Transmission Problem!

[johnnylai]

Does anyone in here having issue with their 1st, 2nd, or 3rd gear on cold day?

[frslee]

Hmm... did you try searching first?
Feb 2014 join date and 3 posts so far seems to me that you're VERY new to forum and new to manual transmission car.
Simply it's the way it is with the stock fluid. Change the fluid with any of the following and the cold shifting should be better. Motul, Pentosin, Redline, Pennzoil. I cannot comment on which fluid to use. That would be your decision upon your research! Good luck!

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by johnnylai

Does anyone in here having issue with their 1st, 2nd, or 3rd gear on cold day?

Hello johnnylai and welcome to posting in the tech section...

Yes, @frslee mentions, several have commented on the stiffness of the lower gears shifts especially when it's cold.

Some get some relief from changing the transmission fluid. Some just wait till it warms up to look for a smooth shift.

Personally, I just firmly and slowly pull the shifter from 1 to 2 when it's cold. Mine warms up within a couple of miles.

Why is it that way? I understand one theory is because of the triple cones.....or....that's just the way it's made.....

[wheelhaus]

Common topic. I recommend searching and browsing the applicable sub forums to see if your questions are being discussed. As mentioned above, a quality synthetic transmission fluid will help, but all oils get "thick" when cold and can prevent the shift mechanisms from moving smoothly and quickly. Synthetic fluids are less affected than "dino" oils, but still susceptible. On very cold days (below freezing) the transmission can take 5-10 miles of driving to warm the fluid enough to feel normal. Until the fluid warms, the triple cone synchros on 1, 2, and 3 will feel abnormally stiff and sluggish. Don't force it, but firm pressure won't hurt. When the engine is cold it's recommended to drive at low rpm, which also makes cold shifting a bit easier as the gears are separated by only a few hundred RPM.

When it's REALLY cold, you can feel the extra resistance in the clutch fluid as well. As the engine warms up, everything in the engine bay will warm up as well and slowly feel better and better. Just don't drive hard until everything is up to proper temp.

[Norton 850]

Indeed this is a common topic about an all too common problem with our AISIN manual transmissions. The first to second gear shift can be problematic until the transmission has warmed up, and even then it's not perfect, in my mind. I've driven a variety of manual gear boxes (Jaguar, Audi, MG) and have never experienced anything like the problem we're experiencing with the FRS/BRZ.

I think the biggest improvement in shifting results from using a lower viscosity oil. Pentosin 75W 80 seems to make HUGE improvement in cold shifting. Notably, the shop manual specifies 75W 85 or 75W 90 oil, so beware that 80 weight oil is not recommended by Subaru.

[Bristecom]

Toyota/Aisin/Subaru just need to find or redesign a better synthetic OEM gear oil for this transmission. The stock oil just isn't cutting it.

[FR-S Matt]

My fiance's Dart is like this as well. It's perfectly fine when it gets warmed up. My car actually does fine after I let it do its cold start and drive it for about another minute.