Choppy shifting
 

I've had a 2014 BRZ since June of this year. It is a ton of fun to drive! One problem is rough shifting, which I never had in my other cars. It seems that shifting smoothly or choppy-by bumping off the gears before slipping into the next gear-is only a matter of chance, and happens about half of all driving time. Does everyone else have this experience, and has anyone been able to address this successfully, maybe with Subaru? Thanks.

Welcome to da club.


some claim swapping transmission fluid makes a difference
some say a heavier shift knob will
some say transmission collars, mounts etc will

nothing wrong with my car... maybe shifting technique?

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23k miles, mine feels good to me. My last car was 15 years old when I sold it. I think most people just expect more.

Do you mean while upshifting, it hesitates? Never had that.

Are you speaking of how you can hear the gears engaging after maybe 1/8 of a second, behind you when it's quiet outside? I personally have an issue shifting from 2nd to 1st. Sometimes it's smooth as butter. other times the shifter just won't go in.

Welcome to the basic sports car... If you want a butter shifter buy auto or get a civic si

I've swapped fluid to Redline and stiffened up the entire powertrain mounts. Cusco motor mounts, tranny insert, whiteline shift bushing, whiteline diff front bushing and cusco rear diff brace.

All of the above helped. When driving the car hard I noticed that it shifts much better in general and came to the conclusion that our transmissions just like being PUT into place, be assertive and accurate with your shifts and it should help out, don't be gentle. This is also why the heavier shift knobs help because they help shift with more force without changing the speed of your shifting motion.

When your car is cold, let it idle in neutral for a minute or two. This usually does the trick for me !

Assuming the engine and tranny are warmed up, I find the car very easy to drive smoothly when either going leisirely, or when driving with gusto. It's the in between normal speeds that seem to be a little jerky for me.

In addition to the suggestions above, try leverage. I added a lever extender, paired with a weighted knob and rear shifter bushing. Shifts like butter. Latheworks custom made me mine, but they can also be found here:
http://www.circuithero.com/products.php

It will get better with time, and as fika84 stated being assertive rather then gentle seems to get a much more positive shift while eliminating the bumping off of the next gear like you describe.

How many miles on the car now?

When cold, or all the time?

Upshifts, downshifts, or both?

I mounted my gopro to see the shifter tomorrow morning, it'll be about 15ºF. The car might not like 1st or reverse, but maybe it'll help show what it's like even at freezing temps. Once warm, it easily goes from 2nd-3rd or 3rd-4th with one finger.

Hopefully I can get good footage.. the shifter feels better than my last Ford, but of course no Audi

Is it only rough when it's cold?