So 2 weeks ago I traded in my 02 Grand Cherokee for a 2010 Fit with 36100 miles on it, which I use as a daily driver/Uber car, I also have an 05 Acura TL 6MT. So far it's been a fun little car to drive and great on gas, I even ordered a center armrest that slides into one of the cup holders, not the best but it's better then no arm rest at all.

I tried to google my problem but really didn't find anything. In the morning when my car is "cold" and I take off in 1st gear the car shudders or shakes, it's only taking off in first or reverse. It feels almost as if the front drivers side wheel shakes, I can't tell if it's coming from the clutch or the front end. The clutch doesn't really feel like it's going bad, no slipping at all. Once the car is warmed up and driven for a while it goes away. Is this something that is an issue with the manual Fit's? I've had my TL for almost 13 years with 138K, original clutch, and never had anything that felt like that.

Thanks for the help.

 

It's called clutch chatter. I believe it to be due to the light clutch combined with the Clutch Delay Valve (CDV). You can search on these boards for info on the CDV and how it shortens the life of the clutch.

Best thing to do is to use more rpm on take off to drive through the chatter quicker. We did that until it became too annoying and then had a new clutch installed. Got about 60k miles before it came back again.

I'm now doing the CDV delete and installing a ClutchMasters complete clutch. I want this thing to feel right and be done with it.

 

Thanks for the info. I know my TL also has some sort of slave cylinder that people delete because it delays the engagement of the clutch. Not exactly sure, but sounds kind of like the same thing. At least I know it's not something specific to my car. Actually I find that when I rev it out and take off it happens a lot more. If I keep low RPM's and slowly engage the clutch it doesn't chatter as much. Once it's warm though it goes away.

 

I'm glad you've asked this question.
I'm experiencing the exact same thing, always in 1st gear and sometimes even after the engine warms up. But I'm on my first manual transmission car and assumed it's normal or that I don't release the clutch smoothly or quickly enough.

That's odd.
I've got the 2nd gen Honda Fit ('13) and my drivers' seat has a lowering arm rest. In the city I shift gears too much and it gets in my way, so it's usually folded up. The front passenger seat doesn't have one.

Did you car really not have one? Or do you have a hole in the inner side of the seat, maybe it was removed by the previous owner?

 

Yeah, mine didn't have an armrest. It's a 2010 base, I think only the sport came with one. I bought one on Amazon the slips into the rear center cup holder. It wasn't the best fit, was a bit wobbly, so I had the rubber pads you stick on the bottom of furniture/chair legs so you don't scratch up the floors. I stuck them around the armrest insert and now it doesn't move or wobble around.