Gear Stubbornness

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Pat

Different fluid can help. Sometimes mileage can help. I've found it can get better with more miles. I've also found that after the transmission is fully broken in with fresh quality fluid it can still suck to get into gear. I have experience driving a few transmissions in BRZs and FRSs and they have all been like this.

I have driven 4 and not one of them had any issue in any gear. Luck of the draw I guess. Or the Canadian one are just plain better!

[Pat]

Yeah, four isn't exactly a large sample size. I've driven more than that and most, if not all, have not gone into all gears perfectly.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Pat

Yeah, four isn't exactly a large sample size. I've driven more than that and most, if not all, have not gone into all gears perfectly.

Hey! Four is about 10% of the Canadian total.

[tacos]

i think i'm just being a ***** and not wanting to force it, there's a bit of a barrier but once i get past it it goes in, with a little grindyness the first time, second time it goes in smooth

if it doesn't get better then i'll update

/thread

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by tacos

/thread

LOL good luck with that. There are still 2,879 & 1/2 guys that need to say they have/don't have the same problem

[MurderousPandas]

Just needs to break in, and once it does, change the fluid a couple times

"Chasing speed with patience"

[humblebrz]

Originally Posted by tacos

ok, so i have ~280 miles on my brz, and noticed right away that the car doesnt like going into 1st, 2nd, and reverse cleanly, but thought maybe its a "new car thing" and have waited it out... and now its starting to bother me. ive tried searching and have only found people reporting difficulty moving the shifter into 2nd on cold days.

reverse gear: on the first try (clutch fully engaged, dead stop/parking space) the shifter does not want to move into reverse, feels like hitting a wall - i could probably ram it in there, but havent, and dont want to. so ill clutch out and back in, and itll go in, but not freely. so i back it out and usually on try #3 itll go into reverse gear smoothly and freely. i then reverse as normal.

first gear: itll be a little stubborn to go into first gear, i want to say it feels "grindy" but its not harsh, usually takes until the third try to go into first smoothly. this is all while the clutch is in, im not talking about actually moving yet. this makes stoplights a pain in the ass, as im usually putting it in and out of first three times to get it to accept the gear smoothly

second gear: often does not want to go into second after first, sometimes double clutching helps. once again, i could probably force it into second (and have had to, but often ill just skip to 3rd bc of it) but im looking for smooth entry into the gates. second gear isnt all that bad compared to the problems im having with first and second

im still in the engine break in phase, haven't abused the engine or transmission whatsoever

im going to take it in to the dealer i just wanted to ask on here first

My 17 just stared to get easier at approx. 900miles. I often find myself releasing the clutch and putting it back in to find reverse. Once warm its a little better.

[radroach]

Ive notice If I hold my clutch in for too long at a stop it's hard to get into 1st or reverse, requires a retry.

[osidak]

I have gotten into the habit of always going into second then first when shifting into first gear. It is a known trick on the Porsche 915 gearbox and I have been doing it on every other manual I have driven since. On the 915 it makes the synchros happier and this easier to get into gear. Seems to help with the BRZ as well.


I have noticed that when the gearbox on the BRZ is cold (sitting over night in the 30's) all gears are a little knotchy but as the transmission warms up things glide like butter. It doesn't bother me in the least. Guess I have driven enough manuals (I have never owned an automatic) I have come to realize they all have their own character.


As for the poster that is saying reverse is an issue. When you have the issue again. Go into first and then try. If it is still difficult go back into first and let the clutch out a little and it will drop right into reverse

[g e]

I slip it into third before putting it in first or reverse. It helps.

[justinco]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

LOL good luck with that. There are still 2,879 & 1/2 guys that need to say they have/don't have the same problem

I'll be the 1/2...

My '17 and '13 were the same. 1st/2nd gear are tricky but only when cold, once warmed up it's fine. It does "clunk" into 1st gear though, all the time. Reverse, never an issue.

Both my Miata's had the same 1st/2nd gear cold shifting issues. But, they shifted much smoother once warm...actually, the Miata's had worse cold shifting issues than either of my twins.

I have 3k+ miles on my 2017, I never really noticed any abnormal shifting issues and it didn't change much after 1k miles.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by osidak

Guess I have driven enough manuals (I have never owned an automatic) I have come to realize they all have their own character.

Yes!


Love to see some of these guys drive the stuff without synchromesh!

[JohnnieBoy]

Originally Posted by osidak

I have gotten into the habit of always going into second then first when shifting into first gear. It is a known trick on the Porsche 915 gearbox and I have been doing it on every other manual I have driven since. On the 915 it makes the synchros happier and this easier to get into gear. Seems to help with the BRZ as well.


I have noticed that when the gearbox on the BRZ is cold (sitting over night in the 30's) all gears are a little knotchy but as the transmission warms up things glide like butter. It doesn't bother me in the least. Guess I have driven enough manuals (I have never owned an automatic) I have come to realize they all have their own character.


As for the poster that is saying reverse is an issue. When you have the issue again. Go into first and then try. If it is still difficult go back into first and let the clutch out a little and it will drop right into reverse

I found a super clean 2013 BRZ Limited a few months back with only 11K on it. Yes the guy barely drove it, babied it and did absolutely nothing to it - except 3 oil changes!

I have owned several "sports" cars over the years, a few of them being Porsche's so I am also used to the sticky first (and 2nd) gear shift. My BRZ is also one that seems to have that issue. I have already done various upgrades to the car, including changing the gear and diff oils. I used Royal Purple iso Motul (I had some surplus). The fluids change seems to have helped but now I do notice it is a little 'sticky' to get into 1st and even reverse when its cold in the morning... but just as the general consensus states, after it warms up - its like butta! The 2nd or 3rd before 1st/reverse is helpful.

[norcalpb]

Originally Posted by tacos

so no one has problems with it going right into reverse gear, which seems to be the biggest problem with mine. it really doesnt like doing it on the first try

and yes, im pulling the lockout up, lol

Mines never liked going into reverse and I have 70k miles. If it doesn't go in nicely the first time, pump the clutch a couple times. You'll see that it slides in more easily.

Also be easy on the transmission when it's cold. It's meant to feel notchy when it's cold so it feels great when it's warm. And by take it easy I mean hold the clutch to the floor longer than you normally would before shifting to the next gear.