Since I bought my used '05 xB with 15k miles, I've noticed that first gear does not engage as easily as on some other transmissions. Often at anything less than a full stop, I get some degree of resistance, especially when cold. Sometimes, it won't engage without a fair amount of pressure. And sometimes I "beat" the syncro, with resultant vibration in the shifter. Anybody else, or is it just mine that feels this way?

 

you may want to try "blipping" the throttle just before you shift to first, or change out the tranny oil, with (don't quote me on this ) a lighter oil that would let the syncros spin a little faster? i have heard of more then a few members here using redline, and amsoil, unsure about the weight though....
i blip, and it hasn't been a problem, but i usually never shift into first unless going 5mph or slower. i stop my downshifts at 2nd gear and usally toggle between neutral and first in traffic, only going to first after 99% stopped.

 

I have the same exact problem. 7000 miles on my xA.

 

i would say that its like that so that you dont put it in the wrong gear when down shifting and end up messing up your tranny and motor.......it shouldnt go into 1st at speeds of 20+mph or was that 30+

 

well, your really not supposed to use 1st gear unless your moving away from a stop. first gear is a very short gear and its whole purpose is to quickly get the car moving away from a stop because it has to overcome all the inertia of the car.

your transmission, like mine, probably locks out first gear when you are going too fast for it to prevent you from accidentally downshifting into it while driving, blowing up your engine and complaining to scion. it is there to protect you.

the tc has it too, if you are going too fast, it will make it hard to go into 1st gear, but as i slow down, and i keep pushing, i can get it throught he shift gate, but there is a kind of vibrating and clicking or something.

 

Mines and the mercedes 240d was the same. Basically you arent suppose to use first gear unless at a stop, alternative is to blip, tap or rev the engine with clutch in til you sync the speed differential to get it to engage. I find with my scion xa and 500 bucks with of soda and canned food in the back from sams I need to re-enter first gear to take off if I almost roll to a stop and 2nd just wont cut it to reaccelerate.

 

First gear is NOT synchronized.
You have to do what's called "Rev-Match" if you're rolling say 3mph and want to engage 1st gear. Revving your engine speed to match your transmission speed.

Keep the clutch disengaged, rev your engine slowly while putting a little force halfway into 1st but don't engage it. You will feel 1st gear all the sudden let you in once your RPM is around 1500rpm depending on how fast you're rolling.

Imagine driving a Semi rev-matching every single gear and double clutching!

 

Oh that clicking/vibrating is you grinding your gears. Since 1st gear is very low, you'll have to rev it pretty high ~3,000rpm to engage at around 15mph

 

really? in the tc, it has triple cone synchronizers to engage smoother, so does second gear. 1st gear should have synchros. only reverse is un synchronized.

 

yes i'm sure of it in the xb/xa transmission

 

My first gear is synchronized. To see what an unsynchronized gear is like, try reverse.
The previous owner could have abused the transmission and damaged the synchros. It is normal for first gear to have resistance when cold. There is need to downshift into first gear, as second gear pulls from all but a dead stop. And if you shift fast, of course you ca n beat the synchros.
My 06 manual with 16K miles shifts like a knife through butter, using fingers draped over the armrest. The shifter glides smoothly from gear to gear, at the gearbox's speed not mine. It is the most pleasant-shifting car I have had except for a BMW.
When I first got the car, out of curiosity I installed a TRD Quickshifter. There was no hope of smooth shifting with that, so it was on eBay the next day.

 

I don't know if you guys are having the exact same issue as I am but, it has nothing to do with the way the car is driven, or speeds, etc... My brother has an identical 2006 scion Xa, his is black, mine is silver. His car has no issues going into 1st gear, or grinding or anything like that. My car from a complete stop will occasionally grind into 1st gear. Sometimes the car gets so hard to shift I feel like I have to rip it in and out of gear.There is definitely a problem but Toyota claims nothing is wrong. I am very disappointed with the Toyota dealers in my area and I doubt I will ever buy another one.

 

could be that you don't have enough pressure in the clutchline, have you tried bleeding it.

 

Your cheapest fix that MIGHT solve your problems is to change your fluid....I use and recommend Redline MT90....my box shifts like butter since I dumped the factory fill (it is GL5) at 10K miles and put in the MT90, which is GL4. Night and day the difference.

FYI - Scion has said using GL4 instead of GL5 will result in LONGER transmission life and better transmission operation. Yes, I know what is written in the manual (either 4 or 5). I also know that 5 will work in these trannys. 4 will also work in these trannys. But 4 will work better.

 

My only advice is if and when you decide to take it back to a dealer, tell them how you drive your car so they can best duplicate the problem if you feel there is a problem. all else fails go on a test drive with the dealer and demonstrate the problem.


As long as it goes into first gear from a stop with no resistance then there is no problem.

However if there is grinding and resistance e when stopped then a first gear synchro ring would be at fault, as this is only a first gear engagement issue. replacement of the first gear synchro is the only cure if that is indeed the case.

Unless you have a extended warranty plan on paying handing over some flow for the repair.

 

Shifts like Butter???

My xa shifts like a stick being moved around in a bucket of gravel. Going to mobile 1 synth oil helped to reduce me to grinding once and a while when going from 1st to 2nd if I do not take it to 3 grand before shifting.

I too tend to think 1st is synced. I can go into first when the rpms are within tollerance. THe mercedes I had was not synced and you had to let off the clutch or brake to let the car roll a bit to get it in first at a stop. I do let off the clutch slightly to get it to go fully into reverse, but thats me.

Ive just learned to drive it and throttle it like a 2 stroke yamaha dirt bike without fear to take it to 4 or 5 grand and dip to 2nd or even first depending on speed to get some power to move or smooth shifts. The mercedes I had did not care, I could chug along in 4th gear, but always ground it going into reverse.

 

Ok, just to clear up any and all confusion, a 1NZ-FE manual transmission has a first gear synchronizer.

How do I know this? Because Toyota products are what I deal with all day.

 

Thanks for clearing that up. I just wonder why it can be hard to shift, unless you got a sticky clutch? I Know relating it to a mercedes is a bit unfair, however I want to know if it is suppose to shift difficultly, something needs adjusting/replacing, upgrading.