Sticky Shifter
 

I'm having an issue where my shifter will get stuck and it requires a bit of force to move it back to neutral. Doesn't happen 100% of the time but I noticed it happening more often. I usually notice it when i go from 5th or 6th to neutral. The car is basically brand new, I bought it back in June and has roughly 1k miles. Has anyone else had this issue before?

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4327/...e666da3c_k.jpg

Oh, if you want to do something, I suggest you check (have checked) the transmission oil level.

Also, take a peek at the clutch master cylinder and make sure it's full.

Does it shift better when the transmission is warm (after about a couple of miles) ..??

Most likely, it notchy because it's new.

It should smooth out after a few thousand miles. Meanwhile, I suggest you push the clutch all the way to the floor when shifting ..... and don't rush the shifts.


humfrz

I think you misunderstood me... the shifter is physically getting stuck from the center point when moving the stick to the right. Its hard to tell from a picture. Shifting into gear is perfectly fine. It only happens when I wiggle the shifter left and right when in neutral. Hopefully that makes sense. I owned a 2015 FRS for two years and never had this issue.

edit: heres a video link to it

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=em_7Wg1Lj0k"]2017 BRZ Shifter - YouTube[/ame]

Oh, I now see what you mean.

Nope, that ain't right.

I think there are some springs in there that are supposed to help it return to center.

I'm guessing one of those springs has become displaced or is broken.

Since it's new, I'd suggest you take it back to the dealer and ask them to fix it.

See.......you should have stayed with an FR-S ........ ;)


humfrz

Yea it's quite disappointing. This trans shifts waaaay better into 1-2 and 2-3 than my FRS did though. Just this weird issue throwing it all off...

I have a feeling it will be an easy (and covered under warranty) fix.


humfrz

This may be a silly question but does it happen when you are actually driving? The video is with the car off and all sorts of weird things can happen when the parts are not spinning so any diagnosis is sketchy at best.

I checked my 2013 FR-S with the car off and the shifter quickly moves back to center after being pushed to the right or left.


humfrz

Is yours a month old and have roughly 1K on it?
Was just throwing it out there since the issue is shown with the car turned off. Some cars can be very particular about when they will shift.
Know it is apples to cruise ships but you ever try to shift a Mutt when it wasn't running? It wasn't going to happen.

Well, no, mine has a bit more than 1,000 miles. But, if I recall proper, the shifter always did return to center by itself, if not in gear.

The OP isn't talking about "shifting" (as in putting it in or out of gear) it ......but the shift lever just returning to "center" when it's out of gear.

Yep, I've shifted an M151 when it hasn't been running ...... my driver would let me play like I was driving my (his) jeep ....... as long as it wasn't running. So, there!


humfrz

You broke it! Damned officers can't leave shit alone.

So !....... it didn't follow my orders ...... :mad0260:


humfrz

Yes this happens when the car is running. Couldn't imagine taking this video while driving

Thanks. Just wanted to clarify that point since it has come up before and the fix was simply starting the car.
I presume you are fully stock?

If the OP says that his cousin installed a used, kart-boy short shifter, that he bought for cheap off of e-bay, ....... I WILL scream ...... :mad0259:


humfrz

I doubt it from the first post but as you know it has happened before.
Armchair diagnose is bad enough but when people don't even have any details it becomes even worse.

Completely stock. Happens when the car is on/off. Sometimes it sticks at the point and sometimes its smooth.

Yep bad return spring then. Pretty unusual but I guess it falls into the stuff happens category. Will be warranty.

I have MTEC shifter springs. Are those the same springs I'm thinking of?

Ya, but .......that's what we do best ...... :D


humfrz

:slap: ..........so, NOW you tell us that you have had the top of the transmission opened up and had messed with it ........:mad0259:


:D


humfrz

Ummmmmmmm
Yes. Kiss warranty goodbye for the shifter.




"MTEC has released a spring shift kit for the Scion FR-S, Subaru BRZ, and Toyota GT-86. We had these installed in our silver car at 86Expo and everyone that tried the shifter could not believe the difference these made. These helps guide the shifter into the right gears. I'll let the youtube videos do the taking but for the money nothing will improve shifting like these do!"

https://media.giphy.com/media/4aTvdtQYr8kOA/giphy.gif

So, after @Tcoat has drilled down ...... I would suggest that you take the MTEC springs out and replace them with the OEM springs to see if that makes the shifter all better.


humfrz

Really?!? You're saying your car is completly stock, then you say you have installed probably the only part in all the aftermarket parts that can cause the problem you described....
Basically having a full blown race car with a stock transmission would have less chance of causing that problem than having only that little spring.

This spring is basicaly the most important part in the left/right motion of the shifter. You either didn't installed it properly, or it broke, or you inverted the 2 springs in the kit.
Put back the stock springs, and hope nothing important got damaged.

Jesus christ you guys all jumped to conclusions so quickly. The car is COMPLETELY stock. I indeed HAVE the springs but I have NOT installed them. Nowhere did I ever say they were installed.

In the context of the prior questions this makes it seem like they were installed.
You could try installing them and see if that fixes it but I personally would take it in and have it checked first.

I can kinda see how one may get confused but still... in the previous post I did say completely stock. My follow up question was going to be if it would be worth trying to install the MTECs instead. I'd rather not have the dealer take my car and royally screw something up.

Well if it is already screwed up there is not much they can do to it to make it worse. Not all techs are total imbeciles.


The risk is that if is something worse than the springs and if they see that you tampered with it (they can tell) then you could indeed void warranty coverage on that part.


Oh... And as far as the misunderstanding goes you have no idea how many times we have tried to help somebody just to find out 20 pages in that they had swapped engines or something. It is a hazard of armchair mechanics.


Any minute now there should be somebody along to tell you that it is the starter that is your issue.

Yea I'm making an appt as we speak. I try to be accurate and detailed when explaining issues, so when I said stock I really meant it lol.

DANG! ...... now, that's a BIG ..... :slap: ....... for being misleading ...... :mad0259:

We are just trying to be helpful.

I suggest when you take your car into the dealership, you NOT mention that you have MTEC springs ....... I don't give a rip if they ARE just in your garage, or your pocket ..... or wherever you may keep them.

:sigh:


humfrz

Lol sorry Didn't mean to imply I had them installed. Was going to merely follow up and ask if I should install them. I've had them for two years in the original packaging collecting dust

Well, now, that's OK.........:)

What I would suggest is that you go ahead and take your car back to the dealer and have them make it right.

As far as the MTEC springs, I have no experience with them ..... but, if someone gave a set, I'd toss them up on my workshop bench and leave them there.

Then, if at sometime in the future, I would decide to clean off my bench ..... I could wonder what the hell those were for ..... :confused0068:

Now, as far as my shift knob .......:party0030:


humfrz

Yeah, go to the dealership. If you install the springs and the issue is still there, the dealership will claim it's the Mtec spring that are causing the problem.