My other half was driving his 2000 Fiat Marea ELX 115 on Saturday night and had real trouble getting it into 4th gear. He did manage to get it into gear, but it really crunched in the process.
About 40 mins later I was driving it and couldn't get it into 4th gear at all. It still wouldn't go into 4th this morning either, it's like there's something blocking it.
All the other gears feel fine and there's no problem or crunching with any of them, so I don't think it can be a clutch fault.

With neither of us being too mechanically skilled, we don't want to take it to a garage and be told we need a whole new gearbox, if it's just one small part that needs replacing.

Does anyone have any ideas of what might have happened? Or what the problem might be?
We've never had any problems with the car before and have had it for 4 years.

Cheers Marea ss

It could be a linkage problem or a shot gearbox. Sounds more like the link as a shot gear normally takes out the rest of the box.

Good luck and welcome to our forum

Have you tried to put it into forth without the engine running?
Does it go in if you double de-clutch?
Is there any problem going from 3rd to neutral.

polecat said:

It could be a linkage problem or a shot gearbox. Sounds more like the link as a shot gear normally takes out the rest of the box.

Good luck and welcome to our forum

Click to expand...

Thanks for that, will have a few more ideas to talk to the mechanics about now
And thanks for your welcome, I think I'm going to like this site

RS Pilot said:

Have you tried to put it into forth without the engine running?
Does it go in if you double de-clutch?
Is there any problem going from 3rd to neutral.

Click to expand...

Hiya
thanks for your reply
No, it won't even go into 4th when the engine's off.
3rd to neutral seems fine, but 5th is starting to feel a bit crunchy now too.....

Haven't tried a double de-clutch, might give it a go tonight.
Will let you know

we had the same trouble and it turned out to be the syncro mesh and we had to have a new gearbox all payed for by the garage we got it from