Pops out of 1st gear

[Scaroline]

I have a CT4 BW and I started to notice at around 1200 miles that when I'm stopped at a signal and try to go into first gear, it sometimes just pops out back into neutral with a quick grind sound. I presume this is because it didn't go all the way into first gear but this only started happening at 1200 miles. Never occurred before. Has anyone else experienced this before?

 

[obeykube]

My car has 550 miles and does this with reverse mostly. Usually, I think it's just because I am not passionate enough when I put it in gear lol. I am sure it's just that, maybe move your seat up a fraction of an inch, that way your muscle memory doesn't need to adjust but you will be putting it slightly further into gear.

 

[TheShark]

I have a CT4 BW and I started to notice at around 1200 miles that when I'm stopped at a signal and try to go into first gear, it sometimes just pops out back into neutral with a quick grind sound. I presume this is because it didn't go all the way into first gear but this only started happening at 1200 miles. Never occurred before. Has anyone else experienced this before?

5 here, 1st popped out a few times on me early-on and before I learned to feel it engage. It just takes being deliberate vs how some rubbery linkages can be casually thrown into 1st. I've come to really enjoy the quality snick and beefiness.

 

[sps4runner]

I've occasionally had difficulty going into 1st on some transmissions. Try going into 2nd first then right up into first, That often helps proper engagement for me.

 

[Neveready]

Ugh…The only reason it would pop out of gear in that situation is if your foot wasn’t fully down on the clutch or you tried using your pinky finger to push it in gear. Maybe you’re not pushing the shifter in hard enough. If you force it in and it grinds or pops out then eventually you’ll need a rebuilt/New transmission

 

[Exia]

I find this to be common on Tremec transmissions when they are cold. I will usually shove it into first twice very deliberately and with force on the first shift of the day before pulling out of the driveway to prevent this and I haven't had an issue since.

 

[Dalyons03]

Mine does this as well at times. I tend to find it’s my fault and not using enough force.

 

[Olly_Voxx]

Seems normal on all Tremecs. My 4bw is the same till she warms, 2nd gear will reject occasionally, too. Buddy with a 6 speed Mustang Mach 1 complains similarly.

Gotta really plonk it in there, show that shifter who's boss, lol.

Not aggressively, mind you, but with a Firm Hand™.

 

[treborny]

I've had this happen twice, while in 4th and again in 5th gear going over a bump on the LIE (Long Island Expressway). Hasn't happened for some time now, but still concerned.

 

[Professor Speed]

Happened to me a couple of times when first got into the 4BW. It was just a matter of getting used to the transmission, the clutch, and finding the right seating position.

 

[jwolf99]

I've had this happen twice, while in 4th and again in 5th gear going over a bump on the LIE (Long Island Expressway). Hasn't happened for some time now, but still concerned.

Could have been worse. Could have been the fillings popping out your teeth with some of those summer speed bumps and winter craters on the LIE. . Drove it on Saturday and gritted my teeth the whole way.

 

[slowshift]

I've had this happen twice, while in 4th and again in 5th gear going over a bump on the LIE (Long Island Expressway). Hasn't happened for some time now, but still concerned.

This has also happened to me 3 or so times as a result of a hard bump at highway speeds (and I think an LI highway/parkway was the culprit for at least one of those)

 

[Champale]

Having owned and driven numerous Tremec equipped cars on the street and track, I had never experienced the 1st gear popping out . . . until I got my 2024 5BW. It is really weird, has nothing to do with seating position, arm strength, careless driving, etc. It literally will just pop out of 1st gear as soon as I start to pull away sometimes. Maybe once a month. I did the Spring Mountain program last week and the 5BW I drove for 2 days never did it and I didn't hear anyone else complain of it happening in their cars. Weird.

 

[thefleshrocket]

If you're at a stop, clutch in, engage first gear, clutch out, and it pops out of first gear, it means that the gear engagement dogs aren't fully seated. This could be due to not using enough force to engage the gear, or it could be a synchro issue, or a trans fluid issue.

My 2017 Corvette Z06 7MT did the first gear popout a couple times, only when cold, and only if I didn't engage first gear with some serious authority. (I bought it in February with 17K miles.) Per the Corvette world's brain trust, I installed Redline D4 trans fluid and that seems to have resolved the issue.

My '23 5BW, bought new, has never popped out of any gear, and if it did, I would be very worried. At the very least, I would notify the dealer and ask them to document the issue while the car is still under warranty, so that if it gets bad enough to get GM to take action, it would hopefully be covered as an existing issue even if the car was out of warranty.

 

[NorCal Blackwing]

Seems normal on all Tremecs. My 4bw is the same till she warms, 2nd gear will reject occasionally, too. Buddy with a 6 speed Mustang Mach 1 complains similarly.

Gotta really plonk it in there, show that shifter who's boss, lol.

Not aggressively, mind you, but with a Firm Hand™.

"Just Tremec Things" - I haven't yet had this happen on my 5BW but in my 2012 CTS-V Wagon, also equipped with a 6-Speed Tremec, it would occasionally pop out of 1st.