Blimey, this happened nearly 4 years ago! If I remember rightly I had to lever the cables off with a screwdriver then push them back on again when the job was done.
Main thing to remember is that however many people tell you it is necessary to saw the knob off the lever IT ISN'T!!!! Hold the gear lever upside down in a vice or workmate and place a spanner around the lever and over the knob. Two or three sharp taps on the spanner with a hammer will pop it off. Replace it by just pushing it back on. You do not need to go under the car, all done from above.

I repeat: DO NOT LISTEN TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WILL TELL YOU TO SAW THE KNOB OFF.

Was quite interesting to read back through the posts again. My 19 year old student son is now 24, has recently bought his own house and has a son with the girl who was his girlfriend when I first posted this! How things change in such a short while.

I still have the Sei by the way and the gear assembly is still in one piece (touch wood).

Thanks for the reply GrumpyOldMan! As you say it's a long time back. It's the kind of job that you might find youself only ever doing once. I called a local garage to ask & they said they'd never done one.

Incidentally if this happens to anyone else Fiat quote it as a 90 minute job.

Thanks for the heads up about the knob I have a workmate so will use that.

Am I correct that the whole unit needs to be drawn out from underneath the car?

Also you say that you probably levered the cables off. I have tried with a screwdriver but couldn't really get any purchase with the gearstick in situ (My plastic is not completely broken it's badly cracked). Can you remember more about getting the cables off?

Thanks again, the advice is greatly appreciated.

Needle nose pliers can be used to pop the ball joints off, use them like a pair of wedges either side of the ball.

Cheers

D

Enthusiastic Amateur said:

Am I correct that the whole unit needs to be drawn out from underneath the car?

Click to expand...

No. I think once you have released the cables and undone the two nuts you can just lift the assembly out. I don't remember going under the car at all.

90 minutes seems a lot. I don't remember it taking me that long.

Good idea Rallycinq will try that thanks.

Great news that I don't need to crawl under the car, thanks.

When I called Fiat I thought it would be a a 30minute job and said so but they insisted that their service schedule says 90mins @ £70 phr + vat. I politely pointed out to them that they were taking the Michael!
I was due to have surgery on a tendon in my hand last Friday so would not have been able to do the job myself. Fortunately I got a reprive....for Now!

As the original post said it's a real nuisance as it happens without warning (mine cracked when I put into reverse) and effectively disables the car.

Will sort it this weekend and post any tips I pick up.

Thanks again for the advice gents.

I just posted this in the guide:-

https://www.fiatforum.com/cinquecento-seicento-guides/428462-upgrade-plastic-gearstick-mounting.html?p=4097725

I hope it helps