Help! 6mt Won't Go Into Any Gear...

Yay random M issues! Great documentation by taking the video.

Hope your 6MT stays free of issues going forward.

Strange and interesting at the same time..havent heard of many 6MT gear box issues..I would have thought possibly clutch...certainly keep an eye on it closely going forward

SuitedPair wrote

Just got it back. They changed the transmission fluid. Everything was working fine and they couldn't duplicate the symptoms so fluid change was the treatment. seems to shift fine right now.

My car has similar issues. It actually gets stuck in first and second gear; very hard to pull it "out" of gear. Then, it became extremely hard to get it in gear in "second" only. They changed the fluid in my gear box and it shifted fine for about one hundred miles. I think it broke down that fluid pretty quick. Any...I'm already back in the shop for a third time. The service manager only got it to stick in first gear one time, but I am not sure how much they are testing it. I told him and my service manager to take it home and drive it for a day. It'll repeat...I'm sure. The car actually felt great when the fluid changed, but like I said, it was a momentary point. Hope yours stays good. Currently have 3500 miles on my car.

Let It Rein wrote  

Don't you just LOVE that...oh well. Hope it doesn't happen again.

Thanks. I'm sure it'll be fine... Until odometer hits 40,001.

Quag's M- only 3,500 miles?! Or was that a typo?

Perfect time for a drive by DCT rules blast!!!!!!

My gears never get stuck....

SuitedPair wrote

Just got it back. They changed the transmission fluid. Everything was working fine and they couldn't duplicate the symptoms so fluid change was the treatment. seems to shift fine right now.

ain't that the shit, lol...makes no sense. Good luck with this.

CrusherM3 wrote  

Perfect time for a drive by DCT rules blast!!!!!!

My gears never get stuck....

+ 1, that's why I went with the trouble-free transmission !

SD-E93-11 wrote

+ 1, that's why I went with the trouble-free transmission !

serious? DCT problems > MT problems..this is a fact

tibra1 wrote  

SD-E93-11 wrote

+ 1, that's why I went with the trouble-free transmission !

serious? DCT problems > MT problems..this is a fact

What history of mechanical problems with DCT are you referring to? I've seen plenty of speculation that DCT will have long term reliability issues, but that speculation is largely a defense mechanism of 6mt owners justifying their transmission choice vs. documented instances.

I'll tell you what is a fact: There are substantially more complaints about the sub-par quality of the e9x 6mt on this forum than complaints about the quality of the DCT.

And since you've appointed yourself as the forum's Chief Defender of the Holy Transmission, I will assume that you are aware of that fact.

SuitedPair wrote

Thanks. I'm sure it'll be fine... Until odometer hits 40,001.

Quag's M- only 3,500 miles?! Or was that a typo?

Good thing the warranty doesn't run out until 50,000 then isn't it.

OP, hopefully she stays trouble free from now on!

Mine shifts perfectly (other than the occasional second gear issue on a really fast shift). At 43k miles now. I think I'm going to get the oil changed now just as preventative maintenance given it solved this bizarre issue with your car. Thanks for posting that video.

Mike

I have a similar problem sometimes but it wont go into one gear only and if I put it into a different gear then pop it out it will go into the gear that it didnt go into. I think its because sometimes at a stop light I get bored and I step on the clutch and start shifting from 1-6 and do it over and over again. Is that something bad to do? I never heard anyone say that was bad. I also noticed if it does get stuck say in 4th I just let go of the clutch a little before engagement zone and it will pop in.

tibra1 wrote

serious? DCT problems > MT problems..this is a fact

Actual transmission or software issues?

Transmission issues, I would say that you are 100% wrong. Look on the forum...

bigjae1976 wrote

Actual transmission or software issues?

Transmission issues, I would say that you are 100% wrong. Look on the forum...

Semantics ..software or mechanical what's the difference if you are sitting on the side of the road and the trans wont go into gear..

I stand by what I said..MT issues are fewer and far between than DCT issues be it software or mechanical

Anyone saying DCT is less prone to issues than MT is drinking DCT kool-aid

Mike Benvo wrote

Mine shifts perfectly (other than the occasional second gear issue on a really fast shift). At 43k miles now. I think I'm going to get the oil changed now just as preventative maintenance given it solved this bizarre issue with your car. Thanks for posting that video.

Mike

Good that you mentioned that but I believe there is an SIB that calls for MT fluid change every third oil change. My SA is already on board

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=265139

tibra1 wrote

Semantics ..software or mechanical what's the difference if you are sitting on the side of the road and the trans wont go into gear..

I stand by what I said..MT issues are fewer and far between than DCT issues be it software or mechanical

Anyone saying DCT is less prone to issues than MT is drinking DCT kool-aid

Less prone. I agree. I have not seen software issues cause someone to be parked on the road. Although some have claimed that the lag issues have caused some interesting situations.

The DCT is superior to the 6MT in every aspect except for its weight and lack of driver involvement. Just admit it and move on.

Mike Benvo wrote

+1, This is a good point. I remember back in the day I had an issue with my Supercharged 330 and had to turn the car off temporially to switch gears...

lol was my exact facial expression.

HuangYiChao wrote

I have a similar problem sometimes but it wont go into one gear only and if I put it into a different gear then pop it out it will go into the gear that it didnt go into. I think its because sometimes at a stop light I get bored and I step on the clutch and start shifting from 1-6 and do it over and over again. Is that something bad to do? I never heard anyone say that was bad. I also noticed if it does get stuck say in 4th I just let go of the clutch a little before engagement zone and it will pop in.

It's not bad for the gears or synchros, I do this too at stoplights. In my old Evo 8, I did this all the time on a cold starts b/c sometime I can't put the car in reverse gear.

It seems like either high performance MT fluid or bad synchros cause these type of issues where you can't put it into gear. I think technically rowing the gears wear down your synchros over time, but it's negligible. It's like saying wearing your hiking shoes inside your house wears down the soles. Yes, but significantly less than wearing them outside for their intended purposes...


In any rate, I think BMW says the MT fluid is a lifetime fluid (or was it for diff fluid?). I would still change MT fluid around every 50k miles at a minimum. I think for a DD, 30k changes might be too frequent.

I've never had this issue before as desribed by you or OP while driving. It's happened before when I just sit there at a light rowing gears, but when driving, it's always 100% popped it.

bigjae1976 wrote

Less prone. I agree. I have not seen software issues cause someone to be parked on the road. Although some have claimed that the lag issues have caused some interesting situations.

The DCT is superior to the 6MT in every aspect except for its weight and lack of driver involvement. Just admit it and move on.

I admit nothing..once again we have been sucked into a DCT vs MT argument

Not sure what you DCT guys are doing on this thread to begin with? its an MT issue and has nothing to do with DCT...if you get a bunch of MT trolls hitting up a DCT thread... you guys have a fit and yet here you are..we agree you are faster on the track..what else do you want

If I wanted the granny tranny and a computer to shift for me I would have bought a DCT..but the simple reality is MTs are cooler in every other way, more engaging and represent the true spirit of what a performance car should be... also MTs are more rare..finding a nice example in an MT later down the line will become harder and harder..most importantly the jury still out on what DCT gremlins lay down the line.. say 10 yrs..but you can be assured they will out number MT issues..just ask the SMG guys

Fuck DCT; and read this one carefully; I actually agree w/ Tibra on this one

You guys are playing semantics; mechanics aside, is a DCT more prone to issues; 100% as there is a lot more going on w/ electronics to make it work.. I will say one thing, if we're both stuck w/ cars that won't start, at least I can roll the car and pop the clutch to get it moving, now can you DCT fanbois do that??

All crap aside, they're both good trans, but a car forum only shows a small % of actual owners; I would put my money on the MT for long term reliability.

talontid wrote

Fuck DCT; and read this one carefully; I actually agree w/ Tibra on this one

You guys are playing semantics; mechanics aside, is a DCT more prone to issues; 100% as there is a lot more going on w/ electronics to make it work.. I will say one thing, if we're both stuck w/ cars that won't start, at least I can roll the car and pop the clutch to get it moving, now can you DCT fanbois do that??

All crap aside, they're both good trans, but a car forum only shows a small % of actual owners; I would put my money on the MT for long term reliability.

Can you do this with an MT M3 I know this has saved my ass many times in my other MT cars..(dead batteries, starters, alternators..etc.)

tibra1 wrote

Can you do this with an MT M3 I know this has saved my ass many times in my other MT cars..(dead batteries, starters, alternators..etc.)

of course; any manual car can be bump started