Resistance shifting into 1st gear

nathanso

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2019
Location
Redwood City, CA
TDI
2015 GSW TDI S 6M (sold)
At random times, my 2015 GSW TDI S 6M will not shift into first gear without considerable resistance. This is, of course, from a dead stop; usually after waiting at a red light. Trany is fully warm; clutch is fully depressed.
The car has 55K miles and has been mine since 53K. Still under CPO warranty but since the problem is so intermittent I'm loath to bring it to a dealer for service lest it be a complete waste of time.
I've seen this topic arise on other Mk7 forums with no solution. I was considering changing the trany oil to Redline or Motul as doing so on past cars has lightened up shifting and mitigated snychro issues somewhat.
Can anyone provide any insight here?
 

ProfBrown

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2019
Location
So Cal
TDI
2015 GSW SE DSG
I had an older BMW manual 328i and it would do the same thing from time to time. Actually every manual I have driven has done this (both cars and VW powered/trans sand rails/dune buggies). What I understand it to be is that at certain time stoping the gears will be aligned in such a way that they do not perfectly mesh. To remedy this you can rock the car back and forth in another gear, or simply shift it into another gear before trying 1st again. This on the past has always been the trick. Even dirt bikes do the same thing in my experience.

If that makes sense lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

sootchucker

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2013
Location
Colorado
TDI
2015 Golf
i have this problem occasionally as well. not sure why, or what to do about it. sometimes i feel like first gear is not an option.
 

mkane

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2015
Location
N.CA
TDI
GSW SEL 6spd
Every manual vehicle ever owned I always go to 2nd before reverse or first. Always.
 

Jasper J

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 30, 2003
Location
Draper, UT
TDI
2015 Toffee Brown Beetle Convertible 6M
I occasionally experience this as well in my 2015 Beetle. Feels more like some kind of mechanical blockage in the shift gate than the synchros.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Jan 4, 2015
Location
Houston
TDI
2015 Golf TDI S
I've noticed this on mine. There's a bit of resistance going into first, if I let off a bit and try again it pops right into gear. I also test drove a Passat 6MT that did something similar. May just be a VW quirk?
 

ProfBrown

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2019
Location
So Cal
TDI
2015 GSW SE DSG
I've noticed this on mine. There's a bit of resistance going into first, if I let off a bit and try again it pops right into gear. I also test drove a Passat 6MT that did something similar. May just be a VW quirk?


I think it’s an every day consumer manual car kinda thing not just VW. My bmw did the same, every manau car I’ve ever driven has, and so have dirt bikes and quads.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

mkane

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2015
Location
N.CA
TDI
GSW SEL 6spd
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^this. How long have some of you folks been driving?
 

Miss_Athanatos

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2015
Location
Kansas
TDI
2015 Golf SportWagen 6-speed manual; 2016 3500 Ram Tradesman 4X4 6.7L Cummins 6-Speed manual
Every manual vehicle ever owned I always go to 2nd before reverse or first. Always.
^^^ This.

Never had a problem shifting into first.

To the OP: Do you sit at intersections in neutral?
 

nathanso

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2019
Location
Redwood City, CA
TDI
2015 GSW TDI S 6M (sold)
^^^ This.
Never had a problem shifting into first.
To the OP: Do you sit at intersections in neutral?
Always in neutral, clutch out. Friends don't let friends needlessly wear throw-out bearings or front crankshaft bearings! It could be my inexperience with driving and clutches in general.. only 40 years and 15 or so three-pedal cars. :)
The good folks at Dieselgeek just suggested that I check the linkage for proper adjustment as it may have been bollixed during some past service.
 
Top