K guys,

I bought my car at 11,000 miles and had to get used to my clutch a while back. However 2nd gear and reverse always would grind if i wasnt being careful (ie: walking on eggshells careful). Anyway I thought it was a syncro issue with second since reverse grinds as well when your not at a complete stop (very little). However, it got to the point 2nd would pop out when I tried to engage no matter how careful I was.

So i took it to the dealer, expecting the worst. This wasnt covered under warranty, however I did it anyway and it fixed EVERYTHING. Removed all the slop and made the shifter feel like brand spanking new. I'm pretty much just giving you my experience to save you guys some hassle.

For 98.00 bucks have them tighten up your linkage cable. This only works if reverse will grind lightly and 2nd will grind every now and then because you arent careful enough. Now that everything is tightened it feels like new and I can NOT grind it.

Flame away or what-not, just trying to help my fellow balt drivers. Tighten em up!

 

Interesting. Cheaper than a new transmission for sure!

 

i have the same problem.. and i also thought it was a synchro issue.. But if you are saying that all is needed is a tightening of linage cable then i will definitly get that done. So its not covered under warranty? even if i'm under 60000km? that sux, but i guess its worth it... It doesn't really grind in second but it is sometimes hard to get it inecond, almost like i don't have the clutch completelyopush to the floor when in actuality i do.. but it definitly grinds when i put it in reverse... I know if you put it in 1st then in reverse it won't grind but if i have to do that everytime there's gotta be something not right.

 

yea sometimes my car wont even go in reverse. its as if im not pulling the reverse lock out up or something..it just wont budge..its only done it a handful of times though.

 

You can tell if it is linkage cable if you drive a bit... come to a stop. and hold the clutch in and slide it from 1st, to 2nd, to 3rd and feel it loosen up a bit(stopped). Thats the slop im talking about. Car feels brand new and removes that delay when you switch gears.

My car is under 40,000 /w extended warranty and the cable wasnt covered. Its a maitenance issue.(like changing oil). Well worth it though!

 

does this "grinding" sound sound like a crunching type sound? cause I get that some times and this morning for no reason it wouldn't go into first I had to force it in and made that crunch sound. but it only did it once today. I only have like 1300 miles

 

no u actually feel it grinding from the stick in ur hand if u apply too much pressure. Might want to get used to the transmission.

These transmissions dont like going in 1st unless your at a dead stop. So if your even rolling at 5-10 during normal driving try to stick to 2nd. All I can think of man.

 

Funny you say that cuz when i got my car it was the same as you, I couldn't get it in first unless i was at a complete stop.. But now (30,000km) I can get it in first while still in motion. But once in a while i do have to come to a complete stop.... So i don't know if it is because its broken in, or there's a gearbox issue..

 

Let me know if you tried this and it did or didnt work.

 

Ya i definitly have that slop too man.. My friend got his tightened and he also said its as good as new now.. I'm broke right now but when i get some $ i will get that done..

 

Hey thanks for the tip man. My car dosn't grind into reverse at all but it doese grind into 2nd and 3rd a lot. I've already had them drive the car and give me the "everything is fine" bs but I think I'll get them to do this and see if it helps.

Funny thing is I don't hear any grinding, I just get the feel of grinding in the shifter.

 

I dont have a 2nd gear, it just pops out, are you saying I will have my 2nd gear if I do that? What about the synchro, is that under warranty?

 

Yours might be a bit more serious. If you cant get ANY engagement at all then your probably hosed and have to replace the syncro. I only had it pop out of gear when i initially tried to engage it.

If you are under 60,000 miles its under the powertain warranty.

I think for later years (correct me if im wrong) 2007+ have a 100,000 mile warranty on the powertrain.

The linkage cables are considered maintenance and (like changing oil) isnt free. This suggestion is more for the occasional grind that u cant avoid no matter how much you try. It may start like u dont hear it at first but it progressively gets worse.

 

thans man!.. i think this is what i need.. mine wilpl grind every once in awhile going into second.. thats all i think about when im drivin.. i was afriad to find out what it was though.. and it will sometimes grind real bad into reverse.. other times its fine and all the other gears are fine.. sounds similair to what u have.

 

Im coming up on 20,000 miles. You say the synchro is under warranty if its below 60,000 miles?

 

yup...

 

Anybody else confirm this works? I took mine in at the beginning of April, was told it was the synchro and the part was on backorder - and was then sent on my way. It's now nearly June and the part (according to this sheisty dealer here) is still apparently on backorder. Anybody else dealing with this?


If it is just the linkage cable... shouldn't I be good to go once I upgrade my clutch here in a couple of weeks anyhow?

 

I never grind at all, but what's the negative effects of grinding into gears? Premature wear to the tranny?
To some people that are grinding though, maybe the clutch isn't fully engaged?

 

^^
Negative effects of grinding:
- Impossible to get a smooth upshift from 1st to 2nd above 5k rpm, which makes any kind of racing or hard acceleration impossible.
- Is sometimes impossible to get a smooth downshift into 2nd.
- Takes away driver concentration from the act of driving.
- Makes a really loud and irritating grinding noise that EVERYONE can hear.
- Creates a certain potential to ruin a transmission.

As to your dealer-esque "Maybe it's the driver" smart ass comment. No.
I personally have been driving manual transmission cars for more than 12 years, and in fact have never owned an auto tranny car.

It seems unlikely that so many people with the same car are experiencing the same problems if it is not a factory problem.

 

Bump.

 

update:

2nd gear grind returned for me. Feels like the clutch isnt fully disengaging since it doesnt matter the RPM, torque under acceleration, speed of the shift, etc.

Feels very very random. Sometimes it will do it alot, others it wont do it for a whole trip. Shame too since it didnt grind for a month and now it shows it's head again.

This may only be a temporary fix or I may have driven it too long with a sloppy linkage and did damage.

 

Update:

Authorized the dealership to determine wtf it is that is wrong. Ill know more friday but the mechanic is assuming syncros. One thing that did tick me off is that I had to agree to give (800.00) for the tear down if it isnt covered under warranty. If they state abuse Im putting that 800.00 toward a retainer for my lawyer.

 

That means if it isnt covered you can have him replace the synchro for like $30 which totals to $830. better than the $2000 i was offered

 

The syncro itself is around 300+ if i remember right. Not to mention for them to put it back together.

 

Well damn! Better hope you and I are both covered for this crap.