Q: Getting harder to shift into first gear. Car sometimes shutters when accelerating in first.

This may suggest the transmission synchros may be wearing out. Your transmission has small gear synchronizer rings that help to move the transmission in and out of the various gears. When these begin to wear out, you may notice it hard to shift in and out of gears as you describe. You may also occasionally hear a bit of a grinding sound when trying to shift from gear to gear. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect your transmission.

Hello, thank you for writing in. The symptoms you are having are signs of a worn clutch assembly, more specifically the pressure plate is failing. You can test this by letting the car roll sightly when you put it into gear. You can also try letting up on the clutch a small amount before you try shifting. While the hydraulics do play a role, these fluids are in a closed system and unless damage has occurred, it is unlikely that they are leaking or are excessively dirty. For more help with a full diagnosis and repair, contact our service department about scheduling an appointment.