Manual shifting question

[brownnugen]

Let's start by saying that I have driven a shick shift all my life when a I learned to drive in a car 1973 Super Beetle, then drove a 1985 Volvo wagon, then my B4 Passat.

With my GSW, I find that occasionally when I am shifting from 5th to 6th gear, I will accidentally shift into 4th. I have never had problems shifting to the wrong gear before this car. This is a "new" 2015 that I've put about 1,00 miles on in the past month and if this is something other than operator error, I would obviously like to get it fixed. Compared to my B4 wagon, I think this shifter feels a little notch.

Are there any adjustments to the shifter that can be made by the dealer?

 

[turbobrick240]

The dieselgeek sigma six short shifter significantly improves shift feel imo. But my guess is you are just getting acclimated to the car, and missed shifts will become more rare as you adjust.

 

[Grigg3]

...I think this shifter feels a little notch.

What does that mean?

I bet you'll get the hang of it.
I haven't had any trouble with that in my 2015 with 6 speed. But I did have that trouble occasionally learning to manipulate a 6 speed behind a Cummins, soon enough I had it figured out.
Just be cautious and listen or watch tachometer as you let the clutch out a little slower than you might usually, gives you a chance to notice the wrong gear selection and push clutch in again quickly, before over reving the engine in wrong gear.

Could also be how you grab the shifter. Try griping it with just 2 or 3 fingers and as if it were an egg. Then gently slip into neutral and first purposefully guide it more left or right from where it entered neutral (to line up with next gear choice) and second gently tip in up or down into gear
Not saying you should always do it that way but just a good method to get the feel of it.

Thinking about it as a two step, left/right then up/down process you are unlikely to get it wrong.

 

[krebsy75]

Avoid gripping the shifter like a pistol. This was an issue for me in an earlier car.

 

[krebsy75]

Holding the shifter in this manner will help avoid mis-shifting:

 

[Miss_Athanatos]

My friend with a GSW has the missed-6th drop into 4th problem on occasion as well. The car will take the accident fine as long as you're below red line, just shift calmly into 6th.

I have three vehicles with vastly differently-acting manual transmissions: New Venture Gear 4500 5-speed, Daimler G56 6-speed and then the 6-speed in the GSW. There is a lot of gear shift "distance" in the NV4500 and G56 which make missed shifts almost impossible. Not so with the GSW gear shift; the selectors seem pretty close-packed.

The nice thing about the TDI, though, is that it's very forgiving for operation anywhere within the set RPMs range. Just keep it under red line and above stall...practice shifting...and have some fun driving.

-- Nicole

 

[Funguy]

I am the same as you having learned to drive stick around '75. I also missed the the 5th to 6th shift on my Passat at first. It takes a little guidance through neutral. You will get used to it.

 

[hskrdu]

We just got back from the first drive in (her) new GSW 6M: 500 Miles up to VT and back after picking up the car. We both missed 6th quite a few times, where coming straight back from 5th slides into 4th. After a few hours, and a few hundred miles, it became more natural to make a light move towards the pax side of the car when going 5th to 6th, and I didn't miss at all on the trip home. Now it feels natural, but it took a little practice.

 

[Funguy]

It took me a while to get used to even having a 6th gear. Kept getting angry at myself going down the hwy and realizing I had been in 5th for so many miles. Then after a couple of weeks I would remember to shift to 6th but then I would touch the shifter sometimes and get mad thinking I was in 4th and then remember, Oh Yeah I am in that new 6th gear!!! It's all natural now though I think.

 

[740GLE]

Why even go to 5th? Use 4th enough to make you smile, then straight to 6th! You'll never mix up that shift.

I used to start off in 3rd, including the first red light leaving the dealership in the 2010.

 

[BobbyWires]

I stalled out in 2nd a few times Past diesel Manuals you could get it rolling and jump to 2nd but this one you need carry it out closer to 2k

 

[Ol'Rattler]

I used to start off in 3rd, including the first red light leaving the dealership in the 2010.

Good on you then. I hope you are properly slipping the clutch for 2 blocks every time you start off from a stop. Also, I think reverse should have syncros as well.

Regards,

Quality Clutch and Transmission Service.

 

[Funguy]

Why even go to 5th? Use 4th enough to make you smile, then straight to 6th! You'll never mix up that shift.

I often go from third straight to 6th. Bigger smile that way

 

[740GLE]

Good on you then. I hope you are properly slipping the clutch for 2 blocks every time you start off from a stop. Also, I think reverse should have syncros as well.
Regards,
Quality Clutch and Transmission Service.

Nope she stalled hard each time, after the 4th time I figured it was my mistake, and finally found first. Its called a mistake.

Wife was not happy that i had to get a manual and that I couldn't drive it, to this day she will not even attempt to drive it, hence why we have the alltrack DSG as the replacement car.

 

[Funguy]

Nope she stalled hard each time, after the 4th time I figured it was my mistake, and finally found first. Its called a mistake.
Wife was not happy that i had to get a manual and that I couldn't drive it, to this day she will not even attempt to drive it, hence why we have the alltrack DSG as the replacement car.

OH!!! I thought you were serious also. Now I have to put you back on my "good guy list". I was trying to understand why you would do such a thing when the once in a blue when I start in 2nd it brings tears to my eyes.

Yeah I love my 6MT passat but my wife won't touch it either. I can't honestly say that I am sorry she won't try it though

 

[Miss_Athanatos]

OH!!! I thought you were serious also. Now I have to put you back on my "good guy list". I was trying to understand why you would do such a thing when the once in a blue when I start in 2nd it brings tears to my eyes.

Yeah I love my 6MT passat but my wife won't touch it either. I can't honestly say that I am sorry she won't try it though

I've had the horror of a hill start in third. Thought it was in first. Was shocked that it took a lot higher RPMs and some clutch slipping to get going, until I noticed that I had only a nominal acceleration. Funny thing was that the car took it like a champ with only slightly more engine vibration.

Poor clutch!

Mistakes happen to everyone.

 

[makattack]

Heh, I kind of have the opposite problem. I have problems sometimes with a 5 -> 4 downshift.... where I meant to go into 4, but instead it went into 6. It's not often, and usually when I'm trying to be too quick. I've always caught myself before the clutch even comes up, but because of the delay, I have to waste more fuel getting the RPM's back up to speed.

 

[kjclow]

Nope she stalled hard each time, after the 4th time I figured it was my mistake, and finally found first. Its called a mistake.

Wife was not happy that i had to get a manual and that I couldn't drive it, to this day she will not even attempt to drive it, hence why we have the alltrack DSG as the replacement car.

My daughter did the same while learning to drive the beetle. I couldn't tell she was in third until I got behind the wheel. I thought she was just being overly cautious starting on a slight incline.

 

[giuseppe_b]

This thread reminds me of what a salesman told me yesterday as he picked me up in a Golf R manual. They see many of those cars come back with clutch failures because people go in to buy the cars who can't actually drive a stick. That made me cringe. A bit off topic, sorry.
On topic, I've never experienced the 5th to 4th upshift in my 2010 and my 2015 on my drive back from El Paso yesterday.

 

[hooville]

I added a clutch stop and removed the plastic fluid restrictor from the bleeder block on our GSW. Clutch feel is much improved and easier to shift smoothly: wife is MUCH happier with her new baby now!

 

[TurnOne]

I have shifted many times from 3rd and 4th to 6th. Pretty sure I've went to 6th from 2nd after running up the RPM's to 4500 or so.

My problem is that some of my cars have reverse on top left and others I own now or in the past were bottom right.

But to the OP, each car feels different. Many miles and shifts later, you should adjust to the car.

 

[Trade Wind]

I read a MotorTrend review from several years ago on a 2012 Passat manual. The reviewer blew out the transmission by downshifting when he meant to upshift. He must have been pushing high RPMs in the lower gear! Anyway, just goes to show you it can happen even to someone who you think would be a car guy... adds a tiny amount of danger to driving a stick, which adds to the fun

 

[TurnOne]

I read a MotorTrend review from several years ago on a 2012 Passat manual. The reviewer blew out the transmission by downshifting when he meant to upshift. He must have been pushing high RPMs in the lower gear! Anyway, just goes to show you it can happen even to someone who you think would be a car guy... adds a tiny amount of danger to driving a stick, which adds to the fun

Generally referred to as the 'money shift' for obvious reasons.