Trouble Shifting Down To 1St

[AygoAde]

Hi All,

I am having real trouble shifting down into 1st gear. When coming to a roundabout/junction I come to a full stop then try to engage first gear. It is very difficult, sometimes impossible and I have had to use second and high revs!

I have tried changing early before coming to a stop to see if it is any better but is just the same.

It is not all the time and seems to go in easily when first started.

My garage have just said it's because its a cable shift but I have never experienced anything like this.

Would a transmission oil change help? Anyone had this and resolved?

[alan333]

I haven't any experience with your particular car, but...

Does it crunch going into gears, or is it just difficulty selecting? Does it go into first easily with the engine off (and the clutch pressed down)?

If the gear selector is cable operated it's possible they have stretched over the years, which could give you difficulty selecting one or more gears. This would be the same whether or not the engine is running.

If it crunches going into a gear it's more likely to be a gearbox problem. This would only happen with the engine running.

[AygoAde]

Cheers Alan,

It seems to shift fine with the engine off. Then sometimes it slides in easily into first and sometimes its a struggle.

[alan333]

Could be clutch or gearbox but start with the cheaper option ie the cables.

[eygo]

check your clutch,

easy to do park up, put you car into 1st gear with handbrake on fully

try to move off ,as long as your handbrake is working properly you should hear the

revs drop ,increase the revs and lift off the clutch more your car should sound like

its going to stall keep releasing the clutch and the car will stall.

if your clutch is worn out it will slip and you wont stall.

[AygoAde]

Cheers Eygo,

Ran through your test and the clutch was fine, definitely not slipping.

[Awebb180]

has it had a clutch and gear box cable change in its life time?

[AygoAde]

Thanks Awebb,

Yes it had a new clutch almost 3 years ago.