Difficulty shifting 2000 328i

[seyyoung]

I have a 2000 328i that gives me a lot of trouble shifting. Some days it takes all the strength I have just to try to get it in gear. The gears don't grind, but it feels like the shifter just hits something and won't go any further.

If I can get it into gear, it usually just takes a few minutes before the problem goes away and shifting is easy.

The trouble is, it's been difficult to find a pattern. Seems like it used to be mostly in the AM, or when the engine was cold. More recently, it seems like it happens after I drive it 50+ miles and then let the engine cool.

I've had it towed to my local BMW dealer, 3x in the past year still with no answers. Today was the first time they claim they've actually witnessed the problem and suggested that it might be either a problem with the hydraulic clutch, or a low pressure point on the clutch plate (whatever that means!).

Anyone else seen/heard of this? Any suggestions?

[Gulelin]

I have had that problem with every stick i've had at one time or another, it will randomly not want to go into gear in first or reverse. I wonder if it's some driving habit I have, since my bimmer has done it once or twice now. It won't want to go into gear. I have found if I let the clutch out and press it back in again though, it's fine. I'd be curious to know if it's a natural function of wear and tear, or something wrong.

[schulman]

try changing your gear oil... maybe your sychro is bad if that doesn't solve anything

nick

[white 330ci]

i have also had this problem, but only a couple of times, i just let the clutch out then push it back in and shift normally.


it is probably never good to force the gearbox in shifting. you could break somthing :wink

[peterkulesza]

sounds like a synchro is going. does it ever pop out of gear ?

you may want to put redline synthetic gear oil, but check with bmw whether they use gl4 or gl5 rating in your car. i think without opening the tranny this is difficult to diagnose. i doubt this is the clutch pick up cos it woudl do it in all gears (does it?).

[Clint_M]

This happened on my pug 106, i think it can happen to all cars, its when the clutch plates get stuck (or something similar) so will not shift into 1st or reverse properly, the solution is as said above, release your clutch (with the gear in neutral, duh :P) then depress the clutch again to engage the plates and will shift into gear normaly.

I am not sure of a "fix" for this as such, but this is how i was told to resolve it using that method.

[GnarlyCow]

I have had the same thing with my 325Ci since I got it 4 months ago...only twice. It only happens going into first sometimes. When it happened, the actual stick will only go half way up the slot of first gear. I fix it by keeping the clutch in, putting the shifter into second, then back into first, and then releasing the clutch. For whatever reason, pulling the stick into a different gear fixes the problem.

Since this is my first standard ever, I just thought that was a normal thing. Hmmm....

[seyyoung]

Well, FINALLY got my car back from the shop (2+ weeks! ) and after trying many small (read inexpensive) fixes, BMW replaced my transmisssion.

I had noticed the problem mostly in the low gears and reverse, but the mechanic could replicate in every gear. Shifting is easy again!

Thanks to all who responded for the help!

[mccoid]

Help,

ghead We are first timers bmw owners and on the forum, sorry if we're in the wrong place but with 1 week 1 day left on our 'warranty' from the garage we're hoping someone can help.

Having purchased a 318i se (2000) 2 & half months ago and having the problem everyone mentions (difficult to get into mainly 1st gear sometimes second) and being told by the garage we bought it from it was a 'characteristic' of the car we've had 2 independant reports done, 1 by Nationwide Breakdown at the week-end and 1 today by bmw main dealer locally. Each says the following and we don't know who to believe:

Garage: It's not broke, won't go worse, try starting in second, only way to check is to strip gear box down, 2 days work £500 - £600 approx - you pay as it's not covered under warranty!

National Breakdown: Couldn't take it for a run but on testing in the workshop found there to be a problem with selecting first gear, take it back to garage

bmw: Took for test drive, definitely something wrong, not character of car/model, problem with gearbox and/or clutch, only way to know - replace both - cost to us £1200 (that's with a 50% goodwill discount on parts from bmw)

Trading standards (in phone-call prior to last visit to garage) Go back ask what they intend to do about the problem, doesn't matter about warranty you are entitled in law to a 'repair'

Problem we have (apart from the obvious!) who do we believe - everyone sounds convincing. Do we stick out for the garage to replace 1st & 2nd gears (as they said they could at a push but couldn't guarantee it would solve problem - we pay) fork out with bmw for a new gear box and/or clutch, cost to us £1200 - cost to garage - nothing.

Nice to know this 'synchro lock' garage referred to does exist though.

[91notchback]

Originally posted by mccoid@Nov 22 2004, 12:27 PM
Help,

ghead We are first timers bmw owners and on the forum, sorry if we're in the wrong place but with 1 week 1 day left on our 'warranty' from the garage we're hoping someone can help.

Having purchased a 318i se (2000) 2 & half months ago and having the problem everyone mentions (difficult to get into mainly 1st gear sometimes second) and being told by the garage we bought it from it was a 'characteristic' of the car we've had 2 independant reports done, 1 by Nationwide Breakdown at the week-end and 1 today by bmw main dealer locally. Each says the following and we don't know who to believe:

Garage: It's not broke, won't go worse, try starting in second, only way to check is to strip gear box down, 2 days work £500 - £600 approx - you pay as it's not covered under warranty!

National Breakdown: Couldn't take it for a run but on testing in the workshop found there to be a problem with selecting first gear, take it back to garage

bmw: Took for test drive, definitely something wrong, not character of car/model, problem with gearbox and/or clutch, only way to know - replace both - cost to us £1200 (that's with a 50% goodwill discount on parts from bmw)

Trading standards (in phone-call prior to last visit to garage) Go back ask what they intend to do about the problem, doesn't matter about warranty you are entitled in law to a 'repair'

Problem we have (apart from the obvious!) who do we believe - everyone sounds convincing. Do we stick out for the garage to replace 1st & 2nd gears (as they said they could at a push but couldn't guarantee it would solve problem - we pay) fork out with bmw for a new gear box and/or clutch, cost to us £1200 - cost to garage - nothing.

Nice to know this 'synchro lock' garage referred to does exist though.

[snapback]235297[/snapback]

well i had a simmiler problem with my s10. it was that the clutch wasnot disingaging al the way. what happened whats a few of my pressure plate springs broke and had gotten jamed in there, keeping the clutch from disingaging. other wise i would say sincros.
forgive me for the spelling

[91notchback]

do you ever have trubble getting it out of gear or when you are in first at a stop soes your car want to creap forward??? cause those are some other simtoms. and if you do it could also be cluch master or slave cilinder. does you car leak anything???