider gears, the final drive internal ring gear, a small gear and the retaining ring, so compare it piece by piece with what came out of your case.
The 6T40 does not use a separate ring-and-pinion like a rear-drive axle. After the three ratio gearsets and five clutches pick a gear, torque comes off the output and runs through a planetary final drive that multiplies it one more time. The differential is built into that final drive carrier: the spider gears and side gears inside it split the torque between the left and right axle shafts so the front wheels can turn at different speeds in a corner. Because every bit of torque in every gear passes through this assembly, a failure here shows up in Drive and Reverse alike, which is a useful clue when you are sorting out a noise.
Plenty of 6T40 complaints that feel mechanical are actually hydraulic. A slip or no-reverse condition with P0776 on these units is far more often the 3-5-R clutch and its wave plate, and early units also have solenoid and pressure faults, all covered in our 6T40 common problems guide. A gear noise that stays the same in every gear and in Reverse, with no codes, is what points to the final drive. Wheel bearings and CV joints make similar sounds, so rule those out on a lift first. The ratio numbers that matter when comparing parts are laid out in our 6T40 gear ratios and specs guide.
This part came out of a 2013 Malibu 2.5L 6T40, which places it in the Gen 2 era that GM began in 2012. GM built the 6T40 behind several engines, and final drive ratios and carrier details can differ between applications, so a part from another car is not automatically a match. Before ordering, count the teeth on your old ring gear and compare the carrier, splines and side gears with the photo, or send us your year and VIN and we will check it for you. If your car has the heavier-duty 6T45, look at the 2016 6T45 planetary instead. For an earlier car, see the 2009 6T40 planetary, and for a late unit the 2019 6T40 planetary.
| Fits | 6T40 2013 |
| Part type | Planetary |
| Condition | Used |
| Brand | OEM |
| Ships | From the USA |
| Warranty | 1-year |
Doing this repair right usually means replacing these at the same time. Same transmission, ships together.
No. This is the final drive planetary and differential assembly from the back of the transmission. It carries torque in every gear and splits it between the two front axles.
It was removed from a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu with the 2.5L engine and the 6T40 automatic. Match the ring gear tooth count and carrier to your old part, or send us your year and VIN.
A final drive whine follows road speed and stays the same in every gear and in Reverse. A wheel bearing usually changes when you load the car side to side in a sweeping turn. Check bearings and CV joints on a lift before opening the transmission.
Thrust bearings and washers on both sides of the final drive, any worn bushings, the axle seals, and the filter. Flush the cooler if metal went through the unit.
Dexron VI, with the level set hot at the check plug. After the repair, run the scan tool fast learn so the transmission relearns its shifts.
