BunnyGirl

I have major issues shifting between first and second (only an occasional problem before), especially when the temperature is really cold (like now), or when the car is not warmed up. It's almost like something is stuck so that I can't get it to go from first to second or from second to first. This improves as the car is warmed up, but sometimes takes awhile. I will have to "force" it into neutral and then into either first or second depending on the driving situation. I have no problems whatsoever with the other gears, just between those two. Of note, if the car is at a complete stop, like at a light, I will have no problem shifting between the gears but it won't shift if the car is moving. I'm not sure what the problem is at all. It's been slowly progressing to the point of extreme annoyance and continual problem now for quite some time. It was two years ago that I first took it in for this problem and the very rude service manager at the time (no longer works there) told me I was imagining things and it was fine and that I didn't know how to shift my car and wouldn't look at it when I brought it back in two weeks later for the same thing (I only had 9000 miles at the time). I think there is something wrong with my shift fork or the synchros or something. As far as I can tell the clutch pedal is fine and it definitely goes all the way to the floor. My only problem is between first and second. I'm thinking I should have them look at it if there is time when I go in for my oil change on Monday. Hopefully it's not an expensive issue to fix!

swoope

iTrader: (5)

likely bent shift fork. this has been an issue. the cold fluid makes it worse..

have them look at it.. document. cover you ***.

beers

BunnyGirl

I have my original paperwork stating the problem when I first had it show up. It shows that I took my car in to be looked at initially for the problem in November 2006. At that time my car had 8613 miles on it. I have 39K on it now. The problem is especially bad again now that it's winter and was pretty much fine during the summer. My customer complaint per the paper states "Customer states 2nd gear is hard to pull into and feels clunky. Please inspect." It says they testdrove it and couldn't duplicate the problem and that it is "OK at this time," but it also says that they tightened all connections to specifications. When the service manager (who has since been fired) called to tell me my car was ready then he said that my clutch had been loose and they tightened it back up. However, when I picked it up he said that there was absolutely nothing wrong with it at all and when I questioned the loose clutch potentially causing damage that would show up later on he told me the clutch wasn't loose, which is when he proceeded to tell me I was crazy and didn't know how to shift basically. Grrrrr!!!!!

I had told them that it didn't do it every single time, but was definitely doing it. Now it is doing it probably two or three times per day, like once or twice each way to and from work, so is really an issue for me now. I don't doubt that I'll be able to get something fixed and taken care of (much nicer service managers again), I just don't want to have to pay for it, which I wouldn't think I should have to considering it's already documented that I was complaining of the issue before. I think I probably need the fluid replaced as well. I don't believe that has been done yet, unless it was part of scheduled maintenance.

zoom44

bunny where are you taking it for service?

BunnyGirl

I'm at Ron Tonkin right now waiting for my loaner to be ready. They are usually great about service there for me, except when Jeremy Wood was the service manager for several months back in late 2006/early 2007. Now that he's gone things are good again. LOL!

If Ron Tonkin can't figure out the issue or fix it I will likely take it to Herzog to see what they can find. Fortunately for me, the service manager, when I detailed my issues this morning, said it sounds like bent shifts forks and/or worn synchros and said they would need to do a tear down to confirm it and that it should be a warranty thing since I have my paper work from confirming an ongoing complaint.

Razz1

First thing they will do is change the fluid to see if that works.

Of course they could always take it apart and look at it.

It depends if they do a test drive to verify the problem.

zoom44

dont- stay at Tonkin. Ive had it with HM. im not going back there and wont direct anyone there again.

BunnyGirl

Interesting. When I needed to have my car towed a month or so ago (blocked fuel injector caused car to stall and not restart; sludge problem in fuel line) they told me the closest dealer was HM, but they would send me to RT even though it exeeded the covered mileage. I assumed it was because that's where my car always goes.

Well, as of now I have no idea what's up with my car. They called yesterday evening and said the tech was driving up and down 122nd trying to duplicate the issue, but couldn't, presumably because everything was fully warmed up and hadn't set long enough. So, they said they would leave it parked outside in the parking lot to get cold overnight (like I always have to do) and then take it out first thing in the morning to try to duplicate the problem. They told me if it didn't do it they would call me to come in and get my car and return theirs. So far absolutely no word from them. When I called at 10 a.m. the service manager said that the tech took the car out first then when they opened, but was back in just a couple minutes and took it into the shop. She wasn't sure what was up at that point yet, but said would call back when she knew something. Didn't hear anything. I called back at 1 p.m. and both the tech working on my car and the service manager were on lunch. I had told them to call me by 2 p.m. if the car was "fine" or I wouldn't have time to pick up my car today as I have to go to work. They haven't called and it's basically 3 p.m. now.

I'm hoping that since it went back into the shop that it finally did what I've been bitching about for them (off and on for two years since I had picked it up after the recall testing, when the problem first occurred) so that they will actually do the tear down and find the problem I know there has to be.

BunnyGirl

Yay! They just called me back and told me that this morning the tech had "major issues" with the transmission. He drove it off the lot, pulled out onto 122nd, and then couldn't get it out of first gear as it was pretty much stuck/frozen there. He drove it a little longer and was able to get it out of first into neutral, but then couldn't get it into second until after the third try, and then it was very difficult and "clunky." It came out of second with difficulty, but just slipped went into third perfectly and easily. He turned around and drove it back into the shop at that point. The service manager said the tech thinks it is fluid related at this time, so they were going to drain out the fluid and put in some new fluid, then leave it sitting outside overnight again to see if it will act up on them again like it did this morning. I told them I would be more inclined to believe it was a fluid problem if not for the fact that when it is acting up, I can get it out of first gear into neutral with a lot of difficulty most of the time, but can then get it into 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th with absolutely no trouble at all (like happened for the tech), which I don't believe would be the case if it was the fluid only. I was then told that they have to do the fluid first before they can do anything else to it, per Mazda instructions. At least we're making progress now and they don't think I'm imagining things!

swoope

iTrader: (5)

well at least we know you are not crazy now!

glad it is started to be seen your way..

beers

Haze

When I had that problem a few years ago around 50K miles, it turned out to be the fluid. I changed to a synthetic, and I haven't had a problem with the trans since. I'm at about 77K now. Glad that they are addressing it for you.

BunnyGirl

I picked my car up this morning and it shifts so much easier and much more smoothly, even into the gears that seemed to be good before. I'm not sure how it will do after sitting during my work hours or overnight, but it's done okay so far after four hours of sitting. It felt slightly stiff in all gears at that time (none more than others), but not actually difficult to get into gear, and after the operating temperature went up it was smooth. I'm hoping that fixes the problem. They told me my fluid was "gummy" and "clumpy" when they changed it, so they are pretty sure it was just bad fluid making the gears stick until the fluid was hot. I hope that was it.

I'm not sure exactly what type of fluid they put in when they changed it, but they said it was a "much better" fluid than the original.

Nemesis8

iTrader: (3)

The 1-2 shift fork has been updated. There is a new part number. Keep an eye on it.