Trouble downshifting from 3rd gear into 2nd. Anyone else?

[Ryanw0]

Recently it’s been warming up where I’m at and now cooling back down to 30°s-40°. I’ve noticed recently it’s very hard to downshift into 2nd gear from 3rd. We had a nice day out and I was cruising and rev matched and went to shift to 2nd and it grinded out. Even before this happened it’s been having trouble and I’m wondering if anyone else has had the same issue before? Possible trans service or could it be the synchro? Every other gear is smooth as butter and no trouble at all up or down shifting.

2015 gti SE 6 speed manual

 

[TrueGTI]

I suggest using the clutch with rev match to save the gears. See if that does something different. Try everything ! Good luck bud

 

[Ryanw0]

I suggest using the clutch with rev match to save the gears. See if that does something different. Try everything ! Good luck bud

What do you mean by use the clutch? Should I be double clutching? I always fully press it in while shifting and when it grinded the other day I had it fully pushed in. But will do, thank you!

 

[TimCv1]

What do you mean by use the clutch? Should I be double clutching? I always fully press it in while shifting and when it grinded the other day I had it fully pushed in. But will do, thank you!

If you double-clutch to rev-match you're bringing everything to the right revs together, single-clutching you are not. I double-clutch for downshifts but single/just let the revs drop for up as a compromise because double-clutch upshifts it's a really quick thump-thump, not that it's hard to get right, just more that it's annoying.

That said I don't think this affects your issue. How close is your rev-matching? If it's right on and it's still not going into 2nd clean, it's obviously not the synchro as it wouldn't come into play. How is the 1-2 UPshift?

 

[Daks]

Recently it’s been warming up where I’m at and now cooling back down to 30°s-40°. I’ve noticed recently it’s very hard to downshift into 2nd gear from 3rd. We had a nice day out and I was cruising and rev matched and went to shift to 2nd and it grinded out. Even before this happened it’s been having trouble and I’m wondering if anyone else has had the same issue before? Possible trans service or could it be the synchro? Every other gear is smooth as butter and no trouble at all up or down shifting.

2015 gti SE 6 speed manual

You probably need to line up your cables, they are under the intake box.

 

[Ryanw0]

If you double-clutch to rev-match you're bringing everything to the right revs together, single-clutching you are not. I double-clutch for downshifts but single/just let the revs drop for up as a compromise because double-clutch upshifts it's a really quick thump-thump, not that it's hard to get right, just more that it's annoying.

That said I don't think this affects your issue. How close is your rev-matching? If it's right on and it's still not going into 2nd clean, it's obviously not the synchro as it wouldn't come into play. How is the 1-2 UPshift?

1-2 up shift is normal and no trouble at all going into second, it’s only when I try to downshift from 3rd-2nd. I’ll definitely try double clutching though. Thanks for your input! Appreciate it

 

[Ryanw0]

You probably need to line up your cables, they are under the intake box.

I’ll give them a look over and try that when I service the trans this weekend. Thank you!

 

[jannickz]

Grinding while shifting, especially isolated to one gear, is a common sign of transmission trouble in manual cars. While there could be other causes, worn synchronizers (synchros) are a strong possibility on your 2015 GTI SE.

 

[TimCv1]

Grinding while shifting, especially isolated to one gear, is a common sign of transmission trouble in manual cars. While there could be other causes, worn synchronizers (synchros) are a strong possibility on your 2015 GTI SE.

I have my doubts on this since he said 1-2 upshift is just fine - worn synchros are most common on this (often abused, or at least heavily loaded - edit, er, rushed really - from a stop) shift and are very obvious.

 

[Daks]

It's the cables.

 

[TimCv1]

It's the cables.

Sounds like you know what's going on here - so basically I don't really know how this part works, I suppose it's cables work in tension so it's different cables going down vs up so it's those cables that are not aligned right or whatnot?

 

[Ryanw0]

Appreciate everyone’s input on the situation, it’s been getting a bit better where I can actually get it into second from third downshift, but there’s still been a few times it won’t. I’ll be doing the trans fluid tmrw along with the cable realignment so hopefully I’ll have an answer then. Thank you again to everyone who’s helped!

 

[Daks]

Sounds like you know what's going on here - so basically I don't really know how this part works, I suppose it's cables work in tension so it's different cables going down vs up so it's those cables that are not aligned right or whatnot?

 

[The Fed]

Doesn't the 2015 GTI have automatic rev-matching?

 

[Daks]

Doesn't the 2015 GTI have automatic rev-matching?

No