i just hit the 3k mark in my 02 wrx and i noticed that a couple of times i can only get first gear in half way. i have to push the clutch in then let it out after putting the car in neutral then try it again and it usually works. it's been happening more and more frequently and i was just wondering if anyone else had this problem or knows why it's happening. also, a couple of times when i go to put my car in reverse my gears grind... i know the clutch is in and i'm not moving backwards so i have no idea what could be causing that either. any help or advice on this would be appreciated.. btw, i'm taking it in for my 3k oil change soon so i'm gonna have them look at it i was just wondering what you guys had to say.

I don't know why that is either, but mine does the same thing....reverse especially. I take extra care shifting, the clutch is to the floor and it still just won't go into reverse??? I have to try like 3 or 4 times sometimes. I hardly ever use reverse so it doesn't matter much. My old truck was a manual too and i remember always having the same problem with that too. I always chalked it up to manual transmissions.

i have the same problem
had the sti short throw put in but the tranni has always bitched at me a little
took car to dealer and they lubed and serviced the shifter
felt a little better
sometimes when i am driving and i put my car into first going maby 8 miles an hour it just grinds and puts up a fight but only if i am not paying attention
if i fell for the clutch i can just ram it in and it dosn't put up two much of a fight
about the going into reverse thing i find that putting it into 1st and than into reverse seems to help

i have 2600 miles on my rex, and putting it into first or reverse is sometimes a pain. i don't know if it is just b/c it's a new tranny or what??? about the putting it in 1st while going 8 miles an hour...uhhhh, i always thought you WEREN'T suppose to put the car in gear (first that is), while the car is moving...regardless of speed...isn't that right??? hence, the grinding. anyway, i'm waiting for my STi short throw shifter. i went ahead and purchased the kartboy bushings. i'm hoping that that will rid my car of the sloppy shifting, and sometimes cumbersome gear engagement. i still long for the days of my civic's sweet shifter. it's a shame subaru couldn't swipe some of honda's tranny engineers/designers.

db97

My WRX does similar things, but not -exactly- the same. It never really grinds, but sometimes it definately does not want to go into first. Also, even at a dead stop putting the car in first is still weird. If I have the radio up to where I can't hear the transmission sounds as I shift, it feels like its grinding into first and I back off. However, whey I'm listening to the engine and the tranny, the same "sensations" in the shifter (resistance, crunchy feeling) sounds normal and I go ahead and push it into gear. I complained about this to Subaru at my 4k oil change and the tech said that the synchros are extremely tight on the WRXs and that the "crunchy" feeling going into first is normal. He also said the WRX 1st gear should never be engaged at any speed over 5pmh. So, all that to say: When I'm concentrating on driving and I can hear what's happening in my tranny as I shift, the car never grinds. This is my first real "sports" car (I had a couple GTI-VR6s, but they don't compare) so I've written it all off as my inexperience. Anybody can drive a damn civic...

Tim

I am no expert, but on most manuals I have driven I have the same problems with 1st and REV. I found that if I am going to go to Reverse, it helps to go into 1st before and vise-versa. I think it has something to do with the synchros. This definately stopped the grinding when I go into REV. Hopefully this helps.

After about 3K miles 1st gear seems much easier to grab now
compared to very early on when it refused to shift without a little rev matching. I guess it's broken in now. Reverse is still difficult though, oh well! Tapping the throttle a little bit definitely helps engaging 1st gear, try it.

I have 7K on my WRX and I'm having problems with 1st and Reverse. Anyone got any Ideas?

I know that this may sound stupid, but what works for me is adjusting my seat. When I am too far back, too high or too low, I seem to have this problem. When I am out of position I have quite a bit of trouble getting into first and reverse. I have to sit a lot closer to the steering wheel than I have in other cars. Try every position that you can. I am pretty tall, so what I have described may work for you, on the other hand it may not. I think that this may be why Subaru has provided us with a seat that is adjustable for heighth. Give it a try, what can it hurt? You might like it!:)
Just my .02

Dennis

1st this should really be in the transmission forum. That said, I had the same problem. Since I switched to Mobil1 gear oil it almost never occurs and shifting is much smoother. BTW I have a Kartboy short throw and bushings.

Scoobygator

you need to double clutch into 1st if it doesn't go in. especially when it's cold. after warm up you should be able to get it in from about 15mph, if you revmatch.

for reverse, let the car roll just a tad forward or backward while you shift into rev. if the ground is completely flat and your car doesnt roll when you disengage the e-brake, roll a few inches forward, then engage R.

NEVER try to put the car into reverse unless you put it into first gear first. If you dont' you will grind EVERY time. Most manual transmission cars are like this.

i'v had this problem for a long time when i put in reverse it always crunches i dont know why even when i put it in 1st then go to reverse i still have the same problem and i dont know will this shorten the life of my clutch ?? i took it back to the dealer and they cant find the problem in fact they get it in really easy piss me off :mad:

160 miles on my 2.0 WRX wagon and I posted the same thing about 1st gear. I've also noticed Reverse sucks hard too. I got a standard WRX so nothing special in the tranny department.

At times, the double clutching works for 1st gear, but its very hard to get in EVEN when I'm at a stop sign completely stopped with my foot on the brake. At stoplights, I have to stomp the clutch all the way in and still wiggle the shfiter into the 1st gear gate. All the other gears open like a funnel.

Reverse has some other weird effect where it goes in half way. I have to usually do it like 2 or 3 times to get it all the way in before I can move backwards.

Another little problem which don't really matter is my 5th gear. That is another tight gear, not as tight as first, but since it's 5th gear I really don't care since you can take like 10 seconds to shift into that one going 60 - 65 on the freeway.

I have this problem too on my 02 WRX, 99Si, and 01 929rr...the easiest way to fix it is to double clutch. blip the gas a little bit and it should ease in. I think it's a synchro issue since double clutching fixes it.

Reverse :
put your car in first and then reverse and it should be fine. blip the gas again while in neutral and shifting to reverse...boom, you are in and ready to race (in reverse :) )

I shredded first gear with 4k on the car and its completely stock, has anyone else had this problem? The dealer is refusing to fix it.

Thanks

93.5auto,

Which dealer, in which town?

GoodFinder :)

Hey Guys I had the same problem. I think the 1st gear issue is because the 1st gear doesn't have a syncro so if your coming off an offramp in 5th and you come to a complete stop then the gears are not lined up for 1st. Try this, next time your 1st gear is acting-up first put it into 2nd gear then into 1st that should line up the gears and help it slide in more smoothly.


Hope this helps, Let us know if it does it did for me :cool:

I think Solo One is right. You must put the shifter in first before putting it in Rev.

Also, coming to a stop, if I leave it in gear (say 5th), push the clutch in as I come to a stop, then double clutch before putting it in first. I never go straight from a high gear to a low gear. This is easy to do because you have a lot of time at a stop sign or light.

In addition, all of the manual Rexes I drove were notchy, but not mine. Then I got a Kartboy shifter and it became notchy (I expected to be more work to shift, but not notchier...). I have yet to insatll the Kartboy bushing though. I will probably install the bushing this weekend.

i have a 2000 2.5rs and was wondering if it should allow me to go into first rolling, and it takes forever to go into reverse for me, should i get my tranny checked out then cuz i still got my warranty and would rather get this fixed now, help is appreciated and thanks for your time.