'13 WRX Shifting is Far from smooth, not sure if I should be worried or not

[WREXXY]

So i have a '13 wrx hatch with 5000 miles (bone stock), and since day one shifting into any gear, (1,2,and 5) specifically, have been far from smooth. I've driven an older Volkswagon passat with 200,000 miles on it and the shifts were smoother than my WRX. A side from that, my knowledge of how shifts should feel is next to nothing. The person who had the passat even said that my wrx was more of a pain to drive then his old passat.

If i want to have a smooth shift from 1st to 2nd it has to be real slow, and even then when it goes into gear it has always felt like it just "clunks" in. As another post in this forum said, it's like pushing a stick through a bucket of marbles. Which is more or less exactly how i would describe it.

Shifting from 2nd to 3rd and 3rd to 4th is a little smoother, but i still usually have to wait and pause before it slides into gear smoothly and by that point i have to re-engage the clutch real fast or the rpms have already dropped below where they need to be for the given gear.

I'm not sure if this is just how the WRX's are, or if I should be worrying about this and bring it to the dealership. If its normal i'm fine with that, i'd just like to know. i was guna just bring it up when i bring it in for the 7500 maintenance, but if i should have it checked out asap i could do that as well.

[Soobvirgin]

Yeah, the WRX 'box pretty much sucks. I had trouble getting into 5th from new, so I told the dealer about it at the 7500 mile service. They replaced the 5th gear synchro and it feels exactly the same. I'm ok with the gearbox though. It's the aggressive engagement of the clutch that I can't stand.

[olenderc]

I have a '13 hatch, if you're ever in the Farmington area and I'm not working you could swing by and see how mine feels, vice versa, if you'd like.

EDIT: about 3500 miles and stock as well

[Kwrxp]

It is just a notchy transmission, I have 20k on my 11 and it is a little smoother now (or I'm just used to it). The only issue I have is shifting from 2nd to 1st after a cold start. No where near as bad as my previous car.

[Calvinball]

18k on mine now, I don't really have any issues but the ol reverse shuffle. Could it be that I got used to it? Could it be that it gets better after breaking in longer? Clearly it could be that I'm just a super awesome kawasakininjacool driver!



Something like this is so subjective, what you consider pushing a stick through a bucket of marbles may feel totally fine to someone else. I would recommend taking it to the dealership. That is what warranties are for.

[WREXXY]

I have a '13 hatch, if you're ever in the Farmington area and I'm not working you could swing by and see how mine feels, vice versa, if you'd like.

EDIT: about 3500 miles and stock as well

I drive up to uconn almost ever weekend, so i'm usually driving right by there every friday and sunday.

18k on mine now, I don't really have any issues but the ol reverse shuffle. Could it be that I got used to it? Could it be that it gets better after breaking in longer? Clearly it could be that I'm just a super awesome kawasakininjacool driver!



Something like this is so subjective, what you consider pushing a stick through a bucket of marbles may feel totally fine to someone else. I would recommend taking it to the dealership. That is what warranties are for.

very true, that's why i posed the question to see what other people thought/experienced. either way i'm guna bring it up next time i bring the car in. I was just wondering if it was something I should be concerned about asap.

[nsibanez]

[QUOTE=Calvinball;2990195]18k on mine now, I don't really have any issues but the ol reverse shuffle. Could it be that I got used to it? Could it be that it gets better after breaking in longer? Clearly it could be that I'm just a super awesome kawasakininjacool driver!

QUOTE]

lol no, reverse sucks all the time. my 09 with close to 90k...with fresh transmission fluid...a small bit smoother...but still a pain every now and then
althoguh i did use toyota diff fluid

[Rodman]

I've got 14,000 or so on the clock.. Knew it seemed a bit hard shifting.. But now I don't
even notice it at all. I pull into my garage each day and don't even have a problem
shifting into rev. in the morning.. Maybe its the slight pitch of the floor.. Idk

[speedsterX]

I've been trying to think of a way to describe the shifting and you nailed it. It doesn't bother me as much as the hard engagement of the clutch as someone else mentioned.

[jonnyteix07]

Try replacing the front and rear stay bushings for the shifter...night and day difference...when I did it I took it to Subaru for a service..they thought I had a short throw shifter since it shifted to smoothly..should be the first mod you do on a wrx

[santorex]

I have a '13 WRX with about 6500 miles, and mine shifts the same as yours. Kind of dissapointing on a new car, but I am more used to it now. Double clutching on the 4-5 shift helps the 5th gear engagement.

To address it i've installed the cobb short throw shifter which has shortened the throws and some of the slop since there's less distance to travel, but I am also planning on a least doing the rear shifter bushing. I'm thinking about having the dealer install the SPT one.

[rquinn19]

I have a '13 WRX with about 6500 miles, and mine shifts the same as yours. Kind of dissapointing on a new car, but I am more used to it now. Double clutching on the 4-5 shift helps the 5th gear engagement.

To address it i've installed the cobb short throw shifter which has shortened the throws and some of the slop since there's less distance to travel, but I am also planning on a least doing the rear shifter bushing. I'm thinking about having the dealer install the SPT one.

"Granny shifting, not double-clutching like you should"

[santorex]

lol double clutching in a drag race. shouldn't he have said powershifting?

anyways, you just have to think about why these cars are attractive. is it the gearbox what we got it for? i bought mine for the cost-performance ratio... so if you'd be happier with a smoother shift in a slower car go for it, but im hangin on to mine

[mcdbrendan]

I have a '13 WRX with about 6500 miles, and mine shifts the same as yours. Kind of dissapointing on a new car, but I am more used to it now. Double clutching on the 4-5 shift helps the 5th gear engagement.

To address it i've installed the cobb short throw shifter which has shortened the throws and some of the slop since there's less distance to travel, but I am also planning on a least doing the rear shifter bushing. I'm thinking about having the dealer install the SPT one.

Just FYI, if you've got the means you can install it yourself in about an hour. It will make the shifts feel more direct, but will not improve the unusual shifts, especially reverse. In short: it won't make things worse, but it won't make them better either.

[kabz]

Shift harder, and at higher revs. My new WRX was notchy and baulky for a while, but then it eases up when you get on it after warming up.

At 1200 miles, even 5th is starting to ease up a bit. 2nd is definitely lumpy when you shift slowly, with 3rd being gritty. Shift a bit harder around 4000 rpm and things work a lot better.