Gearbox 3500 miles in - Gear 2, 4 and 6 got stiffer..

[iiNNEX]

Right so within the last week or so I have noticed how my 2nd, 4th and 6th gears have gotten stiffer to engage.

I can simply slip/guide the shifter into 1st, 3rd and 5th and it slots in perfectly, where the others need a push, and 6th still refuses to go in sometimes and requires double-clutch.

Now I have already been to Hyundai once for the 6th gear thing and they told me the car needs more miles on it (it was on 1100 when I went) so I should report back in 5-6K miles. Well I'm afraid to say, it has only gotten worse with the miles...

I am beyond annoyed to be fair, mainly because I really love the car and I just want it to work well. The gearbox is one of the most praised parts of it and yet it has been nothing but nightmare for me. I really miss my EP3 Type R's gearbox and that thing was on 110k miles!

So before I take it back to complain again, is there any point in me trying to change the gearbox oil?
It fixed a lot of "stiffness" in my EP3 when I did it, but that as mentioned before was on 6 digit mileage, and driven extremely hard.

 

[s.arhangelov]

Right so within the last week or so I have noticed how my 2nd, 4th and 6th gears have gotten stiffer to engage.

I can simply slip/guide the shifter into 1st, 3rd and 5th and it slots in perfectly, where the others need a push, and 6th still refuses to go in sometimes and requires double-clutch.

Now I have already been to Hyundai once for the 6th gear thing and they told me the car needs more miles on it (it was on 1100 when I went) so I should report back in 5-6K miles. Well I'm afraid to say, it has only gotten worse with the miles...

I am beyond annoyed to be fair, mainly because I really love the car and I just want it to work well. The gearbox is one of the most praised parts of it and yet it has been nothing but nightmare for me. I really miss my EP3 Type R's gearbox and that thing was on 110k miles!

So before I take it back to complain again, is there any point in me trying to change the gearbox oil?
It fixed a lot of "stiffness" in my EP3 when I did it, but that as mentioned before was on 6 digit mileage, and driven extremely hard.

I wouldn't touch it at all if I were you. If you change the oil yourself, they might use it against you. Take the car back to the dealer and try to get it fixed under warranty. If they refuse, go to another dealer and try there. If all fails, escalate the issue to Hyundai UK.

On a side note, since there are lots of i30N owners in the UK, I think you guys should band together and all sign a letter of intent to Hyundai UK. Demand that Hyundai solve the gearbox issues once and for all. Or atleast send all dealers an official memo that it is indeed a common issue and should be inspected without question.

 

[iiNNEX]

I wouldn't touch it at all if I were you. If you change the oil yourself, they might use it against you. Take the car back to the dealer and try to get it fixed under warranty. If they refuse, go to another dealer and try there. If all fails, escalate the issue to Hyundai UK.

On a side note, since there are lots of i30N owners in the UK, I think you guys should band together and all sign a letter of intent to Hyundai UK. Demand that Hyundai solve the gearbox issues once and for all. Or atleast send all dealers an official memo that it is indeed a common issue and should be inspected without question.

I ll give them a call on Monday and see what they say. Doubt the dealer will refuse the work, it's just that basically I feel like I am the minority every time I go there. They say to me that almost no i30N's come in for any work, yet both the ex-demo and this one seem to suffer from largely the same "niggles".

Since this is the 2nd time I am going back for the same/similar issue, if they cannot fix it I have the option to reverse the sale should it ever get that bad. Fingers crossed they sort it out though!

This is exactly why I am so scared to mod this thing, with the amount of niggles that it has I dread to think what I'd do if warranty claims start getting denied because of "a map that disables GPF sensors" ect.

 

[Bu11eT]

I have a similar issue with the gearbox. Mine is currently at my Hyundai dealer for service. I told them about the possibility of it being the gear linkage (I read that the forge short shifter solves the issue for some guys), so I told them to take a closer look around that area. Let's see if it helps.

 

[icelink]

trust me, it doesn't get better :| i am enjoying the car for now but thoughts are creeping in whether I should take a plunge and change to something else because of these issues...

 

[iiNNEX]

I have a similar issue with the gearbox. Mine is currently at my Hyundai dealer for service. I told them about the possibility of it being the gear linkage (I read that the forge short shifter solves the issue for some guys), so I told them to take a closer look around that area. Let's see if it helps.

And you know what is weird, it is stiff when you put it in gear as well as when you try to take it out of those lower gears. It's almost like there is a short shifter installed in the car with the wrong settings lol.

I did not experience the stiffness before, maybe only 2nd gear sometimes, but 6th gear issue still remains and happens more often than not, especially since I do a reasonable amount of motorway journeys.

Ah well, let's see what Hyundai say about this.

 

[R Veloster N]

Right so within the last week or so I have noticed how my 2nd, 4th and 6th gears have gotten stiffer to engage.

I can simply slip/guide the shifter into 1st, 3rd and 5th and it slots in perfectly, where the others need a push, and 6th still refuses to go in sometimes and requires double-clutch.

Now I have already been to Hyundai once for the 6th gear thing and they told me the car needs more miles on it (it was on 1100 when I went) so I should report back in 5-6K miles. Well I'm afraid to say, it has only gotten worse with the miles...

I am beyond annoyed to be fair, mainly because I really love the car and I just want it to work well. The gearbox is one of the most praised parts of it and yet it has been nothing but nightmare for me. I really miss my EP3 Type R's gearbox and that thing was on 110k miles!

So before I take it back to complain again, is there any point in me trying to change the gearbox oil?
It fixed a lot of "stiffness" in my EP3 when I did it, but that as mentioned before was on 6 digit mileage, and driven extremely hard.

Changing transmission lubrication in my opinion is always a good thing. There are better grades of lubricant out there and additives as well. CERMA for one.

Don't let it rest, make your dealership document the issues in the cars maintenance history. This way your dealership or Hyundai can't say; its operator induced or caused from lack of maintenance. Ask them change the trans lubricant as well.

I believe a member has a similar ongoing issue. So it would behove you to have it documented by the dealership.

 

[Crocoman]

I would certainly try different transmission fluid and do some more research into whether its better or worse at different temperatures.

I love the gearbox in this car but it does seem like it’s either on the money or people are having issues. There is nothing wrong with trying different fluids as long as they are within the spec of what Hyundai allow.

Good luck with this one. Hopefully it gets resolved ASAP, as it’s clearly hampering your enjoyment of the car. That alone, should make it a priority for Hyundai (when you do contact them) to resolve.

For information - I find their Twitter support can escalate issues effectively. Good luck.

 

[iiNNEX]

Thank you lads, I will update as I know more.

trust me, it doesn't get better :| i am enjoying the car for now but thoughts are creeping in whether I should take a plunge and change to something else because of these issues...

The problem I have is, what else am I going to get at this price range that sounds like this, goes like this and looks the part? Not much, I mean the closest thing I can find is the new Focus ST, it has pops and bangs like our cars (bit quieter), looks decent and is actually faster around a track. Pretty good tech in them too but they are 30k RRP, max savings on carwow are like 1k if you're lucky and when you add a bit of necessary spec, you are talking 31k list, which is 6K more than I paid for mine, let alone the crazy Black Friday deal that just went past.

It will really be a difficult choice to make, but it does mean that I will put up with shoddy QC for what essentially should be a great car at a brilliant price point.

 

[Manted]

I have a Focus St which I bought after my N was written off.Paid 30k and I’ve never looked back.I know this is against what most want to hear but apart from the sound which is a fair bit quieter.My personal opinion is it’s better in every department and it feels a lot quicker.Once I got paid out I just didn’t want another just my opinion.

 

[icelink]

I have a Focus St which I bought after my N was written off.Paid 30k and I’ve never looked back.I know this is against what most want to hear but apart from the sound which is a fair bit quieter.My personal opinion is it’s better in every department and it feels a lot quicker.Once I got paid out I just didn’t want another just my opinion.

that's a painful experience you've had. I'm glad that you are not looking back. given that buying a car is a big experience in itself and if the new one isn't as good, it's not that easy to return. enjoy and hope the experience doesn't repeat itself

 

[iiNNEX]

Quick update on this:

- Car was dropped off this morning at the dealer. Was told they will look into it and get back to me ASAP

- At around 1pm I got a call back to say the Master tech at the dealer (the only person allowed to work on N cars) has diagnosed the issue and has confirmed 6th gear sticking/grinding/not going in sometimes. The gearbox of the car will be taken out and 5/6th synchro and gears will be replaced.

- While the above is going on they will also look to find the cause of 2nd, 4th and 6th being much harder to engage, like a rubber resistance basically.

- They will also revisit the squeaky shifter mechanism inside the interior.

I will update as I know more but it will take over a week or so, I've been told.


On another note, went to test drive a 2020 Focus ST last night, was thoroughly impressed. Seamless gear changes, quite a lot of options as standard and this one had a Heads-Up display + pano roof. Seems to pop and bang quite a bit in Track Mode as well.

If my car isn't sorted to my liking, I might be jumping ship here.

 

[Cavaco90]

Quick update on this:

- Car was dropped off this morning at the dealer. Was told they will look into it and get back to me ASAP

- At around 1pm I got a call back to say the Master tech at the dealer (the only person allowed to work on N cars) has diagnosed the issue and has confirmed 6th gear sticking/grinding/not going in sometimes. The gearbox of the car will be taken out and 5/6th synchro and gears will be replaced.

- While the above is going on they will also look to find the cause of 2nd, 4th and 6th being much harder to engage, like a rubber resistance basically.

- They will also revisit the squeaky shifter mechanism inside the interior.

I will update as I know more but it will take over a week or so, I've been told.


On another note, went to test drive a 2020 Focus ST last night, was thoroughly impressed. Seamless gear changes, quite a lot of options as standard and this one had a Heads-Up display + pano roof. Seems to pop and bang quite a bit in Track Mode as well.

If my car isn't sorted to my liking, I might be jumping ship here.

Now, deep down, do you want it to be sorted out or move on to the ST? Given the current events on the gearbox front i wouldn't be surprised if some members were to sell their N's, it's just a matter of time if Hyundai doesn't do a recall on the N's (all of them if necessary to prevent this move to another brand).
Well lets hope everything works out so you can't have time to fall in love with the enemy lool

 

[iiNNEX]

Now, deep down, do you want it to be sorted out or move on to the ST? Given the current events on the gearbox front i wouldn't be surprised if some members were to sell their N's, it's just a matter of time if Hyundai doesn't do a recall on the N's (all of them if necessary to prevent this move to another brand).
Well lets hope everything works out so you can't have time to fall in love with the enemy lool

It's hard to tell honestly. I prefer the looks of the N and the dials/interior layout are more to my liking. However the Ford actually has more extras (does cost a bit more though so that cancels that out), and has no reported gearbox problems. Also can be tuned more too, as it's a 2.3L (previously in the focus RS) compared to our 2.0 in the N. When I hammered it though, it did not feel as savage as the N but looking at the speedo, it looked just as quick if not quicker. Perhaps its because I short shifted (the sales guy was scared as it was hahah) so I don't know.

Right now, I just want my car fixed properly. No half-arsed jobs and no excuses on Hyundai's part. So far this dealer has done well every time I've visited, but this job will be the deciding factor.

 

[loafer-N77]

I think we can see where this is going....... enjoy the ST mate

(Serious head on, I hope Hyundai look after you but it seems they don't really know how to fix any knackered gearboxes or why some are good and some have issues).

 

[Manted]

It's hard to tell honestly. I prefer the looks of the N and the dials/interior layout are more to my liking. However the Ford actually has more extras (does cost a bit more though so that cancels that out), and has no reported gearbox problems. Also can be tuned more too, as it's a 2.3L (previously in the focus RS) compared to our 2.0 in the N. When I hammered it though, it did not feel as savage as the N but looking at the speedo, it looked just as quick if not quicker. Perhaps its because I short shifted (the sales guy was scared as it was hahah) so I don't know.

Right now, I just want my car fixed properly. No half-arsed jobs and no excuses on Hyundai's part. So far this dealer has done well every time I've visited, but this job will be the deciding factor.

Like I stated elsewhere in this forum I have an Orange Fury ST and I haven’t looked back.Excellent gearbox,much better interior,love the head up display and the list goes on.I say be done with it while it’s worth something.Only negative I have found is the odd rattle but the b&o sound system takes care of that.

 

[REM66]

On another note, went to test drive a 2020 Focus ST last night, was thoroughly impressed. Seamless gear changes, quite a lot of options as standard and this one had a Heads-Up display + pano roof. Seems to pop and bang quite a bit in Track Mode as well.

If my car isn't sorted to my liking, I might be jumping ship here.

How did you find the suspension in track mode? The ST is fixed modes so no pop and bang with normal suspension mode set?

I was offered a new ST by a Ford dealer in York on Carwow 2 months ago with over £3k off list and lower interest than Hyundai but I didn't bother testing one at the time as I'd made my mind up with the i30N. I see so many of the previous ST around every day that it just doesn't seem special and a near escape with a Focus RS mk3 purchase just as the head gasket issues started showing up didn't help.

 

[Cavaco90]

It's hard to tell honestly. I prefer the looks of the N and the dials/interior layout are more to my liking. However the Ford actually has more extras (does cost a bit more though so that cancels that out), and has no reported gearbox problems. Also can be tuned more too, as it's a 2.3L (previously in the focus RS) compared to our 2.0 in the N. When I hammered it though, it did not feel as savage as the N but looking at the speedo, it looked just as quick if not quicker. Perhaps its because I short shifted (the sales guy was scared as it was hahah) so I don't know.

Right now, I just want my car fixed properly. No half-arsed jobs and no excuses on Hyundai's part. So far this dealer has done well every time I've visited, but this job will be the deciding factor.

I ear you mate, the ST is more car now than the previous version and has become a nice escape from the regular hot hatches. As @loafer-N77, good luck with the ST

 

[iiNNEX]

I think we can see where this is going....... enjoy the ST mate

(Serious head on, I hope Hyundai look after you but it seems they don't really know how to fix any knackered gearboxes or why some are good and some have issues).

I ear you mate, the ST is more car now than the previous version and has become a nice escape from the regular hot hatches. As @loafer-N77, good luck with the ST

Hahaha ffs, hasn't even been 12 hours since I've dropped it off yet, you hounds! Next week shall make my mind up.

Like I stated elsewhere in this forum I have an Orange Fury ST and I haven’t looked back.Excellent gearbox,much better interior,love the head up display and the list goes on.I say be done with it while it’s worth something.Only negative I have found is the odd rattle but the b&o sound system takes care of that.

The thing is, I cannot just go and tell them "yea i am returning the car give me a full refund". I have had the car over 2 months now, so the only way I can get the above is if they refuse or are unable to fix the same reported problem 3 times in a row (which they haven't since the car was accepted for work every single time). Now this is the 2nd strike for the gearbox issues, hence why they are going ahead with the rebuild. If it happens again or if it's not satisfactory, that is when I can exercise my Consumer Rights Act (2015).

So for now it's a waiting game. Also the N has a weird idle issue but I am not going to mention that just yet, since it's so minor.

How did you find the suspension in track mode? The ST is fixed modes so no pop and bang with normal suspension mode set?

I was offered a new ST by a Ford dealer in York on Carwow 2 months ago with over £3k off list and lower interest than Hyundai but I didn't bother testing one at the time as I'd made my mind up with the i30N. I see so many of the previous ST around every day that it just doesn't seem special and a near escape with a Focus RS mk3 purchase just as the head gasket issues started showing up didn't help.

Well I drove the car primarily in Sport mode, the track was only to test acceleration since I wanted no/minimal assists to see how she pulled. In Sport, it was a bit rough as it is, not sure how much Track changes that, i will miss the custom mode in the N that's for sure. But as previously mentioned, nothing set in stone yet.

Oh and did I mention the lovely Sound system it has compared to what Hyundai have blessed us with? Oh man... I almost hope they don't fix the car xD

/rant over

 

[REM66]

Oh and did I mention the lovely Sound system it has compared to what Hyundai have blessed us with? Oh man... I almost hope they don't fix the car xD

/rant over

Unless I've got passengers the radio is off, custom mode is on and I listen to the lovely exhaust sound that Hyundai blessed us with while leaving my suspension in normal