Question for the mechanically minded

ins0mn1ac · 26 Feb 2011 at 10:10

On the way home this morning the gear stick just went totally loose, I've totally lost everything apart from 3rd, reverse is gone. Clutch feels the same though and it still needs to be pressed to engage 3rd. Am I right in thinking the linkages are gone? my usual garage isn't open till Monday so dreaded busses for work

Oh yeah, POS Corsa 54 plate.

Lopéz · 26 Feb 2011 at 10:22

You are almost certainly right. Have a look in the engine bay, it may have just popped off.

ins0mn1ac · 26 Feb 2011 at 10:24

Lopéz said:
You are almost certainly right. Have a look in the engine bay, it may have just popped off.

Thing is my car knowledge is from Google, when I open the engine bay the only thing I can identify is the engine

Paul. W · 26 Feb 2011 at 10:50

They could be anywhere depending on the car. When mine popped off in the focus, therye actually above the gearbox. Was easy to fix, just a right pain in the *** to get to!

dalin80 · 26 Feb 2011 at 11:18

Gear linkages are very common on the corsas so they would be my guess, if you need a new set ask for the 'repair kit' mostly the same part as the full kit but includes everything that fails and takes the same time to replace for half the price.

dannycivic02 · 26 Feb 2011 at 11:21

Its the gear selector linkage its common on those corsas my sisters went too its a flaw with the design you can get a new modified one off the bay for around 25 of your english pounds.

ins0mn1ac · 26 Feb 2011 at 12:43

Is it a simple job for a garage then? I've got a drive to West Midlands to get done next week and was aiming for Tuesday

so if I drop it in Monday reckon it'll be a same day job?

dannycivic02 · 26 Feb 2011 at 13:15

Yeah definitely a same day jobbie it took me just about an hour and that was on the deck with axle stands so at a garage with ramps easy however I expect a garage would charge a premium.

Irish_Tom · 26 Feb 2011 at 13:18

The same thing happened to my girlfriend's Corsa a while ago. Seems to be very common.

dannycivic02 · 26 Feb 2011 at 13:38

Yeah when my sisters went I had a quick scan on a few of the corsa forums and got loads of hits on the problem I think one of the forums even has a how to guide. But like I mentioned before the new part is modified so wont happen again shame vauxhall never made them like that in the first place.

MOOGLEYS · 26 Feb 2011 at 14:07

They use plastic bearings that wear and the linkage falls apart or fails to engage gears its a really poor design. As mentioned the Modified part has metel liners and lasts a bit longer. Vauxhall quote 2 hours to do the job but it takes about 15 mins on ramps..
You would be better off getting the part and asking a local garage to fit it for you, it should work out quite a bit less...