Recently purchased a Dodge Caliber SE with 5-speed after missing a manual transmission for several years. Over the last 7 years, I have periodically test-driven vehicles with sticks, to keep up the skill level. As late as a year or so ago, I test drove a Honda CR-Z and drove it quite smoothly. I am having a problem with the clutch and shifter feel of the Caliber, resulting in jerky starts in first gear and have choked it down a few times. Even after 1100 miles, and still not smooth. Is this a trait of the car/clutch/transmission, or have I lost my mind? Anyone else had issues with this vehicle?
Every manual transmission is different. If you drove two cars of the same year, make and model one after the other they would both be different. You’ll get used to it as time goes on and it’ll probably smooth out.
Some companies make them better than others, though. I would expect a Honda to be better than a Chrysler in that regard simply by virtue of having more to spend on development.
Chrysler’s shifter, however, is a different matter. The car magazines have never liked Chrysler shifters. Hell, they never liked the Caliber in general.
I am a car guy. I know Honda has some of the best-reviewed shifters in the biz, and I understand the Caliber is definately one of the lower-rated vehicles in recent years, but I got a good deal, and wanted something better than what I had. I am just curious from someone who has driven one if this is a trait of the car.
could be you just need more time to get used to it. both of my cars are manuals, and when I’ve driven one of them for a while, it always takes me a bit to re-adjust to the other one.
I got a new Mazda Protege after driving a Chevy Nova for years. Both were stick, but I had trouble too. I finally figured out that the Mazda motor spun up so much more quickly than than the Chevy, sand as a result I was not using the throttle properly and getting jerky starts.
I bought one new last May, and had much the same experience at the beginning (it didn’t help that my previous car was a '97 Mazda Protege with a silken clutch & transmission). I think part of the problem — for me, at least — was that the shift lever is on the console as opposed to being on the floor, which makes the linkage just different enough to cause issues.
It’s still not as smooth as the Mazda, and I don’t think it ever will be; but the only real difficulty I have now is that sometimes it’s reluctant to go into reverse (which I think has more to do with how the gears are lined up than anything else). So I’d give it a while longer.
Thanks for the reply. I don’t know what the issue is, but it’s reassuring to know someone else had the same issue. Mine is new, and only had 8 miles on it, so I know it’s not been ragged-out. I guess I’ll get used to it in time. I’m gonna turn off the hill-holder feature. That’s annoying not knowing when it’s on or not when starting out. It’s messed me up more than once.
Out of curiosity, what does this feature attempt to achieve and how is it engaged? In other words, how is a “hill holder” something other than a “parking brake” for a manual transmission car? Does this have to do with clutch engagement on an incline?
If the clutch cable wasn’t greased at the factory it’ll make any start difficult.
It somehow holds the regular brakes when an incline is detected, both from the front or back. The problem is, it seems to only work when it wants to, and if you have let off the brake once stopped, it disengages. You never know when it’s on or not until you are starting off, and I automatically assume it’s not based on a vehicle without the feature. It seems to change the area of clutch engagement, and has caused me to stall 3 or 4 times. It needs a light to tell you it’s on. Also, I don’t have a tach, and there is no light to indicate when the engine has stalled, so with a loud radio, it’s hard to tell sometimes. Frustrating, indeed.
Based on a what the salesbeing told me when I got mine — he was trying to upsell me since the Express (the 2011 equivalent of the SE) didn’t offer it — I have a suspicion that it’s not working correctly. It might be worth a talk with the service department.
Actually, it’s the one thing I wish mine had. There are quite a few fairly steep hills hereabouts, and every one is equipped with an ample supply of morons who will plunk themselves right on one’s bumper. I’m seriously contemplating getting a custom bumper sticker or license plate frame that reads NOT SO CLOSE — STICK SHIFT AHEAD. In the meantime, I’m relearning the good old heel ‘n’ toe.
(And a clarification about what I meant by “gears lined up” in my previous. I wasn’t referring to anything inherent in the transmission, but rather the position everything ends up in when the car comes to a halt. If I can move forward a few inches, that usually solves the problem.)