A method for controlling an input clutch of a vehicle transmission that includes an output driveably connected to the input clutch includes increasing the torque capacity of the input clutch, determining a reference acceleration of the output, determining a current acceleration of the output after the reference acceleration is determined, if a difference between the reference acceleration of the output and the current acceleration of the output is equal to or greater than a reference change in acceleration of the output, determining a desired input clutch torque, and adjusting the input clutch to produce the desired input clutch torque.