Difficulty with 1st gear
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,088
Likes: 0
From: St. Petersburg Florida
Difficulty with 1st gear
I test drove an MN6 today and had difficulty hooking up 1st gear. I have an '06 stang GT with a manual and 1st hooks up like second nature.
I was wondering if all of the C6s are hard to get into 1st and if it is something that dissipates with having some miles on the car or should I just work on my technique.
I was wondering if all of the C6s are hard to get into 1st and if it is something that dissipates with having some miles on the car or should I just work on my technique.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 11,331
Likes: 18
From: Missouri City Texas
When you say hooking up I assume you mean the ability of the cars tires to hook and launch you.
But then you say "get into 1st" which leads me to believe you are talking about getting the gear into position.
Clarify perhaps?
But then you say "get into 1st" which leads me to believe you are talking about getting the gear into position.
Clarify perhaps?
Team Owner
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 82,175
Likes: 1,319
From: McKinney TX
St. Jude Donor '21-'22-'23-'24
Try putting it in 2nd gear first, then coming back to 1st. Some here had problems going to 1st and this helped. Others had to do other things to help, like changing tranny fluid, etc.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,439
Likes: 6
From: Newark, DE
St. Jude Donor '06
I had the exact same question.In general, independent rear suspensioned rwd cars like the vette are a bit trickier to launch and hook in 1st.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,477
Likes: 2
From: Boca Raton, FL
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14
I got my C6 in Dec of 04. This problem was identified early in the production run. It is also intermittent. There are times at a stop lite when I can get into 1st without any issues, then there are times when, after fighting for a few seconds, I go into 2nd then back to 1st w/o any problems.
Just get used to it and enjoy your 6 speed
Just get used to it and enjoy your 6 speed
Racer
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 405
Likes: 0
From: Colorado Springs CO.
I got my C6 in Dec of 04. This problem was identified early in the production run. It is also intermittent. There are times at a stop lite when I can get into 1st without any issues, then there are times when, after fighting for a few seconds, I go into 2nd then back to 1st w/o any problems.
Just get used to it and enjoy your 6 speed
Just get used to it and enjoy your 6 speed
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,477
Likes: 2
From: Boca Raton, FL
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14
No, I wouldn't suggest getting use to it. This is a problem with the tranny fluid. Have the dealer change it under warranty, or pay for it if you have to. I'd recommend using Mobil-1 ATF rather than Dexron. After the drain and fill you'll be amazed how easily you can shift into 1st, or any gear for that matter. As a side note, Dexron IV has not been approved by GM for manual transmissions - in case you might be thinking of that?
Anyway, if changing the fluid works for you, great, didn't for me.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 405
Likes: 0
From: Colorado Springs CO.
Yes, I do remember early c6's having the shift-to-first problem, as well as noisy differentials. Seems to me the "fix" in both cases was to drain and refill? But then that was some time ago and I don't seem to remember stuff as long as I use to? 
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,477
Likes: 2
From: Boca Raton, FL
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14
Not cruising, stopped at a red lite or someother reason, almost like first is locked out, need to go into 2nd then 1st. I'm used to it and don't pay much attention to it anymore.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 53,282
Likes: 3
From: God Bless America
