6MT continuing issues

[TX]

I've been around here before with some other posts about my 6MT gearbox issues and have been back and forth to both of the local dealers here for them to test drive my car around the block a few times. Basically I'm having problems selecting a gear when the car is stopped. 1st and rev. Whichever gear I am unable to select, I have to go into another gear 1st or rev and blip it an inch or two and then i can go back and select the gear I originally wanted. 2nd gear is a crunch like chewing on ice and 3rd and 4th will reject the shifter sometimes during heavy throttle. It throws the typical loud grind and rejects the shifter knob. I've got a sponge like feeling in the clutch. 5th gear gets stuck sometimes and wont go in. It doesn't grind it just hits a stop and you cant force the shifter in like a pin or something is blocking the slot. Even with the clutch into the floor you cant push the shifter up into 5th on the first attempt. It takes some wiggle motion and a second attempt.

The dealer tech drives it and says woah yeah something isn't right, so they put it in the shop and then they call me a few days later and say they think the problem is due to a problem in the clutch or in the clutch lines. They want to bleed the clutch again and say they wont open the clutch without a fee due to the clutch not being included under warranty.

I dont know, but it sure seems like there is something wrong inside the gearbox. I've really given up as both of the dealers keep wanting to return the car to me since I dont want to pay them to work on the clutch. They say it's a problem inside the clutch and as such it's a clutch replacement job at an out of pocket cost.


The car only has 20,000 miles on it. It's a real shame they wont do more for a ///M owner.

I wish I would have gone with the DCT.

[spyderco10]

clutch isn't included in the warranty?

[TX]

Originally Posted by spyderco10

clutch isn't included in the warranty?

no sir, clutch is considered a wear and tear item and is not included under warranty. As a result, any shifting/transmission problems on a 6MT the dealer is going to blame the clutch as that is an easy way out for them. If you have contrary information please correct me as I'd love for the clutch to be included in the warranty.

[RayC]

Originally Posted by TX

no sir, clutch is considered a wear and tear item and is not included under warranty. As a result, any shifting/transmission problems on a 6MT the dealer is going to blame the clutch as that is an easy way out for them. If you have contrary information please correct me as I'd love for the clutch to be included in the warranty.

Wow that is such BS...sorry to hear man.

[TX]

Originally Posted by RayC

Wow that is such BS...sorry to hear man.

Yeah, I know this is not right for a 6MT or all of you guys would be all over this board complaining about problems. I purchased the car used with 15,400 miles on it in october and only have about 20,010 miles on it now. It's been acting up since I purchased it, but since it was a used car I've been fighting the dealer on this issue and they continue to either tell me it is normal "shift gate noise" or there is a clutch problem. I just cant fork the money over for a clutch replacement when I think the problem is inside the gearbox.

[Seattle S65B40]

BMW replaced my 325 clutch under warranty when the car had 17,000 miles on it. It depends on the dealer and how much they're willing to fight for you IMO.

As for your 6MT issues, I'm sorry to hear you continue to have problems. I'm worried about my MT too and will be taking my car in next week. I don't have any of the issues you've described, just lots of notchiness and occasional 2nd gear grind.

[jms_w]

Previous owner probably didn't know how to drive MT and burned the clutch or something. I wish you luck in getting this resolved but it probably will be out-of-pocket fix.

[youngnastyman]

ive always wondered if clutch was covered under the original 50k mile warranty... Brakes are wear and tear too and they cover those but not the clutch? Curious...

[SHADY1]

I have a 6MT and I had a problem with my car going into 3rd gear at high RPM it would Grind. It was a bad synchronizer in the transmission and they replaced the whole transmission under warranty. I can see you paying for a clutch then the problem is still there and then they will see it was the transmission after all .

[///My5UV]

Honestly it does sound like a clutch problem to me. I would, however, argue that if it stems from air in the lines or a bad master or slave cylinder that they should fix it on their dime.
The only way I'd expect you to be on the hook for a clutch is if there was no other issue, or they told you that you had a fluid leak and you didn't fix it.

[elm3]

When a tranny kicks the shifter out of gear on a high RPM is not the clutch problem, it is the synchros acting up. Each synchro has what they call "keys", these keys is what hold the gear in place during the drive and in high RPMs, if one of the them is broken, it will kick it out of gear. I know, because this happened to me on a previous car and when I took the tranny apart, and all of the keys on that particular synchro were gone. I would take your car to another dealer that can actually diagnose the problem and don't tell you that they can not replicate it.

[///My5UV]

Originally Posted by elm3

When a tranny kicks the shifter out of gear on a high RPM is not the clutch problem, it is the synchros acting up.

True, but I don't think he said that was happening, only that he can't put it in gear.

[theriz]

DCT FTW. had to do it

[///My5UV]

Originally Posted by theriz

DCT FTW. had to do it

Haha... I searched "DCT issue" and got 500 results. "6MT issue": 213

[bmwm3redblack]

I've got the problem with shiftin from 1 to 2 ander hard acceleration,it is significally harder to shift than in any other gear!!!!
No one can tell me what exactly wrong and what should i fix?????

[Singletrack]

Originally Posted by ///My5UV

Honestly it does sound like a clutch problem to me. I would, however, argue that if it stems from air in the lines or a bad master or slave cylinder that they should fix it on their dime.
The only way I'd expect you to be on the hook for a clutch is if there was no other issue, or they told you that you had a fluid leak and you didn't fix it.

The above would be my guess as well...

Also - if the clutch is really bad, it will usually slip in gear. Put it in 4th at like 1500RPM and floor it - see if the RPMs bounce and the clutch slips.

Is the car a CPO/still under BMW warranty or did you just buy it from some random used car dealer? If CPO/warrantied, I would ask for the regional rep's contact info and tell him you aren't satisfied with the diagnosis.

[///My5UV]

I'll add one more comment... it sounds like the clutch simply isn't disengaging... imagine you didn't push the clutch in and you tried changing gears...it'd behave alot like the symptoms described. Luckily this probably means the wear item (the clutch disc itself) is OK (or it'd be slipping like singletrack describes) so it's probably the hydraulics. It might be the dealer is just CYA'ing on the clutch disc itself, warning you that they don't normally pay for clutch discs... they should replace anything else that's worn/broken under normal warranty terms. Of course, once they're in there, you might as well pay extra (on your dime) for a new clutch disc if it's got any wear, since that should have practically no labor adder once they've pulled everything else to get at the slave cylinder.
Of course, there could be details I don't know about so don't expect the dealer to take my word for it :-)

[KGB7]

A lot of people say that its covered under warranty.

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=300921

[TX]

Originally Posted by Singletrack

The above would be my guess as well...

Also - if the clutch is really bad, it will usually slip in gear. Put it in 4th at like 1500RPM and floor it - see if the RPMs bounce and the clutch slips.

Is the car a CPO/still under BMW warranty or did you just buy it from some random used car dealer? If CPO/warrantied, I would ask for the regional rep's contact info and tell him you aren't satisfied with the diagnosis.

sorry for my delay in getting back to you all, but I just got off shift.

Anyway, the car was purchased from a major BMW dealer with several similar stores with the same name. It was sold with a warranty, but I did not pay attention to it being a CPO, and as such I'd say it is probably not. I do have the full remainder of the factory warranty. It's an 09 with barely 20K miles on it, was purchased with just shy of 16K. Single owner before. I really cant see the previous owner beating this car as it is honestly totally spotless. There is not a scuff on the leather or even a single ding or scuff on any of the exterior. It's really really a mirror surface when you look at it waxed. I did have to put new tires under it after purchasing it as they are the original tires and were pretty low on the rears. I actually thought this was good as I only expect 10K or so out of a set on the roads we have here and I replaced them around 18K. Due to the tire wear I didn't feel that it had been abused (other than maybe poor clutch work) The only damage I can find on the entire car is one of the speaker grills in the left rear seat is dented in like someone had a set of golf clubs or something laid across the back seat or else some little kid sat there and pushed in on it till the grill dented in.

My only issue since I've purchased this car has been the shifting madness. It sends chills down my spine when I'm pushing 5K in 2nd and going into 3rd to find a bone chilling grind as I try to select 3rd with the clutch into the floor.

Either A) clutch is not releasing even though its hammered into the floor
or B) synchromesh is missing teeth and is hosed.

I've got back and forth...but did the chicken come before the egg or is the egg before the chicken?

I've been trying to trouble shoot it and figure out which is the root of the problem. If I pay for a new clutch and the problem still exists any chance of getting the dealer to recoup my purchase of a clutch?
Maybe I should go into it and say "hey if you replace the clutch and it fixes the problem then I will pay for the clutch, but if it doesn't you replace my transmission."
...Yeah I dont think that will work, but it's worth a shot.

[TX]

Originally Posted by ///My5UV

Haha... I searched "DCT issue" and got 500 results. "6MT issue": 213

I personally would agree with you, except the total bliss I find when driving this car is basically shrinking as I have to continue to fuss with the shifter to get it to do what I want. Worst part is the way people turn their heads when I grind a gear and I look back at them and sort of give them the look like I swear guys it's not my fault.

Then I see some guy with a DCT driving by making shift points that sound like the STIG is driving, it's just a little deflating. The way it runs up thru the gears with the 2ms shift points is just flat out intoxicating. ..

[///My5UV]

So did you at least have them bleed the clutch lines to make there's no air?

[zhangzeyuandss]

it was a common problem for 6mt. I mean the first to second gear grinding noise.