Shifter / Body Vibration - Normal?

[Light_Em_Up]

Following a 1500 km break-in of moderate driving, I hit the DTC button for 5 seconds and did a full throttle run up to red line in 2nd with a very hard clutch release on 1st to 2nd. (Force of habit from my Mustang & Camaro days.) Anyway, since then (I'm now at 3500 km) there has been a vibration in the shifter which at times is through the whole chassis and when so is quite noticeable in the seat bottom. It seems as though the trans housing is touching the chassis.

I've had one road test with the dealer technician and two under chassis inspections with no problems found. The techie says he *thinks* the vibration is normal. It doesn't seem right to me. I don't recall any of my cars with manual trans being like this except when my modified exhausts have been touching the chassis. In my current DD, a 1.8T 5sp man Jetta there is zero vibration in the shifter.

What are other members experiencing?

Thanks,
Jack

[OhMyGoose]

My shifter vibrates as well. I've noticed it since I took delivery a year ago. Annoyed me at first... but I got over it.

Anyways, the 1er is my first car having a vibrating shifter as well.

[ronster]

Mine & my buddy's 335i have shifter/body vibration too... I think it's normal... as I've noticed that since day 1...

[1ToBeOn2Wheels]

Mine vibrates. It's normal.

[clausy]

Originally Posted by Light_Em_Up

Following a 1500 km break-in of moderate driving, I hit the DTC button for 5 seconds and did a full throttle run up to red line in 2nd with a very hard clutch release on 1st to 2nd. (Force of habit from my Mustang & Camaro days.) Anyway, since then (I'm now at 3500 km) there has been a vibration in the shifter which at times is through the whole chassis and when so is quite noticeable in the seat bottom. It seems as though the trans housing is touching the chassis.

I've had one road test with the dealer technician and two under chassis inspections with no problems found. The techie says he *thinks* the vibration is normal. It doesn't seem right to me. I don't recall any of my cars with manual trans being like this except when my modified exhausts have been touching the chassis. In my current DD, a 1.8T 5sp man Jetta there is zero vibration in the shifter.

What are other members experiencing?

Thanks,
Jack

Thats exactly how I would describe it too. It bugs the hell out of me. Sometimes its smooth, sometimes more noticeable. Feels as though something is out of alignment, causing a vibration in the drivetrain. The shifter dances around like it's trying to blend a bag of bolts. Other times it's smoother. I notice it in the clutch pedal too when I shift at high rps under load.

The only thing I can think is something to do with clutch plate alignment - sometimes when in gear it matches the plates balanced, other times 180degrees offset from the 'good' spot it's out of balance. Drives me nuts as I'm really sensitive to vibrations in cars. I've also had 2 people at the dealer drive it: they both said it's normal.

Doesn't seem to have any adverse effect though although it would seem like it causes some kind of wear or tear over time.

Try pulling away in 2nd, letting the clutch out really slowly - do you get any vibration then?