Save up to 15% with Adrian Flux insurance!

Technical stiff gear changes

Currently reading:
Technical stiff gear changes

S

Simon12

New member
Joined
Jan 26, 2011
Messages
5
Points
2
Hi All,
Just wondering if anyone else has experienced their gear changes becoming stiff? I've got a 2005 Panda Active and all was fine until just before Christmas, when the clutch went very heavy and slow when the car was cold. Now the clutch seems ok but now the gear changes are heavy/stiff. The gear stick used to spring quite lightly between the gears.

My garage have suggested that it is a fault with the clutch control cable, with a fitted replacement cost of £300.

does the diagnosis sound right? Has anyone else had the same problem?

(words chosen carefully to avoid 'oooh matron' moments!)
 
The clutch dosn't have a cable, it is hydraulic so I suggest sacking them.

Before read that bit I was going to suggest simply renewing the hyrdaluic fluid to see if that helps.
 
Well, I've noticed my gear change can be a bit stiff too. Not so much fore / aft, but certainly side to side, and worse when the weather is cold.

The car is due in for a service before too long and I will mention then, but if anyone has any idea of a cause / solution it'd be much appreciated!
 
The ends of the cables (two of them, a short distance apart) arrive in brackets at the back/top of the gearbox -- one transfers the fore and aft motion of the lever, and the other the side to side travel.

Each cable has a concertina rubber sleeve at the end to keep water and dirt out. I've noticed that on mine (2005 4x4) this sleeve has broken away on one cable, and that the lever movement is no longer so 'slick'. Suspect you may have similar issue - and when very cold, any dampness that is now in the cable will more than likely freeze up, which may explain greater resistance when weather was very cold.

Cure is to replace the cables, as the sleeved end is (or was before it broke away) an integral part of the cable. Potentially not that big a job -- unhook cable(s) at gearbox end, and with centre part of dash trim removed, pass cables up through gasket-covered hole in floor. Reassembly is reverse of removal, etc. But, may need to then adjust the cables at gbox end to ensure correct alignment/selections. I've not bothered to fix it though... so this is a bit speculative. However, similar issue on my Multipla was cured (under warranty) by same fix.
 
Herts Hillhopper said:
The ends of the cables (two of them, a short distance apart) arrive in brackets at the back/top of the gearbox -- one transfers the fore and aft motion of the lever, and the other the side to side travel.

Each cable has a concertina rubber sleeve at the end to keep water and dirt out. I've noticed that on mine (2005 4x4) this sleeve has broken away on one cable, and that the lever movement is no longer so 'slick'. Suspect you may have similar issue - and when very cold, any dampness that is now in the cable will more than likely freeze up, which may explain greater resistance when weather was very cold.

Cure is to replace the cables, as the sleeved end is (or was before it broke away) an integral part of the cable. Potentially not that big a job -- unhook cable(s) at gearbox end, and with centre part of dash trim removed, pass cables up through gasket-covered hole in floor. Reassembly is reverse of removal, etc. But, may need to then adjust the cables at gbox end to ensure correct alignment/selections. I've not bothered to fix it though... so this is a bit speculative. However, similar issue on my Multipla was cured (under warranty) by same fix.
Click to expand...

Many Bravos & some Grande Puntos & MiTo's (usually 6 speed i believe) also seem to suffer from this. Hadn't seen it reported on the 5 speed versions so far - now looks like some 5 speed boxes can be susceptible too :(

New gear cables/linkages seem to be the answer on the other cars too, though the problem has re-occured in some instances.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Uncle Beee
General Changes after new clutch
Replies
2
Views
127
Uncle Beee
Uncle Beee
J
Technical Panda 1.2 changing thermostat,worth doing stiff clutch slave cylinder,same time..?known problem..
2
Replies
20
Views
606
Shuggie
S
T
Technical Gear linkage
Replies
2
Views
155
koalar
koalar
K
Technical Mk3 Cross suddenly incredibly stiff to come out of 1, 3, 5 gears
Replies
6
Views
472
koalar
koalar
G
Technical Reverse gear problem
Replies
3
Views
176
koalar
koalar
Back
Top