Gear shifter vibration 6MT normal?

[gummimann88]

Hello everybody,

In our 6C GTI with 6-speed manual transmission, the gear shifter or lever slightly vibrates in certain situations.
The gear shifter always vibrates continously when you accelerate in 2nd or 4th gear or when you are in 4th gear in overrun mode (release throttle).

The vibration is noticeable when you touch the gear shifter.

Once you press the clutch, the vibration is gone.
In the other gears is no vibration noticeable.

Does anyone have an idea what that can be?
Or can someone try this at his polo and see if it is like that? Maybe it is a normal behaviour?!

Sorry for my bad englisch,
Best regards

[RUM4MO]

I don't think that this issue has been noted as being an issue with the 6C Polo with 6MT, but I think that someone might have mentioned it on the latest version of Polo, so maybe look in that section.

For what it is worth, my wife's August 2015 Polo 1.2TSI with 6MT does not have this issue, not even now that it has been fitted with the TDI version of the gearbox mounting.

[gummimann88]

I searched in the complete forum sections and found no mention of this issue. Because of that, I started this thread.

Why is the the TSI Polo of your wife fitted with the TDI gearbox mounting? I do not understand.

[RUM4MO]

I've just looked as well, and I was wrong, it was only the handbrake release button that was reported as rattling.

My wife's car with the 1.2TSI getting fitted with the TDI engined cars gearbox mounting - well, that car started making clunking noises as though the drive train (engine/gearbox) were moving about too much when changing gear and even when on a fixed RPM but the engine load was changing. Initially all the non GTI petrol engined 6C Polo were fitted with the usual softer or more compliant gearbox mounting that was fitted to all petrol engined non GTI Polos since late 2001/early 2002. Looking up the latest parts listing that I could find on the internet, VW seemed to have changed the gearbox mounting fitted to TSI smaller engines to the stiffer version previously only fitted to TDI engines. So, when my wife's 1.2TSI was handed back into the VW dealership for further investigation into the clunking noises, it was returned to her fitted with the "AS" version of that gearbox mounting - which solved the problem but now a lot more gearbox noises are being transmitted into the passenger cabin, which I sort of expected. The crazy thing is that VW request that the dealership, initially removes this rubber mounting with a steel bar bonded into it, and greases it with copper grease - but it is a one piece lunmp of rubber bonded into a steel frame and with a steel bar running through it, very strange! On the second visit to the dealership the plan is always to replace the mounting for a new one.

Maybe your gear stick just needs taken apart and greased to kill/dampen that vibration - or do you think that something nasty is starting to happen inside the gearbox?

[gummimann88]

I do not know if it is the gear stick or something else.

The vibration of the gear stick is only perceptible in 2nd and 4th gear.
In the other gears, no vibration, nothing.

It seems to be a transfer of the engine vibration to the gear stick. When i press the clutch pedal, the vibration disappears.
Or it is a transmission vibration, that only exists under load (clutch closed)... I don't know.

I will have the possibility to test drive another 6C GTI. So i can compare.
I will report the result.

[SRGTD]

I can also feel a mild vibration through the gear lever in my 6c GTI. I only notice it under moderate to hard acceleration up through the gears . Can’t remember precisely which gears but it’s not all gears. I’ll check next time I drive it and report back.

[gummimann88]

Yesterday I had the opportunity to drive and compare another Polo 6C GTI with manual transmission.

He also vibrated in 4th gear while accelerating, partly in 2nd gear.
However, only when accelerating and not in overrun mode like our GTI.

I think it really has to do with tolerances in the construction of the shift cables or their fixation.

Maybe it is possible to fix it a little bit by readjusting the shift cables?

[RUM4MO]

I'm not sure about it needing the cables adjusted, but you could try, there used to be a youtube video on adjusting VW gear change cables and I'd guess that it still applies to these the gear change cables on these cars.

I think that the supplying dealer for my wife's Polo has maybe added something into the area under the heat shield where the cables pass, when they replaced the gearbox top mounting, both actions being done to stop the clunking that I was complaining about - though I could be wrong, but the cables when you grab them now feel a lot tighter than they did before this repair!

[SRGTD]

I can also feel a mild vibration through the gear lever in my 6c GTI. I only notice it under moderate to hard acceleration up through the gears . Can’t remember precisely which gears but it’s not all gears. I’ll check next time I drive it and report back.

So, mine does it when changing from 2nd to 3rd and from 4th to 5th; only when changing gear at high revs. It is a very mild vibration though and not something I’ve ever worried about.

[gummimann88]

Thank you for your answers
Now I'm calm