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Clutch grinding when shifting to 5

2K views 10 replies 5 participants last post by  trailangel 
#1 ·
I would like to ask you for advice.
When driving in higher speed and going downhill, I put the gear into neutral and then when shifting back to 5 there is a grinding noise coming from the clutch.
I made sure that the clutch is pressed all the way down yet every single time I shifted the gear like this there was the noise.

No problems when shifting 1-2-3-4-5 in a row.

My husband drove back home the same road and his shifting in the same situation was without this grinding noise.
Since our car is Forester 2012, the issue is in a way I shift.

Can you, please, advise on what I may be doing wrong?
thank you.
 
#3 ·
^ I agree with trailangel here. In fact, if you cost in gear down a hill, you get better fuel economy. That is because since gravity pulling the car, the engine doesn't need to do any work (and if your foot is off the gas pedal), the ECU will stop injecting fuel into the engine, and the wheels turning will turn the engine, and no fuel is used!

Are you rev matching when shifting back into gear? The 5-speed Subaru gearboxes are notoriously finicky and can't be driven sloppily. It will let you know every small mistake you make ;).
 
#4 ·
I agree, do not go downhill coasting in neutral. As stated above it is dangerous to let the car free wheel downhill, adds to brake heating and wear (glaze the brake pads). Select the gear that when going downhill with foot off the gas pedal, best holds the car to the speed you desire. As mentioned by Loscaldazar this will engage DFCO (Deceleration Fuel Cut Off) by the engine computer and will actually save fuel because like it says it stops all fuel being injected into the engine during that downhill event. This is why if you hit the instant MPG (instant not average) readout while coasting downhill in gear (engine braking) the readout will temporarily jump up to some insanely high figure like 99 mpg or something.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Ok i see i need to clarify, i was referring to smaller downhill followed by the uphill or if I am on a slightly angled road with reduced speed limit in sight, i just let thecar slow down naturally then will shift from neutral to 5

If it is regular downhill i have the car in the gear as I would be too scared to let it just accelarate by itself

So pls . keep your kind advice to the original question
Thanks
 
#8 · (Edited)
Foresters are very sensitive to clutch position. Make sure you are pressing clutch completely to floor when downshifting. If you are already doing this, there may be some air in the clutch hydraulic system which would indicated a need for examination by a repair shop.

Also, if the car is still very new with less than about 5000 miles (8047 km) on it, it probably is just the manual transmission is very new and it is still somewhat tight. If this is the case, the shifting will improve as the transmission and synchros wear-in (as more miles or kilometers accumulate).

What country are you in?
 
#9 ·
Thank you, as I said when the same car is being driven by my husband the shifting is smooth and no noise, so I am trying to figure out what is it that i am not doing right -- the. pedal was all the way down so it probably has to do with hand shifting
 
#11 ·
^^+
I still say don't coast in neutral on a hill when you would normally be using 5th gear.
I do it sometimes....coast in neutral in traffic up to a stop light .. usually could be in 2nd, maybe third gear, and know I will be rolling to a stop. But never at speeds which you would normally be in 4th or 5th. Really no reason to, and you won't have good control of you car.
Why does you husband do this?
Ask a professional semi tractor driver why you don't do this.
 
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