Sudden limp shifter feel.

[MWD]

So I took my BRZ in for the one month check and chat, car was fine as expected (only had 4285km on the clock).

Had an issue that the Rattling noise at high rpm (acceleration doesn't sound clean).

Anyway the technician drove the car to find out where the rattling is, it's somewhere in the gearbox (probably the reverse lockout ring issue).

The problem now is that after they drove the car, the gears feel very sloppy, loose, I'm not sure what to call it. The firm notchy resistant gear changes I'd come to love are gone. Now all gears change with very little resistance, especially 3 & 4, like the gears have gone limp or have butter in them etc. Sometimes they do get back SOME of their notchiness but even when they do it's a sloppy notchiness, not the original feel, if that makes sense.

I was sitting in the car afterwards and noticed an issue immediately, the first thing I noticed was that the neutral side to side play of the shifter is, well there now. It's not a huge amount, but enough to get noticed straight away.

I went back in saying the car wasn't like this when I dropped it off, I want you to fix it. Got the whole, we didn't change anything, we didn't touch anything (so driving it is what exactly?). The best part is when they started saying that I must not have noticed it before, that I don't know my car that well etc.

I had driven the car two hours that morning to the shop, taking a mountain road with a lot of eurobeat inspiring curves, I would've noticed.

I'm not taking my car back to that shop if they want to treat me like I'm an idiot, I've booked in at a different dealership for next Tuesday, and I don't think I'll be in a hurry to let them test drive the car after this experience.

Now on top of the other issues I have to get resolved, I have gear shifts that ruin the fun of driving the car, and to top it off the rattle is still there.

Does anyone have ideas about what could've suddenly changed?

[humfrz]

Sudden limp shifter feel ......??

That just comes from age. However, for most people it's not sudden.

They have meds for that (little blue pills).

Be advised, that after you take a pill, if your shifter stays stiff for more than 4 hours of spirited driving, take it in to your auto dealer.


humfrz

[dhuang]

Is the side to side shifter play similar to what's depicted here?

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=115384

[Imrac]

Go to the next BRZ/GT86 meet and ask people if you can play with their stick. See if their stick feels any different from your stick.

Be sure to ask nicely, some people don't like their stick being played with, others will be fine as long as you look them in the eye while doing it.

[humfrz]

Well, now, let's see here.

Did they change the transmission oil .. ??

Did they remove the console while looking for the rattle .. ??


humfrz

[sly]

I'd say they drove the piss out of the car and heated up the transmission for the first time. You say it had a rattle at high RPM? That's exactly where they are going to keep it on a test drive. He probably drove it hard enough to wear in the synchros and now your transmission is broken in. At the very least I'd recommend a transmission oil change.

[MWD]

It's been a long time since I posted in here, life happened I guess.

The issue with the shifter went away after some time, I'm not entirely sure what happened but it definitely felt sloppy compared to now.

I moved interstate, and the high rpm rattle continued. Took it into multiple dealers on multiple test drives to show the rattle since I couldn't replicate it the first time.

Eventually they ordered a new gear shift lever assembly from Japan. Had it replaced, went to test it out, could still hear it. They took it back in, all the tech could think to do was to regrease all the bushings etc.

I could swear I still hear it once in a while, but it's nothing like it was before.

Started full time study, so my workload is pretty hefty right now, but hopefully I can find some time to be more active on forums.

Thanks.