I have found quite a few articles on the 2nd to 3rd shifting hard, but I am curious about 1st to 2nd shifting hard. (Transmission knowledge is minimal but I will do my best):

I have experienced it in both a 2010 TL 6MT SH-AWD and a 2012 model. For example today, it is about 36 degrees outside and I allow the car to warm up till the idles falls to about 1000 rpm and the heat gauge is starting to register an increase in temperature. The car will shift into first smoothly, but when I shift from 1st to 2nd the shift will normally be very notchy (like you feel the teeth coming together?) and sometimes it is like I hit a wall and I have to let it fall back into neutral. At this point, sometimes bringing it back to second allows me to get into gear, other times I have to double clutch like I am coming down from third and then it shifts perfectly smooth (general no gas blimp if I am under 20 mph...). Been driving manuals for many 10+ years so far, and never had this kind of problem like this in another vehicle, our 2004 civic has never exhibited any kind of similar problem when much colder, not that the systems are the same...

I have tried shifting at different rpms and had the most luck with shifting from first at about 14 mph but this puts the 2nd gear rpm down around 1300 and I don't care for the rpm down that low.

The problem still exists when the engine is fully warm but normally does go away or get less noticeable with time. Guessing this is just the transmission warming up slower than the engine...

I have had the dealership look at it and they said they tried many different shifts (slow and spirited) and noticed no problem... Since, to me, it seems like the syncros would be causing the problem, I did inquire about putting GM Syncro Mesh in the transmission and the dealership said more or less not if I want to have warranty in case of transmission problems.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Solutions?

Thanks

 

36deg fahrenheit? 4deg above freezing? Yep, shit gets hard a brittle and the lube gets stiff. A little bit of wear can accentuate the issue and it will get worse when the clutch wears.

 

Yea, Fahrenheit..

Temperature is the only problem here? I mean this car is going to see -40 degrees...

 

I had the same problem with my car. I started rowing it through the gears when I first started the car up, it tends to make it a little easier to shift in temps near freezing.

 

same problem with my 3G TL base 6MT. Guess its just something we have to deal with and the tolerances in the transmission are very slim. After warm up it's fine.

 

Its the cold weather, working in the Honda dealership, i deal with these complaints daily, more so in the winter time, and more so with 8th Gen civic drivers. Most customer think when the engine is warmed up...the transmission is also warmed up, but since the transmission isn't turning the gears while you let your car idle and warm up in the morning, the transmission fluid only warms up through heat transfer from the engine, which imo isn't much at all. The m/t fluid in most honda transmission is pretty much like motor oil, its definately gonna thicker when its near freezing outside. i dont see it as an issue, just the affects of weather.
As far as GM Syncro Mesh, i never recommend it to anyone who comes in, and request using it. I used it in my 3rd gen, and it worked, but when i took my trans apart to replace the third gear set, all my seals were swollen, and the carbon material on ALL my synchros were pretty much deterioated. It only had 30K miles on it. I slapped it back together and traded it in for my 4th gen....