[milksteaks]

I just picked up my 2015 Fiesta ST this week and absolutely love the car! I noticed on the drive home (and almost every time I drive) some difficulty getting the car into 1st gear when completely stopped.

I want to stress that I am NOT trying to shift into 1st while the car is moving. This happens when I'm at a dead stop (usually waiting at a red light in neutral... light turns green... try to put it into 1st... won't go in). I've been driving manual cars for over 15 years and this is the first time I've experienced this.

It feels like the shift lever is getting caught slightly on the gate you enter when putting the car into reverse. If i press the shift lever to the left very softly and deliberately apply minimal pressure, then move the lever up into 1st, it goes in without any problems. But when I press the lever against the left side with "normal" pressure, that is when it sometimes gets stuck when pushing up into 1st. It feels like it's getting caught on the corner of the gate where it normally enters for reverse.

Have any of you guys had this issue with getting into 1st gear?

Thanks!!

 

[David Van Aken]

Yup. Kinda grating. I hope someone here knows what the deal is.

 

[[email protected]]

First tends to be the most difficult gear to select in any manual trans, in my (many) years of driving I've gotten in the habit of virtually always selecting 2nd and then slotting into 1st.

I'm teaching my kids the same method.

-Steve

 

[Zormecteon]

First tends to be the most difficult gear to select in any manual trans, in my (many) years of driving I've gotten in the habit of virtually always selecting 2nd and then slotting into 1st.

I'm teaching my kids the same method.

-Steve

Mine too is sometimes reluctant to slip into 1st at a complete stop, and this method has worked not only with this car, but the the 64 VW I all but learned to drive in... Somehow slipping it into 2nd then 1st aligns the syncros

 

[David Van Aken]

I'm sorry, but I'm hoping that someone can say, "This is why it does that, Here's how to fix it"
Is the transmission mount loose or something? Because it doesn't always do it.
And I know this is online; I don't mean to be cheeky, I'm just looking for info.
I already tried transmission mount and shifter plate bushings from boomba, and although it helped it feel more precise, I still get this grating (not into the gears) sensation that is unpleasant.

 

[[email protected]]

I made my post because I don't think it's an actual problem that can be fixed, in my experience with manual transmissions over 30+ years of driving everything from non-synchro Austin Healeys to brand new Focus STs is that it's incredibly common for manual transmissions to be somewhat balky about selecting first gear while stationary.

If you really think it's an issue unique to your car then the answer is to take it in for warranty work, maybe test driving a couple more STs would help as well so you could see if they do it as well.

-Steve

 

[Zormecteon]

The "problem" is the syncro's .. So far as I know, there's no way to "fix" them, without making them weaker so that they fail sooner. ... give the tranny another 60,000 miles and you won't notice it any more.

 

[Sam4]

Another "fix" would be to pop it into neutral, let out the pedal, depress, and then shift into 1st, The previously mentioned 2nd-to-1st alignment is probably best.

 

[[email protected]]

Another "fix" would be to pop it into neutral, let out the pedal, depress, and then shift into 1st, The previously mentioned 2nd-to-1st alignment is probably best.

Doesn't take long and it's 2nd nature, It's automatic.

 

[tubbyaz]

+1 on the 2nd then 1st routine. It's the only way to get a Porsche 915 transmission to cooperate with you. That's why you'll see a significant price difference between an 86 and 87 Carrera. In 1987, Porsche abandoned the 915 and sourced from Getrag (G50).

I've not noticed anything balky with my FiST, but anything shifts easier than than a well-worn 915.

 

[[email protected]]

This kind of behavior is typically magnified by colder weather, come February here in Minnesota with temps of -15 or worse I can barely even move my shifter at the end of a work day.

-Steve

 

[Smokin]

Another "fix" would be to pop it into neutral, let out the pedal, depress, and then shift into 1st, The previously mentioned 2nd-to-1st alignment is probably best.

That's the way I do it. Things gotta be spinning...

 

[Smokin]

This kind of behavior is typically magnified by colder weather, come February here in Minnesota with temps of -15 or worse I can barely even move my shifter at the end of a work day.

-Steve

Minnesoda? I thought Tasca was in Massachusetts or up there somewhere!

 

[Firesail]

I believe Tasca is in RI.

 

[[email protected]]

Minnesoda? I thought Tasca was in Massachusetts or up there somewhere!

Sorry for the confusion, Tasca is based out of Rhode Island but thanks to the magic of the internet and Bob Tasca's open mindedness I didn't have to move from my home state of Minnesota to work for Tasca.

We actually have people in two other states working remotely as well.

-Steve

 

[OrangeFist]

Only once in awhile for me. If it doesn't want to go into 1st, I just let up on it or let it go back to neutral. Then it works.