General Winter and gearbox issues :( advise needed

[Tonii]

Hi, so I've been having a few issues recently with my pain in the arse 56 plate grande punto (Toni) and remembered car forums are a great place to get advise from other punto owners.

So my main issue at the moment is my gearbox. I've had Toni since May 2012 and so far I hadn't had any major issues, then I noticed the gearbox was a little noisy in 5th & 6th gear but it may just be me being picky. Then at the end of Dec 2012 I went to leave my street one day and my gearbox has started to wine rather loudly in 1st & 2nd. I haven't lost any power and it doesn't feel any different to drive.

About a month ago I went to leave to go to work one morning when it was about -4 outside and my gearbox was frozen. I've spent a little while researching this issue on here and other forums and it seems to be linked to the gear linkage cable. Any ideas if these two things could be connected? and the best quick fix for either of these gearbox issues?

I'm not sure when or if the gearbox oil has ever been changed......im going to do this on Saturday probably in the snow :/

Another issue that really annoys me is ice on the inside of my window and also the mist that forms on the inside of the windows seems to take ages to go once the heating is on and leaves a triangle on the top middle part of the window.......any ideas? or should I just stop moaning and put up with it? I have got wind deflector which are fitted correctly but its the fact I cant get rid of the mist more than it being there in the first place.

Sorry for the long post, I really don't want to loose the love for my punto so any ideas are very welcome

Thank you in advance for any help

Lia x

 

[jameshobiecat]

Your car is getting icey on the inside because there is too much moisture in it. It needs a good long journey to warm the interior through and change the air.

Using the air con can help clear the windows as it dries the air; but be sure to switch it off a while before you arrive at your destination otherwise it will dump the moisture back out.

Its normal for a triangle near the mirror to be the last bit of the screen to clear. Its just the way the air flows.

Gearbox sounds like two separate issues to me. Frozen cables making it hard to select gears and knackered bearing causing wine in gear. The first isn't too big of a deal, the second is.

 

[MISC1691]

I may have missed it, but what engine is the car? It unfortunately sounds like the gearbox is on it's way out I'd like another member to shed some light on this because to me, if it's the M32 6 speed gearbox it sounds like common symptoms of it on it's way out. Changing the oil could a be good idea though! Does the gear stick have any movement in it? People have said about it vibrating or moving when in gear, it's another symptom. Someone please clear this up!

Also, bury st edmunds? Near haverhill here :wave:

 

[TallTom]

Another hint for the Windscreen steaming up or Icing up is to give it a thorough clean as dirt is what the water sticks to rather than the glass itself.

I will second the gearbox linkage freezing and sounds like a bearing in the gearbox.

 

[Tonii]

Thanks for the replies

It's the 1.9 6 speed. I have noticed that the frozen gear linkages is a common problem.... Really annoying when u have to wait for the damn thing to free up.

The other symptoms which I'm thinking is connected to the noise is when it's in 5th & 6th it moves when I come off the accelerator. Other that that it's fine.

 

[jameshobiecat]

Sounds like the classic m32 gearbox failure. Best start saving for a gearbox re-build now.

 

[MISC1691]

Sounds like the classic m32 gearbox failure. Best start saving for a gearbox re-build now.

Glad someone else thinks the same. I didn't want to break the bad news and be wrong! haha

As to the OP, have you taken it to any garages or mechanics to have a good look over it?

 

[Tonii]

Glad someone else thinks the same. I didn't want to break the bad news and be wrong! haha

As to the OP, have you taken it to any garages or mechanics to have a good look over it?

I had a full major service done when I first got it only thing that hasn't been done is the gearbox oil.