Manual Cupra slight resistance changing gears

[QTom]

Hi All,

Bought my 17 plate Cupra 300 last Feb. It drives well but I have noticed that I often feel a slight resistance when changing gears. It's hard to describe but it just feels like the stick slightly catches on something as I shift.

I'm not entirely sure but it seems to happen more when cold, and mainly in the lower gears (1>2 feels the most noticable). Once I'm driving then going from 4>5 for example feels completely smooth. The car is barely over 20k miles for reference.

I am just wondering if any owners of manual Cupras (or other Leons or VW cars) experience the same thing? Is this normal or does it sound like something is wrong?

I probably wouldn't worry if it was this alone but I've also had some (rare) instances where it refuses to let me into first at all, fortunately I can fix this by going into second and then first but it also makes me thing something is wrong.

It doesn't really affect me driving the car but I have a warranty that expires at the end of this month so if something needs to be done I'd want it done before then.

Appreciate any info, thanks.

 

[Woody_72]

Having recently changed my gearbox oil, I've heard this exact issue mentioned a lot. I think it's inherent to our gearboxes when the weather's cold. Some people suggest switching to a more economy oriented oil like the 75W Fuch Titan Sintofluid I used. Mine does shift more smoothly in cold weather than it did before.

 

[2Stevo2]

Had a few manual VAG cars over the years. They were all exactly the same. Apart from a VW Sharon I was given as a hire car for a week weirdly.......

 

[SRGTD]

I am just wondering if any owners of manual Cupras (or other Leons or VW cars) experience the same thing? Is this normal or does it sound like something is wrong?

Therefwas a guy on one of the VW forums a while back with a Golf R with manual transmission. He’d commented on more than one occasion that the manual gear change in his car wasn’t as smooth as it was in other manual VW‘s he’d owned, but I believe the dealer said it was normal.

 

[R.Bot]

I changed the oil in mine and realigned linkage after fitting solid cable end bushes. Neither made any real difference. It's fine when warmed up and is only an issue on 1st to 2nd and reverse selection when cold ie around 3 degrees or less for me. Above that it's not too bad. I would say it's normal, I find an early 2k shift to second works best until there's some heat in it.

 

[black_sheep]

I’ve experienced this issue when cold in virtually all of manual VAG cars from Mk5 Golf onwards.

The gear linkage re-alignment is a relatively basic DIY task that I usually completed at a similar time of year to swapping the winter tyres. Had a bad synchro on one 5 spd box that was made better with higher viscosity gearbox oil.

Oil change and gear linkage adjustments are one of the few tasks completed on a main dealer service that you actually notice straight away.

 

[QTom]

Thanks for the info, puts my mind at ease that there's not some issue that's going to blow up later.

Oil change and gear linkage adjustments are one of the few tasks completed on a main dealer service that you actually notice straight away.

It actually had it's first service (in my ownership) a couple of months ago, I asked them to check the gear issue and they said it was all functioning normally. Now that you mention it though I have maybe experienced the issue getting into first less since then, hard to say though since it's fairly rare anyway.

 

[Mr Pig]

We've had three Leons. Two were smooth, one is notchy. It is mildly annoying but it's not bad enough to do anything about. The car's only done 20K and I do wonder if it might get smoother as it wears in?