zax123

Hi all,

OK, so this has probably been asked before (although I'm hoping it hasn't). My '05 6MT has 1000km on it and since I first got it, it is fairly often (50% of the time) hard to shift into 1st gear. To get it to go into 1st, I either have to push real hard, or shift into 2nd and then into 1st. I've had two MT Hondas before this one, a '92 Accord and a '00 Prelude, and both had a similar problem at times. I don't remember it being this often though. Is there something wrong with my car, or is that just "the way it is"?

Any help/input would be appreciated. Thanks guys!

NeoChaser

This happens to my TSX sometimes as well...

vtechbrain

Will happen for a while specially when cold. It will go away. The synchros make it almost imposible to shift into 1st except at a standstill.

ITL

might be something else to break in? my 04 feels like the shifter has gotten smoother since I got it...

dieselNJ

zax123,

The link below is a comprehensive post on driving a manual (Courtesy of Southernboy). I know it's long, but I found it very helpful. I didn't realize I knew so little about driving manual until I read it. There is a section regarding shifting into first. Hope this helps.

https://acurazine.com/forums/showpos...3&postcount=13

6mtV6

At what speed are you trying to shift into 1st?

tlram

I've had this problem at times - although I dont know if that can be called a 'real problem' - because whenever it doesnt shift to first, i push down on the clutch a little more and then it shifts ok. i thought it was just me (i've been driving manuals only for the last month or so)

1995hoo

I have had this problem on every Honda/Acura I've owned except for my 1982 Accord. My brother reports likewise on a 1996 Civic.

SouthernBoy

Does your clutch begin engagement about as soon as you begin to let it out? Does it catch just off the floor? If this is the case, you need a clutch adjustment to have the clutch begin engagement a little further off the floor.

if you continue in this vein, you'll damage the synchronizers.

Casper42

This happened in my Civic as well as my 04 TL.

Its based on speed and RPM. They dont want you downshifting to first unless you really need to since 1st is a very low gearing. So you either have to be below a certain speed or sometimes shifting into 2nd and then to first will overcome it to a certain extent.

Basically its just a safety feature.

zax123

I never downshift into first. I'm always talking about shifting into first at a dead stop. Like when I first get into the car, or after waiting at a traffic light. That's why I'm concerned about it. I'm bringing my car to the dealership in a couple days, so hopefully they can tell me if it's normal or not. Thanks for all the replies though guys!!

6mtV6

I see what you mean now. This happened to me on my 03 Accord Coupe 6mt a few times. The first time I was at a light so I just put it in 2nd gear and start from there. After the second time it happend I would know and just start from 2nd gear. I never brought it in to the dealer to get it looked at. It wasn't really a problem. Only happened like 5 times out of the 1 year I owned the car.

Papaman677

I have a 99 Integra and sometimes have trouble starting in 1st. Problem w/Acura/Honda's?? I thought either my clutch or trans was going. At times, even when the car is warmed up, I can't shift the car in 1st. I have noticed that if I'm on a hill and it doesnt engage if I let the car roll slightly either forward or back it slides in. I'm confused about that part. There have been times when I've started in first, hit the gas, and the shifter popped out of 1st. It sounded like my trans fell out of my car.

zax123

Papaman, you are describing exactly my problem. I've had this problem with my past Hondas and my current TL. I'm surprised they haven't sorted this out yet. But not many people are confirming they have the same problem, so maybe it's fixable. Just sucks to be without my baby when she's so new. OH WELL.

ITL

Anybody noticed a difference after a tranny fluid change?

I might change mine for the GM fluid RR talks about at 10,000miles....I'm at 6,000 right now.

Papaman677

ZAX123----Sorry to hear you're having problems like this on your new TL. I now have 111,000 miles on my integra, but it's been doing that since approx, 50K. At first I thought my clutch was going, but it's still holding strong. Then I though maybe my trans was shot from beating on my car, I tend to drive hard. In a way I'm glad to hear other people with Honda/Acura's have had this problem and it's not just me. Not that I'm glad people are having trouble.......you know what I mean. Hopefully soon I'm goign to be off to the dealer to purchase a 6MT TL, didn't think I would have to worry about the 1st gear problem.

zax123

Well, judging from the fact that I'm not getting a lot of replies to this thread, I must be alone, or almost alone. So I'm going to insist to the dealer than they fix it. I'm not going to settle spending this kind of money on a car and have to fiddle with the shifter!

Krypton Ken

Before my TL, I owned a Mitsu Eclipse with a manual transmission. The shifting was accomplished via long cables running to the transaxle. As stock, the shifter would often balk at going into 1st or reverse from a standing stop.

Many guys in our car group, including me, drained the standard gear oil, and replaced it with Redline synthetic gear oil in the transaxle. It worked wonders. The gear shift would just glide into 1st or reverse. A big improvement. (I don't work for Redline or sell their products.)

I'm sure Acura has their own fix, and, of course, you'll see them first, but if you ever exhaust possibilities with them, I bet this would do the trick! FYI.

mikey70

Hi, I'm from montreal area also, I have a TL 6 speed, the problem you describe is a kind of normal behaviour for the synchro. Now it's around 10 Celcius, so to get into first gear, you car must be at a low speed (less than 15km/h). But If you drive it for 1 hours or so, you can get it in at around 20km/h

You can get it in 1st gear no matter what and without forcing it, do this (double clucth):

1. Chutch in, and put in neutral
2. Chutch Out, Rev the engine over 3500 RPM
3. cluth in, and engage in 1st gear

ITL

What does step #2 do?




I do know that 1st and 2nd gear have three synchros while the other gears have two. Also, I have noticed that 1st and 2nd are a bit notchier at times than the other gears. However, on some days, the gearbox feels silky smooth, though I have no idea why.

mikey70

step 2 is used to raire the rev, so you can bypass the synchro (if the rev is high enough)

1995hoo

I should have noted before that my issue (which I have not had with the TL) occurred only when I was stopped, as I can't think of a time I've ever shifted to first while the car was moving. On the 1997 Accord when this happened I would shift into second, then to first, then drive off. Worked fine.

CasuallyHung

Any updates on this? My 07 Type S has been doing this the past few weeks every time I drive the car. Half of the time it is very very difficult to get into 1st, 2nd, and reverse at a dead stop, other times it will go into gears fine. There were times I had to take off in 3rd gear. I have replaced the trans fluid with GM synchromesh, and checked the clutch fluid like mentioned on other threads but the problem still exists.