I know this is an older post but I am now having the same issue with the search in Premiere Pro CC2015. Did you ever find a solution? Or does anyone have this same problem and have you found a solution. I don’t know if it is a preferences setting or what is happening but it’s not acting like it used to. I type a few letters then it deselects the search box and shows the results of whatever matches the first few letters that it allowed me to type. I would like to type the full word that I am searching for so I can find the exact clip I need. Thanks for any help.