Hi - I was wondering if anybody had similar issues with their 5 spd WRX. My car has 1300 miles on it, but has done the following since day 1.

First, putting my car into reverse is almost always a problem. I've driven a stick for 20 years, so I'm pretty sure I know what I am doing, but it seems I always have to try at least twice to get it in reverse, even from a cold start on a flat driveway. I park the car in reverse and one time it wouldn't go out of reverse until I popped the clutch and moved the car a little.

Second, when I idle at a light, the car seems to shake, like the rpms are just a little too low.

My dealer is 600 miles away (am moving there in two weeks) and I'll ask about all this when I get there. No big deal, I love my WRX, but the reverse issue doesn't seem right for a brand new car.

Shaking at idle is normal, so I'm told, something about the boxer engine and high strung tuning of the WRX. As for reverse, no probs here, but just make sure you don't have your foot on the brake or the e-brake on while engagine reverse, also, I'm not sure it reverse is sycro'd so I always go into 1st then shift to reverse. Never a grind with mine nor a hard engage.

Well our reverse gears don't have synchros so they are tough to get in sometimes, just takes some pressure and slipping of the clutch to get them lined up and in gear fully. It's common for all Subarus.

The rough idling might be because of the stock Champion plugs. You could replace them with NGK's and see if it helps, but this will be the same thing your dealership will do, so you might just let them front the bill for the plugs instead. http://www.i-club.com/ubb-files/smilies/smile.gif

Hey Norb and 8 - thanks for the replies.

I'll work with the shifter a bit and try the plug idea out on the dealer.

Thanks!

P.S. Why no synchros?

Because 2nd and reverse are somewhat linked, try putting the car into 2nd, and then reverse.
I had the same issue as you, and this seems to have fixed it.

As for the idle, it has to do with the tuning of the vehicle.

I went over this with my service manager, and salesman. Since I owned the first WRX sold in the area, it was used as a guinew pig for a lot of minor issues they had.

As far as I know..... WRX's are fully synchro-ed. look @ www.imprezawrx.com (http://www.imprezawrx.com)

doesnt matter.. that reverse problem has BEEN a problem for ever..... it's a SUBARU thing...

i have the same thing in my new 2001... and i tell ya.. i've never, ever driven an RS that goes into Reverse w/out issues... and i've driven a FEW RS'....

j. www.subiegal.com (http://www.subiegal.com)

My 2000 OBS did that with reverse, too. I'd go to 2nd, then thru neutral and over to reverse. Sometimes it was a pain.....

For the tranny problem, like we say in the software buisness, "it's not a bug, it's a feature!"

the low idle I guess falls into the same catagory. It's been a while since I had a car that idled normally at 400rpm. Every other Japanese car (except subies) have always idled at near 800rpm... go figure.

My 98RS has problems with the reverse gear too. It's worse cause I have to actually start the car and shift it to any other gear to movie it just a tad forward then bring it in reverse. THERE IS NO OTHER WAY! I've tried. I've gotten use to it though so it's no big deal now, except when I try to force it in and still won't go in heheheh

Fong,

Thanks Everybody - I tried the 2nd then reverse thing and it works fine. Oh well, I guess I can accept this. Besides, I would have to guess that reverse is the gear I use the least.

STi engine/tranny mounts and pitch link retrofit (see www.azscooby.com) (http://www.azscooby.com)) may help the shake at idle.

Why don't you guys ask those subaru boys in the UK to find out if they've had or have the same problem? If they did, I'm sure that they would have fixed it by now.