6MT 1st gear problem

07-335XI · 01-31-2010, 11:58 PM

I have a problem with trying to get it into first gear. It is very rough trying to get it into first gear at times. I would say it happens one out of four times. It just doesn't want to go in, I would have to clutch out then clutch back in to put it in first gear or I could put it in second and then it will go into first. Is it just my car or anyone else experiencing this? It's an 09 E90 with about 9000 miles. Temps have been around freezing but I do not believe that is the issue. Also it happens even when the car is fully warmed up.

s99ane · 02-01-2010, 07:31 AM

Sad to say had similar issues. After service and gearbox oil change seems a little better but not fixed. Note this with your stealer and get a form of confirmation. If anything goes tits up in future it might be worth having it noted that you had the stealer look at it.

aussiem3 · 02-01-2010, 07:56 AM

I've had a similar issue - reverse not engaging - and I have to clutch out-clutch in to be able to engage reverse. I think what contributes to this is the angle of the surface you're parked on.

frenchM3dreamer · 02-01-2010, 09:26 AM

i thought this was rather common with any MT...
mine does act up, especially in cold temps... play around with it, like throw it in 5th, 6th, then back to 1st, and it's all good...
I've been told that something about gears alignment but i dont know sh** about how everything works in there

Radiation Joe · 02-01-2010, 09:49 AM

My e46 used to do the same thing. Just a characteristic of manual transmissions, or as BMW likes to say,

"It is normal vehicle operation.".

07-335XI · 02-01-2010, 09:51 AM

Hopefully it is normal, my 335i never had this problem though so I'll see how this progresses.

Griz · 02-01-2010, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frenchM3dreamer

i thought this was rather common with any MT...

There's the answer.

It's more common if you shift 3-to-1 or 4-to-1 when rolling to a stop.

Eliminator · 02-01-2010, 07:50 PM

Push harder; it'll go.

Leozap · 02-01-2010, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Griz

There's the answer.

It's more common if you shift 3-to-1 or 4-to-1 when rolling to a stop.

Damn, why would you do that...?

Griz · 02-01-2010, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leozap

Damn, why would you do that...?

I would hope that you're being facetious, but I'll play along:

Cruising 50+ mph, coming to a stop, shift to neutral, brake and stop, shift back into first gear.

attbimmer · 02-01-2010, 10:20 PM

Yes this is pretty common and is easiest to reproduce by shifting from higher gears directly to 1st. My E30, E36, E46 and E90 have all done this. Just go into 2nd first and it will slide right into 1st.

ChronoJ1 · 02-02-2010, 06:47 AM

This is an issue even on my B8 Audi.

King Tut · 02-02-2010, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radiation Joe

"It is normal vehicle operation.".

QFT

ADubM3 · 02-02-2010, 09:16 AM

I've had this happen to a few of my past MT cars.
The M3 is OK so far but if it doesn't go in I just clutch out.
I don't think it's a problem though.

AMOCHOSTO · 02-02-2010, 09:26 AM

I have not had this problem on my M3, but most of the MT cars I have owned have been difficult to put into 1st or reverse periodically. I wouldn't worry about it, not a bad idea to talk to the dealer though.

artifice · 02-02-2010, 09:54 AM

I have the same issue at times with first and reverse. I just drop it down into second and then retry into first or reverse... works fine then.

niterider · 02-02-2010, 10:23 AM

Unfortunately this is somewhat normal with 6mts in BMWs. U might wanna try holding the shifter in 1st gear as u release ur clutch slowly, right when the clutch starts engaging, first gear should drop in and engage. I learned this trick with my e46 M3 and it seem to work all the time, give it a shot. U can also try trans fluid flush, should help a bit as well, but either way i dont think it will eliminate the problem completely.

01-31-2010, 11:58 PM	#1
07-335XI Second Lieutenant 10 Rep 293 Posts Drives: M3 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: bcdefghijklmnopqrstuwxyz iTrader: (5)	6MT 1st gear problem I have a problem with trying to get it into first gear. It is very rough trying to get it into first gear at times. I would say it happens one out of four times. It just doesn't want to go in, I would have to clutch out then clutch back in to put it in first gear or I could put it in second and then it will go into first. Is it just my car or anyone else experiencing this? It's an 09 E90 with about 9000 miles. Temps have been around freezing but I do not believe that is the issue. Also it happens even when the car is fully warmed up.
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02-01-2010, 07:31 AM	#2
s99ane Private First Class 15 Rep 136 Posts Drives: e92 M3 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Madchester uk iTrader: (0)	Sad to say had similar issues. After service and gearbox oil change seems a little better but not fixed. Note this with your stealer and get a form of confirmation. If anything goes tits up in future it might be worth having it noted that you had the stealer look at it. __________________ E92 M3 COUPE JEREZ BLACK HAMMAN SIDE SKIRTS AND DIFFUSER REMUS RACE
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02-01-2010, 07:56 AM	#3
aussiem3 Colonel 274 Rep 2,664 Posts Drives: Goggomobil Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Kangaroo land iTrader: (1) Garage List 2017 BMW X6/// F86 [0.00]	I've had a similar issue - reverse not engaging - and I have to clutch out-clutch in to be able to engage reverse. I think what contributes to this is the angle of the surface you're parked on. __________________ F86 X6///
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02-01-2010, 09:26 AM	#4
frenchM3dreamer Captain 8 Rep 784 Posts Drives: 08 Mitsu Eclipse Spyder GTP Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Edmonton, AB iTrader: (0)	i thought this was rather common with any MT... mine does act up, especially in cold temps... play around with it, like throw it in 5th, 6th, then back to 1st, and it's all good... I've been told that something about gears alignment but i dont know sh** about how everything works in there
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02-01-2010, 09:49 AM	#5
Radiation Joe Veni Vidi Vici 89 Rep 2,750 Posts Drives: '11 JB/BBe-6sp-e90 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Macungie PA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2011 e90 M3-Sold [8.50] 2003 RS6 - Sold [0.00] 2009 e90 M3 - Gone [0.00] 2003 M3 SOLD [0.00] old 2002 [10.00]	My e46 used to do the same thing. Just a characteristic of manual transmissions, or as BMW likes to say, "It is normal vehicle operation.".
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02-01-2010, 09:51 AM	#6
07-335XI Second Lieutenant 10 Rep 293 Posts Drives: M3 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: bcdefghijklmnopqrstuwxyz iTrader: (5)	Hopefully it is normal, my 335i never had this problem though so I'll see how this progresses.
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02-01-2010, 07:50 PM	#8
Eliminator First Lieutenant 33 Rep 311 Posts Drives: 2008 M3 SSII 6M, '87 911 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Michigan iTrader: (0)	Push harder; it'll go. __________________ SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] 2008 M3 SSII 6MT, EU Bumper, Matte Black Kidneys, AA Pulley, 12/10 RE Spacers, MS Filter
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02-01-2010, 10:20 PM	#11
attbimmer Second Lieutenant 13 Rep 260 Posts Drives: '08 E90 M3, '88 E30 M3 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: socal iTrader: (5)	Yes this is pretty common and is easiest to reproduce by shifting from higher gears directly to 1st. My E30, E36, E46 and E90 have all done this. Just go into 2nd first and it will slide right into 1st. __________________
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02-02-2010, 06:47 AM	#12
ChronoJ1 Second Lieutenant 4 Rep 212 Posts Drives: Euro Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: IL iTrader: (0)	This is an issue even on my B8 Audi.
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02-02-2010, 09:16 AM	#14
ADubM3 First Lieutenant 12 Rep 338 Posts Drives: 08 E92 M3 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: NoVa 703 iTrader: (0)	I've had this happen to a few of my past MT cars. The M3 is OK so far but if it doesn't go in I just clutch out. I don't think it's a problem though.
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02-02-2010, 09:26 AM	#15
AMOCHOSTO Major 32 Rep 1,007 Posts Drives: IB BB E90 M3 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Toronto. iTrader: (0)	I have not had this problem on my M3, but most of the MT cars I have owned have been difficult to put into 1st or reverse periodically. I wouldn't worry about it, not a bad idea to talk to the dealer though. __________________ E90 Interlagos Blue, (Winter Beater) Bamboo Beige, M-Drive, EDC, PDC, USB 6MT. Mods to date; Curb rash, Scraped front spoiler, Installed RAC Monolite RG63 Silver 1984 Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe (ROW)
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02-02-2010, 09:54 AM	#16
artifice Major 49 Rep 1,190 Posts Drives: 2008 E92 M3 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: The Colony, TX iTrader: (0)	I have the same issue at times with first and reverse. I just drop it down into second and then retry into first or reverse... works fine then.
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02-02-2010, 10:23 AM	#17
niterider Proove It! 39 Rep 618 Posts Drives: Gintani Supercharged Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: City of Angels iTrader: (0)	Unfortunately this is somewhat normal with 6mts in BMWs. U might wanna try holding the shifter in 1st gear as u release ur clutch slowly, right when the clutch starts engaging, first gear should drop in and engage. I learned this trick with my e46 M3 and it seem to work all the time, give it a shot. U can also try trans fluid flush, should help a bit as well, but either way i dont think it will eliminate the problem completely. __________________
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