I picked my new Rx-8 up yesterday and drove it home (700 miles). The car went really well in the Texas heat. However, I do have a problem with the transmission. It is extremely difficult to change gears. I expected a silky smooth gear box that I can use with one finger. I really have to grab the gear lever with a full fist and apply a considerable pressure to change gears. Particularly 5th and 6th gear are really difficult to engage. I have to use my whole hand to apply enough force to get into gears. What could cause this problem? Is it because the car is new? Will it get better or worse?

Csaba

 

April 2005

 

I've never had a manual I could shift with 1 finger and don't know if I want one....I like feedback on positive engagement.

That said, mine had a noticable notchy sound on 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd shifts. Not a grind but an audible click. The 2nd to 3rd shift went away after about 1000 miles and never came back. The 1st to 2nd is only present occassionally when the tranny is cold. After about 15min of driving, its buttery smooth.

It also took me time to learn how to shift into 6th. I kept hitting 4th by accident. I fixed that by shifting from 5th to 6th by turning my wrist over from the normal position with my thumb down. Never miss 6th now.

I hope that helps.

Mike

 

faffy, if you are pushing correctly, the effort should be minimal. By correctly, I mean, 1 and 2 are left and then straight forward and back, 3 and 4 are centered and straight forward and back etc. If you are trying to shift "angularly" across the gates it would be difficult. Assuming that you have the motion correct, get back to the dealer. Mine can be shifted with one finger (demonstration purposes only) and has been that way since mile 3.

 

Mines an '05 (built July 04). shifts as smooth as butta!

 

faffy, do a search for on "transmission fluid" and/or "redline" and you'll get some info.. Change out the tranny oil with a Redline product, it will make an immediate change in shifting. If you still have significant difficulty, you should have the dealer check it ou.

 

pedal to the left is the clutch. press it fully to the floor.

 

Actually, your sarcasm has some truth in it. Changing gears feels exactly like as if the clutch was not fully depressed. Obviously it is not the case, because I would not write about it otherwise..

 

you'd be suprised how many people would could be the clutch needs adjusted. that should be looked at right away. also have them make sure the pressure plate bolts are properly torqued down. there have been a few issues wher ethese came loose from factory and caused issues

 

If it was a clutch issue, I would expect shifting problems in all gears, wouldn't you? I only have problem with 5th and particularly 6th. Since the car is brand new, I will see how it will go in the next couple of weeks. It may need just break-in.

Csaba

 

don't any redline products there was a guy that posted a tread and he said the dealer voided his warranty because they related the abuse to his car to the fluid trying to pull a fast one on him be careful.

 

No...it doesn't need a break-in. Get it to the dealer ASAP.

 

I actually just picked up a used RX8 that had had transmission problems. The gentleman who owned the car had had problems in first and second, and reverse would pop out of gear. He'd brought it in a few times. First two times they said they fixed it but the porblem returned. The last time they said it was his problem.

He got rid of the car as he was sick of the transmission problems. We had it up on the lift tonight, and the dealership had evidently put an entirely new transmission on the car after he'd brought it back. Guess it wasn't his problem after all.

Not sure if that sounds at all familiar, but dealerships can and will play games with what's wrong with your car to make it not their problem in my experience.

 

don't wait for it to get better. You should definitely not have to muscle the lever into place.

 

I have 1200 miles on the car now. The transmission got much better. I would not write an ode to it, but it is better than average. I expect that when I change the transmission fluid it'll get even better. I ordered my amsoil synthetic oil for that. When do you recommend changing it?

Csaba