help - 2nd gear

[pacmann33]

I forgot to add, I have switched to redline MT-90, and it was an improvement, but it is not going to fix a poorly designed transmission.

[BeEvil]

Originally Posted by pacmann33

I have always had a slight "soft grind" going from first into second, but it is intermittent. My OCD makes me really hate this car sometimes. I have had it happen, hot, cold, fast slow, no matter what the situation, it happens from time to time. I know that it will inevitably lead to me paying for a really expensive repair further down the road, when it is clearly a design flaw.

BeEvil, hello from TM3!

I have taken my car to the dealer, mainly to start a paper trail. I can live with the other small niggles of the car, the squeaks, and crappy paint, but the transmission bugs me worse than anything, even the terrible paint. It makes me regret I ever bought the car, I may sell it next fall and buy my dad's 2009 V6 Rav4 off him. 0 issues with it, minus the crappy interior.

EDIT...this never happens when downshifting into second gear. We all need to start making noise. up shifting from 2-3 has some odd hesitation from time to time, but it is not as much of a concern for me.

Hey Pacmann33,

This is exactly what I'm talking about. Never downshifting and it's totally intermitent. Doesn't matter how careful you are trying to be. If it's going to grind it just will. No matter what you are doing. I find it seems to happen a bit more often when I'm performing a turn and shifting from first to second. Does this seem to happen to you? Also, do you have a short shifter installed? I do and I'm affraid that the dealership is going to blame that. But I know it was doing it before I installed it.

BeEvil

[Kambo]

I had the same problem, when I first got the car last JAN I grinned 2nd so much. I couldn't believe i was missing 2nd so much. Well the play in the shift is outrageous so I got JBrones short shift kit and BAM no more missing 2nd. I swear I have not missed 2nd sense then its been 10 months.

Love the way my car drives and sounds! MAZDA!

[pacmann33]

Originally Posted by BeEvil

Hey Pacmann33,

This is exactly what I'm talking about. Never downshifting and it's totally intermitent. Doesn't matter how careful you are trying to be. If it's going to grind it just will. No matter what you are doing. I find it seems to happen a bit more often when I'm performing a turn and shifting from first to second. Does this seem to happen to you? Also, do you have a short shifter installed? I do and I'm affraid that the dealership is going to blame that. But I know it was doing it before I installed it.

BeEvil

I have no short shifter installed. I don't mind the stock height/throw, but then, I've never tried a 2010 with a short shifter so maybe I don't know what I'm missing.

I find that it doesn't really correlate with cornering, but I will watch for it when cornering. maybe I haven't made that connection yet. Clunky shifting I can deal with, but a soft grind like this...even though it is soft...is mechanical wear that should not be happening. I don't put many miles on the car, so I'm concerned that my 3 years will be over when my synchros go for a crap.

My service advisor was very articulate on the "customer complaint" section of the service order and used my words exactly ie. "soft grind" etc. They drove it back to back with a new one and noted that it did the same thing and so opted to not go any further with it at this time. I have a good relationship with my dealership I think, so I don't want to make waves YET. I have close to 2 years of warranty left so I will wait for a while to bring it in to complain again. I want to have a good record of me complaining about it with Mazda Canada. It really really annoys me that my new car has a mechanical issue of this magnitude.

I wish it wasn't so random either, you can drive this car for hours and it may not occur...other times it seems to be worse. I have my mechanic at the dealership on facebook so maybe I'll talk to him about it again off the record. This transmission has roots back to the early 80's (GLC), but it just seems to be the 6 speed variants that have these issues.

I will keep this thread updated, and I'll keep BeEvil updated via PM's on TM3.

If anyone else feels that they have this same intermittent soft grind issue please chime in! I have driven other brand new 2.5 6 speeds that had this occur on a test drive...there are many many more of you out there!

Cheers!

[lhbalesjr]

My 2010 3s manual just started doing the exact same thing today. I have driven manual transmissions for over 30 years, including 190,000 miles on my 2010 Protege ES. This is a design flaw and not misuse or abuse. Has anyone had any luck with Mazda?

[Roconne]

I'm having the same issue now as BeEvil and Pacmann33. Random shifts from 1st - 2nd will grind even though I have the clutch completely engaged. I've had this car for just over 1 year now and I'm at 30k KMS.

BeEvil or Pacmann33, did you guys ever get this fixed at the dealership?

[BeEvil]

Originally Posted by Roconne

I'm having the same issue now as BeEvil and Pacmann33. Random shifts from 1st - 2nd will grind even though I have the clutch completely engaged. I've had this car for just over 1 year now and I'm at 30k KMS.

BeEvil or Pacmann33, did you guys ever get this fixed at the dealership?

No I haven't gotten anywhere. Now I just make sure I shift more slowly from 1st to 2nd.

BeEvil

[Scout]

I'm not positive about Mazda but in most manual transmissions the reverse gear is not synchromeshed; all 5 or 6 forward gears are assisted by the synchromesh, reverse works on its own gears with no assist which is why it can be difficult to get it to go into reverse or you can even grind it if you push too hard. For reverse the best thing to do, which wizkid already mentioned, is to put it in first and then gently go into reverse. Try not to force it. This has always worked for me and not just with Mazda.
The forward gear problems make no sense. It does sound like something is wrong.

[Frnchplayr15]

Thank god I thought I was the only one with this problem thinking I messed up the clutch or I wasn't driving properly. Yeah I feel like I have to put a lot of pressure shifting from 1st to 2nd but down shifting no problem at all! Im going to my dealership tomorrow and see what they can do! Anybody have any new updates at all?

[ebarros14]

Originally Posted by Pancake

I've actually got the same problem. A few times it just wont go into second or go into second very easily causing my hand to slip and making it to go back to neutral and like you I have to let the clutch out then in again. There is no grinding of the gears, it just feels like the gear is just not connecting. I've also got a problem with reverse not going in when I start the car, it just wont go in at all while every other gear will, like it can't get past the point where reverse would connect. And the only way to fix it is like what I have to do when second doesn't go in, release and reengage the clutch.

My reverse does this too! My friends always give me shit for it, but sometimes I'll press the clutch in and it just won't connect all the way through. I have it put it into neutral and clutch in again and try again. It's weird because it's only when I start the car.