My wife's 17 CM S AWD occasionally will not go into first gear; there is no grinding it just feels like something is physically blocking it from going into gear. When it happens she has to engage and disengage the clutch a few times before it will eventually go into gear. The car has 10k miles on it. We do have an appointment at the dealer but was just wondering if anyone has encountered this problem with their manual trans CM?

 

This is just a WAG but it could be the TO bearing going out. What is her past experience with a manual gear box? Not disengaging the the clutch clear to the floor, sitting at a stop light with the clutch disengaged, resting her foot on the clutch pedal while in motion are just three bad habits that cut the life expectancy of the mechanism.

 

Thanks for the reply; its definitely not her. Her previous car was an A4 and the original clutch lasted 173k miles.

 

It could just be the way the Countryman transmission and clutch is designed. Meaning, my manual trans won't go in to 1st easily if I'm rolling at any speeds over 5 mph. It doesn't want it too. It wants you to come to a complete stop before down shifting into 1st. Does if go into 1st easily at a stop?

I personally don't like that it does this, but I also don't like how it rev matches on down shifts as well.

 

I think it's normal.
My wife has complained about the same. What is the condition when you get locked out of 1st? Rolling up to stop sign? Going from reverse to 1st? etc?
We (wife and I) really don't like the transmission/shifter in this car. Rubbery feel, super long throws. Unable to shift quickly - mechanically just doesn't work... I've thought of SS kits to help but I don't think there's much on the market and I doubt it would improve it all that much. My buddy who works at Mini who sold us the car agrees - he said they've just gotten worst and worst over the years. I do drive an S2000 too which has probably the best manual transmission made so that doesn't help LOL.

 

It definitely happens when rolling to a stop and when going from reverse to 1st but it also happens when stopped completely. It's a little stressful because here in NJ if you don't start rolling the minute the light turns green people want to run you off the road Hopefully the dealer can help; we have an appointment scheduled for next week.

 

I have 15k miles so far on my manual F60 and no issues as described above. I generally think the manual is pretty good in the car with easy shifts into all the gears.