Has anyone had a problem shifting into first gear when coming to a stop? A couple of times I was at a complete standstill waiting for the light to turn green and when I pushed in the clutch so I can put the car into 1st, it didn't want to go in. Almost like something was blocking it.

I put it into 3rd and then back into 1st and it went in. First time it happened I thought maybe I didn't push the clutch in all the way, but it has happened a couple of times already and it concerns me.

Anyone else?...

 

Similar scenarios have happened with my car. Sometimes the stick will be stuck in 1st and I will have to really try hard to force it out or just turn off the car and turn it back on

 

Happens to me sometimes as well in the begining

 

Happens on my car when it's cold - it's normal. Give it 5000 miles and should have loosened up a bit. Just be gentle and take it out of gear and then go back into 1st.

 

It's balky especially before the transmission oil is warmed up. Select another gear and then try it again. You could also try letting the clutch out slightly.

 

Symptoms are identical to mine.

 

If I remember corrctly there is a service bulletin regarding shift linkage cable adjustment, might check with your service dept. Marc

 

Just double checked, there is a TSB on cable adjustment, call your dealer and have then check if it applys to your vehicles. Marc

 

neutral to 1st gear ditto. i put it in reverse and close my eyes, works every time.

 

same here too, surprised the crap outta me a few times. I just put it into 2nd and go, just slip the clutch a little more.

 

This is a perfect example of how much abuse you put on the syncro's when shifting from neutral into first gear when the car is not moving forward. For those of you who are in the practice of taking the the car out of gear at a stop light, better think again. It is not only unsafe and unnecessary, but can prematurely wear out the syncro's, causing grinding and gear pop out. Keep the car in gear.

 

That's the first time I've heard that....everyone tolde to take it out of gear or you can burn out your clutch (over time)

 

same here, I was taught from the very first day to take the car out of neutral when stopped at the light.

 

The arguement that many people make as to why they put the car in neutral when at a stop light is to save the throwout bearing from wearing out. No other part of the clutch system is engaged when you clutch pedal is pressed to the floor. The throwout bearing was designed to last far longer than even the most quality clutch disc will last. They are as durable as your wheel bearings which spin continuously as you drive. It is EXTREMELY rare that the throwout bearing would have problems before you needed to replace your clutch.

So, rather than take a chance on wearing out a $20 bearing that would cost $1500 to replace INCLUDING the cost of a new clutch kit), they prefer to take a chance on wearing out the synco's in the transmission. Makes no sense to me especially with the price of a new tranny being what it is. It isn't even safe to be in neutral when you are at a light or anywhere else on the street. Most of these people have never driven a car without syncro's where, if you weren't in first gear before the car stopped moving, you had to turn the car off to get it into gear.

 

I understand what you are saying, but it seems next to impossible to put the car in first gear even when the car is rolling real slow. Kind of like when you start to slow down almost to a complete stop for a red light, but then the light turns green, so the natural (by feel) is to put into first. No doing, to much resistance going into first gear so I have to leave it in second which (feels) to be the wrong gear to start back up in even when the car is still rolling at a few MPH. I've tried with revs up, down, you name it. Still is funky.

Anyone else?